Wildish Places

Meet my wild friend who I’ve been getting to know in the open space toward the back of my neighborhood. Isn’t she gorgeous?!

Hi Friends!

I have been out of touch recently (yes, that may be an understatement.) Life has been full of its usual joys and challenges, and writing weekly was just more than I could handle. But I have missed this space and the community I found here.

I would like to invite you back in - there is a lot I am looking forward to. I won’t promise weekly letters or blogs, because I am not in the space to keep that promise. But I will stay in touch and share my world and my thoughts on it as I find the bandwidth and space.

Let’s pretend we are in a coffee shop with cute, cozy chairs and really good coffee. I will take mine with oat milk and cinnamon, please. I wonder how you’ve been doing and what is making you smile these days? How are you being kind to yourself in this season? Where are you seeing glimmers of grace in your everyday-right-now life?

I am currently the pastor of 3 churches in 2 districts - that has me driving 190 miles (and spending 3 & 1/2 hours in the car) each Sunday. Yes, it is a lot. They are all very good people, and I am enjoying the differences among them. It is teaching me a lot about how different people hear the same story in various ways - and I am learning a lot about what setting good boundaries for myself looks like.

I find my greatest opportunities to recharge come in the form of solitude, creativity, and nature. And this is where I am really digging into my passion (and even my call) these days. As I have been wandering in wildish places to recharge, I have met God there amongst creation. The trees and flowers and butterflies are in relationship with one another. The wind and the leaves rustle in conversation. And when I am paying attention, I join in the dance. Aren’t we all kin anyway? I believe all of creation, human and more-than-human, is sacred. We are part of one another. We are kin.

Truthfully I am not always in the headspace to hear the whispers of Divine in nature. Sometimes my own thoughts are too busy. Sometimes grief is too loud. But creation always invites me in anyway. There is no judgement in the presence of God in creation - just invitation to linger and be part of the ongoing conversation.

I have been sitting with this idea of kinship for a long time, but it has only been in the past year or so that I have begun to unpack how it relates to my identity as a pastor. Relationship with the holy wild is my personal spirituality - where I can find God most clearly. Lately though, I have noticed others who feel connected to God in wild places too.

I am asking questions around what it looks like to build a spiritual community with nature. What does it mean to have relationship with God through meeting God-in-creation? Not just church outside, but community with other humans and more-than-humans as we spend time together listening deeply to and for one another. But it feels tricky to articulate how can we trust that God is present in all things? I think it means joining one another in tending our personal and communal suffering and joy. It means recognizing that God is moving in ways we can only understand when we see one another through the eyes of kindred relationship. I think it means sitting with mystery and questions, while our whole self is seen and held by other human and nonhuman siblings.

Maybe these ideas nudge the curiosity God placed in you. If so, I invite you to find a wildish place near you and wander for a bit (or more.) Notice what draws you eye and feels familiar there. Ask a wild one to accompany you while you look for God and grace. Just be and breathe and listen.

Perhaps the time is ripe to share our stories of how God and grace shows up for us in creation. I would love to hear about your wild grace encounters. Share your experiences in the comments. And as always, I am glad you’re here.