Spots of Time

Ignatius believed that God can be found in all things and in all people. One of the tenets of Ignatian spirituality is that we can encounter God at every moment of our existence. In this episode, I’ll be talking with a friend of mine, Sonja Stewart and how she encountered God in faraway places, in varying cultures, and in all people. 

I have spoken often about the Spiritual Exercises given to us by Ignatius of Loyola some 500 years ago. Ignatius would say that just as the physical body needs exercise so does our spiritual body - our soul - needs exercise. What does that mean? In this episode, I will introduce you to Ignatius and share an overview of the exercises for our soul and spiritual life.

Wednesday, November 13, is designated as World Kindness Day! The world needs more kindness so I thought dedicating an episode to this topic might empower and inspire listeners to be especially kind this week. How can you pay it forward and bless someone’s day?

Today is known as All Saints Day and is celebrated in many Christian Churches to honor all the saints of the church - both known and unknown. Thomas Merton wrote, “For me to be a saint means to be myself.” Let’s explore this today as we talk about the gift of being yourself. 

A New Chapter…yes indeed…that’s what I’m talking about in this episode. So what does that mean anyway? A New Chapter…a new lease on life; a new beginning; a new stage; how about a new phase…well listen in to hear about the new chapter of my life.

For years, I’ve been busy with work, family, and life. Days seemed to come and go with such haste that there was little time for inner reflection. And yet, our inner life has so much to say about who we really are and paying attention to our inner life is fundamental to operating from our essence and not our ego. In today’s episode, I hope to unpack this and to inspire listeners to take time out to listen to their inner being.

This is one of my favorite things to talk about - forgiveness. I think it’s because I wasn’t taught how to forgive; instead what was demonstrated was the silent treatment for days and then eventually everything blows over. But this isn’t healthy and it’s detrimental to relationships. Joining me today is author Paula Huston, who wrote a book called Forgiveness: Following Jesus into Radical Loving. 

Has anyone ever asked you what you would say to your younger self? Someone asked me once a few years ago and I didn’t know what to say but I bluffed my way through it rather than to say, “I don’t know.” That ego for you! But it’s a question that has haunted me for years and I finally wrote down my thoughts in a letter format to my younger self. Today, I’m sharing the contents of that letter. May it inspire you to do the same. 

I don’t know about you but when I say good night to my family and go to bed, I expect to wake up tomorrow. But there’s no guarantee of another day. Each and every day is a gift. So how can we make today matter? If today was your last day, what would you hope to accomplish, what would you want to say or do? Listen in as Kim shares ideas for making today matter. 

Welcome to the first episode of Season Two! Empower Your Life is all about the amazing journey of transformation I experienced this last year. A journey that led me through loss, suffering, humility, and eventually coming face to face with my ego, and finally to rediscovering my soul and realizing my authentic self. It is a journey of falling from my old life to the inmost searching and suffering, then to an awakening and accepting, and finally to a cleansing and arising to my new empowered life.