Listening with the Ear of Your Heart

The Garden • June 19, 2024

Spiritual Disciplines Part 1 of 4: Inspirations of Grace

Have you ever wondered how to better understand the inspirations of grace in yourself? In the quiet spaces of our lives, there exists a sacred practice—-an artistry of presence. It’s the art of listening with the ear of your heart. Imagine your heart as a finely tuned instrument, attuned to the whispers of grace, the echoes of pain, and the melodies of hope. It’s in this tender listening that we encounter the divine.


When we listen with our hearts, we become bearers of burdens. We hold the fragile stories of others—their joys and sorrows, their triumphs and defeats. We don’t merely hear; we cradle their words, allowing them to resonate within us.


The ear of the heart discerns beyond surface noise. It hears the unspoken ache, the silent plea for understanding. It leans in when someone shares their dreams, their fears, their questions about purpose. And in that leaning, we fulfill the law of love—the law that binds us together, transcending borders and beliefs.


A spiritual director is a guide who can help you on this journey, leading you to the destination God has in store for you. Join us at The Garden this Sunday, with special guest Bill Johnson.

Read the Bulletin
Rev. Bill Johnson, guest speaker today at The Garden

Help Us Welcome Our Guest for This Sunday: Rev. Bill Johnson


Bill recently retired from full-time ministry in Madison, Indiana. He is married to the former Julia Skiles, and they have relocated to Indianapolis to be near family. Bill has served in several UMC and Disciples congregations, including as youth director at St. Luke’s UMC in the mid-1990s. He was ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) after completing a Master of Divinity degree from Christian Theological Seminary in 2010. Bill completed training as a Spiritual Director at the Benedict Inn and Retreat Center in Beech Grove during seminary and has supervised five interns during the last eight years. 



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