Journeying Together

Journeying Together Spiritual Direction for Fellow Seekers, Pilgrims, and Adventurers You matter to God. And your story matters to God. Welcome! I’m an LGBTQIA+ ally.

My name is Annabelle and I am an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a certified spiritual director serving in Sterling, VA. I offer spiritual direction, icon writing/painting classes, and occasional retreats and pilgrimages. I did not grow up in the church and discovered God, faith, and my vocations as I went along through life. A passionate traveler and life-long le

arner, I believe life is a journey – a pilgrimage in which we are always seeking the holy in our midst, in ourselves, and in each other. Curiosity, asking questions, creativity, reflection, and living with awe, wonder, gratitude, joy, and laughter are at the core of how I try to move through life. The story of Jesus meeting two disciples on the road to Emmaus, making himself known in conversing, walking, and breaking bread with them is a powerful example of how we encounter God in our everyday journeying. My experiences walking the 500-mile Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela continue bringing this home to me in an embodied and powerful way. In spiritual direction/companionship, I am a fellow traveler, listening attentively and deeply to your story, watching and pointing to God's accompanying presence along the way. I am a 2017 graduate of the Shalem Institute's "Going Deeper: Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership" Program. Contemplative spirituality has had a profound effect on my life and how I understand we are always works in progress. Similarly, the practice of writing icons has helped me slow down, breathe deeply, acknowledge and trust in the process, and appreciate that we learn and grow one brushstroke at a time. In 2022, I graduated from the two-year Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development "Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides" Program. My specialty areas include using different prayer practices including iconography and the creative arts and offering direction for religious leaders, young adults, the elderly/mature, interfaith folks, and seekers. I also offer Walk & Talk sessions – spiritual direction on the go (https://journeying-together.com/walk-talk/)! On a lighter note, I love tacos, dogs, walking/hiking, spending time in nature, traveling, singing, knitting, writing icons, and learning languages. I am married to wonderful fellow named Jeff and I look forward to meeting you and hearing your unfolding story!

*Journeying Together is located on the original and ancestral homelands of the Piscataway and Manahoac peoples, and we give thanks for their presence here since time immemorial. We also wish to recognize and honor all our Indigenous siblings who have and continue to call this land their home.*

Paint, progress, and a lesson in beginning again...
01/24/2025

Paint, progress, and a lesson in beginning again...

Paint, progress, and a lesson in beginning again…

How do your views and experiences shape your image of God?
01/24/2025

How do your views and experiences shape your image of God?

My view of God is my own creation, made from bits and pieces of received or perceived knowledge about divine reality that I hope or fear are true. My mosaic has my fingerprints all over it.

May God give us all the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being in humility, love, and truth, eac...
01/22/2025

May God give us all the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being in humility, love, and truth, each and every day.

"Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people – the good of all the people – in this nation and the world."

Bishop Mariann Budde did what those who are called into ministry are tasked to do: guide, serve, teach, correct. A plea to an emperor for compassion and a reflection of Jesus' vision of justice.

Today we remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. May we continue to work toward the vision of our world as a belov...
01/20/2025

Today we remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. May we continue to work toward the vision of our world as a beloved community where all people are welcomed, respected, honored, and loved - a community where each person’s dignity and unique experiences and gifts are cherished.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. "Remember and give thanks for the life, teaching and advocacy of Martin Luther King Jr. for the sake of justice, inclusion and the value of all people, especially those who suffer persecution, racism, disdain or oppression. Pray that we will be inspired by our neighbors and siblings in Christ who are fearless and persistent in their advocacy and compassion for others" (ELCA Prayer Ventures).

A reflection on abundance when we're feeling let down or less than - or when we've hit rock bottom....
01/17/2025

A reflection on abundance when we're feeling let down or less than - or when we've hit rock bottom....

A reflection on abundance when we’re feeling let down or less than – or when we’ve hit rock bottom.

