Jeremy L. Berg

Springtime in Minnesota means, among other things, resuming my spiritual practice of daily walks in nature. Last year I piloted my “Jesus Walks” ministry, and I will resume weekly walks with college students and anyone else interested in May.

My summer writing project, hopefully, will be to put together a field guide for fostering discipleship conversations along the trail. This will be a collection of short reflections and/or prompts from nature to get us pondering Kingdom truth more deeply.

To get in the mood, I’m re-reading Henry David Thoreau’s 1862 essay on “Walking.” In 1845 he built himself a hut on the edge of Walden Pond, and lived there in solitude for two years, keeping a journal which later grew into his book “Walden.” He opens with a fascinating lesson on the origins of the word “sauntering.” This essay is tucked in the back of a volume 28 of my Harvard Classics collection that decorate my shelves; I get no small thrill dipping into these old tomes when the opportunity arises (see photo).

For fellow bibliophiles who enjoy the smell and feel and browning condition of old books as much as the message within, I’ll let you read directly from the page (with my bookmark real money can’t buy). Then join me in becoming a spiritual saunterer, a fellow pilgrim in search of holy ground (Saint Terre, or saunter) here in the midst of our ordinary meanderings. Please zoom in and check it out:

Stay tuned for more on this topic in coming days. Happy trails, friends!