a thought

The Sahara Desert. It is the largest desert in the world. It spans 3,000 miles from east to west, and 1,200 miles from north to south. It's total area covers more than 3,000,000 square miles. Interestingly enough, the name Sahara not only means desert, but also ocean.
www.thesahara.net

I am in desperate need of Water. I am in desperate need of nourishment. How ironic that I would be taken to the desert in order to have those needs met... I was brought to the book of Hosea this morning as I was journaling and reading. I am like Gomer, Hosea's prostitute wife. The Lrd has stripped me of everything, trying to get my attention. There are still things I am holding onto, idols in my life. I don't want to release them. Sure, it may seem that I have it all figured out; I packed up my things and moved to China to do work for the Lrd. But, I still have things in which I am like Gomer. She "put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about [the Lrd]." Now, i am in the desert. There isn't anything for miles. I can run after those "lovers" all day long, but everything in the desert looks the same and I will soon, very soon, become lost. I'll never make it on my own. I must look so ridiculous running towards something that isn't there...

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 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."

This time in the desert, I will have nothing but the Lrd. Literally. It's funny. I was thinking, "Lrd, why didn't you send me to a Latin American country? That IS the place that captured my heart. Now I'm in China. What's in China for me?" It's then that I heard the Lrd speak softly to me saying, "You are not ready for Latin America. If I had moved you there right away, you still would have been dependent on yourself. You would have been too comfortable in Latin America, Emily. You need Me. Not comfort. You need Me. Not familiarity. You need Me. Me. Me. Me. ME."

I am standing in the desert. It's hot. It's lonely. But it is so beautiful. It's captivating to know that G-d loves me this much to place me here, to save me from myself and to draw me to Himself.

Moving to China has been one of the best decisions I have made in a long time.
Those of you who know me know how hard it is for me to make decisions, especially decisions concerning my future, for fear that I will make a huge mistake and ruin my life forever. (I also have the tendency of being a bit dramatic. Heh.)

My dear friend Timmie has a favorite passage of Scripture that is quickly becoming one of my own favorites -
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9