The Desert Place

Blessed be your name,
when I'm found in the desert place,
though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be your name.

The above lyrics are from a verse of one of my favorite praise songs, "Blessed Be Your Name", by Matt Redman.  The main gist of the song- if you haven't heard it-is that we are to bless the Lord's name, regardless of the circumstances present in our lives.

I started thinking about this song, and specifically this verse, after a talk with my friend Sarah yesterday while our kids played on the playground.  She, like me, has had her ups and downs while in Turkey.  We were each discussing our journeys when she said something that struck me.  She referred to this time as her families "time is the desert".  As this idea rolled around in my brain, I realized that this is EXACTLY how I would describe the way I feel about my time here. 

Max Lucado once said "God orders our lives as He does nature....in seasons".  We all have "desert seasons" in our lives.  Some are more harsh or profound than others.  But regardless of the specific circumstance, they are times when much of our comfort and security are removed and we are forced to look at where we place our trust.  My time in Turkey has been just that. 

Don't get me wrong.  I am not saying that the last year and a half of my life has been miserable.  Far from it. I don't want anyone to misunderstand that.  But it has at many times been uncomfortable.  It has felt at times almost as if I was living someone else's  life, floating above everything until the day we leave and things return to normal again.  Much like wandering in the desert. 

My prayer is that I will be better for my time in the desert.  I pray that I honor the Lord and am found faithful in this journey.  And I know this isn't my last time in the desert, but I am thankful that He will not leave me in the wilderness forever.

Blessed be his name.