Series: The Birth of Something New (# 1 Wilderness)

Thanks for the comments yesterday! I'm encouraged to know that other mom's are on this same journey with me...passionately pursuing God's dreams in the midst of a season of mothering small children. It's a process and I'm so excited to see what God will bring of it!

I want to share some about my journey these past few months and the birth of Storehouse Crafts with you. I thought maybe I'd do a short series of posts over the next week or so! Hope that's okay!

First, I want to talk about my journey into the wilderness that began about a year and half ago. It seems that when we have walked with Jesus long enough, that inevitably He invites us into a wilderness season...that's right...I said "invites us." It's an honor to follow Him into the wild and uncertain and hard. I have found depth in Him that could not have otherwise been found if I had not followed my Jesus into the desert places.

Speaking of the wilderness..

This is the tattoo on my right wrist.

"But then I will win her back once again.
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 captivity in Egypt."

Hosea 2:24-15
(NLT)





This is my life passage. God spoke this so clearly over my life when I first came back to the Lord in college. Actually, it was the novel Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers that really stirred this word from God in my heart. I was the wayward wife...I was the wondering and double-minded Gomer. But, Jesus in His mercy lead me into the desert and spoke tenderly to me there.

He continues to speak tenderly to me there.

The wilderness...

I used to think that the wilderness implied a separation from God, a dry season, a trying season. But, I have followed Him into the wilderness and what I found there was more of Him and a greater realization in my heart that I am nothing without Him. That I desperately need more of Him and that sometimes the "MORE" that we are crying out for is only found within the trials of life if we press into Him.

February of 2010, I had Sawyer Bear. He is joy in our family! However, as soon as he was born...my husband started traveling a lot for his job. A LOT. Every week, overnight, three days gone from us. It was hard...I felt alone. I felt overwhelmed. And I cried out for MORE of God. He began to speak that He had something more for us. We clung to that and sought Him for direction. Even as we clung to the promise, though, I felt like this season would overtake me. I was tired, I was empty, I was not being the mommy I so wanted to be to my boys.

But, He had invited me into this wilderness with Him...would I except the offer, or would I run the other way? Would I follow Him into the desert and see the riches of who He is in that place?

I said yes...slowly...but I said yes. And in that place, my heart came alive.