Cheri Hudspith on Spiritual Direction
In this episode, hosts Brandon Giella and Parker Smith are joined by guest Cheri Hudspith, co-director of the Practice Collective and a trainer of spiritual directors. They discuss the growing interest in spiritual direction and the importance of learning to have an interactive relationship with the Holy Spirit. They also touch on the need for healthy, maturing relationships and the role of spiritual direction in addressing relational wounding and lack of understanding.
Exploring the Practice of Spiritual Direction
In a recent episode of the "Working Theology" podcast, hosts Brandon Giella and Parker Smith sit down with Cheri Hudspith to discuss the practice of spiritual direction. Cheri, who works in the field of spiritual guidance, offers direction to Christians in their spiritual journey. As a Co-Director at Practice Collective, Cheri's responsibilities extend to positively influencing individuals within her reach. Prior to this, she was involved in community development at Soul Care and served as the Director of Leadership Development at Grafted Life Ministries.
Understanding Spiritual Direction
During the podcast, Cheri introduces the concept of spiritual direction. She characterizes it as a place where individuals can go to explore what is actually going on in their relationship with God, be prayed for, and pray with someone else about that while being completely honest about what they are wrestling with in their faith. Spiritual direction is not counseling nor is it like having a friend. It's more of a one-sided relationship where the spiritual director listens and offers guidance for the directee to explore their relationship with God.
Cheri's Journey into Spiritual Direction
Cheri shares her own journey of being introduced to spiritual direction and how it impacted her life. She was in a seminary class at Fuller for Leaders and was introduced to spiritual direction as a practice. Prior to this, prayer was limited to intercessory prayer, but spiritual direction introduced her to various types of interactive prayer that allowed her to explore her relationship with God on a deeper level.
The Benefits of Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction offers a unique space for individuals to explore their relationship with God in a safe and non-judgmental environment. It allows for individuals to be honest about their spiritual journey and receive guidance from someone who has experience in the field. Spiritual direction can also help individuals gain wisdom and understanding of their relationship with God, which can lead to deeper faith and a stronger connection to their spirituality.Overall, the practice of spiritual direction can be an incredibly beneficial tool for Christians to explore their relationship with God. It offers a safe and non-judgmental environment that allows individuals to be honest about their spiritual journey and receive guidance from someone with experience in the field.
Episode Links
Beginner’s Apprenticeship (Family liturgy board books and music)
A prayer for spiritual directors
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for calling us into the ministry of Spiritual Direction, we say thank you. Thank you for giving us a front-row seat to Your activity in Your children's lives. Thank you for granting us faith that you are at work, your intentions are good, and your love is everlasting, especially when we are living through shifts in our theology. May we celebrate and enjoy the fruitfulness that comes into the body of Christ by committing to this practice of listening, wondering, and following You together. Help us to persevere with hope when our vocation is unfamiliar and misunderstood. Give us opportunities to share what we do and how the practice of Spiritual Direction helps those ready to participate. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
