Ruth Sprayberry DuCharme
Spiritual Director
Faith Formation Specialist
Retreat Leader
Earth is crammed with heaven,
And every bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit around it and pluck blueberries.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
What Is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is characteristically a relationship between an individual who wants to become more attentive to God’s presence in their life and a spiritual director who supports that desire. Spiritual direction can also be described as spiritual guidance or spiritual friendship.
The purpose of spiritual direction is to help an individual grow in a personal relationship with God. Through regular, usually monthly, meetings, I seek to offer space for individuals to:
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Recognize God in their lives, prayers, and relationships.
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Attune themselves to God’s presence in their lives.
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Provide a space where individuals can be fully heard.
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Help people discern and deepen their relationships with God.
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Pay attention to the ways that God is at work.
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Encourage and teach the practices of spiritual disciplines.
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Provide resources for spiritual growth.
While God is the ultimate director, my work is to guide and listen as together we seek healing, rest, peace, and connection. Spiritual direction sessions often begin with a guided meditation or reading. There is time for silence, prayer, and centering. The remainder of the session is for one to share joys, challenges, struggles, dreams, intentions, etc.
Is spiritual direction for you? Only you can answer that question, but I am willing to help you discern that. For those who want to learn more, I offer a free 30-minute session for you to talk with me and discover more about spiritual direction. If you are interested, feel free to contact me at ruthducharmespiritualdirector@gmail.com to set up this initial consultation. I would love to hear from you.