Wandering the Desert

Follow Wandering the Desert
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

People are lonely, and they often tend to feel adrift in the spiritual life. As such, it’s really easy to get discouraged and feel like no one else is in the trenches with you, struggling with the same things as a normal part of the spiritual life. This podcast aims to normalize the struggles and th…

Christian Gonzalez and Ancient Faith Radio


    • Oct 30, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 19m AVG DURATION
    • 36 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Wandering the Desert with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Wandering the Desert

    Epilogue: Going Somewhere Good

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2021 25:31


    "I hope you receive everything I've ever said here with the heart I intend, that we learn to take our belief seriously that the Holy Spirit is everywhere present and filling all things. All things. It has been a joy to offer these reflections and to stumble on the path toward the Kingdom with you all. This has been so good, and I know it's all going somewhere even better."

    Chapter Thirty-Five: Good Parts in Bad Roles

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 29:39


    As we continue the Lenten journey, Christian reflects on whether "try harder" and "just stop" approaches to our passions actually are that beneficial to our progress in the spiritual life.

    Chapter Thirty-Four: Putting Out Fires

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2021 22:01


    This week marks the year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a national emergency. Christian Gonzalez reflects on the impact of the pandemic over the last year, particularly viewing it through the lens of trauma.

    Chapter Thirty-Three: It’s a Bottle Episode!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 23:26


    Christian reflects a bit on the NBC Show, Community, and wonders what its implications are for our life as the community of the Church.

    Chapter Thirty-Two: Dancing With Myself

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 21:34


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on welcoming all the parts of ourselves (including the ones we don't like) to the table as we seek to move forward in love.

    Chapter Thirty-One: Welcome to Reality

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2021 18:52


    This week, Christian Gonzalez explores how our faith is one that must exist within this world as it is, not by trying to escape it.

    Chapter Thirty: ’Tis the Season, Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 25:04


    In the last episode, Christian Gonzalez explored how Christ being born in us is the reason for the season. This time, he explores what this might actually look like.

    Chapter Twenty-Nine: ’Tis the Season!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2020 17:22


    At the beginning of the Nativity Fast, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the past year and the true reason for the season.

    Chapter Twenty-Eight: Touched by Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2020 20:17


    Christian Gonzalez explores the aftermath of Election Day while both sides wait to see who won. Which side is God on? Or does dividing ourselves into “sides” miss the point?

    Chapter Twenty-Seven: Survival of the Friendliest

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020 22:56


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on some of the brighter sides of the pandemic for a change, finding that "happiness can be found in the darkest of places."

    Chapter Twenty-Six: On Earth as it is in Heaven

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2020 22:45


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the scriptural and patristic theme of living a Gospel that makes a material difference in the world.

    Chapter Twenty-Five: You’re Bigger!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 15:14


    Back from the break, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the division he sees in society and urges others to rise above it.

    Chapter Twenty-Four: We’re All in This Together

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2020


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on the riots and protests following the COVID-19 Pandemic and wonders whether there are some things for us to learn.

    Chapter Twenty-Three: Get Your House in Order

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2020 17:48


    Sometimes life just feels like an unconquerable mess, but maybe part of the call of life is to get used to learning how to deal with messes when they arise.

    Chapter Twenty-Two: He’s Not Safe

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 18:57


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on the reopening of American life, and explores the tension he feels between faith and fear.

    Chapter Twenty-One: Love Wins

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2020 21:19


    Christian Gonzalez continues to reflect on life under quarantine and considers the ways in which love lends meaning to even the hardest of times.

    Chapter Twenty: How Long, O Lord?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 18:57


    Christian Gonzalez continues to reflect on the ongoing nature of the pandemic, and wonders what God might have for us in this season.

    Chapter Nineteen: There Are No Words

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2020 12:45


    At the beginning of Holy Week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the sheer amount of noise that has filled his waking hours and his desire to move to a more quiet contemplation.

    Chapter Eighteen: Canceling Pascha

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 18:11


    This week, Christian Gonzalez explores the difficulty, the need, and the call to remain joyful, even when times feel dark and difficult.

    Chapter Seventeen: We’re All Gonna Die!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2020 19:39


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the novel coronavirus and its impact on the way we follow Jesus during this particular Great Lent.

    Chapter Sixteen: You Gotta Want It

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 20:25


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on spiritual healing and explores some of the obstacles that may stand in the way.

    Chapter Fifteen: Things Fall Apart

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2020 18:07


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on the difficult reality of life in this world and how Jesus is our only hope.

    Chapter Fourteen: Only Human

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2020 15:56


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on how hard it is to be a person, and how we are continually learning through the ins and outs of life.

    Chapter Thirteen: Do All The Things!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2020 15:39


    This week, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the reality that admitting you have limits is a hard but necessary part of the spiritual life.

    Chapter Twelve: Jesus Loves Me

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2020 18:34


    This week, Christian Gonzalez explores the various ways that we tend to identify and how all such self-definitions must find their fulfillment in God's love.

    Chapter Eleven: Admit It!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2020 17:57


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on the nature of shame and its corrosive effects on our lives.

    Chapter Ten: Come Out of the Cave

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2020 15:43


    Christian Gonzalez reflects on how relationships in his life bid him to come live for something other than himself.

    Chapter Nine: A Beginning of Good

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2019 17:09


    And a Happy New Year! At the turning of the year, Christian Gonzalez reflects a little on 2019 and explores the kind of New Year's Resolution he hopes to make for 2020.

    Chapter Eight: Prepare Him Room

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2019 12:40


    Merry Christmas! Christian discusses how he has experienced noisy culture getting in the way of opening the heart to the Lord.

    Chapter Seven: These Are My Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2019 17:39


    Sometimes the world can feel overwhelming and dark. Christian Gonzalez discusses how stories can offer important reminders and visions of goodness, beauty, and truth.

    Chapter Six: Kind of a Big Deal

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2019 18:46


    It seems that many of us are always busy. This week, Christian Gonzalez explores some of his struggles with being over-committed.

    Chapter Five: Beating Iron Mike

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2019 17:48


    As Thanksgiving approaches, Christian Gonzalez reflects on how difficult it is to stop complaining and suggests what it might mean to do all things with Christ's strength.

    Chapter Four: Making Minimum Payments

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 17:57


    At the beginning of the Nativity Fast, Christian Gonzalez reflects on the difficulty (and need) to make a strong effort to reach for the Lord.

    Chapter Three: Sometimes It Just Hurts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2019 18:53


    Christian Gonzalez discusses the inevitability of pain and how, rightly used, it can bring forth new life.

    Chapter Two: What a Friend We Have

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2019 18:09


    Christian Gonzalez discusses his struggle with loneliness and reflects on how it might be used for something other than what he wants.

    Chapter One: Getting Started

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2019 17:27


    In the first episode of Wandering the Desert, Christian discusses the purpose of this new podcast from Y2AM and describes the often arid feeling of the spiritual life while looking for some pieces of manna along the way.

    Claim Wandering the Desert

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel