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The Desert Sanctuary

Be Where You Are - Be Who You Are - Be at Peace

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Getting Out of Survival Mode

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/03/25

A Course Correction for Deconstructing Evangelicals “You are not lazy or unmotivated, or stuck. After years of living your life in survival mode, you feel exhausted. There’s a difference.” – Nakia Homer After leaving religion, I quickly realized that I had unresolved traumas I didn’t know how to face. For 20 years, we operated at […]

The Organization Comes First

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/03/20

Tim Whitaker & The New Evangelicals Two years ago, I felt like I had stumbled into a nightmare within The New Evangelicals community group. My friend told me about the situation and began sharing information that various people had kept hidden, which led to other details that had been printed and preserved for many years. These receipts […]

390 – Good Questions – Who am I?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/03/12

When we earnestly explore our identity, I believe we will uncover it. In this journey of self-discovery, we might also encounter our wounds. The shame and trauma we reveal may stem from various experiences with the church, or perhaps these issues were overlooked as the church focused on other matters. By being fully present, we […]

389 – Good Questions – What Do I Feel?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/03/05

As I deepen my understanding of trauma and its healing, I’ve come to recognize that articulating my feelings and their location within me is crucial for recovery. This realization was transformative; however, I noticed that religion often overlooks this concept. By its nature, faith tends to dismiss feelings (and even certain facts) in order to […]

388 – Good Questions – Why Do We Fear?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/02/26

The preachers I once respected were exceptionally skilled at conveying the idea, “The world is against you.” This resonated with the congregations I attended, as they often preferred to escape reality by immersing themselves in an artificial community. However, if we take a step back and look at the universe more objectively, we may discover […]

Finding Comfort in Solitude

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/02/25

as opposed to being lonely “Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone.” – Paul Tillich We used to advise young married couples, “If you can’t be alone, you shouldn’t be together.” This conveys that understanding our identity and self-awareness is essential before merging our lives with others. […]

“Like a Fish, Standing on the Beach”

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/02/23

from Robcast, a podcast by Rob Bell “Like a Fish, Standing on the Beach”[1] This phrase is the title of an episode of Rob Bell’s podcast, The Robcast. In it, he asks, “In the home you grew up in, did you hear the message, ‘Life is an adventure you’re invited to experience’ or ‘Life is […]

Good Questions – Does God Change?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/02/07

“Immutability means God does not change in any way; He is unchanging and, for that reason, perfect in every way.” ~Gospel coalition The universe is continuously changing, mainly because it is always expanding. This indicates that galaxies are moving farther apart over time, and this expansion is even accelerating due to a mysterious force known as […]

Good Questions – Is God Retribute or Restorative?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/02/02

“Ours is a justice system that harms people to show that harming people is wrong.” ~Bryan Stevenson In his famous Letter from The Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever […]

Good Questions – Are Patriarchal Systems Effective?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/29

“Patriarchy encourages men to accept male privilege and perpetuate women’s oppression”. ~Allan G. Johnson At times, we question the effectiveness of systems based on their immediate results and the identity of the individual asking. For example, corporal punishment produces immediate outcomes because a significantly stronger adult can easily dominate children. It forces them into submission […]

383 – Good Questions – Shouldn’t the Word Be Better?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/18

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers, which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and, most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

382 – Good Questions – Is Church Necessary?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/16

Good Questions – Am I Getting Better?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/14

The smart ones ask when they don’t know. And, sometimes, when they do. ~Malcolm Forbes I continue to ask these questions. While some might believe they create bitterness or conflict, I hope they will lead us to a greater understanding. Stepping outside organized religion has enabled me to connect with the universe’s subtle messages and […]

Good Questions – Who am I?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/12

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers ~Voltaire I continue to ask these questions. While some might believe they create bitterness or conflict, I hope they will lead us to a greater understanding. Stepping outside organized religion has enabled me to connect with the universe’s subtle messages and rhythms, allowing me […]

Good Questions – What Do I Feel?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/11

Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will ~James Stephens I continue to ask these questions. While some might believe they create bitterness or conflict, I hope they will lead us to a greater understanding. Stepping outside organized religion has enabled me to connect with the universe’s subtle messages and rhythms, allowing me to […]

Good Questions – What Do I Fear?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/10

“The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” ~ Claude Levi-Strauss I persist in asking these questions. Some may think they lead to bitterness or conflict. However, I hope they guide us toward a deeper understanding. Being outside the framework of organized religion has allowed me to tune into the […]

381 – Good Questions – Get Rid of Satan?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/08

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

Good Questions – Why Would God Require Worship?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/07

Good Questions – Why Would God Require Worship? Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-hands-257037/ “The one who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.” – Confucius I continue to ask the questions in this series. Many people might believe that these questions make us bitter or that we’re just causing problems by asking […]

Good Questions – Are we Addicted to Religion?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/06

Good Questions – Are we Addicted to Religion? “It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” ~ Eugene Ionesco I continue to ask the questions in this series. Many people might believe that these questions make us bitter or that we’re just causing problems by asking them. I hope the questions help us […]

Good Questions – Why is God’s Punishment So Extreme?

The Desert Sanctuary ·

2025/01/02

Good Questions – Why is God’s Punishment So Extreme? “Questions are the engines of intellect, the cerebral machines which convert energy to motion.” ~Eric C. Eichinger I continue to ask the questions in this series. Many people might believe that these questions make us bitter or that we’re just causing problems by asking […]

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