Category Archives: Stories

Living Out of Our Stories: Part 2

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

You either walk inside your own story and own it or stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness. –Brené Brown I don’t have to do anything to find a story from my past that has me hustling. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged #anger, Brene Brown, Chris Feichtner, Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 43: 19, Lisa E, Looking Back, Psalm 137, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tower # 15 | 2 Comments

Living Out of Our Stories

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“We live out of our stories,” Monty Williams, SJ said to our little group of Ignatian directors. We listened intently to this wise, amiable priest who was born in Guyana seven decades ago. Father Williams explained that each of us … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged Anne Yungwirth, Droplet, Esther Hizsa, Forlorn, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Monty Williams SJ, Regis College, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim, wan mohd, Water II | 1 Comment

Saved

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

O Sapientia I cannot think unless I have been thought, Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken. I cannot teach except as I am taught, Or break the bread except as I am broken. O Mind behind the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged 8 day retreat, Annunciation, Esther Hizsa, Fra Angelico, Franz Mayer, Malcolm Guite, O Sapientia, Plum leaves, spiritual direction, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Nativity | Leave a comment

Live the Question

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

The most striking image I had during my eight-day retreat came when I prayed with the Nativity. After the Holy Child was born, Joseph delivered the placenta. He held this once vital organ in his hands and didn’t know what … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Stories | Tagged abhijit chendvankar, Alan Levine, Closed until further notice, Esther Hizsa, Father John O'Brien, Gerard van Honthorst, Ignatian retreat, Rainer Maria Rilke, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, That is the question, The Nativity | Leave a comment

Sin, Hell and Roller Derby

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“I’d like you to pray with #50 in the Spiritual Exercises: the sin of the angels,” my director instructed on the third day of my eight-day retreat. He also assigned three more prayer periods focussing on sin and hell, mine … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 8 day retreat, Angel Reloaded, Carlo Scherer, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Parks Canada, Queen of Peace, roller derby, Sea-to-Sky Sirens, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Come Away

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

On July 6, I woke up oh darn early, packed my breakfast and lunch and kissed Fred goodbye. I took Gracie (my bike) onto the Skytrain then bus to Horseshoe Bay. At 7:40 am, I clicked into her pedals and … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged 8 day retreat, Dominican, Esther Hizsa, Queen of Peace, silent retreat, Sister Jeam-Marie, Sister Mary Regina, Song of Songs 8:14, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Squamish Valley | 2 Comments

The Surprise in the Story

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“What’s the surprise in the story?” That’s the question I’ve learned to ask when I read the parables of Jesus. Darrell Johnson, who taught preaching when I was a student at Regent College, explained that “parable” means something thrown alongside … Continue reading →

Posted in Stories | Tagged Darrell Johnson, Esther Hizsa, FarbenfroheWunderwelt, James Tissot, John 10:10, Kenneth Bailey, Luke 11:5-8, Matthew 13:1-9, parable of the friend at midnight, parable of the sower, parables of Jesus, Radical Hospitality, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Wheat | 3 Comments

Led Into the Storm

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

If you haven’t already noticed, I love efficiency. I often look back on the chaotic, haphazard way I’ve arrived at a solution and–with a sigh–see a simpler, more direct route. It’s easy to assume that I did something wrong, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Dewolfs, Esther Hizsa, friendliest bus driver, Hafiz, Jayber Crow, Jesus calms storm, Mark 4:35-41, spiritual direction, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Sweet Moon Language, Wendell Berry | 1 Comment

Rocks in My River

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey. The mind that … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Posts, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Living from the Heart, peer supervision, Psalm 139, Psalm 73:22-23, Reza, SoulStream, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Vulcan Stream, Wendell Berry | 2 Comments

At This Table

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“I’ll start,” says one spiritual director after we blessed the lunches we brought. One by one, we go around the table, sharing what’s been significant to us in the past month. One speaks of disappointment, another rages at loss, a … Continue reading →