Renewal in the Wilderness: A Spiritual Guide to Connecting with God in the Natural World

by John Lionberger

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.

Genres: Spirituality

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jonathan A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Lionberger is attempting a major feat to try to speak to the plurality of religious experiences in the wilderness across various faith traditions, it is still a compelling book. Lionberger's greatest strength is in his honesty and authenticity in his own experiences of the wilderness. His argument is strongest when he is writing from his own tradition (Christianity). The attempt to weave in other traditions is laudable but flawed. This should not discourage one from reading this book. Lionberger does an excellent job speaking to the various ways in which a wilderness experience impacts, speaks to, and can challenge and change someone.

[Anne Ledbetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since reading Dakota by Kathleen Norris in which she refers to "spiritual geography," I have realized that certain places are very "thin" to me. That is, the veil between heaven and earth seems to disappear. These places are generally resplendent with natural beauty. John Lionberger, a former agnostic, encountered God in the wilderness and now his calling or ministry, is to take people to the wilderness where they may also connect with God and reconnect with themselves. I appreciate his description of the eight "gifts" we receive or learn in the wilderness. Lionberger's own experiences, and the shared journal entries of other wilderness trekkers, were vivid and inspiring. I hope to journey with John someday into the wild on one of his canoe trips through www.renewalinthewilderness.org

[Christine Raap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring.