Sacred Wandering Quotes

“I found peace of mind when I walked away from small fights not worth fighting. I stopped fighting for people who gossiped about me. I stopped fighting for those who didn't respect me. I quit worrying about those who wouldn't value me for being me.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“The wilderness journey is about transformation. For you, it could be a personal, spiritual, or professional drought. A desert season of confusion, frustration, and unproductivity. It's an in between stage. Something significant has ended or begun. Yet it provides opportunity for expansion, wisdom, and joy.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Our physical, emotional, and spiritual health requires rest. We need to take a break. We need to nurture ourselves. To take a time out to refuel, rejuvenate, and revive ourselves.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“We don't get to choose our family, but we can choose our friends. With courage, we can weed out narcissistic people. We can focus on those who do appreciate us, love us, and treat us with respect.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Grief is like the ocean. The waves ebb and flow. Sometimes the water is calm. Other times it's turbulent. In order to survive, I had to learn to swim. In moments when I struggled with massive waves of grief, I rode it out.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Why didn't I report it? Because when you are sexually assaulted by a relative, it's terribly complicated. Initially, I felt shock, numb, and powerless. Keep in mind, sexual assault is an act of violence; not sex. In addition, sexual assault is about power. It's common for victims to feel helpless.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“For those struggling with grief, there’s no timetable. It can last months, years, or longer. There is no rush. Give yourself permission to take however long it may be to fully heal from your loss.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Sacred rest is not just about sleeping or taking it easy. It consists of physical, emotional, and spiritual rest. The purpose is to promote a healthier mindset, attitudes, boundaries, relationships, productivity, and wellness as a whole person; body, mind, and spirit.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Assault survivors respond differently. There's no right or wrong way to react after being sexually abused. The assault can be so overwhelming that we may respond in three ways - fight, flee, or freeze.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Truly, sacred rest is soul care. We honor quiet time alone with God. We intentionally step away from the chaos of life. We unplug from noise and distractions. We relish moments of tranquility.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“During our wilderness journey, the Lord offers us spiritual renewal. He calls us into sacred rest. It is a safe place of comfort. A peaceful haven. A sanctuary for our soul.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“The sacred wandering is a healing journey. It gives us the courage to face old wounds. We bravely face our past hurts. If we don't give ourselves permission to feel the pain, we cannot heal the pain. We must feel it to heal it.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Religious sexual harassment and abuse has become an epidemic. Sadly, it's not something new. It's existed since the fall of Adam and Eve. Religion is not exempt. A sacred place meant to be safe and holy has become the breeding ground for violence and evil.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“The phrase “choose your battles wisely” means to be selective of how we spend our time and who we spend our time with. To be selective. To not join every argument or confrontation. To learn to walk away from unproductive battles.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“I stopped trying to fit in. Stopped going with the flow. Stopped blending in with the world. I stopped trying to mold myself into what others thought a “good” Christian should look like or act like.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Understand there’s no right or wrong way to grieve, including anticipatory grief. It’s like the ocean. It ebbs and it flows. There can be moments of calm. But out of nowhere, it can feel like you're drowning.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“When someone is grieving, you don’t have to say anything. Just be present. Be nonjudgmental. Let them cry, scream, or sit in silence. You don't have to fix them.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“It's not always easy to admit that we can step out of the Lord's will when we want our own way. Yet, these are teachable moments to grow our faith in the dark. To live and learn. To be spiritually strengthened. To deepen our trust in Him, especially when His will and our will are opposite.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“In 2017, after the Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault scandal went viral, the #MeToo movement grew like wildfire. It triggered my trauma. Flashbacks of horrific injustice. Old memories resurfaced.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“The purpose of sacred wandering is to explore the foundation of our faith. To prove if it's authentic. Whether your faith is like sinking sand or a solid rock, Christ wants to take you on an adventure. His desire is to spiritually strengthen you.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Grief is messy. It's traumatic. Devastating. Confusing. Exhausting. Grief is a natural process of our human experience. May you find comfort in these unexpected places along your journey.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“A sacred wandering is a wilderness journey. You can find yourself in the midst of life transitions. Major upheavals. A career change. Soul searching. Infertility. Relocation. Illness. Depression. Divorce. Loss of a loved one. Unemployment. Returning to school. The empty nest.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“The spiritual awakening process is like rebirth. Gradually, the false pretenses that had once blinded us is replaced with a great awakening to our Savior. To His true nature. To His wonderful character. To His faithfulness.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“As we grow our faith, we wait in silence. As we listen for His voice, we have hope that He will speak. It may not be a loud boom or thunder, but a soft whisper. He may use a song, a butterfly, a sermon, a stranger, or even a red cardinal, but there is hope that God will come through for us.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Silence can be the birthing in which God's doing a new thing. We may not visually see it, but that doesn't mean it's not happening.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Jesus would publicly call out people in the faith community who are guilty for hurting/violating others. He wouldn't sit back in silence. He wouldn't bury the evidence. Or cover up abuse. In addition, He would never ignore, condemn, or ostracize those who've suffered trauma. He wouldn't say, “Get over it.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Empowered, I began fighting for my passions. Fighting for my healing. Fighting for my inner peace. Fighting for authentic joy to wash over me. Fighting for my visions and goals.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Your heavenly Father creates a place of refuge for you. A safe place to offer you relief. He can comfort you in times of trouble. God prepares a table for you. Not just any meal, but a beautiful banquet.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“Growing your faith in the dark isn't meant for the faint-hearted. Strengthening your faith will require extra endurance. You will need to take action. If you want more of God, you will need boldness. When your faith is tested, you have to muster up grit and grace.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

“I began an expedition called Grief. An alternate route along my sacred wandering. A detour with tears and troubles. On this voyage, I sensed God warning me, “Buckle up! It's going to be a bumpy ride.”
― Dana Arcuri, Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark