Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah Bessey 

A good guide book for those feeling stuck in their wilderness and seeking the way out

Field Notes for the Wilderness: practices for an evolving faith
By Sarah Bessey
SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-09029-7
Reviewed by Martin M’Caw 

Life may be fine with all going well until we find ourselves snared by the booby traps of disappointment, disaster and chaos. Sarah Bessey’s basic premise is that none of us are immune from chaotic upsets. Whether or not one has a strong Christian faith, life is always lived on the edge of the wilderness, be it a pleasant oasis or a dry desert.  The field notes are written as aids for anyone snagged in the unexpected catastrophes of life or self-inflicted isolation.
 
This is not an academic text book. It is written for the individual reader, struggling with their own desert experiences. Sarah Bessey writes from her own experience of phases in her pilgrimage through the wilderness. She uses examples from both her personal life and different organisations to illustrate points which are not theoretical but practical. There are many references to her own wilderness experiences dealing with disappointments. They may be the result, amongst other things, of not fitting into a church, encountering negative theology such as preventing women from leading and preaching or functioning as individuals, as well as bad news regarding friends and relatives.  

She reflects how these circumstances, relationships and experiences in both church and life in general led her into the wilderness. However all is not lost, because through references to her recovery from dealing with disappointments, regrets, bad news regarding friends and relationships, the love of God is somehow guiding her thinking and evolving her faith into a wider perspective. It does not mean she is now permanently living on cloud nine, but has the experience to sort herself out should she fall off.
 
Whatever the cause of our feeling lost, the wilderness experience is more than an intellectual journey. Here is a shared journey in which evolving faith brings the fresh realisation of the far-reaching love of God, leading us to a major rethink in our actions as we trudge our way out of the desert heading for the way out.
 
There’s no quick fix. However long it takes while the wilderness helps us become more acquainted with grief and loss, through Christ it also gives us the pathway back to joy and gratitude.
 
Time is of the essence. Don’t expect a quick fix. The key words are in the subtitle ‘practices for an evolving faith’, however long it takes. This is a good guide book for those feeling stuck in their wilderness and seeking the way out. It is also a good book, even a must read for pastors, counsellors and individuals involved with supporting those feeling stuck in their wilderness.
 

The Revd Dr Martin M’Caw  is a retired Baptist minister and Wing Chaplain No2 Welsh Wing RAF Cadets, also retired