Words from the Wilderness

Where God's Word Meets God's World

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My bimonthly posts combine the wonders of nature with the Word of the Creator. Read the latest here!

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Check out the Words from the Wilderness podcast for encouragement, inspiration, and peace. Follow along on all major platforms!

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Believe

Every journey must have a compass, and the Word of God is mine. Find my complete statement of faith here!

Hi There!

I’m so glad you stopped by my little corner of the woods! I’m Ashlyn McKayla, and I find my writer’s calling where my heart for God and my love for His creation intersect. Born and raised in rural Arkansas on the shoulders of the Ouachita Mountains, I’m most at home where the streetlights die and the pavement ends–roaming the woods, counting the stars, watching for wolves, and breathing the mountain air. I love exploring this wonder-charged world of ours and sharing the truths I find. I believe that when we see God in nature, then we can begin to see Him everywhere. I hope you’ll join me on this quest—into the natural world and toward the heart of God.

Get to Know Me!

Looking for My Fiction Books?

Check out my other website, ashlynmckaylaohm.com!

See My Books!

Hope and the Hay Bales

All summer long, I enjoy my daily run on the country back roads that most cars forget, roads that are relics of a time when reaching point B as fast as possible wasn’t nearly as much of a priority. Day after day, under the dome of the summer sun, I run, feet slapping...

Heaven and the Hummingbird

They’re a cross between butterflies and birds, the beautiful ballerinas of nature, the glittering aerialists that whirl effortlessly through the summer skies. I’m referring, as you may have guessed, to hummingbirds. It’s ironic—hummingbirds are the smallest of...

Heart of the Mountains

There are places so deep in these mountains, Too deep for adventure to find, Where silence suspends like a cobweb, And nature obeys outside time. A thousand springs’ worth of wildflowers Have reached to the sky all unknown, And rocks that were hewn by the Ice Age Are...

Elephant Hills

I am watching the lumpy swell of mountains against the horizon Wrinkled like the skin of the elephants that once held up the world Ridged like their bony uncomplaining shoulders. Did those elephants ever tire? But someone has to be the quiet...

HIGH COUNTRY HYMNAL

My debut poetry book, High Country Hymnal, is releasing soon! I’m so excited to share this collection of poems for the mountains, the valleys, and the in-between. Preorder your copy today at a limited-time discount!

Read Now!

High Country Hymnal Release Day!

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“Wild Goose Chase”

“It’s ironic: our society loves the thrill of a hunt, but we don’t seek after God. We pursue romantic partners, chase dreams, follow our heart—but we expect God to come on our terms and eat from our hand. Instead of a Wild Goose, we’d prefer the Spirit to resemble the tame dove pictured in so many church murals—a soft white bird, small enough to be carried in one hand, cooing comfortably on a shoulder. We’re uneasy with the thought of the Wild Goose—unwieldy, unpredictable, uncontrollable, demanding our utter concentration, tearing the sleepiness of our souls with strident cries.”

This was my very first blog post, and it’s still one of my most popular! Its theme–living in step with the Spirit–is the heart of this blog. Read “Wild Goose Chase” now!