Preface: What If… The Universe Wasn’t Silent?
Growing up, I was obsessed with comic books—the characters, the worlds, the impossible choices. But there was one concept that fascinated me more than anything: Marvel’s What If…? universe.
These stories took familiar characters and rewrote their destinies—one small change leading to an entirely different reality. What if Dr Strange lost his heart and not his hands? What If someone else besides Spider-Man had been bitten by the radioactive spider? What if the Thing continued to mutate? One shift in perspective, and suddenly, everything changed.
Maybe that’s why Sonders Rising exists.
Because I’ve spent my whole life questioning the world I was given—the beliefs I inherited, the institutions that shaped me, the ways we are told to exist. I’ve always wondered: What if faith had taken a different path? What if spirituality was about connection, not control? What if we removed hierarchy and allowed every person to be empowered?
This Series is my “What If…?” Universe
I grew up in the ELCA Lutheran tradition, where faith was as much about community as it was about belief. My mom made sure my siblings and I were at Sunday services, Sunday school, and every church event in between. It wasn’t just a place of worship—it was woven into the rhythm of our lives.
In high school, I found a deeper sense of belonging in Luther League—our Wednesday night youth group. We laughed, we questioned, we supported each other. Through the Lutheran lens, I found a grounding—a faith that encouraged thoughtfulness, compassion, and curiosity. And yet, I always felt like there was more.
As part of our youth group, we visited other churches in town—Assemblies of God, Catholic Mass, the Baptist community. Each denomination had its own traditions, its own sacred ceremonies. Each offered something unique. But at the same time, I felt trapped in human-made religion.
In college, I joined a small prayer and support group that started as a beautiful, welcoming space. But over time, evangelical practices took center stage—speaking in tongues, laying on hands. I respected the sincerity of those around me, but once again, I didn’t fit in.
One winter night, walking across campus, I found a bench by the frozen pond. The air was crisp, the world was silent, and something inside me needed clarity.
Why don’t I fit in? Where are my spiritual gifts?
I closed my eyes. I meditated. I listened.
Then, a response.
“Why do you need to test me? Don’t you know that I love you?”
A pause. A deep, quiet stillness settled around me.
Then, a second message:
“There are so many who are lost. Go… find them… and bring them home.”
That is a moment that has stayed with me my entire life. I cannot run away from it. I cannot stop hearing it. To be honest, sometimes I wish I could let it go and stumble through a routine of heading to work, going home, hanging out with friends on weekends and walk through life with blinders on. Instead, I see the pain, loneliness and oppression that greed and power have forced onto the marginized people in this world. My life was forever changed.
And It Continued
Over the years, I met so many others who felt abandoned, or hurt, by religion—left behind, rejected, or burdened by rigid rules and traditions. Some were lonely, some were angry, some had built walls around their hearts just to protect themselves from the faith communities that once claimed to offer love.
And so, I started seeing the world through a Marvel-style “What If…?” lens. What if religion had taken a different path? What if faith was about spirituality, not formality? What if Jesus’ stories weren’t about miracles, but about radical empathy? What if Christianity had never become a political weapon? What if compassion—not power—was the foundation of faith?
I began to hear the common Christian stories differently—not as miracles to be proven, but as stories of human connection and transformation. Instead of power, they centered on compassion. Instead of exclusion, they invited belonging.
And that’s where Sonders Rising was born.
A “What If…?” Universe
A world where faith is not about control but awakening. A world where compassion creates revolution. A world where those who feel lost find a home—not in dogma, but in each other.
This series is my What If—but I also want to hear yours.
Each chapter of Sonders Rising is paired with articles and reflections—not just from me, but from readers like you. Your stories. Your experiences. Your What Ifs.
What moments shaped you? What questions led you to where you are today? What if things had been different—what could the world look like?
Maybe we cannot sling webs, create vortexes into other dimensions or project concentrated light energy from our hands…but dang it…we can be heroes in our own “What If…?” series…right? 🙂
– Blake