Flourishing in the Wilderness

A testimony to the work of God Alice, a territorial envoy at Mold, explains her book’s intriguing title in its introduction: ‘God has been gently and graciously leading me to the understanding that through him we can all… flourish in the wilderness.’ She defines ‘wilderness’ as a time of great personal difficulty and openly shares her own five-year journey of infertility and childlessness. However, this is not an autobiography but a collection of 19 short Bible studies that anyone would find helpful and interesting. These can be used for personal reflection or ‘with big cups of tea, large slices of cake and other people’.

Each chapter begins with Scripture followed by commentary and four reflective questions, concluding with the words of a song. The chapters contain exhortation as well as encouragement – calling the reader onwards and upwards in their spiritual journey, but with the constant sense of being guided by someone who understands how they feel.

Alice clearly believes that God can reach us in the depths of our wilderness experience, and that we can survive – and even flourish – while facing grief, disappointment or sadness. This is an antidote to the worldly belief that it is important to be successful in life. She helps the reader appreciate their own value in the light of their relationship with God.

In chapter 16 Alice faces this idea of perfection head-on: ‘The media tells us that we can only ever be perfect if we are married with 2.4 children.’ She explores the idea that we might feel we are not ‘good enough’ and declares: ‘Nothing can separate us from God’s love – nothing that we are facing, not infertility or childlessness or singleness.’ This book is a multi-page testimony to the work of God in Alice’s life. By the time you finish it you feel like you have walked through the pages with a friend.