S17 E5 - The Ministry of Presence
Abiding Together
Abiding Together
4.9 • 3.9K Ratings
🗓️ 13 October 2025
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, we talk about what it means to bring God’s Presence into our relationships with others. Through His life, Jesus shows us how to live at the pace of the Holy Spirit and create space for authentic connection. We explore how easy it is to overlook the significance of ordinary moments and how, through slowing the pace of our lives, we have powerful opportunities to love, listen, and become more attuned to those around us. We also discuss the importance of healthy boundaries, the freedom that comes from not needing to fix others, and how it’s God’s love that shapes how we show up for the people in our lives.
Heather’s One Thing - This Wild at Heart Podcast series with Jon Tyson (Part 1) (Part 2)
Sister Miriam’s One Thing - The Lila Rose Show with Msgr Rossetti
Michelle’s One Thing - Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel Music, Jonathan Helser, and Melissa Helser
Journal Questions:
- How can I show up for people in my life in this season?
- How do I need others to show up for me?
- In what ways do I lose myself when entering into the suffering of others?
- Do I need to create a boundary in any of my relationships?
Discussion Questions:
- What margin do you need to create for yourself so you can be more present?
- What is your biggest obstacle to being present to your loved ones?
- How can you prioritize being present to Christ and what He’s doing in you?
- What would it look like for you to give from a place of security?
Quote to Ponder:
“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.” (Henri Nouwen, Gracias: A Latin American Journal)
Scripture for Lectio:
“O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me!” (Psalm 139:1)
Sponsor - Camp Wojtyla:
Are you looking for a transformative experience for your middle school or high school student? Camp Wojtyla helps young people fall more in love with Jesus Christ and His Church through epic adventures in the Colorado mountains, awesome community, and huge fun. Camp Wojtyla helps kids learn they are stronger than they thought, and that God is bigger than they could ever have imagined.
Camp Wojtyla is nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado on a beautiful, 1200-acre wilderness property, and offers fourteen different single gender programs, giving campers a unique opportunity to LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL!
We have a God of adventure. He has a story and a plan for each of us. Camp Wojtyla teaches about God and the Catholic Church through authentic and life-changing adventures in creation. In a culture that inundates us with noise, unplugged time on the mountain helps us understand who God is and who He has made us to be. While at Camp Wojtyla, campers experience expertly designed and sequenced programming that helps them understand that they are called to sainthood...and how they can achieve it! Our carefully selected, and highly trained team of staff and counselors are joyful and faithful role models who can’t wait to help give your camper their best summer ever!
Come check us out at www.camp-w.com. We can’t wait to offer you or your child a transformative adventure! The lottery for 2026 programming is open now through October 26th. Sign up today for a chance to experience Life to the Full at Camp Wojtyla this summer!
Chapters:
(00:00) Camp Wojtyla
(01:40) Intro
(02:30) Welcome
(04:39) Guiding Quote
(07:06) Being Present in the Everyday
(08:48) The Gift of Another’s Presence
(10:05) Contemplating Others as A Mystery to Be Revealed
(12:18) The Gift of Presence is an Artform
(14:51) Balancing Presence for You and Others
(16:34) What Does Accompiment Look Like?
(18:44) Having Boundaries
(21:24) Fearing Being Present
(23:37) Receiving from God First
(26:07) One Things
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello friends, this episode is sponsored by Camp Wattewa. We invite you to check out Camp Watita. |
| 0:05.9 | A Catholic Adventure program located in the beautiful wilderness of the Colorado Rockies. |
| 0:10.9 | Camp Watitawa believes that adventure experiences can be one of the most powerful tools for spiritual growth. |
| 0:16.8 | Everything they do at Camp Watitawa is intentionally designed to bring each camper into a closer relationship with God. |
| 0:22.7 | They want kids to have amazing adventure experiences as well as Catholic faith formation together. |
| 0:28.8 | In other words, they use the adventure experiences to teach about the faith, |
| 0:32.2 | with Mass Every Day, Adoration, Confession, as well as things like campfires, |
| 0:36.6 | mountaineering, rock climbing, white water |
| 0:38.6 | rafting, and an incredible staff of college-age mentors that are on fire for their faith. |
| 0:43.6 | Camp with Tewa is helping kids experience life to the full. It sounds so much fun. At Camp Waitiwa, |
| 0:49.5 | they sleep in teepees or tents, not cabins, and campers experience the raw beauty and power of creation, |
| 0:55.5 | because as their namesake, Pope St. John Paul, the second once said, our very contact with |
| 1:00.6 | nature has a deep restorative power. Through unplugging from technology, as well as the noise |
| 1:06.2 | in the lives of the world, Camp Wativa strives to remind young people of their true identity |
| 1:10.7 | and lead them |
| 1:11.5 | into a joyful and transformative relationship with Jesus Christ in his church. So check out |
| 1:17.0 | Camp Wattewa's programs for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and even adults at www.c.c.com. |
| 1:27.0 | The lottery for 2026 programming is open now through October 26. You can sign up today |
| 1:33.2 | for a chance to experience life to the full at Camp with Tewa this summer. We hope you enjoy this episode. |
| 1:39.3 | Hello and welcome to Season 17 of the Abiding Together podcast. It is incredible to be with you after all of these seasons, |
| 1:46.0 | and we think you're going to really enjoy all that God is going to have for you during this 17th season of our podcast. |
| 1:53.0 | The Abiding Together podcast is a place where you can find connection, rest, and encouragement in your journey with Jesus Christ. |
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