The Reconciliation / Peacemaking and Faith-Building Journey: Along the Garden Path
By Sonia Crist, Ph.D.
Dr. Crist is an Associate Professor of Early Education and Development at one of the premier historically black colleges in Alabama. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Sonia has engaged in national conferences in technology, research related to professional development, and a variety of early childhood program models. She is currently engaged in writing a guide for young adult women as they negotiate changes and challenges in their personal and professional lives. Sonia is a member of South Highland Presbyterian Church, in Birmingham, AL, USA, where she works with fifth graders and is the chair of a women’s circle in Presbyterian Women.

Reconciliation and Peacemaking can be thought of as a spiritual development journey by thinking of our spiritual development as a journey along a "garden path". Since the theme of this month's e-zine is Reconciliation/Peacemaking, I would like to take a moment to share my personal testimony of faith. I am embarking on a new endeavor in my own faith journey; I have responded to the Biblical mandate of stewardship for our environment by a personal faith response.

Faced with job- and family-lifestyle altering circumstances, I lost my sense of peace for a time. There were too many variables to consider... who would (or even worse: who would not) adjust to changes in circumstances, who would have to "give up" something, and "what would these changes this mean for the future?" I feel blessed to be the newest environmental educator for the metropolitan Birmingham and Alabama. I am "Auntie (pronounced "anti-") Litter". This is my personal testimony.

The goal of Auntie Litter, Inc. is to promote environmental education and build awareness of issues that affect the lives of families and young children. We take our message to civic, community, school, and church groups. We invite volunteerism and we encourage the use of a variety of audio, visual, and technological resources to promote good decision-making in communities. I worked with the founder, Mrs. Pat Mitchell as a volunteer for about seven years, serving later as a board member, and the author of teacher resource materials. She shared her faith journey with me and talked about how she felt called to promote this vision for environmental education.

I was raised within a strong faith community in southern West Virginia. The "seeds of faith" were sown and the "soil was good". As a youth, there was structure and clear expectations of behavior. The field was marked, and "the flower boxes were ready". But, as a young adult in college (and a newlywed), I allowed my spiritual life to lie "fallow" for a season. (If you read any agriculture magazine and you will know that this allows a new kind of crop to be grown.) Trained as an elementary school teacher, I was empowered by a "missionary" zeal to nurture young children to seek healthy lifestyles for their families. Although my faith in Christ and His ultimate leadership in my life was without question, I had a hard time realizing how I could navigate this difficult garden path when I became a parent. With a husband and three children by my side, I questioned "What kind of plant am I destined to become?" Would those "creeping vines" overtake my "root system?" I wondered how my husband and I could nurture faith within our children, when we were still developing as Christians.

I loved the enthusiasm my students and my own children displayed when they knew they really could make a difference in their circumstances. When they felt empowered, they used decision-making skills and negotiation and compromise to reach common goals.

I believe that I am blessed with a sense of personal responsibility for sharing the "good news" by celebrating God's gifts to us in the environment. I never liked seeing anything wasted. I always looked forward to the renewal of the natural world with each passing season. As the seasons of my life changed, and new responsibilities came my way, my view of teaching changed. I now see teaching as being a preparation for caring for our common heritage--one Earth, created by One God, for His glory. A number of devotionals and booklets have been published that use gardening as a metaphor for faith development. Our language abounds with phrases which use words to illustrate this process. I am looking forward to celebrating what God has done as I step into the company of His people. I hope you will walk with me down this garden path so we can celebrate His love for us.

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