Author Archives: friendmarcelle

About friendmarcelle

A Quaker writer, teacher, workshop leader, and spiritual director, I've traveled widely to facilitate workshops and retreats about the spiritual journey. I'm the author of Our Life is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey, and A Guide to Faithfulness Groups.

Quaker Dreaming

Posted on February 2, 2024 by friendmarcelle

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. — Joel 2: 28 Has a dream ever changed the way … Continue reading →

Posted in dreams, healing, Learning from Early Friends, Living Through Crisis and Climate Change, Mysticism, Quaker Faith Today, Stories that Heal | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Healing Prayers for EarthQuaker Carl Magruder

Posted on September 1, 2023 by friendmarcelle

Friends everywhere who have been blessed by Carl Magruder’s unique and wonderful presence and ministry are praying for his recovery from brain injury. Today, in addition to holding him in the Light, you can get to know Carl by watching an interview I recorded with him, or one of his amazing 2020 FGC Bible Half hours on the subject of “Jesus as Trickster..” Continue reading →

Posted in All of Life is Sacred, Facing Life with Faith, Following a Leading, Living Through Crisis and Climate Change, Quaker Faith Today, Supporting Spirit-led Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cured of “Incurable” Diseases

Posted on August 14, 2023 by friendmarcelle

In Cured, Dr Jeffrey Rediger describes what he has learned from studying cases of spontaneous healing of diseases considered incurable. He tells fascinating case stories and describes the changes in diet, lifestyle, relationships, and identity that characterize these healings. Continue reading →

Posted in Facing Life with Faith, healing, prayer, Quaker Faith Today, Stories that Heal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Spiritual Ancestors

Posted on December 31, 2022 by friendmarcelle

For years I did reading and research about the English Puritan and Quaker settlers to New England in the 1600s. I learned about the Puritan context, Anabaptist influence, theological ferment, and social unrest out of which Quakerism emerged, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Facing Life with Faith, Learning from Early Friends | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Appreciating Inner Images

Posted on November 7, 2022 by friendmarcelle

One of the most powerful ways to help people open up to divine guidance is to assist them in exploring key images that they receive inwardly. These images might come during a dream, but also while engaging in activity, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplative spirituality, healing, Quaker Faith Today, spiritual practices, Supporting Spirit-led Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Invitation to Quaker Eldering

Posted on November 3, 2022 by friendmarcelle

Early in the Quaker movement, Friends recognized that the living Spirit of God was guiding them directly without need of intermediaries. Members of the faith community were given particular gifts of the Spirit for the benefit of all. Not all … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplative spirituality, Facing Life with Faith, Learning from Early Friends, Quaker Faith Today, Radical Christianity, spiritual practices, Supporting Spirit-led Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Between This Life and the Next

Posted on October 17, 2022 by friendmarcelle

About a year after my friend Jim died, I began to sense–or imagine–that from the next life he was somehow nudging me to write about my experience of his dying and death–and what happened afterwards. It was as though he … Continue reading →

Posted in Facing Life with Faith, Quaker Faith Today, Stories that Heal | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

A Hand Across the Ocean

Posted on September 18, 2022 by friendmarcelle

I’m grieving the death of my brilliant young friend Rachel, a Quaker climate specialist and university teacher who has died suddenly. I met Rachel almost twenty years ago when she was the young Friend sent by Britain Yearly Meeting (Quakers) … Continue reading →

Posted in All of Life is Sacred, environmental activism, Facing Life with Faith, Following a Leading, Quaker Faith Today | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Earth Day S.O.S.

Posted on April 27, 2022 by friendmarcelle

On a lovely spring day, Earth Day, we drove forty minutes from our home in Chester, one of the poorest cities in Pennsylvania, to the headquarters of Vanguard, a company that manages more than $7 trillion in financial assets. In … Continue reading →

Posted in All of Life is Sacred, environmental activism, Facing Life with Faith, Quaker Faith Today | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Quaker Wisdom for the Spiritual Journey

Posted on March 1, 2022 by friendmarcelle

When I took a 9-day solitary retreat this winter, I brought three slim books with me to provide spiritual guidance and companionship, for those moments when I needed some help to turn again to the wisdom that comes from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplative spirituality, Learning from Early Friends, Mysticism, Quaker Faith Today, Radical Christianity | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments