The wilderness is God's original temple, the place where He called His leaders and formed His followers. In the Bible nothing but good comes out of the wilderness. The wilderness is an experience to be embraced, not a punishment to be escaped. Much popular thinking sees the wilderness as bad, something to be avoided at all costs, but, when we understand the true meaning of the wilderness, we see it as hard but good. Just as Israel pursued a zigzag line across the wilderness to the Promised Land, so we must pursue a zigzag life toward God's fruitfulness for us. In fact, the zigzag life is the shortest distance to fruitfulness in God's purposes. So let's enter into our wilderness wanderings, not with fear, but with the anticipation of God's good hand on us, purifying us through His holiness while using us for His glory.

25 devotionals for women, reflecting on our journey to the Promised Land. Are you wandering in the wilderness of life? Losing your battle for contentment? Come follow the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land, and see the parallel struggles in your own life. Find hope and encouragement for your desert times of want and uncertainty.

Increasingly, many Christians and spiritual seekers feel they are in a sort of wilderness space where the familiar, settled, and normal parts of life have become unsettled, out of balance. More and more people are evaluating their lives and asking, Where to now? In Life Unsettled, Cory Driver uses the metaphor of wilderness journeying (a hallmark of the life of faith across the millennia) and the study of biblical texts, ancient Jewish legends, modern theological insights, and his own personal journeys to provide a guide for moving forward when we feel lost and confused. The biblical book of Numbers takes center stage in the author's creative musings about life in the wilderness. The Hebrew title of Numbers is Bemidbar, which means In the Wilderness. In this oft-overlooked book are stories of God's passionate intimacy and anger, communal formation and struggles, and personal failures and triumphs. The author shows how the wilderness journey in Numbers has a deep relevance for our time and for our personal journeys. The book includes a discussion guide ideal for group use.

Sometimes even the words associated with Lent--atonement, fasting, paschal--seem foreign and intimidating. But in studying them, readers become wanderers and pilgrims who begin to appreciate the meaning of these terms and the Lenten scriptures which serve as guideposts in our larger spiritual journey. This is a user-friendly guide to Lent using the classic spiritual disciplines.

The Apostle Islands are a solitary place of natural beauty, with red sandstone cliffs, secluded beaches, and a rich and unique forest surrounded by the cold, blue waters of Lake Superior. But this seemingly pristine wilderness has been shaped and reshaped by humans. The people who lived and worked in the Apostles built homes, cleared fields, and cut timber in the island forests. The consequences of human choices made more than a century ago can still be read in today’s wild landscapes. A Storied Wilderness traces the complex history of human interaction with the Apostle Islands. In the 1930s, resource extraction made it seem like the islands’ natural beauty had been lost forever. But as the island forests regenerated, the ways that people used and valued the islands changed - human and natural processes together led to the rewilding of the Apostles. In 1970, the Apostles were included in the national park system and ultimately designated as the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness. How should we understand and value wild places with human pasts? James Feldman argues convincingly that such places provide the opportunity to rethink the human place in nature. The Apostle Islands are an ideal setting for telling the national story of how we came to equate human activity with the loss of wilderness characteristics, when in reality all of our cherished wild places are the products of the complicated interactions between human and natural history. Watch the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frECwkA6oHs

The Book of Numbers is a story of identity, wilderness, and God. Numbers continues the historical narrative begun in Exodus, the story of God's people newly freed from Egypt's shackles and wandering toward the promised land. While Numbers accounts for the next 39 years of their wilderness wandering, it's also a story of God's presence among His beloved. Even when they rebelled--and this book tells of many rebellions--God's love and promises remained. It's in that love and those promises the children of Israel found their identity and where we must find ours today. (7 sessions) Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups Personal study segments to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions Interactive teaching videos, approximately 15 minutes per session, for purchase or rent Benefits: Leverage Old Testament truths for your life today. Recognize God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. Discover your identity as His beloved even in seasons of wilderness wandering.

Wandering the Wilderness is a guidebook for individuals who are unsure of their path or are questioning the trails they were taught in the past. Author Ray Friesen is a former pastor and at the same time a life long “believing skeptic.” He’s an advocate for “abundant living” and the guideposts that mark it, as outlined by “Wholehearted Living” researcher Dr. Brené Brown (The Gifts of Imperfection). This informs Friesen’s thoughtful submission for a renewed approach to finding meaning in a life informed by the Bible in a time when the relevance of those Ancient Writings is often thrown into question. In Wandering the Wilderness, Friesen has us stop, listen, and learn at thirteen “trail posts” along life’s pilgrimage. In addition to Brown, he draws on the Ancient Writings (Bible) with the help of scholars like Walter Brueggemann, Eugene Peterson, and Peter Enns. All of this is shaped in the context of his personal life experiences, including his journey with cancer and chemotherapy. The result is a book for all who are looking for a path in their own wilderness. He invites the reader to understand that developing a Christian faith and spirituality can help re energize a life at times burdened with difficulty or plagued with aimlessness, even, maybe especially, in this post-modern age. Here is a thoughtful, informed guide for wanderers weary from the journey and skeptics wondering where or if faith still matters. Whether you read it alone or with fellow wanderers and/or skeptics wishing to believe, Wandering the Wilderness has the potential to transform your wandering.