Finding Adventure in Faith

Have you ever felt your faith start to feel a little bit . . . boring?

I know mine does. Usually I'm someone who finds meaning in ritual and liturgy, but when I'm caught between graduate school thesis deadlines and work emails, sometimes it feels like faith takes a backburner. Or just sputters like a lightbulb that's been burning for too long. I find myself fighting to get through prayers before meals or rushing through Scripture reading. After all, I've read this verse or heard this bible story at least fifty times — what new insights could it possibly bring today?

Faith as Adventure

Faith was feeling particularly boring to me this past January, when I was able to catch Alastair Humphreys' talk at Calvin University's January Series. I watched the talk on a dreadfully dreary January day—a day just about as unadventure-y as you can possibly get. But, as I listened to Humphrey explain how he had biked (and boated) around the world, learning great things about himself and all the other people on the planet, I found myself slowly becoming enlightened.

Christianity does, after all, have quite a lot of adventure in it.

Go all the way back to the beginning. Noah and the Ark -- God literally commands Noah to go on a huge marine adventure to save every living thing. Then Abraham, whom God commands to leave his family and home and travel to a new land. Then Moses, whom God commands to lead His people out of Egypt (with a few complications included turning a river into blood and making frogs rain from the sky) and through the desert (while once again being fed with food that falls from heaven). I mean, we're not through Deteuronomy, and there's already been so much adventure!

But more important, and something that I especially took away from Humphreys' talk, was the understanding that adventure has the ability to change us. It has a spiritual dimension; any adventure, whether grand or simple, deepens our understanding of ourselves, our world, and God’s purpose for us.

Adventure, in a Christian sense, is an act of trust. We step into the unknown not simply for the thrill of it but in faith, knowing that God is sovereign over every step we take. Psalm 121:8 reminds us, “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Every journey—whether across continents or across the street—can become an opportunity to encounter God.

Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Another aspect of Humpreys' story that caught my attention was his adventure around the M25—the infamously boring highway that surrounds the greater London area where Humphreys grew up. I'll be honest, I never would have attempted to go on an adventure through the highway system of Chicago, my hometown. It's gross! It's loud! It'd dirty and polluted!

But upon second thought, I realized that sort of journey around the places we love to hate serves as a powerful metaphor for our spiritual walk. How often do we overlook God’s presence in our daily lives? In our routines, our workplaces, our neighborhoods?

Jesus Himself demonstrated that the extraordinary often appears in the ordinary. He used everyday images—a mustard seed, a lost coin, a shepherd searching for his sheep—to reveal deep truths about the Kingdom of God. Just as Humphreys discovered beauty and connection along a route he had once disregarded, we too are called to see God’s hand in the seemingly mundane details of life.

Microadventures and the Christian Life

Humphreys’ concept of microadventures—small, intentional acts of exploration—parallels the Christian discipline of attentiveness. It is about stepping outside of our routines, even briefly, to rediscover the wonder of God’s creation.

Some ways we can embrace microadventures in our faith:

• Take a prayer walk in nature, paying attention to the beauty of creation (Psalm 19:1).
• Visit a part of your city or town you’ve never explored and ask, “Where is God at work here?”
• Spend time in solitude and silence, practicing stillness before God (Psalm 46:10).
• Serve someone in your community, seeing it as an adventure of compassion and connection (Galatians 6:9-10).

Microadventures teach us that we do not need to travel far to experience God’s world in new and meaningful ways. As Humphreys says, “If it feels like an adventure to you, then it is an adventure.”

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. Have you ever experienced a time when stepping outside your comfort zone deepened your faith? What did you learn?
2. How can we cultivate a sense of adventure and wonder in our daily walk with God?
3. What “microadventures” can you try this week to explore God’s creation and engage with your community?

Recommendations for Families and Small Groups

• Family Adventure Night: Plan a simple outing—a night of stargazing, a picnic in a new location, or a walk in a nearby park—and reflect on God’s creation.
• Faith and Exploration Challenge: Commit to trying something new each week, such as visiting a new place, meeting someone new, or reading a book about a different culture, and discuss what you learn about God’s world.
• Scripture and Adventure Study: Study biblical journeys—Abraham, Moses, Paul—and discuss how their travels deepened their faith and dependence on God.