Spiritual Direction
Offering a safe place to unpack your life in God’s presence
Are You Longing For Something More?
Have you ever wondered; “there has to be more to life than this?” Or perhaps you long to know God more deeply. Life can be so challenging. We live in such a fast-paced world that we have little time to stop and reflect on our lives and our relationship with God. Spiritual Direction provides this kind of place where you can “be still and know God”.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” John 1:4
“If there is a single factor that makes spiritual direction effective as a change agency for the soul, it is this: spiritual direction holds our shame at bay long enough for us to see ourselves as God sees us in Christ.” Gary Moon
Spiritual Direction is a sacred place where one brings all of themselves into the presence of God accompanied by a director or companion with “holy listening” to help the individual to seek God in the midst of their lives..
Spiritual Direction is not counseling which focuses more on mental health and relationships and where diagnosis, goals and treatment plans are created.
When you meet with me, I will offer you time just to be. You will have a safe place to unpack your life in God’s presence. I will not try to fix you but will listen deeply, ask questions as needed to help you open up more of your life before our Heavenly Father. The goal is to help you move more closely to God and to see what obstacles, wounds, or attachments that might be in the way that keep you from experiencing the life that God has for you.
We will be begin our time with a brief moment of welcoming each other and then will take a moment of silence to let your heart and mind settle into this space of being in God’s presence. I will typically ask two main questions:
- How have you been experiencing God since the last time we have been together?
- What is bothering you? With a follow up at some point of : Why do you think that bothers you so much?
A typical session is 50-60 minutes. We typically meet once a month.
Initial introductory 30 minute session is free. Each session after that is $75.
If you are interested but cannot afford this fee, we can discuss a sliding scale option. Please do not let cost be a deterrent from engaging in Spiritual Direction.
My name is Doug Valot. Over the past 40 years, I have led various classes and groups in a church setting. In 2006 I went back to school and got a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy feeling led by God to enter into relationships with others as they faced various relational and personal struggles. I was blessed to spend 13 years at my church counseling others in the sacred space of my office. As I met with people over the years I was struck by two key themes:
- Being vs Doing – we are so busy in our culture that we struggle mightily in truly resting and learning what it is like to be a child of God.
- Disconnect of the head and heart – we know about God’s love and can share it with others but struggle to experience His love for themselves.
I have to admit, I am relate to that struggle. But the Lord has taught me a lot over the past 10-15 years in how to learn how to be and experience a heart relationship with God. I was blessed to spend 2019-2021 as part of a cohort with the Renovaré Institute for Spiritual Formation which flamed a passion within me to invite others into learning to become the persons God created them to be. If you are interested in knowing more about a “with God” life or to see how God is at work even in various challenges of life, I invite you to join me in times of Spiritual Direction.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and provided counseling services at Kingsland Baptist Church for 13 years. I have a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University and a Certification for Christian Spiritual Formation from the Renovaré Institute.
Next Steps
If you are interested in learning more about Spiritual Direction, click the button below to contact me. We can set up a free 30 minute introductory call to talk about what you are looking for and if Spiritual Direction is right for you. Spiritual direction sessions can be conducted via Zoom or in-person.
Need To Get Away And Take A Rest?
If you are interested in learning more about retreats we offer, click here