Journal

Welcoming Weakness

I recently listened to an interview with Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche communities, and was struck by a particular question he posed. He asked: “How can we welcome fully the weakness of another if we haven’t welcomed our own weakness?” The question...

God-sightings at Corhaven in May 2015

On a personal retreat “My time here helped me to clean my head, stop, be still and just rest in God’s presence.  He reminded me of all the ways that He has blessed me (definitely a weekend of gratitude) and convinced me about how I can be doing a better job of...

Begin the Song Exactly Where You Are

“Singing Bowl” by Malcolm Guite Begin the song exactly where you are, Remain within the world of which you’re made. Call nothing common in the earth or air, Accept it all and let it be for good. Start with the very breath you breathe in now, This moment’s pulse, this...
“Clearing Sacred Space”

“Clearing Sacred Space”

As we gathered up the tools, rain splattered the tarp, stretched tightly across the tools on the Haley’s farm truck.  Rain doused the orange flames, which sizzled and popped among the remaining embers of the burn pile.  Rain drenched like a cleansing shower as I took...

The Truth We Don’t Believe

The most consistent prayer I offer when people come out for a few hours or a day or overnight at Corhaven is, “God, please help them to encounter your love, your deep deep love for them”, and we try to facilitate that in any way we can. One of the reasons why this...
Reflection On A Construction Dumpster

Reflection On A Construction Dumpster

“It is time.” These are the words of beginning for me and I know that I’ve come to a beginning when I hear them inwardly.  My wife and I heard them almost a year ago the summer of 2014 concerning our house. It was time to deal with the leaky bathroom issues, and...

Do You Want To Grow Spiritually?

Do you want to grow spiritually? Of course you do. We all do. And God wants us to as well, and will help. But what does spiritual growth actually mean? What’s the goal actually? And most importantly, how do I get there? These are all questions that we’re going to take...
150 Years Later, Honoring The Victims…

150 Years Later, Honoring The Victims…

Clearing the Slave Cemetery at Corhaven Saturday May 16, 12.30pm-4.30pm This month we’ve marked the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and then the assassination of Abraham Lincoln a few days later. Lincoln himself interpreted that bloody war in part as...
Gifts In The Garden

Gifts In The Garden

“With or without your hard work God is always moving in your life. Wait on the Holy, wait and receive the gifts that come.” Gunilla Norris from A Mystic Garden Spring and I have become much better friends since moving to Corhaven nearly 6 years ago. The chilled air,...

Relief for Nepal. . . There is much to grieve over

By: Gabriel Dodd There is much to grieve over. As I found out about the Earthquake in Nepal, I immediately thought of a colleague of mine who is from Nepal, and who’s wife and family are still in Nepal.  Today, I found out that his wife and father have survived,...

Meeting Gabriel Dodd

[Some people have gotten divine messages from Gabriel the Angel. Many of you have gotten emails from Gabriel Dodd, the Program Manager. I asked him to tell you a little bit more about himself. He did. – Bill] My name is Gabriel. I’m 26, a husband, and I have been the...

He is risen indeed!

Hallelujah! The Lord is risen!  He is risen indeed! With great joy and relief and gladness and hope and thanksgiving we celebrate today the resurrection of our Jesus Christ from the dead!   It changed, and changes everything.   Glory be to you, Lord Christ! “The good...

He Didn’t Have To Do It

These past couple of years I’ve had the chance to go a couple of times to the Holy Land.  Every place where Jesus was has deep meaning.  A couple of places meet me with a special power each time.  One of them is the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.   It is a place...

There and Back Again

Our pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine had several purposes.   We went to meet the peoples of this land.  We went to better understand the reality and complexity of the contemporary Holy Land.  We went to walk where Jesus walked.  Most importantly, we went to learn...

Henri Nouwen on Spiritual Direction (kind of!)

“Listening in the spiritual life is much more than a psychological strategy to help others discover themselves. In the spiritual life the listener is not the ego, which would like to speak but is trained to restrain itself, but the Spirit of God within us. When...