About the Journey Center
Welcome! I am Joanna Quintrell, the director of Journey Center Online. When I was the director of the Journey Center located in Santa Rosa, California, I loved to greet the people who came through the door… and now I am delighted to also greet you, as you have found your way to the front door of THIS Journey Center, located right here online.
As you come in and begin to explore the various “rooms” of Journey Center Online, you will discover that we offer sacred space and contemplative resources for your spiritual journey…and even community and companionship, if you desire.
You are welcome here…
Come as you are, encounter the Holy…and see what happens!
How We Began
Who We Are Today
Since 2014, a larger vision has been unfolding as we are contacted by people from all over the world who are being called to birth something similar in their communities. A woman wrote to us and said, “I live on a tiny island off the coast of Scotland; how I wish we had a Journey Center here.” We have never forgotten her wish and today we gratefully offer Journey Center Online so that the spiritually thirsty everywhere can access resources and experiences for that deeper encounter with the Holy.
Our Seven Core Values
We are each on a journey of learning to live in authentic relationship with ourselves, others and the Holy One. The resources we offer to support you on that journey are rooted in our seven core values.
The Way of Hospitality
This is “radical Biblical hospitality”…welcoming the journeying stranger into the life of a community. Everyone is invited to “come as you are”; we listen with love and respect to each person’s story, no matter how different it is from our own.
The Way of Spiritual Direction
Everything we do at the Journey Center is rooted in spiritual direction- listening to each person’s unique story and together “sifting for the gold” of God’s presence and love being revealed to them.
The Contemplative Way
The contemplative Christian tradition offers many simple spiritual practices, rooted in the invitation to simply “be” with God. These add depth and richness to your journey, whatever path you are on.
The Way of Silence and Solitude
The practice of stepping out of the noise and busyness of life to be alone and quiet allows us to listen deeply to our own heart and the heart of God. Mother Teresa wisely said, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”
The Way of Discernment in Community
The Journey Center is God’s vision and we have the privilege of creating and holding sacred space for whatever the Spirit is doing in the lives of individuals and in us as a community. We listen together and all are transformed, rather than focusing on telling others how to live and believe.
The Way of Mission
Our hearts are open to discerning what the Spirit is inviting us to bring to our communities… from contemplation flows action.
The Way of Love
The Love that God extends to each of us gathers up all these core values into one word. LOVE is what we bring to the world- “Come as you are…you are loved!”
Stories of Transformation
Frederick Buechner wrote these beautiful words….
“It is absolutely crucial… to keep in constant touch with what is going on in your own life’s story and to pay close attention to what is going on in the stories of others’ lives. If God is present anywhere, it is in those stories that God is present.”
Here you will find stories from people who have said “yes” to the invitation to Come as you are, Encounter the Holy and See What Happens! As you read and listen to how God is present in the stories of others, may you be inspired to also say “yes” to this invitation.
Shawn Gutshall
Mindy Braun
David Fletcher
