Encouraging the Leaders We Need to Sustain Our Spiritual and Ecological Futures
In a world facing unprecedented ecological and spiritual challenges, I’ve been discerning how best to support leaders who feel called to integrate deep wisdom with practical steps forward. That is why I have claimed my "why," following Simon Sinek’s model, as: Encouraging the leaders we need to sustain our spiritual and ecological futures.
This guiding principle is not just a lofty ideal—it takes concrete shape in three interwoven projects I am launching: STRENGTHSForward, Shadoems, and Spiritual Directors on Practical Questions. Each of these initiatives serves as a unique pathway for individuals to cultivate clarity, resilience, and the capacity to lead in an era of complexity. My hope is to help people identify a spiritually grounded and constructive step forward, wherever they begin.
STRENGTHSForward
Integrating CliftonStrengths and Ancient Practices
Modern leadership often focuses on efficiency and strategy, but true leadership—leadership that sustains both people and the planet—requires a foundation of self-awareness and wisdom. This is where STRENGTHSForward comes in.
STRENGTHSForward is a journey that brings together CliftonStrengths, a widely respected framework for identifying and leveraging personal talents, with ancient spiritual practices that cultivate discernment, resilience, and a sense of calling. It is designed for those who feel drawn to leadership but want to root their growth in something deeper than productivity alone.
Through learning modules, one-on-one coaching, and guided practice, STRENGTHSForward will help participants:
Discover their unique strengths and how to use them effectively.
Integrate reflective and contemplative practices that sustain long-term leadership.
Align their personal and professional lives with their deeper purpose.
Navigate challenges with wisdom drawn from ancient traditions and contemporary insights.
Join the STRENGTHSForward Explained Webinar
📅 Tues., Apr. 8, 7:00-8:00 PM Central
📍 Online (link provided after registration)
✅ What STRENGTHSForward is all about
✅ How this program can revitalize your leadership
✅ Who this journey is for and whether it’s the right fit for you
✅ Next steps to apply and begin your path toward renewed leadership
Shadoems
Exploring Life’s Complexities Through Poetry
For many of us, the unknown, the uncertain, and the shadowed parts of life can feel overwhelming. Yet, these complexities are often where the most profound growth takes place. This is the heart of Shadoems—a collection of poems exploring the spaces between clarity and mystery, between knowing and unknowing.
The name “Shadoems” plays with the words shadow and poems, signaling a poetic journey through the ambiguities and tensions of life. Shadows are not merely places of fear or avoidance; they are also places where we encounter depth, transformation, and insight.
Through Shadoems, I aim to:
Give voice to the uncertainties and paradoxes that shape our lives.
Invite readers to engage with life’s complexity, rather than seek premature resolution.
Offer language and imagery that inspire reflection and renewal.
Poetry has long served as a bridge between logic and intuition, between what we understand and what we feel. Shadoems is an invitation to engage with that bridge—to sit with the questions, to welcome the shadowed spaces, and to find meaning within them.
Spiritual Directors on Practical Questions
A Webinar Collaboration with Saint John's School of Theology & Seminary
While many people recognize the value of spiritual direction, they may struggle to see how it applies to their everyday concerns and decisions. With that in mind, I am collaborating with Saint John's to launch Spiritual Directors on Practical Questions, a webinar series that brings together experienced spiritual directors to address real-world, concrete challenges.
This initiative seeks to bridge the gap between spiritual wisdom and practical decision-making, offering guidance on questions such as:
How do I discern my next step when the path ahead feels unclear?
What spiritual practices can help sustain me in a demanding leadership role?
How do I navigate work-life balance from a spiritually grounded perspective?
How can I make sense of the ecological and social crises of our time through a spiritual lens?
Spirituality is not meant to be an abstract or disconnected realm—it is meant to shape how we engage with our work, our communities, and the world at large. This webinar series will provide a space where people can bring their practical concerns and receive insight rooted in deep spiritual traditions.
Spiritual Directors on Practical Questions – What is Ours to Do?
April 22, 6:00PM Central Time, Zoom
Led by program director, Sam Rahberg, this interactive webinar invites you to engage an essential question that today’s spiritual directors are hearing. Designed for those with at least some experience receiving spiritual direction, the session includes both reflection and hands-on application. Part 1 includes practical guidance from a trained spiritual director. Part 2 is about workshopping your own next steps for praying with this question. Part 3 pulls things together with Q&A. Whether you’re considering a Certificate in Spiritual Direction or simply seeking to grow, this session will equip you to delve deeper into a question worth living.
This month’s facilitator is Dr. Kyle Lambelet (CSpD ’24), Associate Professor of Ethics and Director of the Saint Nicholas Center for Faith and Justice at Virginia Theological Seminary.
A Spiritually Grounded Step Forward
Leadership in today’s world is not about having all the answers. It is about having the courage to engage with the complexities of our time, grounded in wisdom, reflection, and a commitment to both people and the planet. Through STRENGTHSForward, Shadoems, and Spiritual Directors on Practical Questions, I hope to offer practical and reflective pathways for those seeking to lead with clarity and compassion.
If any of these initiatives resonate with you, I invite you to join me. Whether through exploring your strengths, engaging with poetry, or participating in conversations with spiritual directors, the journey ahead is one of discovery, renewal, and action.
We need leaders who can sustain not only themselves but also the spiritual and ecological futures we hope to build. Let’s take that step forward—together.