About
Tim

Bio

My work as a spiritual director is rooted in the Commercial Drive neighbourhood of East Vancouver, Canada, which has been home for over 20 years. My wife, two kids and I are an integral part of the Grandview Church faith community. An avid swimmer, fisher, beekeeper, and general outdoors hands-on guy, I love to notice the opportunities for spiritual formation and contemplation in the active and everyday places of life.

In my adult years, I have worked in teaching as well as educational and non-profit administration. Having traveled and worked internationally, I value the ethnic diversity of my neighbourhood and family. I have sat on a number of non-profit boards, most recently as one of the directors of my church, as treasurer of a triathlon club for children and youth, and as a board member of a family foundation.

Credentials

My formal training in spiritual formation and theology involved graduate studies at Regent College (DipCS) and Carey Theological College (MASF), with specific core and practicum training in spiritual direction through Soulstream. My undergraduate degree in sociology and languages was from Western University, with a subsequent Certificate in Community Economic Development from Simon Fraser University.

The Fit

A significant part of my journey has been about finding my own voice. I have personally discovered the wonder of opening to a God who is all about love and freedom. In the beginning years of faith, I interpreted Jesus’ command to ‘give away one’s life’ as a requirement to abdicate personal identity. I have since settled into viewing myself and all those I meet and interact with as precious ‘one of a kind’ beings; God engages with us in bringing out the true colours of that uniqueness as a gift to God, to ourselves, to others and to the creation. All I have lived and bring to bear in the world is the concrete material and context in which God, very specifically, shows up. God draws me deeper into, beyond and outside of myself.

I seek to make space for others to notice where God may be initiating and where God might be apparent in the humdrum, difficult or enlivening seasons of their journeys. I seek to pay attention to detail, to notice the subtle clues for where God might be made known.

This kind of language reflects the convictions I hold. At the same time, I am drawn to journey with others whose starting points, stories and convictions may be different, doing my best to not have my own journey get in the way.