Hello, friends.
I’d like to invite you to support a ministry training effort that I will be involved in. I was recently accepted into the Selah Certificate in Spiritual Direction program through Leadership Transformations. This program has a strategic partnership with my diocese, the Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope, to raise up more spiritual directors in our churches, both lay and clergy.
Spiritual direction is a practice that dates to the ancient church. Although it involves very intentional listening and feedback, and many elements naturally play into any pastoral care setting, this isn’t counseling. The goals of spiritual direction are unique. Just as one might visit a physician for their physical health or a counselor for their mental health, the goal of spiritual direction is the spiritual health of the individual seeking it. Spiritual direction is an intentional spiritual companioning. The director and directee meet periodically, usually around once a month, seeking clarity and discernment about what God is doing in the directee’s life. These meetings contain such things as prayer, meditation upon scripture, intentional listening, clarifying questions, times of silence, and even more prayer.
My experience of this with my spiritual director has been life-changing. Our meeting has become a highlight of my month. You see, often, we get so wrapped up in our present moment that it’s hard to step back and see the ways God has and is still working in our lives. The busyness of our lives fills our minds with such noise that it’s easy to ignore where he might be speaking. Without intentionality, our life rhythms may start to distract from rather than point us to the Gospel. It’s a blessing to have someone come alongside to help us back to, as the Prophet Jeremiah says, “the ancient paths, where the good way is.”
Here are two links that tell more about the program:
My call to this type of ministry has been affirmed several times over, including by my bishop, our diocese’s canon for spiritual health, and our canon for leadership development. The Selah program coordinators have sensed my call enough to give me a partial scholarship for the program, and my diocese provided an additional gift. That leaves $3740 for me to raise, which I will pay in 20 monthly installments starting in March. As some of you know, the pandemic hit me hard financially, as is true for many people. Meanwhile, though I’m actively trying to find a long-term paid ministry position, I’m only part-time here at my church in Louisville, making $1K a month, and work in website implementation and copywriting gigs to fill out my budget. These are a blessing but don’t give me a lot of wiggle room.
Whether you can or cannot give, I covet your prayers for these two years of training. My experience through the ordination process over the last several years, as well as leading my church’s intercessory prayer ministry, has reminded me that God is still very much working in the world.
If you would like to help me fund my training, the easiest way is to send it through my church, Grace Anglican Church Louisville (follow the giving link below). If you select “Online” and then select “Jacob Davis Selah Fund” from the drop-down tab, your gift will go into my special designated fund for this training. You can also send a check to the church at the address provided with “Jacob Davis Selah Fund” on the memo line.
https://graceanglicanlou.com/give
If you’d like to support me through other channels (though they don’t have the tax write-off benefit), I can provide Venmo or other details. If you’d like to know more about Leadership Transformations or the Selah Certificate in Spiritual Direction program, just ask!
Blessings to each of you,
Jacob+
Jacob A. Davis 