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

Inspired during an Outward Bound winter dogsledding expedition in northern Minnesota, Lionberger left his business career, attended seminary and founded his Renewal in the Wilderness ministry. He takes generally middle-age people on spiritual outdoor adventures, and their voices are interspersed along with his friendly, intimate narratives recounting various awe-inspiring locales and harrowing episodes such as having a literally crippling panic attack on a ropes course. This book 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. For Lionberger, all roads lead into the wild, a destination for spiritual renewal supported in sacred literature and the Bible, which has a surprising and convincing presence here. Probing and provocative questions at the end of each chapter clear paths to self-discovery. Lionberger enjoins us to remember our primal sacred beginnings with clear grace and compelling reasons. His final words of invitation to go into the original cathedral beguile and charm: "Surprise yourself and thrill God." (June)