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

It is a rare book that can integrate our profound existential struggles, deep spiritual wisdom from a range of traditions, and a captivating invitation to find unlimited well-being in the natural world. "Renewal in the Wilderness" imaginatively intertwines all three. Reading this book is profoundly satisfying, because it names the alienation we feel in contemporary society, while also offering a bracing prescription: re-enter Creation's original blessing. John Lionberger understands our discontent and also our hesitance to leave behind the apparent comforts of civilization. Yet through his personal confessions and stories of seekers who have traveled with him, Lionberger points the way to the only source of inexhaustible well-being --- a direct encounter with the jolting, pure God energy we find in the wilderness. He also maps a pathway to connect our natural epiphanies with the daily challenges we face when we return to civilization. I read this book before going on a Renewal in the Wilderness trip, and again after a RITW journey to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota. Lionberger's evocative writing delivers readers to the beating heart of his many wilderness trips, and yet I found the actual adventure far exceeded my expectations. I count myself among those who have found healing, beauty, peace, strength and a renewed commitment to simplicity and care for the earth through Lionberger's ministry -- on the page and through his testimony of presence.

When I played in a band, I learned an interesting quirk of human nature - when we played a gig with other bands, the degree to which we liked the people in the band influenced how much we liked the band's music. Reading Renewal in the Wilderness by John Lionberger was a fun experience for me, as I am lucky enough to call John a friend of mine. He's "good people" and someone I've gotten to know over my career. So I admit that I'm a little biased. When I gave him feedback on the book, the highest compliment I gave him was that it sounded like he wrote the book. His voice comes through in the writing which makes it all the more accessible and grounded (just like he is). John has been taking groups into the wilderness for years to find spiritual renewal, and this book is a distillation of what he, and those he's guided, have experienced in their journeys through the wilds. It's an examination of how going into nature can help us reconnect with the spiritual presence inside each of us. Should you read this book? I think this book does a fantastic job of driving past the cliches of nature and exploring what is to be found beyond our comfortable city life. In many ways, I think it addresses the unexplored wilderness within ourselves as much as in nature. Renewal in the Wilderness talks very tangibly about an intangible experience, and does it in a very real and sincere way.

In this book, Renewal In The Wilderness, John Lionberger makes the case for the spiritual connection and renewal that that is frequently found in wilderness and outdoor settings. John Lionberger draws on his own experience of spiritual renewal in the wilderness, his experiences guiding others on wilderness trips, and the wisdom of many religious traditions. Though Lionberger is obviously deeply centered in the Christian tradition, his writing, and the trips he leads are nothing if not inclusive, and embrace a multiplicity of faiths and non-faiths. For anyone who has ever wondered why anyone would voluntarily subject oneself to the physical sacrifices inherent in Wilderness travel, John Lionberger details in a systematic yet eloquent manner, the reasons we might all want to consider such sacrifices. As a lover of the outdoors myself, and a person who continually finds spiritual sustenance in outdoor and wilderness settings I did not need any convincing of the case John Lionberger is making. Having said that, I really enjoyed reading Renewal in the Wilderness. It was wonderful to hear someone being so articulate and writing so beautifully about something that is so near and dear to my heart. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, from avid wilderness fanatics to those who have never imagined themselves leaving the comforts of home or the local Holiday Inn. If you are in the latter category, John Lionberger might just convince you to give the wilderness a chance

A Minnesota native with a life-long love of the outdoors, I relished John Lionberger's vivid descriptions and imagery. The hiss of the skis. The fangs of the cold. The campfire that "pops and rattles." From now on, snow covered pine boughs will remind me of "waiters presenting fine wines with dignity, flair, and a sense of abundance." All ten thumbs? Tower of de Sade? I laughed out loud. Renewal in the Wilderness is a deeply felt, beautifully written work. Lionberger, a self-described "former agnostic," got the tone just right, I think, and as a result can speak meaningfully to a broad and questioning audience.

"Renewal in the Wilderness" by John Lionberger is a beautifully written account of how we can experience the Divine in nature (it is no wonder that many people spell Nature with a capital "N"!). I was impressed by the fact that it is not an abstract or theoretical book about possibilities, but it is a highly practical book based on the first-hand experiences of the author and of those who he has guided to this experience through his "ministry" also called "Renewal in the Wilderness." I liked it a lot, and I am what you might call a traditional Christian. But I suspect that this book will also appeal to anyone who is dissatisfied or tired of traditional ways of being religious, as well as to those who are not sure of what they believe. Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down (so before you start to read it, get comfortable and turn on your favorite restful music). I think it is a book you will want to go back to again and again and re-read. If you are like me, you will have your favorite passages that you will share with others, and I bet that once you read it, you'll want to buy a second copy to give to a friend. I did that, and the person I gave it to liked it so much that she bought a copy to give to one of her old college friends. Buy this book, you'll love reading it, and you'll never be the same again!