Tag Archives: spiritual director

Empty

Posted on March 31, 2017 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 →

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I Will Love. End of Story.

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

A pharisee once asked Jesus which commandment is the greatest.  Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The … Continue reading →

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Guides from Beyond

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“What are you feeling?” I ask people when they come for spiritual direction. If they’re experiencing a “negative” emotion, like anger, sadness or disgust, they often want to manage or get rid of it. They don’t like feeling that way. But the wise poet Rumi … Continue reading →

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Loving Certain People: Part 2

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

This Lent I am taking you with me on my journey to love people who annoy or anger me. In last week’s post, Rowan Williams, Abba Moses, Hafiz and Jesus invited me to move from judgment to humility and compassion. … Continue reading →

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Loving Certain People

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand,” exclaimed Linus Van Pelt decades ago in the cartoon strip Peanuts. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say, “It’s certain people I can’t stand.” When I see certain people do things that annoy … Continue reading →

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DIY Prayer Retreat #9: Living Out Our God-Created Identity

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

Here is another one-day prayer/silent retreat outline I put together for our contemplative group. You’ll find the introduction to Do It Yourself group prayer retreats here and other outlines under resources. Living Out Our God-Created Identity Introduction: Gather together, light a candle and take time … Continue reading →

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That Much

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

That Much The dried palm of my life burns to ash. You mark me like Cain. A wet cross on my head says plain as day: I NEED Y O U I wipe it off. I don’t want to need you that … Continue reading →

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Making Peace with My Humanity

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

I had another dream where I was rushing against all odds to accomplish something important. I woke with urgency still fresh in my veins. The day before, I tried to pack too much into my day and hurried to make dinner … Continue reading →

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Wait for It

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

“Even though I knew everything was going to be fine, I felt panicked,” I told Fred after I explained what happened with the car. “At first I thought this was happening to me because I was being punished for something. Then … Continue reading →

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What I Knew Then

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

I tell my spiritual director about my panic and the memory of being shamed by the principal when I was twelve. “I still see the anger on his face and feel my back against the wall.” I recall that moment and am that … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments