The Sanctuary at Bear Creek Retreat Center
I am a spiritual director, retreat leader, and author of the upcoming Penguin Random House release, Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God. With a lifelong passion for walking closely with God, I delight in creating space for others to deepen their intimacy with Him. Raised in the Episcopal tradition and educated in Catholic school, I came to personal faith through an Assemblies of God youth group and have spent my adult life in nondenominational Bible churches. My journey has given me a deep appreciation for the richness of diverse Christian traditions—something reflected in my inclusive writing and approach to spiritual formation. I received my certification in spiritual direction from the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and am a member of both the International Association of Spiritual Directors and the Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors. My husband, Bryan, and I are the founders and directors of The Sanctuary at Bear Creek, a retreat center in Allegan, Michigan. Through its prayer cabin, events, and online ministry, the Sanctuary serves hundreds of guests each year seeking rest, renewal, and deeper connection with God. Still in awe that five sons and a daughter call me “Mom,” I was raised in Niagara Falls, New York, played competitive badminton in high school (don’t laugh, it is a sport), and love nothing more than a “hot mugga” and a good laugh.