Part 1: The Story Written on the Heart
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
In this opening session, John Eldredge invites us into a deeper understanding of desire—not as something to suppress, but as a map to the life God intended. Desire is not the problem; it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). John challenges the false narrative that Christianity is a list of chores and invites us into a much bigger story—one filled with intimacy, beauty, adventure, and danger.He weaves together scripture, story, and film to reawaken what has been forgotten: we were made for intimacy with God. Our longings are not obstacles but signposts—pointing us toward a life of freedom and fullness. If this resonates with your heart, dive deeper by reading The Sacred Romance or reflecting with the A Sacred Romance Daily Reading. You can also explore these themes in the Wild at Heart podcast episode, Less-Wild Lovers, which unpacks how we settle for less than the life God promises.This session is more than an introduction—it’s an invitation to recover your heart and begin the journey of desire.
Part 2: The Secret of Passion and Desire
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
In this session, John Eldredge unpacks the deep connection between desire and spiritual freedom. Using the story of Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, he contrasts a life lived from duty with a life fueled by delight. Jesus, too, lived from a passionate heart—not out of obligation, but out of profound desire. John explores the fierce love of Christ, His pursuit of us, and the permission we need to truly come alive. We are not God’s projects or chores—we are the object of His desire. And when we grasp that, everything begins to change.
Part 3: Come All Who Are Thirsty
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
The journey of desire begins with the recovery of your lost heart. In this session, John Eldredge invites men and women to reconnect with their God-given longings—to fight a battle, to live an adventure, to rescue and be rescued, to be captivating and courageous. Drawing on films like Braveheart and The Last of the Mohicans, this teaching reveals how desire is not optional—it is the essence of the human soul. John reminds us that Jesus didn’t come to give us more to do, but to offer life to the full. When we bury our longings, they don’t disappear—they go underground and resurface in less holy places. This session calls us back to the thirst that leads us home.For a deeper dive into recovering your desires, read A Sacred Romance.
Part 4: Living from the Heart You Were Given
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
So many of us have resigned ourselves to a smaller story—losing sight of the deeper desires that once made us feel truly alive. In this session, Gary Barkalow invites us to recognize the subtle but powerful assumptions that shape our lives, helping us uncover the calling God has written into our hearts. Through stories, film clips, and personal reflection, we’re reminded that our deepest desires are not random—they are the clues to our design, and they reveal our unique place in God’s story.When we try to live from duty alone, we drift into resignation. But when we return to our heart’s true desires, we recover our authentic swing—the life we were created to live. This is an invitation to live with clarity, passion, and deep alignment with who God made you to be.
Part 5: Guarding Your Heart in the War Against Desire
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
Every great story involves conflict—and that’s because we’re living in one. In this eye-opening session, Gary Barkalow unpacks the spiritual battle surrounding our God-given desires. Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, and powerful film scenes, he explores how the enemy of our hearts attempts to deaden, accuse, and intimidate us into resignation.Desire isn’t the problem—it’s the prize. Satan will do everything in his power to disconnect us from the desires that reveal our calling. But when we guard our hearts and learn to recognize the enemy’s voice, we reclaim the freedom to pursue the life God created us to live. This is a crucial teaching for anyone feeling stuck, ashamed of their passions, or unsure how to move forward in faith. The war is real, and so is the rescue.
Part 6: Intimacy Over Formula
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
Many Christians unknowingly live in the Old Covenant—believing their hearts are untrustworthy, their desires suspect, and that God primarily offers guidance through rigid formulas. But in this session, John Eldredge invites us into something far more beautiful: life in the New Covenant, where the human heart has been made good and intimacy with God is the center of the journey.Using the epic story of "Les Misérables", the life of King David, and the unpredictable ways of Jesus himself, John draws a clear contrast between life by formula and life by relationship. God is a person, not a machine, and He desires to lead you personally and intimately through your desires. The journey of desire is filled with mystery—not because God is distant, but because He wants to walk with you step by step. Whether your heart stirs with sorrow, fear, hope, or resistance, this session encourages you to bring it all to God.
Part 7: The Restoration of All Things
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
Session 7 dives into one of the most stunning promises of the gospel—the restoration of all things. John Eldredge explores how the story doesn’t end with our death or some distant heaven in the clouds, but with a renewed you and a renewed earth. Drawing from Romans 8, Revelation 21–22, and the life of Jesus, we discover that our deepest desires for beauty, intimacy, and adventure are not only valid—they’re prophetic. They point to the life that is coming.This session also unpacks the critical importance of hope in the journey of desire. Without hope, faith becomes mechanical and love too risky to offer. But through exercises and reflection questions, listeners are invited to rekindle hope, dream again, and begin to see how God is preparing them to reign with Him—not sing forever in the clouds, but truly live and create in His eternal Kingdom. Everything you’ve ever longed for finds its fulfillment in the restoration Jesus promises.
Part 8: Desire, Endurance, and the Long Journey Home
The Journey of Desire Conference (LIVE)
Session 8 brings the Journey of Desire series to a powerful close with a focus on perseverance, character, and the long road between awakening and fulfillment. Drawing from Oswald Chambers, James 1:4, Philippians 2, and the parable of the soils, Gary Barkalow and John Eldredge explore why God so often develops us in hidden, difficult places—not to thwart our desires, but to prepare us for them.Through deeply personal stories and cinematic moments from Rudy, this session names the reality that our journey includes trials, testing, and pruning. Yet it also offers deep encouragement: your calling is real, your heart matters to God, and you were never meant to walk this road alone. The path to your truest desires requires firmness of purpose, trusted allies, and a willingness to let God do His deep work in you—even in seasons that feel like silence or failure.The session ends not with a tidy resolution, but an invitation: to trust God with the next step. That’s all that’s ever asked. And in doing so, you begin to live as if your heart truly is the treasure of the Kingdom.