The Wilderness Journal

The start of a new year brings us to a point of clarity– a starting point, an ending point. It is in these moments that we can choose hope as we look forward, or regret from looking back. What does the New Year represent to you? “I wish I had” or “I hope I do?”

As the light of the Nativity comes closer, how does silence fit into the last minute rush for gift buying, baking, caroling and office parties? In this episode of The Wilderness Journal, join host Angela Doll Carlson in the second half of her conversation with author Summer Kinard as they talk about Advent, silence, self care, and Amish/Alien romance novels.

This season of The Nativity, or Advent, is busy for us. Preparation is our watch-word, but too often our attention is co-opted by the commercial side of things– shopping, gatherings, tree trimming. How do we find the space and time we need to truly prepare our hearts for the feast?

What is stirring when we meet our rebel self? And when that rebel self shows up, what wisdom will we find there? On this episode of The Wilderness Journal, Angela explores the familiar landscape of rebellion, its role in conversion and in deepening our journey of faith.

The preflight announcement on the plane always instructs us to “put our own mask on first” before helping someone else but how often do we take that advice in the normal day to day? On “self-care” and finding moments to stop and breathe.

In troubled times, some people turn to binge watching television shows, some to food, some to drink. Angela turns to poetry. In this episode we explore how poetry and Liturgy intersect because in a technology laden, short attention, sound bite driven world we are often unaware of the deep poetry and lasting peace that Liturgy offers.

How does worry affect our ability to simply be present? What can we do to free ourselves from the grip of worry?

How is it possible to find silence in the middle of the city? Why does it matter? On the lessons learned from St. Isidora and the daily task of floor washing.