What People Are Saying About Dan’s
Presentations on Spiritual Direction
~ A Sample of Participant’s Comments ~
Talks on Spiritual Direction
I had a marvelous experience at the (CenterQuest) Opening Residency this past week (for spiritual-directors-in-training). There were so many high points – and your teaching on Presence was the biggest highlight of all for me. The material was and is truly transformational. I’ve been going over my notes the past couple of days, circling and underlining and re-organizing. These deeply transformational teachings will impact my life, and my formation as a spiritual director, for a long time to come.”
~ Lisa Heath, Ph.D., Spiritual-director-in-training, Anglican, Jacksonville, FL.
▪ Dan Miller was the teacher for the opening course of my spiritual direction program. Words that describe him and his effect on me: intelligent, warm, insightful, approachable, genuine, experiential, and transformational. He will be the teacher for our closing course. When that was announced, I and the whole room cheered!
~ Nina Lau-Branson, Vocation and Formation Group Leader and Mentor, Fuller Seminary
Associate, The Missional Network, Pasadena, CA
▪ Dan’s teaching on presence was invaluable to me. It’s as if I had spent most of my life longing to go on a trip, but didn’t know how to travel until Dan showed up as the experienced guide. My time with him will echo and grow in my life and ministry for years to come.
~ Daniel Ethan Harris, Author of Live Prayerfully: How Ordinary Lives Become Prayerful and spiritual director, Midland, Texas
▪ I recently had the opportunity to attend Dan’s series on Presence and I was re-awakened to my desire to live in the present moment. Dan’s humble and approachable style made the presentations feel more like an intimate conversation between two friends. It broadened my view and my awareness of the meaning and impact of presence. I am still unpacking the gift of his teaching and know that it will continue to resonate with me as an individual and will significantly impact my work as a spiritual director.
~ Deb Turnow, Executive Director, Kavanna House, York, PA
Dan Miller’s teaching “On Being Present” was so profound and impacted me on such a deep level that I feel that I cannot put it into words. Yet each day since then, I sense that God is revealing to me more of Himself and transforming my own life with Him. I am finding a new gratitude within the ordinary moments of each day and a steadying peace within the “usual” struggles in my life. Indeed, I am becoming aware that “God was in this place and I did not know it” in a way that has illuminated my own life story as sacred. Through Dan, God has given me a new outlook of hope that I am created in love by Him to flourish – both for myself and for each of the “others” in the world around me. I am astounded anew by the extravagant love of God.
~ S. Newton, Africa Inland Mission Int. Protestant- non-denominational, Kenya
• Dan’s presentation was exceptionally insightful and illuminating. For me, his talks went far beyond instructional; his words inspired and nourished my soul. The week was life changing for me.
~ Melodie Kersten, Frisco, Texas
▪ Dan, thank you again for sharing yourself with us. I very much appreciated hearing you, learning from you, and just being with you. I found your talks insightful and helpful. They are still resonating within my soul. I am not an ‘auditory learner.’ I did think if you were a book and I had a yellow highlighter I would have been coloring up the pages. There was so much rich material on being present, tangible expressions of how to be present, in some ways it was overwhelming. Yet jewels have been mined and I believe I am richer for the experience. Thank you.
~ Gretchen R, Christ lover (cross cultural worker), living in South Asia
▪ I had the privilege of hearing Dan Miller speak on the topic of Presence and found his presentation to be moving, inspirational and yet also instructional. Dan is an organized speaker who makes his points clearly, and at the same time illustrates his points with personal stories. Each story wound its way into my heart.
~ Rosemary Lohndorf, Spiritual-Director-in Training, Colorado
▪ I found the time with Dan to be very enriching, fresh, and helpful in providing new tools for walking the journey with others. Dan is intelligent, articulate, easily dialogs with participants, and has much knowledge to offer integrating psychology, spirituality, and prophetic listening in a seamless way. We look forward to having Dan return so that he can once again, open and share the treasure stored in his heart, his knowledge, and his experience.
~ Craig Lockwood, Anaheim Vineyard Fellowship, Anaheim, CA
Dan Miller was the primary speaker at a training day hosted by our church. I found him to be knowledgeable, personable, rich with a wonderful sense of humor. It’s hard to find someone with that combination!
~ Jan Amundsen, Anaheim Vineyard Fellowship, Anaheim, CA
Dan’s presentation on Presence enabled me to more deeply enter into life just as it is. I was very engaged with the content and the stories Dan shared which not only illustrated his point, but allowed me the opportunity to apply them to my own experiences. There was laughter, tears and gratitude that welled up in my soul in the days that followed Dan’s presentation. If you want to give yourself or someone else a present that will last forever– I highly recommend Dan’s presentation On Being Present.
P.S. Dan, I’ve been sharing your words of wisdom with the sisters with whom I live. I loved your presentation–and I love the image of being a story catcher . . . Thanks for deepening my understanding and hopefully lived experience of Presence.
~ Sister Catherine Stewart, O.P. Principal, Roman Catholic, Brookfield, MO.
▪ If you desire a presentation on spiritual direction that is deep and insightful, Dan’s presentation on “Spiritual Direction as Lectio Divina” is excellent! His presentation reflects his own deep searching and engages the listener inviting them to a new space within.
~ JoAnn Tabor, CSJ, Colleague, Center for Spiritual Development, Orange, CA
▪ I met Dan when attending a Training Day for Spiritual Directors. Dan was the key speaker. At the time, I was not a spiritual director, but my husband was in training for this and I went to the event with him. I felt transported by the depth of Dan’s passion for the sacredness of each human life and how that sacredness can be conveyed through the power of deep listening. Dan’s gift of stoking the desire to open one’s heart toward God–through stories, poems, quotes, visual arts and group interaction–is at once grounding and transcendent. I went home from that experience and made application to a program in spiritual direction. That experience truly changed the course of my life.
Since that time, nearly ten years ago, Dan has become a dear and trusted friend to my husband and me. His intelligence, perceptiveness, sensitivity and wit we find delightful. His commitment, acceptance, listening ear and thoughtfulness we treasure. Dan humbly embodies that which he has dedicated his life to communicating to others–the human and the holy.
~ Mary Norling, Spiritual Director, Anaheim CA
▪ Dan is a unique teacher who understands that theology is a process of working from the inside out, and as a response, lovingly extending interior knowledge to the world. Dan has helped me recognize that theology works alongside secular society, not against it, and as such is applicable to all persons wherever they are at.
~ Brittney Nurse, Director of Campus Ministry, St. Josephs College/ Chair Interfaith Chaplains Society, University of Alberta, CAN
▪ Dan Miller is a gift to the ecumenical community of seekers with his authentic Spirituality. He brings a scholarly, personable, and practical teaching style to his audience. My experience with Dan was Spirit-led and life changing and left me wanting more. I know the same will be true for you.
~ Carol Travilla, M.A., Spiritual Director and Author The Intentional Woman, A Guide to Experiencing the Power of Your Story, Chandler, AZ
▪ Your generosity and presentation set the stage for an amazing experience with the CQ SSD. You were an excellent lead off man to get the runners on the bases. . . I reviewed my notes from Opening Residency when compiling my grand examen of the year. Several of your essential themes and group activities provided an excellent foundation and impacted me in a significant way.
~ Paul Potter, Spiritual Director, Lincoln, NE
