What the heck?
This is just one of many voices in an emergent and holy conversation, happening now on a planet beneath you. The all-important topic? Nothing less than uniting heaven and earth. As this evolutionary conversation increases in volume and broadens in diversity of perspective, I hope to share ideas and insights from the Christian anarchist corner. I intend for Starr of Appalachia to be a collection of epistles in which I share my own meditations and reflections upon the path of human flourishing, even in the midst of crises (or what Jesus Christ described as “the birthing pains.”)
Who is Starr of Appalachia?
I am a spiritual being traipsing through a material reality. This is probably the only time I will get to be Starr, and I want to get the most I can out of the opportunity, even though material reality can be pretty dark sometimes. The way for me to deal with a dark world, I’ve discovered, is to be so absolutely Starr that my very existence is an act of light.
So, hi. I’m Starr. I live in a single-wide trailer, deep in an Appalachian holler, with my young adult daughter (Raven) and two very catly cats (Boy and Goot.) I am a disciple of the Way and also an anarchist. I work as an auto parts delivery driver and consider the cab of the company truck to be my hermitage, where I contemplate the eternal mysteries. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening and building things out of junk. Some of my favorite things are world wisdom traditions, science fiction, cheeseburgers, and the way the mist settles like a comfy robe around the shoulders of the mountains in the morning.
Reflecting my ongoing growth through the years, Starr of Appalachia is the third iteration of this Substack.
Originally titled Technate 2051, this publication began in spring of 2021 as a way for me to publish chapters of my dystopian novel of the same name, as well as essays about real-world dystopia. Through theme and subject matter, my novel and most of my early essays sought to warn against the threat of dystopia, in hopes that the looming disaster could perhaps be averted. But as our present dystopia evolved and it became clear that there was no way out of the crisis but through it, I realized the need for solutions-oriented content and community.
That’s when Dispatches From Dystopia was born. For the next two years, I focused on essays about surviving and transcending dystopia. I started by acknowledging the current global crisis as the natural result of globally misplaced priorities, and from that vantage point committing to realigning on an individual level with truth and good principles in order to pave the way out of dystopia and into a better future than we possibly could imagine. During this time I also ran a mostly-anarchist productivity group called Extremists Being Awesome, where dissidents gathered for daily virtual productivity sessions, community, and mutual support.
In June 2022, I published a non-fiction book, How to Survive Dystopia (With Your Humanity Intact), about how we can meet the challenges of dystopian crisis as active protagonists in the story of realignment, transcending the tyranny and horror by embarking on a hero’s journey of inner growth. It was also around this time that I had a bit of a spiritual awakening, and came to know (or at least to want to know) Christ. But I was still bashful about it.
But my shyness gradually subsided. I started writing a bit here and there about the spiritual side of my life, and in early 2024, I began publishing my Prayer of the Week.
In fall of 2024, life drew my attention away from the global crises by gifting me with more local and personal ones. First, Hurricane Helene hit my hometown, and all the towns, really, in southern Appalachia. In the midst of disaster, I and many of my fellow Appalachians discovered an inspiring sense of strength in community. Freshly flooded and smack against the disappointing reality of slow and often incompetent government responses, local individuals and groups jumped into action. Out of everywhere, a spontaneous order emerged to rescue, recover, and rebuild our mountain home. I decided to temporarily pivot to writing about these amazing decentralized efforts, hoping to inform and inspire folks around the world. I picked up a lot of new subscribers during those couple of months, and quite a few have stuck around :)
Then Raven got very sick, and in December, received a cancer diagnosis. I diverted all of my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy to helping her in her healing journey. I don’t think any time in my life has ever been so simultaneously dark and bright as this. Over the course of nine months, I experienced every conceivable shade of human emotion with unprecedented intensity. There were many moments when I felt, like the psalmist, that I was “in the pit.” And yet I was aware, almost all of the time, of a glowing, burning, light—not so very far away—warming, strengthening, and sustaining me through the trials.
Throughout the healing journey, we were supported by both heaven and earth. God was with us—opening up paths, drawing us to the right connections, surrounding us with healing light, shoring up our inner resources, softening our hearts. And the folks around us—soothing fears, drying tears, donating funds, cooking meals, and praying, praying, praying. We made it through. In two weeks (as of this writing), Raven will have completed her grueling course of cancer treatment. My girl lives! I can’t imagine ever living a life outside of gratitude again.
As a recent resident of the pit, I come to proclaim the good news of crisis as realignment. And now it is time to return my attention to the creative endeavors that I love, through which I hope to serve my fellow humans by being so absolutely Starr. If you’re interested in participating in the holy conversation, keep reading.
Engage, Support, and Grow with Starr
Subscribe for free to get prayers of the week, essays, and video content on bringing earth up to heaven, dystopia notwithstanding.
Go paid at the $5/month or $50/year levels, and I’ll send you the PDF version of my book How to Survive Dystopia (With Your Humanity Intact). You will also receive an invitation whenever I host virtual discussions and community events.
Or, upgrade to the $250/year paid level, and I’ll send you a signed paperback copy of How to Survive Dystopia (With Your Humanity Intact), a detailed I Ching reading on the question of your choice, plus a special surprise gift that I will select at the time of shipping, because I like surprises and so should you. (Signed book and special gift physically shipped; I Ching reading to be delivered electronically.) You’ll also receive invitations to all virtual discussions and community events.
God is good and so are y’all.
