This episode is primarily an exploration of the concept of “intention,” especially as it relates to our spiritual journeys. But in the end, it is best summed up by the question, “What Do We Really Want”? Of course, if each of us drills down to discover what we value the most, and explore the reasons for these values and how they have been present in our life paths so far, no two of us will end up with the exact same answer. Not only that, we should hold somewhat loosely to our answer because if we are engaging intentionally with our lives and spiritual journeys, we will not be the same people we were when we last visited the question.
In the episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by two wonderful and insightful friends and fellow retreat leaders, Mark Crego and Jana Spangler, for a discussion of “intentions.” Do intentions differ from goals or motivations? And if so, how? In our faith lives, we generally inherit the institutional intentions for us, which are very often aligned with what our parents or other important figures in our lives have for us. But how well has/does a church prepare us for the hard spiritual work of discovering and uncovering what drives us most deeply? Do most institutional religions even point us toward this kind of work as a thing to expect to undertake as we continue maturing?
This episode features some ideas for ways to become open to this kind of work, and then to allow us to fully embrace the challenges. The panelists discuss many things that will resonate with some listeners and not with others, but they assure us that this is okay and it shouldn’t be another (dang) reason to judge ourselves harshly. Each discussant comes at the nexus of what “intention” means to them, and how it plays out in their own hearts and journeys–and you will be able to recognize their differences based on their temperament, training, study, personalities, and life stories.
Please listen to this episode! It’s a great one!
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Links:
LDF Retreat, “Creating Intentional Faith Journeys,” March 18-20, 2022, Holladay, UT
Click here for Information, to watch a short video about it, registration, and how to reach out to get your questions asked, etc. We look forward to having you join us!