Living Apart Together…

July 25, 2020July 25, 2020Leave a comment

Back in March, at the start of the pandemic and the shelter-in-place edict, none of us would have thought that months later we would still be here – social distancing and uncertain about when we would return to life even as we knew it.

As the health crisis unfolded, we instinctively switched to survival mode, resolved to find alternative ways to keep going. Our homes became both a quarantine fortress and our place of work. Companies and organizations quickly changed their daily operations as they tried to adjust. Parents and teachers turned to homeschooling. Many, understandably, struggled to make it through the day; while scores of others selflessly showed up to serve. Incomprehensibly, too many succumbed to the virus and lost their lives.

And, in the midst of the pandemic, our hearts further erupted at the sight of new, unwarranted and continuous killing of our Black brothers and sisters. While the country and even the world came together to cry “enough”, the poisonous effects of such inhuman cruelty – anger, grief, pain, fear, mistrust, despair – have undoubtedly already attached themselves to many a soul.

How are you doing, really?

It may have been months since 2020 took a detour but many of us have yet to come up for air, even less sit still to tend to our souls. We are submerged in a sea of emotions, which is even amplified for those who are living alone, cut off from regular human connection.

“Where do we go from here?” is a question many have asked these past few months. I don’t purport to have the answer; I am, however, certain that any step forward must come from a place of self-awareness and wholeness. Just as we must come to term with the fact that we are all connected and we are more alike than we are different.

With that in mind, I offer this opportunity for us to intentionally slow down to care for our souls and to do life together. Whether you need time in community, a safe space to lament or a moment of rest from your new normal, I propose that we connect during the month of August to engage through guided discussions, contemplative reflections and to recharge for the days ahead.

The list of offerings, for both men and women, and the registration button are below. Please sign-up as you feel led. I look forward to connecting with you, and until then, I pray that you and yours are safe and well!

In His grace,
Christine

“Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.
Let him who is not in community beware of being alone.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Living Apart Together
Free Online Soul Care Pauses
Virtually on Zoom [10:00am-11:00am]
Zoom Link will be Emailed Following Registration

Saturday, August 1: Holy Interruption
Saturday, August 15: Soul Care in Times of Crisis
Saturday, August 29: As We Wait…

“It’s better to have a partner than go it alone…And if one falls down, the other helps…(Ecc. 4:9-10 The Message)

Christine A. Dorvil is Founder and Director of Sabătica. She is a retreat leader and holds a certificate in Spiritual Transformation from the Transforming Center in Chicago where she studied for two years and was mentored by Ruth Haley Barton. Christine is passionate about spiritual formation, restoration and soul care. She holds an MBA in Finance and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Old Testament and Hebrew. She is a Fellow of the New York City Leadership Center and serves as Executive Director for the Alliance for Thriving Communities.

Do You Ever Feel Like Running For Your Life?

October 13, 2018October 13, 2018Leave a comment

From time to time I do.

I also know of someone who actually did. Elijah. He was in such a state of desperation and was so fearful that he fled into a cave. One minute he was on top of his world; the next, he was being hunted and on the verge of losing everything, including his own life.

It is unclear that Elijah foreknew his hiding place would be the site of his own Bethel. Be that as it may, instead of being where he would succumb to his despair, the cave was the meeting ground for a divine encounter and where his life was saved and restored. Elijah may not have had a well-thought-out plan but The One whose master plan supersedes all plans, showed up and deployed both familiar and supernatural resources to care for Elijah’s body, spirit and soul.

God met Elijah and didn’t beat around the bush — he went straight to the matter. “Elijah what are you doing here?”, He began. He didn’t judge Elijah for being in the cave, instead, he helped him awaken to his truth, to process and release his worries to God. Fortunately, the prophet didn’t sugarcoat his emotional turmoil and disappointments. He opened up and told God exactly how it was — unlocking the door for his own healing and restoration.

What followed were moments of physical rest and nourishment. Elijah slept and was supernaturally fed until he regained his strength. The journey went on for a while but all along, God kept on speaking with Elijah, guiding him through his own soul assessment and renewal. At the end, Elijah symbolically stood at the entrance of the cave and there was re-commissioned to his calling and purpose.

God’s blueprint for total well-being works — acknowledge where you are, face your truth, tend to your whole self [body, mind and spirit], all-the-while abiding in Him. We must choose to remain centered, to make soul care and sabbatical rest a way of life or fear having to run into a cave. For, as Dallas Willard said, “If you don’t come apart for a while, you will come apart after a while.”

Thankfully, the issues of your life and your well-being are not lost on God. Whether you regularly make space for Him or occasionally find yourself longing for a hiding place, in His grace, He will surely meet you where you are. He will walk you through it and as He did with Elijah, he will restore your soul.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to hide for a little while. You don’t even need to have a perfect plan. You simply need to accept the invitation and make space for God.

In His grace,
Christine

We are excited to announce that during this Fall retreat, we will be introducing and creating space for communal worship. We are equally thrilled that Katie Nelson Troyer, a worship leader with a passion for God’s heart, a teacher and talented musician will be ushering us into that sacred space Friday evening.

