There is Life In the Desert

"I will lead her into the desert
 and speak tenderly to her there.
 I will return her vineyards to her
and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.
She will give herself to me there,
as she did long ago when she was young,
when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.
When that day comes,” says the Lord,
“you will call me ‘my husband’
 instead of ‘my master.’"~Hosea 2:14-16

Almost eight years ago my life was broken. My marriage was broken.  I was broken.  My husband went to work for a different company which meant a new move to a completely unfamiliar town.  It was only 2 hours away from family and friends, but it felt as if we were moving to our own private island away from everyone and everything we ever knew.  Other than going to college, we both had pretty much grown up and lived in our hometown our entire life. 

No friends to numb the pain of a broken marriage.  No spending time with family to avoid being around my husband.  Afterall, this was an era before facebook or twitter.  Empty. I had nothing to give. Hopeless and defeated. I just gave up caring altogether.  Lost. I had tried my way and failed. I didn't know where to go with my life. 

But He did.

He knew exactly where to lead me....into the desert. 

Often times we feel the dryness of an upcoming desert and we do everything we can to avoid it.  We self medicate on food, facebook, or other distractions.  The discomfort of stillness runs us mad.  But gently, He leads into the arid, away from everyone and everything.  We reach out to grab something to hang onto, yet we only grab sand that slips away from our grip.  He has something to tell us...some word of life that comes like a whisper and lights upon our heart.  It is here that we feed on The Bread of Life.  It is here that He satisfies more that the richest foods. It is here that he creates streams of Living Water.

Eight years ago He led me into the desert to tell me that I was His and He is mine.  And in that desert He restored.  My broken marriage was healed.  I was filled.  I was victorious. I had hope. I was found.  No, not just because my marriage was no longer broken, but because I allowed my Savior to save me from myself.  The healed marriage was just the fruit from the vineyard that was returned, renewed, restored. 

This year, after 8 amazing years, the Lord moved us on toward another adventure.  We returned to our hometown to plant a church.  While our hometown was always home in our minds, I have to say, it hasn't felt like home in our hearts.  For 8 years we graphed ourselves into a new community. Serving Christ, laughing, crying, worshipping, loving, growing.  In November, we unpacked the boxes and prepared for Christmas. Yet something familiar hung in the air.  No longer broken, no longer hopeless, but yet something familiar.  Ahh, it is the arid hint of desert that He gently escorts me toward.  It is the stillness found in the lack of new friends.  It is the sandy business that we grasp in desperation but can't quite hold onto. 

He still leads me.  And so I eagerly await his tender whispers.
There is Life in the desert.