In this episode we are talking about holding hands. with strangers.  (I typed it that way on purpose.)  Brené opens us to the power of collective effervescence, mediated to us through experiences of joy, pain, music, and practices of faith. Her main point, and we agree, is that in sharing joy and pain together, we are certainly braving the wilderness.    

To get yourself prepped for this episode, go ahead and think about your first and favorite concert experiences.  Try to remember the ways that you felt connected to others around you.  How long-lasting was the connection?  Also remember moments of collective pain:  9/11, the explosion of the Challenger, the Oklahoma City bombing, Newtown Connecticut... remember how it felt to be in moments of intense pain with others around you.  

Once you have those memories in your mind and those feelings in your gut... you're ready to hit play.  

Don't forget to post your memories in the comments section!

This week we're reading and discussing Chapter 5, "Speak Truth To Bullshit.  Be Civil."  Reflecting on Brené's experiences talking about gun ownership, difficulties managing her workload, "fitting in culture," and more, we found ourselves (#1) appreciating the difference between lies and BS and (#2) really struggling with the tension between speaking up for truth and practicing curiosity in relationships.  

We'd love to know what you think about this chapter and how it's working on you during this season of learning how to BRAVE the wilderness.  Leave your thoughts in the comments section.     

Welcome back, wilderness bravers!  This week we're really in the thick of the season.  Lenten practices are getting more difficult, and it seems like the end will not come.  Be strong!  We've still got a lot of work to do!  

In this fourth episode we talk about trauma and pain, and how often, these two lie behind our anger and hate.  Brené gives us some really powerful examples from her experience.  A man whose wife was killed in a terrorist attack in Paris, preparing her daughter for college, and history of dehumanization in genocides.  

In reading and processing this chapter, we were left asking the question: What is the re-humanizing work happening in the world?  AND How might God be calling us to join in?

We'd love to know what you think!

Do you know the difference in loneliness and being alone?  Do you ever feel "that lonely feeling?"  

In this episode of the Wilderness podcast, we talk about all things lonely.  How did we get so lonely and what can we do to remedy the overwhelming loneliness that exists in our world and in our lives?  As we discuss the third chapter of Braving the Wilderness, we think about the many factions we have sorted ourselves into.  We explore why it is that we are more likely to double-down on group identity and party lines than we are to acknowledge complexity and converse with nuance.  And, we reckon with the reality that if we want to be wilderness bravers, we have to get outside of our sorted factions and move into the chaos.  

Listen in and join the conversation!  Let us know what you think by leaving your thoughts and questions in the comments section!