God called a lot of people into the wilderness. Some of them felt a tug at their hearts to leave the ordinary world and step out into the wild, and others were driven there by the trials of life. Two years ago, I sensed the Holy Spirit drawing me into the “wilderness” of writing. I’m starting to learn some things from the journey that I would like to pass on to you.

Me Travelin' Camel Style

The Wilderness is a lonely place. When God calls you into the wilderness, He calls you to go alone. Others won’t always understand you. They won’t always see why you are doing something. Remember that God called you out–no need to understand. Oh, and don’t try to drag your friends with you. If God hasn’t called them to trek through your Wilderness, they won’t stay for very long.

The Wilderness is bigger than you think. While hiking through the Negev in 2005, I realized something: The Wilderness can be deceiving. Things are always farther away than they look. When I first began learning how to write two years ago, I thought for sure that I would have sold a screenplay or published a book by now. As of the date of this post, I haven’t sold squat.

The Wilderness is full of miracles. In the Wilderness, Elijah heard the voice of God, Moses saw a burning bush, angels came and ministered to Jesus. God loves to show off His wonders in the Wilderness. Only in these times of barrenness will we experience the miracles of God’s hand. In my personal Wilderness, I have seen how God has lead me from story to story, provided for every need, and put me in relationships with people who are levels above me.

The Wilderness will shape you like no other place. Like I said, I haven’t made a dime off of my writing, and the masses have not been exposed to my art. In fact, I’m still struggling just to understand the idea of story. But I’ve learned a lot. Every day I learn more about who I am and who God wants me to be. This learning experience has shaped me in ways that I couldn’t begin to describe to you.

The Wilderness is full of life, if you know how to look. While in the Negev, our guide told us all to look down at the ground. He asked us, “What do you see?” None of us could make out anything! We were surrounded by rocks and sandy terrain. He then stooped down and picked up what looked like a wooden, gnarled hand. “This is what the Arabs call ‘The Hand of the Prophet.’” It was a desert flower that would open it’s “hand” and bloom every eleven years when a rain would come. When the rain went away, it would go into hibernation and wait for the next shower. Who would have thought this tiny ball of brown twigs had life in it? The same is true in our Wildernesses. God has his delights and treasures waiting for us under the crags and lifeless rocks, if we would take the time to find them.

Today, I am more energized and focused than ever before on what God has called me to do. I have found life in my Wilderness. I know you can too.

Are you in a Wilderness right now? What have you learned?