The Map Is Not the Journey: Faith Renewed by Hiking the Alps

By: Richard Dahlstorm

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Synopsis: Replace weariness with refreshment, obligations with passion, and staleness with joy.Twenty years of working the same job had created weariness. When a close friend died, weariness led to questions about faith, meaning, work, and life. Seeking answers, Richard hiked four hundred kilometers through the Alps in forty days. The profoundly shaping experiences in our lives are often born out of the mundane rather than the spectacular, yet there is also great value in stepping away from "normal" life for a period of time. This is especially true for developing companionship with God, which is less about prescribed practices imposed by religious institutions, and more about being open to what God has to reveal through the beauty of creation, the challenge of trials, and the joy of companions. Richard’s experiences and discoveries illustrate that we were all created for beauty, and opening ourselves to it every day is vital to keeping our faith fresh and alive.