I changed my life about 7 years ago. It wasn't my grandfather who inspired me. One of them was a drunkard I had only met twice in my life. The other was a wheel maker that worked as a coffin maker during WWII, after guarding the Swiss border as a young soldier by standing in the river of Rhein. This and his smoking damaged the veins in h…
I changed my life about 7 years ago. It wasn't my grandfather who inspired me. One of them was a drunkard I had only met twice in my life. The other was a wheel maker that worked as a coffin maker during WWII, after guarding the Swiss border as a young soldier by standing in the river of Rhein. This and his smoking damaged the veins in his legs. He died when I was 16.
I had to become seriously ill with cancer before I found the courage to leave IT, after a period of 16 years starting when the dot.com bubble burst, during which I hated my job. It was my pastor who asked me to stay as I was a major source of finances that way. The same pastor told me that as soon as the church could afford it, I would get a job as a pastor as well.
Cancer and a lung embolism, slow and fast potential death, finally had me change. Since then, I have coached people as a developmental coach while getting healthy again. I also wrote a book. And yes, this is what I want to be doing when I am 94–or 750. I had a vivid dream of my 750th birthday, and it included coaching in the midst of my books. Now, I just need more people I can coach.
I am an introvert. And I am involved in a community of people all about introversion and church. The churches I experienced for 34 years were heavily extraverted to the point that introversion was called "old nature", "anti-christ", "backslid at least", and had to be overcome.
Thus, while the name "church of quiet" at first is a bit of a trigger, it also triggers hope. I long for a church of quiet, independent of religion, but full of awe, peace, and love.
Thank you. Yes, I am pronounced almost cancer free (systemic cancer at low levels) and my energy is back. This is why I want to dive deep into coaching now. I feel that I have so much to give.
Your book Quiet was an enormous help in my transition. It started a journey for me to reflect on my personality. MBTI, Enneagram, CliftonStrengths and Spiral Dynamics followed, a diagnosis of autism, and a deconstruction of my faith.
As someone who has deconstructed faith, and has an uneasy relationship with "the church" I can't recommend Philip Yancey enough. We returned to attending church as spiritual practice this fall, and on Christmas Eve morning someone else shared Yancey as someone whose writing was healing in a place of great pain.
I am entranced by being part of ham-del and the church of quiet, as I seek to find not only peace, but perhaps joy, as I move through the middle years of my life.
I changed my life about 7 years ago. It wasn't my grandfather who inspired me. One of them was a drunkard I had only met twice in my life. The other was a wheel maker that worked as a coffin maker during WWII, after guarding the Swiss border as a young soldier by standing in the river of Rhein. This and his smoking damaged the veins in his legs. He died when I was 16.
I had to become seriously ill with cancer before I found the courage to leave IT, after a period of 16 years starting when the dot.com bubble burst, during which I hated my job. It was my pastor who asked me to stay as I was a major source of finances that way. The same pastor told me that as soon as the church could afford it, I would get a job as a pastor as well.
Cancer and a lung embolism, slow and fast potential death, finally had me change. Since then, I have coached people as a developmental coach while getting healthy again. I also wrote a book. And yes, this is what I want to be doing when I am 94–or 750. I had a vivid dream of my 750th birthday, and it included coaching in the midst of my books. Now, I just need more people I can coach.
I am an introvert. And I am involved in a community of people all about introversion and church. The churches I experienced for 34 years were heavily extraverted to the point that introversion was called "old nature", "anti-christ", "backslid at least", and had to be overcome.
Thus, while the name "church of quiet" at first is a bit of a trigger, it also triggers hope. I long for a church of quiet, independent of religion, but full of awe, peace, and love.
what an amazing note and life story - thank you for sharing this, Ralph.
And I hope you are reasonably healthy now!
Hi Susan
Thank you. Yes, I am pronounced almost cancer free (systemic cancer at low levels) and my energy is back. This is why I want to dive deep into coaching now. I feel that I have so much to give.
Your book Quiet was an enormous help in my transition. It started a journey for me to reflect on my personality. MBTI, Enneagram, CliftonStrengths and Spiral Dynamics followed, a diagnosis of autism, and a deconstruction of my faith.
Thank you for your work.
As someone who has deconstructed faith, and has an uneasy relationship with "the church" I can't recommend Philip Yancey enough. We returned to attending church as spiritual practice this fall, and on Christmas Eve morning someone else shared Yancey as someone whose writing was healing in a place of great pain.
I am entranced by being part of ham-del and the church of quiet, as I seek to find not only peace, but perhaps joy, as I move through the middle years of my life.