Episode 3 – Birds, Nature, and Spiritual Renewal: Weathering Change with Courtney Ellis

SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of the show, you can get 25% off Deb Gregory's new book, Spiritual Wayfinding, by using the code IVPOD25 at checkout at ivpress.com. We hope you enjoy this season!In today’s episode, Deb Gregory is joined by Courtney Ellis to explore the deep connections between nature, our bodies, and our spiritual journeys. Through mindful birding practices and embracing the liminal spaces of change, they reveal how tending to the natural world can help us find peace, resilience, and a sense of divine presence amid life’s transitions.In this episode:· Courtney’s personal experience with birding as a spiritual practice during a health and grief journey· The sensory richness of birding and its embodied connection to prayer and presence· The metaphor of rising above a narrow focus to panoramic vision for emotional and spiritual health· How curiosity and receptivity open us to divine grace in nature and in our lives· The significance of liminal and ‘thin’ spaces where transformation and renewal happen· Practical ways to cultivate stillness, attention, and wonder during seasons of uncertainty· The importance of embracing one’s unique interests as pathways to God's delight and presence· Insights from Courtney’s books Looking Up and Weathering Change on navigating grief and change through the natural worldTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction: Navigating the spiritual life with embodied wisdom00:17 - Partnership with InterVarsity Press and Courtney’s new books01:12 - Exploring the spiritual practice of birding and nature connection01:49 - Courtney’s identity and passions: birds, books, and faith02:47 - The significance of loving what you love in spiritual formation03:06 - Bird walk as mindfulness: letting the birds minister to us03:42 - How health challenges led Courtney outdoors for renewal04:54 - How birding helps us become aware of God's presence05:18 - The stillness of listening and paying attention in prayer06:06 - Using multiple senses to deepen engagement with nature06:40 - The gentle art of waiting, receiving, and centering through birding08:18 - The calming effects of being outdoors and observing birds09:09 - Faith as curiosity, wonder, and receptivity like birding09:34 - Letting go of trying to force faith and delighting in God’s gifts10:28 - The role of joy and delight in discipleship & spiritual growth11:00 - Embracing special interests as sacred pathways to God12:23 - Integrating passions like birding into spiritual practices13:39 - Courtney’s book Looking Up on grief and natural world as balm14:43 - Personal grief journey during her grandfather’s passing16:03 - Scientific evidence of nature’s healing power in grief and depression17:00 - How awe walks foster humility and wonder17:48 - The importance of perspective and humility in seasons of change19:02 - The science behind panoramic vision and stress reduction during birdwatching20:07 - Nature’s attentional resets and echoes of divine renewal21:32 - Courtney’s new book Weathering Change on the lessons of nature for navigating transformation22:13 - How change impacts the body, cognition, and emotion23:02 - Recognizing that both good and difficult changes wear us out24:20 - Learning from animals’ acceptance of change and adaptation25:46 - Cultivating curiosity and gentle engagement with change26:38 - The liminal space as a ‘thin place’ of divine meeting and transformation27:32 - Biblical stories of transition: Hagar, Abram, and the wilderness29:02 - A story of decomposition and the patience of natural processes30:34 - Practical embodied practice: Lent birding challenge31:06 - The power of a quiet 10-minute outdoor or window sit for spiritual renewal32:27 - The gift of attentive presence and hearing God in quiet moments33:08 - Closing reflection: We are seen, loved, and part of this living worldResources & Links: · Looking Up: A Birder's Guide to Hope Through Grief by Courtney Ellis · Weathering Change: Seeking Peace Amid Life's Tough Transitions by Courtney Ellis · Courtney Ellis - Website | Instagram · Spiritual Wayfinding: 33 Walking Meditations for Navigating Life with Embodied Wisdom (Use code IVPOD25 for 25% off)Practice Gift:Join Courtney’s Lent birding challenge: Spend 10 minutes outdoors or by a window each day, observing and listening quietly for birds. Over the season, notice how this simple practice opens your heart to divine whispers amid the unfolding beauty of creation. Remember, all will be well.Soundtrack Credits:Nature Documentary by TunetankOpening Music: Palms Down by Blue Dot Sessions Closing Song: "Roots" by Ryvoli