God in the Wilderness

Finding God in the wilderness” is a familiar Christian phrase often used to describe discovering God’s presence in difficult seasons. But in a recent course at Dordt, students were given the opportunity to strengthen their faith as they spent time in the literal wilderness of the Black Hills and Yosemite National Park.

In spring 2025, Theology Professor Dr. Gayle Doornbos led five students on a semester-long exploration of place and wilderness in Christian formation and Scripture. The class combined academic study with two off-campus experiences: a retreat in South Dakota’s Black Hills and a backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park in California.

“One of the primary goals of the course was for students to examine the role that place and landscape plays in Scripture and spiritual formation,” Doornbos says. “Students engaged in practices such as silence, solitude, simplicity, prayer, and Scripture reading to explore the role of the wilderness in their own spiritual formation.”

The group met weekly—half their sessions on campus, half over dinner in Doornbos’s home—to discuss readings and reflect on their experiences.

In March, the class traveled to the Black Hills for a five-day retreat filled with worship, prayer, shared meals, and reflection. Students hiked Black Elk Peak; visited Wind Cave National Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and the Badlands; and spent time contemplating the biblical role of wilderness as both refuge and refining fire.

The course culminated in May with a four-day backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park. After orientation in Yosemite Valley, the group began their trek at Hetch Hetchy Trailhead—covering 32 miles and 6,600 feet of elevation over three days.

“Engaging with God’s creation and seeing ourselves as part of it—as small but beloved creatures who rely on God’s provision—is such a gift,” Doornbos reflects. “Carrying everything you need on your back invites you to slow down and attend to the small gifts God gives. The wilderness requires you to focus on the next step, the next breath—it reattunes your attention to God.”

For student Amanda Johnson, the experience brought lasting insight. “When you backpack, you only carry what you really need, and your routines are built around necessities,” she says. “In life, too, God strips away what we think we need to shape and refine our faith.”

Johnson adds that time for reflection led to deep, communal conversations. “It’s rare to stop and think about how God uses pain or temptation to form us,” she says. “Sharing those stories with others was powerful—there’s much wisdom to be found in community.”

Doornbos says several moments stand out: stargazing in Yosemite and “seeing the grandeur of God,” watching “delight on students’ faces” while exploring the Badlands, and hearing stories over home-cooked dinners about places that shaped each student’s faith journey.

Johnson’s memories echo those themes: “The mealtimes, the beauty, and especially the daily liturgies Dr. Doornbos used to begin and end each day—those were some of my favorite moments.”

For Doornbos, the experience affirmed why learning must reach beyond the classroom. “The classroom is an amazing place, but it can’t replicate what it’s like to enter a place as small, dependent creatures,” she says. “As in Scripture, wilderness experiences invite us to see our dependence on God, our smallness, and the beauty of community. Talking about those truths is one thing—living them together is something far more formative.”

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.