About
Life rarely changes because of one dramatic mountaintop moment. More often, it changes because we begin to notice what was there all along.
Holy Shift! is my journal from walking through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, a thirty-week journey of prayer that has slowly taught me to find God in places I used to overlook. Not just in church pews or Bible studies, but in laundry baskets, unanswered emails, choir rehearsals, gardening, Broadway musicals, difficult conversations, hospital waiting rooms, long walks with my dog, and quiet mornings with a cup of coffee.
These reflections aren’t theological essays or devotionals with all the answers. They’re honest stories about learning to pay attention. Each post begins with Scripture, wanders through the ordinary moments of everyday life, and ends with the surprising realization that God was already there before I noticed.
My hope isn’t to tell you what to think. It’s simply to slow down long enough to notice grace hiding in plain sight.
So welcome. Pour a cup of coffee. Take a deep breath. Read slowly. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover that God has been walking beside you all along.
Meet Matthew
Author. Pilgrim. Work in Progress.
Matthew Konrad Tippel is an educator, conductor, pianist, worship leader, and writer with more than two decades of experience helping people discover the transformative power of music, faith, and community.
He serves as Director of Choirs and General Music and Chair of the Visual & Performing Arts Department at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, where he teaches choral music and piano while mentoring young musicians and student leaders. In addition to his work in education, Matthew serves as a worship leader at Faith United Church of Christ, where he plans and leads worship, accompanies congregational song, and creates meaningful worship experiences rooted in creativity, authenticity, and hope.
Throughout his career, Matthew has directed award-winning choirs, conducted orchestras, collaborated with community arts organizations, and led music in schools, churches, and theaters. His passion for storytelling extends beyond the concert stage, weaving together Scripture, music, culture, and everyday life in ways that invite reflection and deeper faith.
Whether conducting a choir, leading worship, teaching in the classroom, or writing, Matthew’s vocation remains the same: helping people discover beauty, belonging, purpose, and the quiet ways God is present in everyday life.
Holy Shift Blog 