Wisconsin-born songbird Katie Nelson made the road her home for eight years. She toured the country performing music from her albums Alabaster Worship (2003), Do You Know Who He Is? (2005), and Speak To Me (2007). After a long battle with health complications and consequent songwriting dry spell, Katie is happy to be healthy and has returned this winter with a new album entitled Lavender & Lace: An Anthology of Queens. In addition to writing and performing original music, Katie spends much of her time leading worship for local churches and mentoring other musicians. She and her husband Scott Troyer, live in Greenwich where they enjoy creating music, cooking together, and gardening.

Christine A. Dorvil is Founder and Director of Sabătica. She is a retreat leader and holds a certificate in Spiritual Transformation from the Transforming Center in Chicago where she studied for two years and was mentored by Ruth Haley Barton. Christine is passionate about spiritual formation, restoration and soul care. She holds an MBA in Finance and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Theology and Hebrew. She is a Fellow of the New York City Leadership Center and serves as Executive Director for the Alliance for Thriving Communities.

Standing With Open Hands…

October 31, 2017November 25, 2017Leave a comment

I laid on the hardwood floor partly praying, mostly surrendering. It had been several months since I had lost my job. I was running out of money and found myself wrestling with the fact that I might need to make certain decisions that left me feeling indignant, embarrassed and feeling like a failure. I laid on the floor after having done all I could; I took a deep breath and opened my hands to God. I was still actively looking for work but that moment, I let it all go – the fear, the shame, even the hope of quickly returning to work. That instant, I gave myself permission to be okay, even if that meant taking a detour; even if I were to lose it all.

Hands-Emergent_Leader_Servant_Leadership

The months of unemployment — my liminal space – served as an incubator for additional character development. During that time, I was reminded of several life-changing truths, including the following:

Prayer should come from a place of faith and not of fear – Have your prayers ever sounded like this… “God, I don’t want to face this; please don’t let such and such happen” or “I don’t want to go through that and seem…?” If there is one thing I learned these past few months it is that when our focus is on what we fear the most, our fear becomes our reality. Surrendering requires that we take a stance of faith – in our thoughts, in our prayer, in our actions; for, the fear that consumes us and on which we set our mind will inevitably become true.
The experience of loss can be a great litmus test of our faith – A loss may occur on various forms – loss of a job, a house, a relationship, the passing of someone dear — and may generate various degrees of anguish. We may think we know how we would react when faced with such loss or adversity but in reality, we won’t know until we find ourselves in those situations. It is then we will testify of our beliefs and faith. It is in the testing of our knowing that we are awakened to our strengths and to those areas where we are still questioning. It is absolutely normal and important that we should acknowledge our losses and struggles. Yet, just as important, we must be resilient and resolved to grieve them, to push through and to remain anchored to what we know to be true.
There is rest in the midst of the storm – That moment on the floor when I consciously decided to relinquish control of the situation, I was overtaken by a peace that surpassed my understanding. Once again, Abba took on my yoke and my burden became light. And, the days that followed gifted me with a renewed mind and just as David exclaimed in Psalm 62, I found an inner rest that could have only come from God.

When you face stormy seas, I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers. If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won’t be burned. Isaiah 43:2 (The Voice)

Is there something in your life for which you need to open your hands? What have you been holding on to that ought to be surrendered? You don’t have to do it alone! There is provision for it all, if only you would open your hands.

In His mercy!
Christine

Soul in Search of Lightness..

August 19, 2015August 23, 2015Leave a comment

Notwithstanding our Adamic nature, we enter the world pure, light, as a blank canvas. Yet, somewhere along the way, we start to amass and hold on to words, gazes, feelings, habits, disappointments, worries, broken dreams, broken hearts – things that weigh heavily on our souls; burdens that can keep us crippled and forever lost, if not deposed of.

Those weights, without a doubt, may require some heavy lifting – counseling, rehabilitation, even major life alteration. However, despite the pedigree, well-regarded credentials or even methods from which we seek help, nothing substantial or lasting will occur without a firm resolution for change and a total return to the source, our Creator.

More often than not, those heavy weights become obstacles that keep us from the relief and renewal we need. But not to despair, for the divine umbilical cord that ties us to God is never cut. It may not always seem visible to the natural eyes but it is there; we only have to find our way back home, back to our point of origin.

God created each and every one of us with our own unique identifiers and pathways to His loving arms. He has given us His Spirit and has endowed us with the mental and spiritual acuity, authority and the ability to desire and affect change in our lives.

God is a caring and restoring God who has granted to us everything pertaining to life and who has placed us in a beautifully crafted world, filled with immediate remedy for our mind, body and soul; if only we would, even for awhile, stop running, stop hiding, stop procrastinating.

For sure, there are times when spiritual guidance, counseling and deliverance are essential; yet, their pursuit does not negate our responsibility or eradicate the powerful force that resides in us and with which we ought to grab hold of our divine destiny, speak to our souls like King David did, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Put your hope in God” and allow Abba to care and nurture our deepest wounds and fears, just like He did for Elisha.

Get up! Stand still for awhile! Observe the marvelous beauty and remedy that are all around you! Surrender! Find your way back to the pure, light, blank canvas. For His invitation still stands; like the one He offered in Matthew, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Again in Mark, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” and in Isaiah, “…only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…”

Come, stop, listen, relish, restore to lightness…this is Sabătica and the invitation still stands!