Dr. Howell’s Reflections
Everyday, Dr. Howell writes a reflection, inquiry prompt, and a prayer.
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Your Impact Part 6
April 23, 2025
In spiritual direction programs and other theological and spiritual schools, students are often asked to write their spiritual biographies. The writer’s life story is interpreted in light of their spiritual life, growth, regressions, and milestones. On paper, this exercise helps us see and understand the evolution of our spiritual understandings, realizations, theologies, and transformations.
Your Impact Part 5
April 22, 2025
Regardless of what impacts us, we have an anchor that keeps us steady. As we know, the anchor is a relatively small thing, but it makes all the difference in a storm. Likewise, a spiritual anchor makes all the difference in a difficult conversation, confusion, conflict, or in any situation that throws us off base.
Your Impact Part 4
April 21, 2025
The word "impact" can be a noun or verb. It refers to a substantial effect on something. It can be a strong collision or a forceful impression that any entity has on another entity. It is derived from the Latin word "impactus” meaning "pushed against."
Easter Sunday
April 20, 2025
It’s Easter morning, and the church bells are ringing. Today, it’s all about the joy that Christ has risen! Yes, the crucified Christ won over death as he said he would. After his having arisen from the tomb, he appears to those with whom he was very close. For example, he first appears to the three Marys, then over the next 40 days, to his disciples, including Cleopas and his wife Mary, on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35.) He also appears to over 500 believers whom the 11 apostles gathered together. (Mark 16:7.)
Holy Saturday
April 19, 2025
This is Holy Saturday. In Christian scripture, this is the day that Jesus lay in the tomb after his burial. It is a day of stillness and quiet. It’s the day the disciples descended into grief. In the motif of birth, death, and resurrection, it is the “no man’s land” between death and resurrection. It is the winter before spring, the slumber before waking, and the pause before action. It is when nothing happens. So why is it necessary?
Good Friday
April 18, 2025
On this Holy Day of Holy Week, our heart is very aware of Jesus and his surrender of his life for the world. Though he prayed to God for this cup to pass from him, he said, “…not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus gave up all he had known and everyone he loved. He suffered torture and unspeakable agony and relinquished his life in a painful and humiliating death.
Your Impact Part 3
April 17, 2025
Will any of us be remembered in the long run? We may be, by our friends and family. And if we do something spectacular, our name will be remembered longer. But for most of us, our impact on the world may not be remembered after a couple of generations unless we impact the world in some large way. We could also be remembered by transmitting our qualities to the people we touched while we were here. Therefore, our values and deeds may be carried on, but no one would know us as a living breathing person.
Your Impact Part 2
April 16, 2025
Why is it even a need to have an impact on others? Isn’t it such a need born of an unhealthy ego? Why not live without impacting anyone else? Our impact on others may be strong and an unhealthy ego can impact others negatively. Yet, regardless of how peaceful, minimized, or withdrawn we may be, we all impact others to some degree. We all relate to other people on many levels, and the ripple effect of our thoughts and actions reaches far beyond the point of initial contact.
Your Impact Part 1
April 15, 2025
Do you wonder what impact you make? Do you ever think that you make no impact or difference at all? Or do you think you make a significant impact on others? When I ask this question of my patients and friends, most usually say, “My greatest impact is on my children and family members.” This response is understandable, yet I wonder if we really give the question enough thought.
Life Giving Part 7
April 14, 2025
I take cardio exercise classes every day at the city recreation center. They are demanding classes — one class is Zumba, and on alternate days, it is another cardio activity. All the courses use great music. The teachers are very skilled and inspire us to try our hardest. The atmosphere in the room is upbeat and exhilarating because there are lots of laughs, everyone encourages each other to exceed their goals, and usually, the classes are so much fun that it’s like a party.
Life Giving Part 6
April 13, 2025
It is life-giving to plan for the future. We love to be in the now, but that now had to be scheduled somehow. Though we can let our planning get in the way of living in the now, making plans has its place as a life-giving activity.
Life Giving Part 5
April 12, 2025
It is life-giving to plan for the future. We love to be in the now, but that now had to be scheduled somehow. Though we can let our planning get in the way of living in the now, making plans has its place as a life-giving activity.
Life Giving Part 4
April 11, 2025
It is life-giving to explore new places. Many of us have cool places to visit right in our backyard. In my area of Alabama, some exciting places are within driving distance. Practically at our back door is Cheaha Mountain, the highest peak in Alabama. It has terrific views. Just south of us is Desoto Caverns. It was once the setting for a movie and was a speakeasy during prohibition. In the caverns, there is one room that is 10 stories high.
Life Giving Part 3
April 10, 2025
Our encounters with strangers can be one of our most life-giving gifts. Every day, we interact with people who are not in our circle of friends, yet these dear souls are important to us. In a way, they are our friends, but only for a minute or even seconds. They aren’t long-lasting friends with whom we share our ongoing lives, but they are our friends in that moment because we share a necessary interaction or circumstance that brings us together.
Life Giving Part 2
April 9, 2025
Our relationship with nature gives us life. Whether we are in the country or the city, there is always something of nature to which we can connect. The sky itself is life-giving, as are the sun and the moon. We may not have a nature reserve right by us, and we may not have access to a farm or field, but we have access to the air and the earth.
Life Giving Part 1
April 8, 2025
A baby’s birth is naturally life-giving because it expands our circle of love and, therefore, expands our life. Anything that brings more life and love into our sphere is life-giving. For example, family and friends are life-giving. Many of us have hobbies and organizations we consider life-giving. And there are other life-giving things we may not recognize so readily. These things may be taken for granted or simply overlooked, yet they are vital to living the spiritual life.
Energy and Will - Part 7
April 7, 2025
If we have relationships that drain us of our energy, it’s time for self-compassion and self-care. The people who drain us are usually unaware of what they are doing. They may drain other people too, but our feeding into their dependency needs, demands, and life narrative will sap us of our precious energies. If we have the courage, we might discuss these issues with the friend. But this is not always doable or the best approach. So, to preserve and redirect the relationship, it’s best to set boundaries kindly, and stick with them, or in a mature manner, discontinue the relationship.
Energy and Will - Part 6
April 6, 2025
Sometimes, our energies flow into our relationships. These are the people who mean the most to us, but it can include those who may drain us, distract us, or disintegrate us. Maybe they are people who, for some reason, we feel obligated to, or perhaps we feel sorry for them. Maybe the person is intriguing, insightful, or charismatic, and they draw us into them, but we end up with no fulfillment. We may have affinities for those with whom we have much in common and therefore feel kinship, but they may not have the same feelings toward us.