A sweet friend of mine recently shared with me a phrase she found in one of her old journals. She wasn’t sure, now, if they were her words or someone else’s, and because I can’t find them attributed to anyone else (let me know if you do), I will assume they are hers. So, Lisa, this is for you.

An abundant life blooms on desert rock readied.

Actually, it’s not just for Lisa. It’s for you, and me, too, and anyone else who has spent any amount of time circling in a dry, hot, dusty desert place.

If we choose to go it alone in this barren land, it’s likely to leave us hard and parched and cracked from lack of moisture. The blazing winds will blow like a furnace across our stony hearts, causing the sand to rub and erode their walls. By ourselves, we’re more prone to expend our last bit of energy in a frantic search for the elusive way out, and, in the process, finally succumb to a sandy burial.

However, these wilderness journeys are often orchestrated by God Himself; trials ordained, not for punishment, but for our benefit. He has used them over and over throughout Scripture, and continuing in our lives today, as a means of preparing His people – US – for the next “chapter” of life.

Submitting to His lead through the sandy dunes removes the panic of going it alone. It allows a time of quiet and communion unlike any other, though the journey may be rough. With Him, the constant friction of wind on rock will still cause some erosion. But it will be a softening of sharp edges, and the sediment leftover will settle in the cracks of our hearts, and be nourished by a steady flow of Living Water. Instead of becoming lost and giving ourselves over to the desert, a beautiful bloom rises from the broken place, face to the heavens…a sign of healing…a sign of strength.

Abundant life blooms on desert rock readied.

More than ready for whatever He has planned next.

 

On the other side of a long desert journey {that I thought was done a couple of times, but, alas, was not! :)}, I’m excited to really, truly be back! I want to give a shout-out to Jen at Blue Yonder Design, for doing such a terrific job on this blog redesign…doesn’t it look great?