What might you say “yes” to today?
01/14/2025

What might you say “yes” to today?

"A beautifully flawed, memorable, and gratitude-filled life is at your fingertips. All you have to do is open your hands. And say yes." –Rachel Macy Stafford

📷: Ibrahim Mushan

Turn Word for the Day into a daily practice via https://grateful.org/wordfortheday

Praying for those in California suffering from the wildfires and all people in peril from natural disasters.
01/13/2025

Praying for those in California suffering from the wildfires and all people in peril from natural disasters.

Let us pray for all who are affected by the devastating wildfires in California, those who suffer or grieve, and those providing emergency response. "O Lord, when fires rage and consume the land, when homes are reduced to embers and ashes, when families are displaced and tomorrow is uncertain, grant us faith to trust that even the dust will live by your breath. For in you, O Lord, is new life. Amen" (Adapted from "ELCA Litany in Time of Wildfires").

Wading into the waters of our own identity and belovedness.
01/10/2025

Wading into the waters of our own identity and belovedness.

Wading into the waters of our own identity and belovedness.

May you hear that whisper as you go through the rest of your week ❤️
01/08/2025

May you hear that whisper as you go through the rest of your week ❤️

“In the stillness of quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair.”
― Howard Thurman

- https://mailchi.mp/a0e087cf40c8/wednesday-wisdom-8475790

May every breath remind you of the holiness of every day life…
01/04/2025

May every breath remind you of the holiness of every day life…

"Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy." –Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Turn Word for the Day into a daily practice via https://grateful.org/wordfortheday

The story of the magi and some helpful (and fun!) spiritual practices at the start of the year.
01/03/2025

The story of the magi and some helpful (and fun!) spiritual practices at the start of the year.

The story of the magi and some helpful (and fun!) spiritual practices at the start of the year.

On this New Year’s Eve, as you look back over the year, no matter what you accomplished or didn’t, may there be gratitud...
12/31/2024

On this New Year’s Eve, as you look back over the year, no matter what you accomplished or didn’t, may there be gratitude and a celebration of all the sacred little things that make life.

Here’s a poem called ‘This was the year that was not the year’.

Whatever you do, may there be joy, laughter, and playfulness to be found!
12/30/2024

Whatever you do, may there be joy, laughter, and playfulness to be found!

God rejoices over you with singing! 🎶
12/29/2024

God rejoices over you with singing! 🎶

“Charis - Zaphaniah”, 30x40” ©️MakotoFujimura gold and minerals on dark gesso canvas , my last work signed in 2024

“(God) will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” Zephaniah 3:17

Prayer, introspection, and colorful pens mark the end of the year and the start of new adventures! What spiritual practi...
12/27/2024

Prayer, introspection, and colorful pens mark the end of the year and the start of new adventures! What spiritual practices do you use around the New Year?

Prayer, introspection, and colorful pens mark the end of the year and the start of new adventures! What spiritual practices do you use around the New Year?

We get 12 days of Christmas to celebrate, folks! 😊
12/26/2024

We get 12 days of Christmas to celebrate, folks! 😊

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! God’s light shines brightly for, in & through you this season and always!

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Sterling, VA

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Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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A Happy Epiphany!
A Happy Epiphany!

The Feast of the Epiphany recalls how the magi set out from their homes and journeyed to visit the newborn Christ child. They serve as archetypes for all who seek (Epiphany celebrates Christ revealed to all nations and peoples). They journey from home following the star, are overwhelmed with joy when they reach their destination, worship God, and return home by a different road (Matthew 2:1-12). This return journey is both an alternate route and a new way of traveling - they are changed by their encounter with the living God. What are you seeking in this season of life? Where are you journeying from and what are you journeying toward? What do you need as you travel? How might you be changed or travel differently after experiencing God? Epiphany is also a time of year when homes are traditionally blessed: https://buildfaith.org/chalking-the-door/ #spiritualpractice #contemplation #prayer

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