Whale Spouts
Belly of the Whale
Spiritual Direction & Retreat Ministries
monthly newsletter

July 2022
Greetings friends,

It is firefly season here in Northeast Ohio and I am grateful for these wonderful little God-winks of light that float across our yard just as dusk falls. "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it." (John 1:5)

Part of what helps me keep the eyes of my heart open to God's light is creating a rhythm of intentional soul care. This looks quite different for me depending on both the literal and metaphorical seasons of my life, as I imagine it does for you as well

In this season of your life, what helps you remember God's light?

In the northern hemisphere where I live, these summer months bring beautiful long days full of sunlight which makes early morning sunrises especially precious for me. Scroll down below for a short video of a gorgeous sunrise at the beach where my family gathered a few weeks ago. I hope it brings light into your soul as it did mine.

And before we know it, the long days of summer will be transforming into crisp autumn days. How will you intentionally keep God's light shining in your life this fall? What will the firefly, sunrise, candlelight moments be that keep you connected to God's light amidst all that swirls around you.

I offer you 3 light-filled soul-care opportunities to prayerfully consider for this fall...

  • The first opportunity is our annual Belly of the Whale Spiritual Renewal Retreat - 3 days & 3 nights of sacred silence guided by reflections on the book of Jonah. These retreats have become some of my most treasured faith experiences each year as we gather in community for stillness, prayer and worship together. This fall we are gathering at the gorgeous Bellwether Farm Retreat Center. Check out the details below and register by August 10 if you are interested!

  • The second opportunity is an intensive experience of spiritual formation based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This 32-week long journey of daily personal devotions and weekly meetings with a spiritual director is a powerful opportunity to nurture a regular rhythm of soul care. When I experienced this "Ignatian Retreat in Daily Life" 10 years ago, it was a profound and much needed breath of fresh air to my weary soul. Perhaps your weary soul could use some restoration as well. Let me know if you are feeling a Spirit nudge to embark upon this sacred adventure and we can talk more about it.


May today bring you a spirit of hope amidst despair, light in the darkness, and a voice of thanksgiving even in the belly of the whale.

With strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Sharon

Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Director
Are you longing for some much needed spiritual rest & renewal?
If so, this retreat has been prayerfully designed just for you!

Join me for 3 days & 3 night of spiritual rest and renewal grounded in
sacred silence, contemplative practices, reflections on Jonah
and creative worship as God's beloved community.

Each morning and afternoon we gather for a short reflection on one of the 4 chapters of the book of Jonah during which you will receive creative prayer resources to guide your time with God in the sacred silence.

Each evening, we gather for vespers that include Taize-style worship around a campfire as well as a candle-lit labyrinth walk.

You will also have the opportunity to sign up for spiritual direction (a 30 minute session) with our on-site spiritual director, Laurie Tucker. She served as our spiritual director last summer and was a blessing to us all!

The retreat facility, Bellwether Farm is an absolutely beautiful, new retreat facility in Northeastern Ohio where each retreatant will have a private room (with bath) and be treated to restaurant quality, farm-to-table fresh meals. It is located on 137 acres of wooded land that borders the Vermilion River and includes a 5-acre pond (fishing allowed!) along with many hiking trails.

Spaces are filling quickly so I strongly encourage you to sign up sooner rather than later. Just click on the button below to learn more and register.

--- Please note that the registration deadline is coming up fast on August 10. ---
Ten years ago, I began a spiritual journey that I knew next to nothing about but was feeling an incredibly powerful nudge to begin - the 32-week Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Retreat in Daily Life. As a Protestant, I confess that I was a bit hesitant, but trusted that God had a reason for my introduction to this 16th century Catholic saint. So I leapt in with both feet and I have never looked back.

I don’t think it is an over-exaggeration to say that the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises radically renewed my personal relationship with Jesus and clarified my call to embody God’s love in every layer of my life. 

The daily focus on scripture, prayer and journaling along with the weekly meetings with my spiritual director became an anchor for me during an especially challenging time of my life. It is often said that Ignatian Spirituality is a call to “Seek God in All Things,” and that accurately describes what the Spiritual Exercises helped me to do.  Accompanying others on this journey through the Spiritual Exercises has become one of the most meaningful parts of my spiritual direction practice. 

This fall I am able to accompany 5 individuals on this 32-week journey through the Spiritual Exercises. I have found that beginning the Spiritual Exercises in September works well because the flow of the scripture readings lines up beautifully with the liturgical seasons of Christmas and Easter. 

If you feel the Spirit is nudging you toward this deep dive into spiritual renewal through the lens of the life of Christ, I would be delighted to talk with you more about it.  Spaces typically fill quickly, so let me know sooner rather than later if you are interested. Pastors can receive 4 CEUs for their participation in this intensive spiritual formation experience. You can get more details on the Belly of the Whale website.

Click here or on the picture below to hear me share a bit more about my experience with the Spiritual Exercises.
SUMMER SOUL CARE
a haiku & a sacred sunrise
(based on Matthew 14: 28-29)
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