S1E5: What is discernment?

Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash

Hi, friends!

I’m excited to share episode 5 of Words From Silence with you! I had the privilege of talking with spiritual director Adam Shields about discernment: what it is, what it’s not, and how our ability to discern well can be impacted by things like cultural bias and trauma. Adam has spent about the past year reading and studying this topic, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to benefit from his extensive, ongoing study as well as his lived experience.

Some of the books referenced in our conversation include:

1. All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment by Hannah Anderson

2. It Seemed Good to the Holy Spirit and to Us: Acts, Discernment, and the Mission of God by Mark Love

3. The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making by Elizabeth Liebert

4. Trauma in the Pews: The Impact on Faith and Spiritual Practices by Janyne McConnaughey

Adam asked me to share the document he has created with notes on what he has learned about discernment thus far. He continues updating it as he continues his study. You can find it here.

You can follow Adam’s book reviews here.

To contact Adam with spiritual direction inquiries, click here.

You can listen to today’s episode on Substack, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. We would love to hear from you!

May you experience the sense of peace that accompanies the assurance of your unconditional belovedness.

Be well, friends.