by: Theresa Dominey

The first time I heard about spiritual direction was about five years ago. I began going to the “Fire Within” teachings at Dan and Marie Almeter’s house. When this teaching program began, I had a desire to go deeper with the Lord. I was having daily prayer times, reading Scripture and reading Christian books. I was serving on the healing team and the Intercessors prayer team, but I knew there was more the Lord had for me.

We were using the Fire Within book by Fr. Thomas Dubay. I began reading about contemplation, spending quiet time before the Lord, being freed from detachments, growing more in the Lord and the need for spiritual direction. I began thinking about having a spiritual director. I really didn’t know who to ask. I thought about asking my pastor, but I knew how busy he must be; then Bev Firmin’s name kept coming to me. I worked up all my courage to ask her. She surprised me by saying yes to my request.

So began my journey with spiritual direction. The first time we met, Bev told me her job was to listen, that everything I said would be confidential, and she would ask me questions about what I might share. I have always had wonderful older women in my life that have listened and advised me, but I knew this would be different.

My experience with spiritual direction has been life changing. I know I can say anything. There have been times when I’ve gone to her when I’ve been hurting. She has shown me God’s love and mercy for me. There are times when God has used her to call me into a deeper walk with Jesus. She lis-tens to the Lord before she speaks to me. I always know the Lord will speak through her to me. I know she prays for me every day. She knows how to pray for me.

Recently the Lord used my spiritual director to call me on to do something I was really fearful to do. She asked me to give a teaching during Spiritual Direction School. This is not something I’m comfortable doing. She encouraged me to step out in faith in this area. I knew God was using her to call me on. After praying about it, I said yes although I was shaking inside.

I would really like to encourage everyone I know to have a spiritual director. From my expe-rience, the Lord uses our spiritual directors to show us what He’s do-ing in our lives. Spiritual direction has been life changing for me. To have someone who knows me on a spiritual level and walks with me in my life, sometimes knowing me better than I know myself, is a gift from God.

I would like to end with this Scripture from Isaiah 30:21 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” This is how God has used my spiritual director in my life.