About Me
Are you looking for a companion on your journey?
Rooted in a close-knit immigrant community in Southern Ontario, my life has been shaped by faith, study, travel, and seasons of both joy and loss. From my Christian Reformed upbringing to a deepening relationship with the Holy Spirit, I have learned to hold heritage and transformation together.
Along the way, I discovered a love for listening to others’ stories of seeking or encountering the Divine — a calling that led me into spiritual direction.
My work in spiritual direction grows from my love of hearing people’s stories and honoring the ways the Divine meets us in every season.
My Personal Story
I grew up in Southern Ontario (Canada) in a close community of people who emigrated from the Netherlands after the Second World War. My large family worked an egg farm and was deeply invested in our church and Christian schools.
From those roots, I ventured to university in Michigan (USA), France, and Nova Scotia (Canada). I have been a "maker" throughout my life, generally working with fabric, yarn, and paper.
I have been married for more than 20 years. Along the way, I've experienced a divorce, the deaths of close family members, cancer diagnosis and treatment, and coming out as queer.
If you are interested, I have put together a directory of the art I make.
My Faith Story
I came to faith in the Christian Reformed tradition, with strong roots in Biblical studies and close community ties. I learned from my parents how to serve in a wide range of roles, from delivering meals to leading on church boards. I made my Profession of Faith when I was 18 and committed myself to Jesus.
In middle age, I was surprised by a new experience and understanding of the Holy Spirit and have been growing in that relationship and experiencing the Divine's transforming grace in new ways ever since.
My Spiritual Direction Story
After this transforming experience of the Holy Spirit, I started meeting with a spiritual director regularly. As I continued to meet with them, I realized that this was work that I was interested in doing.
At the same time, I was practicing the skill and art of listening in spiritual friendships, and I was learning how much I love to hear people's stories of seeking or encountering the Divine. Others also recognized this calling in me, and I entered a program of spiritual direction training.
“Christina’s spirit is calm, welcoming, and beautifully attentive — even through Zoom.” — Kristina J.
My Approach to Spiritual Direction
My work as a spiritual director is rooted in the conviction that the Divine's love is spacious, patient, and for everyone. This conviction takes shape in at least three ways: creating space for the Divine's invitation, extending welcome without exception to people of every identity and conviction, and ensuring that no one is turned away because of financial barriers.
Invitation and Space
I believe the Holy Trinity invites us into new opportunities, new ways of being, and new understanding. The Holy One is Love and does not coerce or force. Jesus does not conscript us, but calls us to follow him. Holy Spirit empowers and equips us for transformation without manipulation. Understanding the Divine’s work in your life as invitation allows you to explore possibilities without pressure to always have answers. In sessions with directees, I hold space for this exploration. Sessions offer time and opportunity to learn to listen, discern, and reflect on what is unfolding in your life.
Love's welcome is the starting point, not the reward.
Welcome without Exception
I believe the welcome of God is not conditional, partial, or reserved for a select few. The Holy One’s embrace is wide enough to hold every story, every body, every journey — including those whose faith or worldview is more traditional, and those whose path has led them far from it. In spiritual direction, this means your questions, your doubts, your joys, your grief, and your anger are all welcome as seasons and signposts of your journey. I trust that the Spirit speaks in the language of your own life, and that nothing about who you are — or how you see the world — places you outside the reach of that voice.
For centuries, spiritual direction was part of the care offered by priests, nuns, and pastors whose needs were supported by the church community. Today, many of us offer spiritual direction outside those structures. Today, many spiritual directors offer this work outside traditional church structures, sustaining it as a trained vocation. I can’t offer it entirely for free, but I also don’t want cost to prevent someone from seeking companionship and care. That’s why I use a pay what you can approach. I’ll share a suggested range, but if that’s out of reach, you’re welcome to name an amount that works for you. This is one small way I practice reparation for those who’ve been denied the advantages of generational wealth. If you have the means and wish to help by subsidizing sessions for those with limited financial means, you are welcome to contribute through PayPal Me (requires a PayPal account) or Buy Me a Coffee. Contributions are not tax-deductible, but they are deeply appreciated.
Whether you come with certainty or questions, joy or grief, abundance or need, you are already held in the embrace of your God.
If something here stirs your curiosity or awakens a longing, I invite you to reach out. Together, we can listen for the movement of the Divine Spirit in your life and trust that the path will unfold as we walk it together.
Formed, and Still Forming
I was raised in Canada and have lived in the United States for most of my adult life. My worldview has been deeply shaped by these cultures and by Western thought — especially its emphasis on rationality, reason, and individualism. I seek to balance these influences with openness to the wisdom carried in our bodies, emotions, relationships, and communities. Although I grew up alongside multicultural ideals, I was raised in a predominantly white community and continue the work of recognizing and unlearning racist and colonialist assumptions. I also continue to examine the patriarchal, misogynistic, and homophobic messages absorbed from both culture and church, trusting that growth and transformation remain lifelong work.
“Your careful and loving facilitation created space for grace to flow.” — Julia L.
Qualifications and Professional Associations
Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction
In 2024, I completed two years of study in spiritual direction at the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Besides study and training in spiritual direction, the program included courses in human development and spiritual formation, theology, ethics, and biblical studies.
Retreat Leader
For many years, I have led small groups in spiritual practices and contemplative prayer. This work expanded into facilitating staff retreats and prayer retreats for churches and small groups.
Accountability
For personal accountability, I meet with my own spiritual director monthly and go on retreat periodically. I also am part of a church community.
For professional accountability, I meet with a spiritual supervisor who is specifically trained to oversee spiritual directors. I am a member of the Michiana Spiritual Directors Network, the mid-Michigan Spiritual Directors Network, and Spiritual Directors International. I abide by the SDI's Guidelines for Ethical Conduct.