Category Archives: Popular Posts

Encountering God in Our Emotions

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

The Christmas season tends to evoke a range of emotion in us. While we express tidings of comfort and joy, we may feel anything but comforted or joyful. It’s good to pay attention to those unsettling feelings and listen to what they are saying. “Why … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Popular Posts | Tagged Angry Pflümli, Campus Crusade, Cat, Descend with the mind, Fact Faith Feeling Train, Four Spiritual Laws, Jeff Imbach, Kevin Dooley, Living from the Heart, Richard J. Foster, Sanctuary of the Soul, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tambako the Jaguar, Theophan the Recluse | 3 Comments

That Which Is Lost Within Me

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

On October 5, an announcement was made to the congregation that my employment at New Life Community Church would end on December 31. A few days before, I was writing last week’s post. Nervous about the coming change, I reached for … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey, Eric Liddell, Flora Slosson Wuellner, freedom, McCrimmon Pulblishing, New Life Community Church, over work, seeks for that which is lost within me, SoulStream, The Risen Living Christ, Thomas Hawke, William-Adolphe Bouguereau | 6 Comments

DIY Prayer Retreat #1: What God Has Given, What God Is Doing

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

Introduction: For a couple of years our contemplative group has been having one-day prayer retreats that are simple, wonderful and free. Up to eight of us have gotten together at one time. We bring our own lunch and meet for a morning or a … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Popular Posts, Prayer, Prayer Retreat Outline, Resource | Tagged A Daisy Day in May, Alice Popkorn, Anthony de Mello, Brent M., DSC_0678, e.e.cummings, gratitude, Greg Boyle S.J., I THANK YOU GOD FOR MOST THIS AMAZING, Lian Yu, Matthew 7:7-11; Matthew 6:30-34, Morning Prayer, prayer retreat, silent retreat, Sitting in Silence, SoulStream, Tattoos on the Heart, to have a morning..., Travis | 4 Comments

Love Speaks to Me about Food

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

The voice I would listen to spoke to me about my relationship with food. Before we left on vacation, I discovered Geneen Roth’s book Women, Food and God. In it Roth talks about the guidelines for eating that have transformed her life. Instead of … Continue reading →

Posted in Overeating, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Anne Yungwirth, Ed Dahl, Forest Walk, Geneen Roth, Guidelines for Eating, Nan C. Merrill, Overeating, Psalm 73, SoulStream, SoulStream Commitments, Women Food and God | 4 Comments

The Real Story Begins

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

I was as restless as a cat. I’d pack a few things then check my emails. I looked over the list of items to bring to the SoulStream Partners’ Annual Retreat. Check. Check. What? A photograph of myself? Why hadn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Acts 12, belonging, community, freedom, letting the shy soul speak, listening to our fears, listening to our lives, SoulStream, SoulStream noon prayer | 8 Comments

And How Will You Wear That?

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

It isn’t just fear, shame and judgment that are placed on me. I receive compliments too. People often thank me for something I’ve done or tell me how a certain blog post has impacted their lives. But it’s hard for me to take it in … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Posts, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Chocolate Ganache Tartlet, Chotda, Guiss95, Jeff Imbach, Living from the Heart, Luke 12:27, Margueritte, Regent College, spiritual direction, The River Within | 2 Comments

Resurrection Cleaners

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

. . . you implore me to so fall in Love, and fall anew in ever-new depths of skywashed Love till every capillary of your universe throbs with rivering fire . . . – from “The Word” by Margaret Avison … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Poetry, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Cloud Study, God's love, Kate Ter Haar, Mararet Avsion, new broom, resurrection energy, Ricky Romero, rivering fire, skywashed love, soul renovation, storebukkebruse, The Word | Leave a comment

God’s Exuberant, Uncontainable Love

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

God’s crazy about us. If you’ve been reading my blog lately, you’d know that God has me riveted to this theme. God’s exuberance is uncontainable. Recently I stumbled upon this quote by Henri Nouwen, God does not require a pure heart before … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Casey Brown, Father Richard Soo, God's delight, God's love, heart, Henri Nouwen, Isaiah 62:4, my delight is in you, Riccardo Cuppini, tonx | 5 Comments

Thin Places

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

God Is Waiting There I know a place where God dwells, the heart whispers. Let us go there. Why, God is everywhere, the head replies. There is no place where God is not. Yes, says the heart, but there are thin places where … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystical, Poetry, Popular Posts | Tagged Bowen Island, God's love, Jaison Cianelli, Mike Stewart, No Crowds Present, Psalm 139, Psalm 84:1-4, Thin Places, Tofino, Tony Horabin, Transformation, Vancouver Island | 3 Comments

A Retreat with God

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

As I prepared to go to Bowen Island for a three-day retreat, I got a divine nudge. “Leave your laptop at home,” God seemed to say. “Just come and be with me.” But I couldn’t possibly write much without my electronic friend. Hmm. I … Continue reading →