Tag Archives: Esther Hizsa

Empty

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Empty Before you go to bed, shake the dust off your feet. Open your front door and –with a shoe in each hand– smack those soles together. Like a TV preacher, tell those demons: “Be gone!” Before you go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged A Good Night's Sleep, bed, Clement Hurd, Ephesians 3:18-20, Erika Wittlieb, Esther Hizsa, Fuel Radio, Goodnight Moon, Let Go, Margaret Wise Brown, Rod Janz, Seán Ó Domhnaill, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Surrendering to God’s Action Within

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

At the beginning of Lent, I downloaded Welcoming Prayer: Consent on the Go and committed to taking a few minutes a day to welcome “what is” in my life. If you have been reading my blog lately, you’ll know that … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Anne Yungwirth, Anthony de Mello, awareness, Cherry Haisten, Contemplative Outreach, Esther Hizsa, Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, If you can't beat it, Mary Dwyer, Pamela Bergman, Romans 12:2, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Therese Saulnier, Welcoming Prayer: Consent on the Go | Leave a comment

On Each of My Risings

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

The deacon poured last year’s blessed oils onto the wood, newspaper and palm crosses. She lit them on fire and our Easter Vigil began. We read stories from the Hebrew scriptures, gospels and epistles, as God’s people have done for … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Lent, Reflections | Tagged Bart-s, Esther Hizsa, Flames, Fuel Radio, I Get To Project, Jenny Konkin, Rod Janz, Romans 8:14-15, sk_vel, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Sunrise, Wholeway House | 1 Comment

Beginning to Forgive

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.” –Luke 23:34 (CEV) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Holy Week, Lent, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged Brad Jersak, Bury the Hatchet, Christ on the Cross, Christ washing disciples feet, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, CWR magazine, Dirck van Baburen, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, John 13:1-17, Luke 23:34, Matthew 18:21-22, Sonnenstrahl, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Women Who Run With the Wolves | 2 Comments

Having Tea with My Rage

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

I knew I needed to forgive, so my friend loaned me the book Women Who Run With the Wolves. I turned to the chapter on forgiveness. Near the end of it, Clarissa Pinkola Estés outlines the stages of forgiveness. But before I … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Lent, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Bentley Tea Cup, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Galatians 5:1, rage, reconciliation, snap713, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Welcoming Prayer, Women Who Run With the Wolves | 2 Comments

A Holy Place

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Of course I told my spiritual director what happened, and she listened compassionately as I talked and cried. She asked me to name my feelings and notice how they felt in my body. I told her that I felt betrayed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged betrayal, Bowen Island, Contemplative Outreach, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 18:16, rejection, Scott Erickson, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Light of Failure, Welcoming Prayer | Leave a comment

A Punch in the Gut

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Sometimes self-awareness bubbles up gently and slowly expands to softly widen our world view and make more room for love to flow in and out of our hearts. Sometimes self-awareness comes like a punch in the gut. I know this. … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged 1 Corinthians 13: 12-13, awareness, Bowen Island, Coco Love Alcorn, collage, Curator of Awesomeness, Esther Hizsa, Lectio Divina, Living from the Heart, Mark 8:22-25, Mary Wolfe, Matthew 5:43-44, Psalm 110, retreat, Scott Erickson, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Light of Failure, The River | 9 Comments

How God Waits

Posted on March 22, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

On Monday I participated in a one-day silent prayer retreat with friends using last week’s post as our guide. I listened to Steve Bell sing Lenten Lands and a feeling of hope rose up in me. God has turned the … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Mystical, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged Christchurch, Coco Love Alcorn, collage, Esther Hizsa, Isaiash 30:15-18, Lenten Lands, Malcolm Guite, New Zealand, prayer retreat, Ruth Monette, shootings, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, The River | 2 Comments

DIY Prayer Retreat #13: A Lenten Retreat

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Here is a Lenten retreat outline that came out a contemplative evening I facilitated at Tenth Church last week. The Lectio guide is adapted from Living from the Heart and used with permission from SoulStream. For this retreat, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Prayer, Prayer Retreat Outline, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Benjamin Balázs, consolation, David G.Benner, desolation, Esther Hizsa, Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, Eurasian blue tit, Green Valley, Ignatius of Loyola, Invitation to a Journey, Isaiah 30:15-18, John O'Donohue, Lamentations 3:22-23, Lectio Divina, lent, Lenten Lands, Living from the Heart, Malcolm Guite, Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer, Pisut Konepun, Prodigal Son, Robert Mulholland, SoulStram, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Tenth Church, waiting | 2 Comments

Ashes to Ashes

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“You are from dust and to dust you shall return,” Pastor Ruth says as she dips her thumb in the ashes and makes the sign of the cross on my forehead. Soon we will be scattering my nephew Lee’s ashes. … Continue reading →