Books
Paddle Pilgrim: A Mekong River Adventure through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam
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It began as a kayak adventure through exotic waterscapes. But record heat and drought conditions forced the adventurers to slow down and experience something else: the spectacular landscapes, friendly people, delicious food, rich history, ancient spirituality, and modern environmental challenges of Southeast Asia. Dangerous conditions became the opportunity to “linger with the lotus.” Join us on the adventure of a lifetime!
Purchase on Amazon.com or get an autographed copy through the Paddle Pilgrim Store. Reviews “The Paddle Pilgrims embark on a mini-epic adventure down the Mekong River from Laos to Cambodia to Vietnam’s delta. Along the way they encounter and tell stories about the communities, cultures, religions, and natural setting of the Mekong. This book also serves as a useful travel guide to those interested in following their path along the mighty river.” —Brian Eyler, author of Last Days of the Mighty Mekong “Dave Ellingson, the Paddle Pilgrim, and his brave crew set out to kayak the Mekong River and experience beautiful scenes and diverse cultures. When they were challenged by difficult conditions they slowed down and ‘lingered with the lotus’ and were assisted by ‘river angels’ who were very different, but had one important thing in common, they welcomed the visitors with generous hospitality. Their adventure encourages us all to leave the shore and go on bold adventures!” —Kieu Thoan Thu, Editor, The Hanoi Times, Vietnam |
Noticing: Poems & Pictures from Everyday Life
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In our busy lives we often miss the beauty along our path. We don't "notice" the luminous landscapes and the people around us who bring us joy or who are experiencing loss. These poems are the products of paying attention and slowing down to experience life more deeply.
Purchase on Amazon.com or get an autographed copy through the Paddle Pilgrim Store. Review: "Ellingson's poems are an adventure. They are connected to the simplicity of nature and the complications of the human experience. The pieces have texture, irony, truth and honesty. He uses everyday experiences as the stage for broader ideas and asks the reader to think critically. Dave has lived his life through the lens of adventure. It is evident in the works of this collection." ~Christian Paige, Emmy-nominated Poet, Educator, Speaker |
Paddle Pilgrim: Kayaking the Mississippi River Headwaters in a Time of Climate Change
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This book chronicles a several-week adventure on the “headwaters” of the Mississippi River. Learn what the river teaches about the environment, native peoples, history, geology, economics, and spirituality, and the urgency of a renewed stewardship of the “Father of Waters” and “Mother Earth.”
Purchase on Amazon.com. Review: “Classroom, cathedral or sweat lodge? David Ellingson’s 2021 paddle down the Mississippi’s Headwaters, from Bemidji to Aitkin, was challenged by high temperatures, low water, many mosquitoes, and all the beauty and grace of the natural world. The answer: the river is all three, and the experience is worth sharing.” -Molly McGregor, Regional Planner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
Grizz & His Friends
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Grizz is a big, old bear with lots of friends like Sally the Sparrow, Timothy Turtle, Pedro the Porcupine and Sylvia the Salmon. They live in a peaceful valley by a beautiful river flowing out of the mountains. Through their adventures they learn to work together to solve problems like hunger, loneliness, injury, an avalanche, a drought, and a flood. Become one of Grizz’s friends on his exciting adventures.
Purchase on Amazon.com. Review: With its winning combination of warm-hearted stories and evocative illustrations, all designed for telling and showing, Grizz and His Friends is a wonderful resource for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and older siblings, who want to engage and entertain young listeners at bedtime (or anytime) and keep them wanting more. -David Patneaude, Award-Winning Author |
Paddle Pilgrim: Kayaking the Fjords of Norway
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Come along on a month-long paddle adventure on the magnificent Sogne and Hardanger Fjords in Norway as Ellingson explores the area where his ancestors lived before emigrating to America in the 1850’s.
Purchase on Amazon.com Excerpt: As I paddle my natal fjord I think of my grandma, Helen. I wonder if she ever dreamed of her home land as she put on her native dress, the bunad, and made lefse, romegrot, and krumkake? As I traverse these holy waters, I have come to feel a deep connection with and care for this place that was home to my family. In a very profound way, it is becoming home to me. "Grandma, I am home and wish you were here." Review: "In my over 90 journeys to Norway I have visited many of the towns Dave Ellingson paddled to. His compelling stories and stellar pictures truly bring this spectacular fjord country to life. I felt like I was there with him." -Sir Chuck Nelson, Knight First Class to the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit |
Say What: A Fresh Look at Old Sayings
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This book takes a fresh look at familiar expressions, old sayings, ancient adages and popular phrases. Whether hearing them for the first time or once again, you can decide if they contain a measure of wisdom and direction for your daily life.
