Join Pam for a guided meditation as we reflect on 2024 and write goals for the New Year, 2025. What could you use more of in your life? What could you use less of in your life? What is your word for 2025? There is a blank canvas on the road before you, follow along and write your goals and intentions as a spiritual practice.

www.talkingjoy.org

Pam guides us through a visualization meditation for self-awareness including quotes by Mark Nepo and Thích Nhất Hạnh. Grab a pen and paper, find a quiet place and indulge in some time for yourself.

Join Pam Robertson for a guided Advent meditation focusing on these themes: hope, peace, love and joy! Listen along to a Christmas story about being present followed by suggestions from author Joyce Rupp on how to cultivate more presence for yourself this holiday season. Finally a list of where to find the Christmas story in the Bible. 

Podcast Music by Adam Gilbert

Resources:

Opening: Matthew West that invites readers to return to God during the Christmas season in his book, Come Home for Christmas.  

Where is the Christmas story in the Bible?

Prophecy-Isaiah 9 notably v. 6-7

Mary & the Annunciation Luke 1: 26-38 (announcement from the Angel Gabriel)

Joseph & visit from the angel in a dream-Matthew 1: 18 - 25

Mary visits Elizabeth & Mary's Magnificat (song of praise) -Luke 1:39-56 The birth of Jesus-Luke 2: 1 - 7

Shepherds and angels-Luke 2: 8 - 20

Visit of the Magi-Matthew 2: 1-12

Story: A Christmas Miracle, Family Circle, Dec.2013 by Glennon Doyle Melton

Suggestions for giving the present of presence by Joyce Rupp.

When teacher Anne Sussman started to meditate every day, the trajectory of her life took off! She started to sleep through the night; was far less anxious; and she started to hear that small voice in her heart that said, “quit your job, because you’re miserable,” louder than she heard the chatter in her mind that said “what are you crazy? You can’t quit your job!” The more she meditated, the clearer it became. become a certified meditation instructor, learning the trademarked method of SEED - Simple Easy Every Day meditation. She then went on to become a Mindfulness@Work trainer, so she could share the tools that helped change her life so profoundly. She went back to school to become a certified meditation instructor, learning the trademarked method of SEED - Simple Easy Every Day meditation. Join us as she guides us through a meditation.

www.talkingjoy.org

Connect with Anne:

https://www.mindfulnessmeetingplace.com

For Love of the Broken Body is a beautiful, surprising, honest memoir about Sister Julia's journey to Franciscan sisterhood. At the age of 25, just a month into her novitiate as a Franciscan Sister, Julia Walsh fell from a cliff and became disfigured. While working toward healing, she felt pulled to religious community life, but also toward unresolved feelings regarding her own sexuality, identity, and injustice.For Love of the Broken Body is a story of pain, questioning, recovery, and discovery. Join host Pam Robertson for an inspiriting conversation with Sr. Julia about her new book. www.talkingjoy.org

To purchase the book: https://bookshop.org

Susan S. Phillips is Executive Director and Professor of Christianity and Sociology at New College Berkeley (an affiliate of the Graduate Theological Union in California). Susan is keenly interested in how engaging the caring practices will shape us spiritually. She is a certified spiritual director (Mercy Center, Burlingame, California) and has practiced spiritual direction since the early 1990s.

The book Candlelight offers an intimate view of spiritual direction through written re-enactments of actual spiritual direction sessions.

The experiential practice is accompanied by theoretical and theological foundations guiding it. The book includes the stories of nine men and women whose stories illustrate how the journey of Christian discipleship is helped by spiritual direction.

Want a deeper connection to your Higher Power, others, and your true self, as well as greater peace, meaning, and purpose in your life? A Spiritual Director can be your trusted guide. So, what exactly is Spiritual Direction anyway? In spiritual direction relationship you explore your spiritual journey in an accepting and nonjudgmental environment. It can take place for just a few sessions or many years, as long as you find it beneficial. My guest, Dr. Bruce Tallman is a full-time spiritual director and marriage coach in private practice since 2002. He has written hundreds of articles on the topic and is passionate about his mission, which is to help people grow in wisdom and love. In this episode we will discuss his book, Finding Seekers.

Host Pam Rotelle Robertson: www.talkingjoy.org

Find Bruce Tallman, purchase his books or to connect here: https://www.brucetallman.com

Join host Pam Robertson for an inspiring conversation with bestselling and award-winning author and retreat leader, Joyce Rupp--one of the great spiritual thought leaders of our time. Joyce's newest book, Jesus, Guide of My Life offers reflections for the Lenten Journey. The Lenten season is framed as a spiritual journey that prepares us to celebrate Easter and new life. Joyce invites us to set aside a few minutes each day to read a verse of scripture and prayer response. Then sitting quietly, allow the Spirit’s wisdom to speak to you and, if you choose, write a brief prayer reflection yourself.

Host Pam Rotelle Robertson www.talkingjoy.org

www.meredithsjarsofjoy.com

Father Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, was born and raised in the town of Church Point, Louisiana. He entered the Jesuits in 1988. He holds degrees in Philosophy, Psychology and Theology from Loyola University of New Orleans and Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After his ordination to the priesthood, he worked in Jesuit secondary schools for nine years. In 2007, he began working for the Jesuit Novitiate in Grand Coteau, La. In 2018, after a decade of service as Novice Director, he left that work to become pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans. He is the author of six books on prayer and spirituality, including the Armchair Mystic and Ascending with Ignatius

www.talkingjoy.com

Healer. Coach. Leader. Teacher. Intuitive. Author. Rosanna M. Lo Meo is an Intuitive and Certified Life Transformed Coach, Breathwork Facilitator, Sound Healer, Author, Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) Master/Teacher, Energy Healer, Usui Reiki Master, Licensed Massage Therapist, Angel Card Reader, B.A. in Psychology & Italian from Rutgers University: She is healing our hearts with contagious enthusiasm! Connect with her here: https://www.newbeginningswithrosanna.com

Pam Rotelle Robertson www.talkingjoy.org