The Spiritual Life Development Department has gone through some changes over the past few weeks as we’ve welcomed new leadership, with Colonel Janice Howard leaving the department to take on her new role as Communications Secretary, and Lt. Colonel Pat Labossiere joining our team as Secretary for Spiritual Life Development. During this transition, we wanted to hear from both of them about their time in the department and their expectations for the department, respectively. You can read Colonel Janice Howard’s thoughts by clicking here to read that post, Passing the Torch – Part 1.
Part 2 is below, as we interviewed Lt. Colonel Pat Labossiere, as she takes on her new role in the SLD department.
SLD: Welcome to SLD. We’re really excited about all that you’re going to bring to the department and we’re looking forward to your ideas and the vision God is revealing to you for the department and for spiritual formation in the Eastern Territory. What are you most excited about?
PL: There are two things about which I’m very excited. The first is that I get to work with such a committed and talented group of individuals. I can already see that each member of the staff is committed to growing their own spiritual lives as well as helping and encouraging others on their spiritual journeys. The second is the opportunity to focus my attention on the spiritual development and growth of officers, soldiers and employees of The Salvation Army and to encourage them through resources, retreats and in many other ways.
Tell us a little about your experience with spiritual formation and with practicing the spiritual disciplines.
I think I’ve always tried to deepen my relationship with God through prayer and reading the Bible, though perhaps not in any kind of strategic way. It’s just been in the last 10 years or so that I’ve really become intentional about it. When the 24-7 prayer movement began in the Army and I discovered new and different ways to pray, my spiritual walk received a huge boost. Engaging all my senses in prayer helped me to see God in such a personal way and really feel as though I was communicating with Him. For a number of years I’ve practiced fasting as a discipline. My biggest challenge with fasting is remembering NOT to work through lunch, but spend that time in prayer. Nevertheless, I have found fasting to be a good way to really listen to what God has to say to me.
What have been your favorite, and/or the most impactful disciplines that you’ve experienced?
Recently I’ve felt drawn to memorize larger passages of Scripture. I started with small portions like Psalm 1 or Matthew 5:1-12 (the beatitudes). Then I began to challenge myself with whole chapters like Psalm 103 and Psalm 84. I’ve been working on Isaiah 58 for several years now. As I try to remember each verse or series of verses, I’m going over and over them in my mind. I also find that writing out the verses really helps to burn them into my memory. The thing about memorizing Scripture is that while I’m doing all of the above, I’m actually meditating on the Scripture passage. I’m sitting with it, absorbing it and trying to internalize it.
In a general sense, how has your own spiritual formation contributed to life as you know it? As a Christ-follower? As a leader in the church? As a wife and mother?
I was raised in the church and have always had a Christian worldview, so that really gives me a framework or a foundation for all of life. I’d like to think that as a Christ-follower I’m becoming more like Him and therefore reflecting Him more to those around me.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” My husband and I try to live that way. It’s a delicate balance between holding one another accountable and becoming judgmental.
God has blessed us with two wonderful sons who love the Lord and are serving Him faithfully in the Army. (Picture of Dave using the Children’s Bible that we read to him when he was small and reading it to his newborn daughter.)
Looking back at your career up to this point, what are some of the most influential spiritual formation moments? Can you pinpoint specific points along your journey of transformation that you would consider pivotal?
When we were Corps Officers, our son was critically ill and suddenly the tables were turned. We were no longer the pastors, encouragers and caregivers to others. They were now ministering to us. That was a powerful experience and really changed our outlook on ministry and the priesthood of believers.
In 2010 I was blessed to attend the Brengle Holiness Institute for Officers. It would take too long to describe how much this impacted my life, but I will say if an officer has the opportunity to attend, they should.
In 2014 I participated in Cultivate – our own online spiritual formation course. Taking the time to read books by Brengle, Wesley, Richard Foster, etc. and to focus on holiness was a blessing. Interacting with a cohort of individuals from across the territory who were also participating broadened my experience. And the opportunity to gather with these people for a time of retreat really helped to build relationships so that we can continue to nurture and encourage one another.
What excites you most about your new role in the Spiritual Life Development department?
Seeing where God is going to take The Salvation Army as we press in to know Him more and reflect Him better in this world that so desperately needs Him.
When you think about the future of spiritual formation in our territory and in the Salvation Army… What goes through your mind?
The eastern territory already has so much happening in the area of spiritual development. Regular Corps Bible studies and prayer meetings are held. Holiness is being taught and preached from our pulpits. We’ve had Prayer and Fasting Retreats, 24-7 Prayer, the Holiness Institute for Soldiers and the Holiness Symposium for Officers, prayer tents, prayer rooms, World Wide Calls to Prayer, and so much more.
And now there is a whole department dedicated to encouraging spiritual formation and equipping officers and soldiers with quality resources and experiences that will help them in that quest.
Recently, the SLD co-led – participated in – helped to plan and execute the Saturday evening program at Commissioning In Spirit and in Truth. In addition to ongoing singing and prayer led from the stage, various interactive prayer stations were set up around the room and worshippers were invited to visit the stations and participate in worship in many different ways.
Moving forward, it’s possible that the Cultivate Course could expand from being a territorial program with 20 participants at a time, to being a divisional program with many more participants all simultaneously seeking God and growing in their faith. More officers and soldiers will passionately pursue God. We will all be “in one accord”. Our service and ministry will be more of an outflow of our holiness and as a result we will see continued growth in The Salvation Army.
Is there anything about that future that you specifically feel called to build, encourage or pursue?
For Wesley, there was no religion but social religion, no holiness but social holiness. In other words, faith always includes a social dimension. One cannot be a solitary Christian. As we grow in faith through spiritual disciplines and our participation in the church community, we are also nourished and equipped for mission and service to the world. Our holiness should manifest itself in healthy relationships within the Christian community and also sacrificial service to those who need to know the love of Jesus.
If you have just one thought, prayer or verse to share with someone about the importance of developing their own spiritual life, what would it be?
Continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
Or as Eugene Peterson puts it in his paraphrase, The Message,
“What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. [ . . . ] redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God Himself willing and working at what will give Him the most pleasure.”