Purchase on Amazon.com Listen to Podcast Excerpt: When I look back over the many twists and turns in my life-adventure, I have come to see that "God writes straight with crooked lines." With 20/20 hindsight, the detours and diversions-even the roadblocks- make sense and are often places where I have experienced God's presence. My teacher Henri Nouwen once told me "It's good to plan but often it's the interruptions to your plans that are the most important moments." Review: "Ellingson’s latest literary pilgrimage Say What? A Fresh Look at Old Sayings brings his wise and often humorous insight to life quotes, proverbs and familiar sayings. Dave peels the paint on some familiar quotes often putting an old saying in a new suit of clothes with a personal anecdote. Get Dave’s new book. You won’t regret it." -Doug Tolmie, Emmy-winning television writer/producer |
Paddle Pilgrim: Kayaking the Erie Canal and Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty
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This book chronicles a three-week kayak adventure down the historic Erie Canal and the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty.
Purchase on Amazon.com Excerpt: On the water Alone Paddling Noticing In the Moment Not living In the past Or future Hearing birdsong Feeling the breeze Smelling the Earth Tasting an apple Beholding fall colors Coming alive Review: "The Erie Canal-which fostered the economic, political, social, and religious development of the nation-has a spiritual connection with those who ply it waters, but until now no one has articulated this with such eloquence." -Jeff Gritsavage, New York State Canal Corporation |
Paddle Pilgrim: An Adventure of Spirit and Learning Kayaking the Mississippi River
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Paddle Pilgrim describes this “adventure of a lifetime” and recounts experiences from basking in a sublime sunset in Minnesota to dancing with a snake on an Arkansas sandbar.
Purchase on Amazon.com Excerpt: With a huge crash of thunder the gale commenced with a force I could never have imagined. Lightning flashed on all sides. As a boy in Iowa, I remember my grandfather describing a bad storm as a “gully-washer”. I hoped I wouldn’t be washed away. The wind crescendoed to a deep-throated growl. Its strength pushed against my tent with such force that I feared I would be picked up and thrown into the river. In desperation I stretched out my body and lay prone on the floor of my tent in an attempt to add my body mass to my gear, tent stakes and ropes which were now whistling with the strain of the wind’s gusts. Review: "The reader is blessed to have the opportunity to join Dave in the cockpit of his kayak for the adventure of a lifetime. Dave brings the river and its colorful inhabitants to life. You will be inspired to take your own journey of discovery and renewal." -Jim Lewis, Author and Adventurer |
Biblical Wisdom for a Digital Age
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Exploring 50 carefully chosen biblical phrases or proverbs, Ellingson captures familiar sayings and essential teachings of the Christian faith.
Purchase on Amazon.com Excerpt: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 We know deep in our bones that its message is true, that God’s word found in the Bible can be a lamp and a light which gives direction to our lives. But amid all the voices which promise light in our busy lives, the Bible sits on the shelf unopened, and the light flickers and fades as we walk our daily path. Perhaps another reason we don’t open our Bibles and let the light shine is we feel inadequate to the task. Our lack of knowledge of the Bible discourages us. We have friends who really know the Bible and by comparison we feel like we are back in Sunday School. Our biblical illiteracy leads us to feel incompetent and we either rely on others to tell us what the Bible says or we abandon the whole enterprise as beyond our ability. Or maybe we have never opened the Bible and the enterprise overwhelms us because it like learning a whole new language and culture. Take heart, friend, for you may know more than you realize. Review: "This gem of a book offers 50 carefully chosen biblical phrases or proverbs, which capture familiar sayings and essential teachings of the Christian faith. Each phrase is accompanied by a short reflection, questions to ponder, and suggestions for personal devotion or meaningful interaction and conversation between household members, groups of teens or in multi-generational small groups. Dave Ellingson’s proverbial wisdom along with words from scripture will trigger one’s own stories and the further nurturing of one’s faith in a fast-paced world." -Linda Staats, HomeGrown Faith |
My Body, My Life
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Learn how you can combine prayer, praise, and the spiritual with work, play, and the physical for a healthier and more joyful Christian life.
Purchase on Amazon.com Excerpt: Our senses of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch are our bodies in conversation with the world around us. Our spirits would exist in vacuous nothingness without our bodies. They would miss the warming sun, the smell of freshly baked bread, and the perspiration of play. Through our bodies we experience the treasures of God's creation. And through our bodies we sense the presence of God in these treasures. Through our senses we are literally touched by God. Review: "David R. Ellingson and Darcy D. Jensen convincingly show the intimate connections between "a life in the spirit" and "a life in the body." In a very concrete and practical way they illustrate the importance of wholistic living, a living in which deep prayer, healthy eating habits, and balanced physical exercises are all important elements in the maturation process of a person. An excellent book for all those who do not want to separate holiness from wholeness." - Henri J. M. Nouwen, Author of many books on Spirituality |
