About Esther

My name is Esther Hizsa and I live in Burnaby, B.C. with my husband, Fred. We have two grown children: Rudy (married  to Corinne) and Heidi (married to Jeremy) and two grandchildren, Hadrian and Hannah.

I work as a spiritual director and writer. I was trained as spiritual director (SoulStream) 2007-2010. In 2013 I was trained to give the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises and am a member of the Jesuit Spirituality Apostolate of Vancouver (fancy name for a group of us who have been trained to give the Spiritual Exercises). I am also a facilitator in SoulStream’s spiritual formation course Living from the Heart (Lower Mainland). I facilitate retreats and preach occasionally. My first book, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim, is now available. See also Published Works.

Here’s a link to a video I did for Living from the Heart about Prayer

From 2006 to  2014, I worked part-time as the associate pastor of New Life Community Church. I oversaw local outreach, helped new people get connected, led a contemplative group that meets weekly, preached occasionally, and organized arts collective gatherings and our annual arts worship service. It was a princess job because I got to do what I enjoyed. But God called me to be less busy so I left that job December 31, 2014. We now attend St.Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church.

My first career was in nursing, but I gave that up when Heidi was born. It wasn’t a fit anyway. I liked writing songs, stories, and poems for kids, and teaching Sunday school better. In 1991 I recorded Ride Your Dreams and performed at Christian schools and church events.

But God was calling us on another adventure. We sold our house, packed up our things, bought a forty-foot sailboat, and from 1992-95 we went sailing. We travelled west around the world as far as Turkey. Rudy and Heidi, were 10 and 7 years old when we left and when we returned three years later they received awards as seasoned offshore sailors from the Bluewater Cruising Association.

Back home again I worked as a youth and children’s pastor until 2003, a residential care worker with developmentally disabled adults (sleep-over night shift on weekends) until 2007 and completed my Master of Divinity degree from Regent College in 2005.

Most Thursday mornings you will find me hanging out with the Kyle Writers’ group which I joined when I graduated from Regent. These wonderful people have heard (and critiqued) my stories and encouraged me to keep on writing.

I like riding my road bike with Fred and hanging out with family (particularly our two grandchildren), playing Scrabble and watching movies.

You can contact me at aneverydaypilgrim@gmail.com

Here’s why I started this blog.

 

Credits:
Photo of cycling Fred and Esther by Ron Frehner. Used with permission.
Photo of Tieras and crew in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, 1993 by Cheryl Green. Used with permission.
Banner photo: “Tofino, untouched” by Tony Horabin. Used with permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, Everyday Pilgrim 2013 http://www.estherhizsa.wordpress.com.