Why the name?

Have you ever been tent camping or backpacking? I generally love being out in creation with only the supplies I need on my back. However, there is only one thing I really don't like. Suddenly, in the middle of the night I get woken up with that feeling, “I need to go to the bathroom.” At first I lay there wishing the feeling away and believing I can fall back to sleep. I don't like to get up in the middle of the night because; it is cold, I have to struggle out of my sleeping bag, find my glasses, head lamp, and put my shoes on (all in the dark and trying not to wake up my tent partner). But that feeling just won't go away. I finally get up and gather my things. As I make my way to the bathroom I usually hear a noise. Which by the way is the real reason I don’t want to get up. I just don't know what creatures are roaming around out there in the dark. Is it a bear, a moose, a deer, small creature or nothing at all. As I hear the noise I swing the flashlight around to see what’s there. Most of the time I don’t see anything. Sometimes I see eyes looking back at me. At the point I usually gasp and jump a little. Usually, upon further inspection I discover it is a deer. I stand there in amazement and relief and think to myself, “That is really cool.”

This is how I see Spiritual Direction. As a person walks through life sometimes they get a feeling that something is up or there is something going on. In essence they get woken up or are feeling stuck or in the dark. They are not really sure what it is. So they go talk to someone to help them explore their feelings or their spiritaual life. To help them shine a light in a different direction than the path they are on. That is why I define spiritual direction as a guided exploration of everything from the mystical to the mundane moments or the joys and challenges of life.

In essence spiritual direction is about sharing the story of your life and how you might be waking up to something new. The spiritual director swings the flashlight across the room or in a different direction than you are traveling and asks, “Have you ever thought about….” When you look sometimes you don’t see anything and sometimes you see something really cool. This is why I called my spiritual direction practice, “Your Story and a Flashlight.”

If you have questions or want to learn more about Your Story and a Flashlight email me at mark@yourstoryandaflashlight.com or visit the website: www.yourstoryandaflashlight.com