My journey to Spiritual Alchemy

Having grown up in a faith community, I knew the small, still voice of Spirit.

It was this voice that lead me to study at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where I began to recognize both my privilege and obligation to work for the marginalized and underrepresented in society.

It was there I first heard Spirit invite me to consider a vocation in ministry.

I resisted the call. It didn’t make economic sense. What’s more, at this point I was growing disillusioned with organized religion.

I asked Spirit for a compromise. How about law school? Surely that was a better path for standing with the marginalized.   

I got my request and was admitted to Howard Law School. But on my second day there, I knew I was in the wrong place.

I stayed anyway, completed the degree, and began work as an assistant attorney general for the state of Washington. After a few years, I could no longer ignore the sense that my spirit was slowly dying.

I quit and opened my own employment law firm. Now I would be free to practice law according to my own convictions.     

By all standards, I was successful. I was making the world a more just place, and I was making money.

But there was still something missing. The renewal of my soul that I had hoped for was not happening.

How could I change now? I had mortgages to pay and employees who depended on me. Besides, who would I be if I was not practicing law?

So I pressed on.

Twelve years into my law practice I heard Spirit again invite me to consider seminary.

Seminary? Really? I had walked away from organized religion years ago. And I knew I didn’t want to pastor a church.

I didn’t say no, but I didn’t say yes either.

Even though I was on a sabbatical from organized religion, I still longed for a spiritual community. Eventually, I stumbled upon a quirky little church where I felt at home. In their circle of love and nonjudgement, I got to heal from the harm inflicted by other faith communities.

I was finally ready to answer Spirit’s invitation to consider seminary. I entered Seattle School of Theology and Ministry and received my master’s in divinity in 2012.

I had no idea what I was being called to do. All I knew was that my passion for representing the marginalized and the voiceless had not left me.

Through my work with FaithTrust Institute, I become a Movement Maker with Move to End Violence, a program of the Novo Foundation. I was one of 20 phenomenal leaders committed to justice, all very passionate about their work.

But I saw in them a longing and hunger for something more. They looked weary. I knew that look, because that had been me. I knew what it was like to grind on, even though your spirit was crying for nourishment.

I also knew that when Spirit is nurtured, it transforms us in a way that elevates what is possible. I could help! I had found my ministry!

Spiritual Alchemy was born.