God Is Waiting for You in the Wilderness
How can I say I see divinity in the
wilderness? How can I say I feel God’s presence in a
chorus of loons, in the throaty chuffing of a family of otter,
in the primal call-and-response howling of wolves, in the
splendor of a bald eagle, in a gibbous moon’s shimmering
wash of orange light on dark moving water, in the healing
silence of wild places or in a day when my soul has known the
amazing grace of utter peace for six straight hours? How can I
say I see God in those things? But how can I say that I
don’t?
—from Chapter 1
You don’t need to spend forty
years—or even forty days—in the wilderness to
encounter God. This practical guide reveals the power of
experiencing God’s presence in many variations of the
natural world—from a backpacking trip in a truly remote
wilderness to an afternoon spent in a nearby park to a single
moment savored in your own backyard.
While exploring wilderness wisdom from
several faith traditions—Christianity, Islam, Judaism,
Buddhism and more—you will discover how the universal
experience of being present in nature can lead to startling
discoveries both about God and about yourself. Drawing from his
own significant moments in the wilderness and stories from the
many people who have accompanied him on wilderness treks, John
Lionberger asks probing questions and offers inspiring
suggestions that will spur you to look at all aspects of the
world around you from a new point of view.
“If you’ve been wondering how
to find God, here’s a topo map.”
—Bill
McKibben, author of The End of Nature and
other books
“Reminds us that wilderness offers
us rapture, grace and, ultimately, transcendence. May help lead
us to places of holy encounter—and to a deeper commitment
to preserving those wild spaces.”
—Sy
Montgomery, author of The Wild Out Your Window
“Reading this book made my fingers
tingle and the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The
physical experience of wilderness strips us down to the basic
elements of body and soul. And when our spiritual nerve endings
are exposed, we find ... God. Start this journey
today.”
—Rev. Dr.
Susan Thistlethwaite, president and
professor, Chicago Theological Seminary
“These musings evince a passion for
fierce landscapes, drawing on a wide range of religious and
spiritual traditions. It makes you want to shoulder a pack and
head for the mountains.”
—Belden
C. Lane, professor of theological
studies, Saint Louis University;
author of Landscapes of the Sacred
author of Landscapes of the Sacred
“Documents and advocates for the power of the raw, close communication with the divine that is frequently fostered far from the madding crowds. Lionberger has an encompassing reach, giving voice to atheists, agnostics and the simply soul-weary, as well as believers from many of the world’s great faith traditions…. Probing and provocative questions at the end of each chapter clear paths to self-discovery.”
—Catholic Library World
“Introduces us to the wilderness experience with a modern twist.... Shows how being in the wilderness gives us the place and time to reflect on our faith and personal relationship with God.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Compelling.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Draws widely on many faith traditions ... to show how the wild takes us beyond our comfort and expectations into God’s presence and the transcendent.”
—Publishers Weekly
John Lionberger, MDiv, a former agnostic whose first real encounter with
God was in the wilderness, is founder of Renewal in the
Wilderness, an interfaith wilderness ministry
(www.renewalinthewilderness.org). He is also head
chaplain at Three Crowns Park, a retirement community in
Evanston, Illinois.