Out of the Wilderness, into the Light

Dont know how you all of you are bent spiritually, but I'm claiming the promises of My Lord this year. I've (we've)been in a "wilderness" of sorts (really since 2003) and we are looking forward to the many blessings to come this year, 8 years later!

We are looking forward to the fulfillment of a promise from God made to us in 2003. Yrs ago, after my husband lost his job, but before we lost everything, our home, cars, life in Atlanta....we contemplated where we were headed, what we should do. One night God woke my husband up from a dead sleep and told him to go downstairs. In the quiet of the dark lonely night, He told my husband He was going to lead us into a wilderness. But He said do not be afraid, that He would bring us out on the other side. We had no IDEA how dark (spiritually, emotionally, financially) that wilderness would actually be, but guess that's why its called the wilderness!

We have talked for years about being led out of the "wilderness" someday and looking forward to His fulfillment of this particular promise made to us. We thought He was leading us out in 2007, when we began our business. We were finally seeing the light! But, to our despair, that turned out to be a path that led us TRULY into the depth of the darkest times anyone could ever imagine. Anyone who knows us intimately knows the depths of this new valley we were led into. We wandered in this dark place the last 3 years really. The heartache, the despair, the loneliness, bitterness, the loss of real hope at times.....

Sadly, it obviously wasnt the right time.

But slowly, we have seen the hand of God working in the last year. He would show us these precious moments, these glimmers of light in the darkness. Moments of peace and srenity among the chaos, these were glittering stars of hope that I particularly clung to as I cried out in the Wilderness.

God brought a broken family together again, restored our ability to survive, maybe even thrive in this economy. Spiritually we have had moments of true restoration in many ways. Depression is always an ugly beast that threatens to engulf me. But as I rely on the Holy Spirit, this beast many times is turned into a glorifying light of insight, wisdom and true thankfulness for God's provision and Love. I have tasted the true meaning of God's wisdom when Christ said, "My power is made perfect in weakness." It is often at these times and these times alone, that God can actually get through to me. It seems only then, because I am so full of despair, I finally cry out to Him for His presence.

Why does it take so long for us to turn to Him?

I have just felt in my gut that the Spirit is leading us to the fulfillment of that promise. Many weird "coincidences" have revealed themselves to me and I cant help but feel a sense of expectation. The number 8 is many times the number signifying New Beginnings. Well...not only is it the beginning of the 8th year since this promise, but weirdly, my bday 1-14-11 also adds up to 8! Everything points to the blessing of the Lord this year. Talk about "special"!
Another weird coincidence. 14 - my bday- is also the number of deliverance in the Bible.

And the strangest one of all to me.....I am now 41 yrs old. 41 is the year that the Israelites were led into the Promised Land. I know...coincidence? Or is HE trying to tell me that this IS the time?
What do you think?

The Broken Branch

Two sticks lie fallen, stuck in the mud,
No longer as branches, no longer to bud.

One said to the other, “You’ll see one day soon!
I’ll stretch like I used to, I’ll point to the moon!”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” he replied in disgust.
“You may have held bird’s nests, but now you’re eating dust.”

*****************

The first stick continued, not to be dismayed,
He responded with Hope as his vision he laid.

“I KNOW I should be up there, swaying in the breeze,
A little part of heaven, in the glory of the trees.”

“Oh, trunk the thought now!” said the stick in the dirt,
“You’ll lay here and rot and you’ll just be hurt.”

*****************

And thus it seemed so, when thru sunshine and rain
He remained in the mud, with tears that brought pain.

Then along came a man, outcast and down.
He took the hopeful stick and carried it around.

He used it for prodding his sheep and his foals,
for walking up hills and stirring the coals.

He leaned on the stick, and to this simple end
Tte stick was content to be such a friend.

*****************

But soon in good time, God called out the man.
He said, “Go speak for me. Bring the stick in your hand.”

And so the stick’s dream caught the pity of God,
Who said, “Watch what will happen when you’re my little rod!”

Now the man raised him high, swaying in the breeze.
And we all remember his glory, when God parted the seas!



written by: Lance Beauchamp
cowritten by: Melanie Beauchamp