Life is too short to remain wistful and ill-equipped about the beauty that surrounds you.
Many of us live busy lives. There are lots of demands and things we are juggling on a daily basis. But at the same time, we feel this longing to get outside. We know it’s restorative. We know it’s good for our souls. And yet the days tick by and we feel disheartened that we don’t enjoy it more.
Or, some of us feel frustrated that due to physical limitations, we can’t enjoy the outdoors more. We wish there was some way to learn about nature and connect us to the wonder of it all, without having to climb a mountain.
And when we are able to get outdoors, then what? Many of us feel ill-equipped to explore the secrets of nature and connect with the Creator. We are somewhat “nature-blind.” Without someone to show the way, we’ll remain unaware. We’ll miss out on entering into the world of discovery and awe that awaits us.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a guide?
Make every time you step outside a step into wonder.
Learn how to hear what’s really going on around you.
Identify different birds by color and bird call.
Train your eyes to see the tiny, hidden wonders and the big things.
Notice the seasons and the effect on your local neighborhood.
Enjoy your surroundings with all of your senses.
Your guide to nature’s secrets.
Imagine feeling able to see and understand the world around you more. Imagine that joy and prayer naturally bubbles up out of you after taking the time to read, learn and get outside. Imagine feeling different about life, because you made the habit to connect with beauty and your Creator.
Author of Gardening Mercies, Wings of Mercy, and This Outside Life. Podcaster of This Outside Life, and The Nature of Hope. Scuba diver, garden lover, biker, and hiker. Laurie Kehler can guide you into the secret wonders of nature and help draw you closer to the God who made it all.
How to start your journey of discovery
Download your free 5-day Senses guide.
Many people tell me, “my church is outside.” Because when they step outside, and watch a sunset, they step into awe, wonder and beauty. They may not always go to church, but they definitely see God in His work room, the great outdoors.
So I put together this resource to help you connect with God through all your 5 senses. You’ll gain the ability to sense Him through sight, sound, smell, taste and touch—even in your own backyard. It’s a beautiful, 38-page guide that you can download for free and print out at home. (Your local copy shop will also print and spiral bind it for you). Below is a video you can watch to learn more.
Have you read This Outside Life?
“This book is fabulous-especially if your are a lover of Gods creation! From the first page I suspected that the author and I must be kindred spirits, but after reading the Great Horned Owl chapter I knew we were! Being a lover of all things natural and wild and unruly I too see God’s truth in them on a daily basis.” - Amazon reviewer
“The goal of this book is to have you fall in love with and delight in God’s handiwork and to discover His heart in it. The more you learn about the amazing things He has done, the more you want to learn and enjoy them.”
Is becoming “nature fluent” really that important?
Many of us only go outside when we get our mail, rush to get in the car, run errands, or let the dog out. We mainly spend our time inside and often on devices. (Like the one you are looking at now!) And if we do intentionally get outside, we are pretty much “nature blind.”
We don’t hear the bird song around us. We can’t name 3 different birds that are frequent in our neighborhood–much less their bird song. The trees around us are telling us a story (“I’m full of buds and about to bloom! Spring is coming no matter what the calendar says!”) We don’t register whether the trees are evergreens or deciduous trees that drop their leaves each fall. Our nature blindness prevents us from really seeing. Most of us live this way, so what’s the big deal?
The combination of increased time indoors on our devices, and the withering of outdoor exploration, take a toll on our health. Japanese and Korean studies have shown that just 20 minutes in nature can reduce our blood pressure significantly. In nature, you aren’t thinking about your shortcomings, and you’re not thinking that any tree is too fat or too thin. They just are. They are lovely.
Nature helps us focus on the beauty and wonder around us, and not on our problems.
When we watch a vivid sunset, praise and gratitude well up within us, not complaints. (Have you ever heard someone complain about the colors of a sunset?) Being outside in God’s workroom allows us to discover the secret beauty that surrounds us and uncover mystery and awe. And that completely changes our outlook to a positive and hopeful one.
