Dusty Ones, The

Through every turn of the biblical story, God's people are a wandering people. When they are rescued from slavery in Egypt, God sends them into the desert, where they wander for a generation. Jesus and his disciples wander from town to town. In fact, some of God's most important truths are imparted to people with dusty feet as they travel on the road.

With his trademark thoughtful introspection, A. J. Swoboda boldly suggests that wandering is not an absence of faith but a central component of faith. In The Dusty Ones, he leads the restless, the frustrated, and the curious on a spiritual journey to uncover the answers to questions like

- Do I wander because I'm failing or because God has left me?
- Is the desert something I can overcome?
- Why is God sometimes "hidden" in the Bible?
- What do I do when the end seems nowhere in sight?

This compassionate and contemplative book offers hope and peace to Christians and seekers alike as they make their way down the winding road of faith.

Dr. A. J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is a professor, writer, and pastor. He is the Associate Professor of Bible, theology, and world Christianity at Bushnell University and leads the Doctorate program in Christian Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He has taught at Multnomah University, London School of Theology, LIFE Pacific University, and Southeastern University. He is the author of over ten books, including Redeeming How We Talk (Moody), After Doubt (Brazos), and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath (Brazos). A.J. writes the "Low-Level Theologian" substack and co-hosts the "Slow Theology" podcast with New Testament scholar Dr. Nijay Gupta. He is married to Quinn and is the father of Elliot. They live and work on an urban farm in Eugene, Oregon with their dog Diggory.