Tuesday, December 22

Psalms 61,62; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Luke 1:1-25

Listen to the author read their meditation and prayer:

Dr. Stephanie Ramirez Advent Meditation

As a counselor I’ve always been told to “trust the process” with clients. This phrase is used in the context when a counselor feels that there isn’t movement or change happening in the counseling session. The idea is that a person may feel “stuck” and that counseling may appear to be stagnant. “Trusting the process” encourages the counselor to continue to have faith that there will be change for the client, even when hope seems lost. During my time as a counselor I’ve felt at times stuck; the harder I pushed, the less effective I became. As life would have it, once I was able to “trust the process,” there was movement; sometimes it would head in a direction that was predictable, and yet, many times I was surprised by the result.

This idea of “trusting the process” is an important theme in today’s gospel. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for years to have a child and, finally, after constant reflection, worry, and doubt, their prayers are answered. God sends the angel Gabriel foretelling the birth of John the Baptist. “Do not be afraid Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.” This announcement in Luke encourages us to not lose faith and to assure us that God listens to our longings. As we near the end of advent, I invite you: continue praying and trusting God’s process.

Lord, give me the strength to remain present and trust your process. Amen.

Dr. Stephanie Ramirez
Assistant Professor of Counselor Education
SEMINARY OF THE SOUTHWEST

Stephanie Ramirez completed her Ph.D. at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. Her doctorate is in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) with a specialization in Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) and Social Justice. The emphasis of her doctoral studies can be summed up in her dissertation title, Beyond the U.S.: A Qualitative Study on the Impact of Travel Abroad for Female Counselor Education and Supervision Students. Outside of teaching, Stephanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC). She has counseled clients in a variety of settings including providing counseling and advocacy services for undocumented women experiencing domestic violence, worked with senior adults and caregivers, and has recently worked with at-risk youth. Her research interests include counseling outside of U.S. borders, social justice and multicultural awareness and diversity. She has taught counseling courses in St. Mary’s University Latin American program and has traveled to Mexico and Argentina to help extend counseling opportunities for students outside of the U.S. She has also presented on a variety of topics including keeping ethics relevant in the field of counseling, attitudes and perceptions of Latina Sexuality, LGBT youth and the coming out process, and mobile home culture. B.A., Schreiner University, M.A. and Ph.D., St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX.