In the ancient stories of our tradition, the “wilderness” was a place of wandering, of being separated, of getting prepared. The people of God spent years in the “wilderness” before finding their home. Jesus spent time alone in the “wilderness” before he could begin teaching.

The wilderness was also where people encountered God – on the side of a mountain, or by a river, or watching the fire. These encounters form the core of many of our summer programs here at Ferncliff, as well as our Ferncliff Forest Church.

But recently I’ve been wondering – can time also be a “wilderness”? It feels like our country, our world, is in a period of “wilderness.” Wandering, separated, preparing. And so I’m drawn to these words:

“And there,
In all our beautiful God-given honesty,
We say to that monster,
“I have love on my side,
And her name is God,
And no wilderness can separate me
From that north star.”
– Sarah Are, excerpt from “The Wilderness is a Place Where We Are Brave”