About robynn
Robynn grew up in Pakistan where she attended Murree Christian School—an interdenominational international boarding school. At the age of 18 she returned to Canada to attend Briercrest Bible College. She met Lowell in New York City (but that’s another story!) and they were married in 1994. In 1995 they left for India where they lived for 13 years. During those years they started a language acquisition business, founded a Christian Ashram (Retreat Center), led their church planting team, and with a group of friends, started an international fellowship. Together with their team they were a part of three church planting efforts—1 ½ that still limp along now. In addition, they led three or four or five teams scattered across north India. They had staph infections, dysentery, dengue fever and…. three personality-charged children!
In 2007, not to anyone’s surprise, they returned to North America burnt out! Burn out, however, enabled God to write several redemption stories for Robynn and Lowell. In this space he renovated their theology, restored their family and marriage and ultimately redirected them. Robynn is the co-author of the book Expectations and Burn-out: Women Surviving the Great Commission (William Carey Library, 2010).
As often happens, Jesus turned everything upside down! Lowell now runs an environmental missions organization, Eden Vigil, under the auspices of Frontier Ventures. Eden Vigil seeks to combine traditional church planting missions with environmental opportunities and our creation care mandate. Robynn attended the Souljourner Spiritual Direction program in Atchison, Kansas where she was certified as a Spiritual Director. Her greatest joy is to come alongside someone and see where God might be at work in their stories…what the Holy One may be inviting them into… where God wants to bring redemption, healing and hope.
Robynn and Lowell recently moved to Port Colborne, Ontario from Manhattan, Kansas. They’ve traded views of the Flint Hills and the Konza prairie for Lake Erie and Niagara Falls! Their son, Connor, is a teacher in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their daughter Adelaide runs her own mobile flower business—Bee’s Flower Cart—and lives in Welland, Ontario. Bronwynn, the youngest, is a nursing student at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario.
By God’s grace, Robynn’s Spiritual Direction practice continues to grow! She has had the privilege of sitting with physicians, Anglican priests, Baptist ministers, missionaries living cross culturally, university students, fellow Spiritual Directors, activists, professors, baristas, teachers, therapists, retired chaplains and farmers. She bears witness to the Presence of Christ at work in each of these Image Bearers and in each of their stories.
Robynn has had her hair cut in nine different countries. She loves hot beverages and good conversations, especially those that cause her to laugh or to cry!
TESTIMONIALS
*Names changed
“I have been deep in the Valley of the Shadow of Death in this past year and a half. Robynn has held the Christ Candle for me. She is wise, earthy, poetic, warm, holy and human. She is the most dreamy spiritual companion on the journey! She has listened and watched for the movements of the Spirit in my life, she has responded without worn out cliches but with real depth and vitality. Also she has Joy and Bliss in her name!”
““Robynn walked with me as my spiritual director for almost seven years, through several of my big life changes. She helped me find the meaning in times of transition. When that was hard to do, she helped me get still enough to notice how Jesus was consoling and loving me. Robynn gave me tools to incorporate this attentiveness and authenticity into my daily life.””
““The last two years have been a time of crisis for me, with many of my lifelong faith assumptions unable to make adequate sense of the world as I now experience it – old wineskins in a time of new wine. My search for help and direction led me to Robynn Bliss, who has provided a non-judgmental structure to clarify, affirm, bless and gently direct my quest for a deeper, more authentic, and more honest faith.””
““When I talk to Robynn it’s like hitting the pause button in life ... I step out of the craziness for that hour to get perspective (not always what I’m expecting), a laugh or 2, and especially kindness. (I’m not talking Canadian kind, but Jesus kind.) All much needed and much appreciated. Thanks.””
““I began seeing Robynn about 3 years ago for spiritual direction and it has been life changing. Her warm heart and demeanor allowed me to share my story without fearing being judged. My relationship with God is the healthiest it’s ever been and that’s because of my sessions with Robynn. I’m eternally grateful for her work in this ministry.”
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““Robynn has helped me so much in my spiritual journey. I walk away from our times together feeling like I’ve owned my own story: developing a clearer sense of who I am and where I’m headed. More than anything she’s acted as a companion. I’m eternally grateful.””
““I started meeting with Robynn when I felt stuck in a season of doubt. Robynn helped me appreciate my doubt for the gift it was, not be consumed with shame and self-condemnation for having doubt in the first place. Robynn helped me see that my doubt was not inconvenient or bothersome, but a part of my wiring, and offered valuable insight into our current church and political climate. Robynn held space for me to ask questions, and pointed me towards honesty, connection, and grace.””
““Words seems to fall short of what I really want to say, how thankful I truly am for your investment in my life. For walking with me in dark valleys and high mountain tops. For listening, questioning, correcting, challenging, loving, and fighting for my heart when I couldn’t even see the real battle anymore. For calling me to be honest about my struggles. For gently prodding me in the direction of my Father’s heart, for picking up themes that I was too entangled in my own story to see. For jumping into the beautiful mess that is my life and heart and fearlessly and calmly calling forth Truth to ring loud and clear in a space that felt chaotic to me. This has been spiritual direction for me. It is raw and real and passionate and loving. It is life changing. I SEE Jesus better, Robynn. What else is there to say but THANK YOU. In seeing Him I know Him more and love Him better.””