Lessons from the Desert

Lessons From the Desert

Submitted by Merry Bruton

My husband and I were 'planted' in Abilene, Texas--for the second time--seventeen years ago. Just out of college, we escaped this fine little West Texas city the first time to move to Denver, where we fully fell in love with mountains and cool weather for ten glorious years.  Following a dream, we then sold everything we owned in hopes of moving to a foreign mission field--with a planned year-long stop backin Abilene for training and fundraising.

But we never made it to our desired destination, getting 'stuck' in Abilene--sigh--again. The people are wonderful here, but scenery is sadly lacking, especially if one has been spoiled by living in pretty places. Believing that we were supposed to 'bloom where we are planted', we put down roots, raised our children, and have ever been trusting that we have a mission to accomplish here, and that in God's timing, we might get to relocate to a more pleasant place of paradise.

We have learned to be content in the waiting for change, but not without some groaning. Our spirits sometimes sag with the  summer heat (yesterday it was 107.6 degrees in the shade), high electric bills, hot winds, fried, brown lawns, and dust storms that leave your teeth gritty if you dare try to smile outside. And smile big, we try--it makes life more enjoyable.

Just a few lessons learned from Desert Time (think metaphorically):

* Desert seasons produce hardy people. We have no mountains to escape to or to 'wander around'. Landscape seems flat and boring. We see the wide horizon, but any change ahead seems, oh, so far off. Strong character is produced as we practice taking scorching 'heat' with gracious patience, living life faithfully, making a difference around us, one day at a time--while keeping our eyes focused on dreams ahead.

* Help the weaker ones. Spiritually speaking, we must put others' needs first. To share with those who are struggling, help them keep protected along their journey. We do this out of our own strengths and victories.

* It's easy to get dehydrated, so drink a lot. Water, yes. Fine wine occasionally, yes. Spirit, most definitely yes! Drink deep, drink long, drink until we are full, every day. Because we humans leak and need a constant refilling and refueling in order to survive. We may look parched or weather-worn on the outside, but inwardly, we are being renewed day by day by the One who made us.

* It only takes a careless spark to start a wildfire. "By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." (James 3:6) It is easier to prevent a fiery disaster than to control it once it has begun. Note to self: Quit complaining!

* Sometimes relief comes in the form of a storm. We pray consistently for welcome 'rain' and the answers often appear in the form of pounding hail, tornados, water torrents, or high winds--that force violent cleansing within our lives. Allowing our roots to go deep during difficult times keeps our foundation firm when we are shaken to the core.  

* We all need to take a break once in a while. Get out of dodge, take a vacation, refresh in a different locale. See another part of the world--we return 'home' with a renewed perspective that will sustain us until seasons change.

Just call me 'Desert Rose'--because I am hoping and learning to thrive by blooming and producing divine fragrance in all sorts of dry places.

Question: What kinds of adversity are you learning to persist through? What's your strategy? What are some of the lessons you have learned in the process?
 

Merry Bruton's blog  Dream Interpretation

Truth and Reality from a Divine Perspective: What is Really Going On?

Quite often when we experience transition in our lives, it can mirror similar shifts in our surrounding spiritual atmosphere at the same time. We may dream of something happening, and then it does. This serves as a physical reminder of the fact that we are the blessed recipients of divine communication.

Things unseen and unperceived, with little tangible tripping truth reminders, are happening all around us, but how aware are we of what is really ‘going down’—so that we can cooperate with positive change, or fight to reverse a negative progression?

What do we do with what we ‘see’ or ‘hear’, or perceive, from our senses, intuition, from people around us, from our dreams, from Spirit? Do we trust that what we are being shown is reliable information, test it, and then act on it?

Or do we dismiss it, thinking we are making it up on some level, not giving credibility to revelation or insights that may not seem concrete enough? How much trust do we put into how circumstances seem to appear to us? Are we able to peer behind the scenes to identify spiritual forces in action?

How would we live our days differently if our eyes and hears could discern with absolute certainty the truths surrounding our choices, our jobs, our loved ones? If we could see what others do not, would we act confidently on information—even if it looks strange or contrary to popular belief—trusting that everything will work out better in the end?

Ancient scriptures tell us to ‘fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,” because “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Your circumstances may not actually be what they appear...there is much more going on in your life in hidden ways that are often illustrated and confirmed by events in the natural. There is always MORE than what you can see, believe, or imagine for your life. You can listen for it, look for it, bank on it, trust it with all your heart, believe it, hope for it, work toward it, take courage and then GO for it!