Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction is an opportunity to have someone listen with you to what God is doing in your life, and help you to discern how to best respond. It is helpful for mature believers when facing a faith challenge, a vocational decision, who find themselves stuck in some way, or just wanting to know how to deepen their life of prayer and response to God.

Spiritual direction differs from other kinds of mentoring relationships. In discipleship, the discipler brings the agenda: she has knowledge and skills to transfer to the disciple. In counseling or in coaching, the counselee brings the agenda: she has a concern or problem which she brings to the discussion. In spiritual direction (some writers refer to “spiritual friendship”, or the Celtic term, “soul friend.”), the Holy Spirit brings the agenda: both are listening together for what God is saying in one’s circumstances, emotions and prayer.

Spiritual Direction uses a number of tools:

  • listening,

  • suggesting new ways of approaching spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, solitude, celebration…

  • vocational discernment – helping to discern how God is calling us

  • prayer for emotional healing.

  • understanding the stages of faith

"The definition of spiritual direction as listening to God alongside other people encapsulates what I have experienced in my time meeting with Carolyn. She brings decades of ministry experience of walking alongside people from all over the world, thoughtful engagement with Scripture and theology, and the experienced gained from her time overseas into her spiritual direction. Yet, she continually submits to God’s Spirit and leading, not depending on her experience as the final word or simply offering advice, but facilitating a time of listening to God and what He has to say in particular situations." J. K.


“God has used Carolyn as a guide to help me discover more about who He is and who He’s created me to be. Her questions help unlock places in my heart that have longed to be seen and set free in God’s redemptive invitations. She is grounded in the word and loves Jesus deeply. I am blessed with curiosity to explore more about myself and God every time we connect. " J.H.