Release from the Wilderness

“But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep
through the wilderness.” - Psalm 78:52 NIV

“Will you tell your story?” 

A young ministry leader asked me this question recently.

I didn’t want to jade her with the ugliness of sin and brokenness within the church. But she wanted to listen. She wanted to hear the truth. So I shared. 

As we approach the four year anniversary of the Covid pandemic shutdown, a season that none of us want to remember, I’m ready to release the additional trauma that I experienced in a toxic ministry environment. Throughout the next several months I’ll share pieces of this trauma. And then I’ll share how God has helped me move forward in the healing journey, to the point of releasing it.

There are pieces that need more progress because there isn’t a timeline for grief, but our lives are a work in progress, with God present every step of the way. 

“…but it’s God who leads you there [the wilderness] and God who leads you out.” - The Prophetic Devotional

I have felt like I have been in the wilderness for quite some time. I think it began even before the pandemic shutdown the world, but it certainly didn’t end just because I left a call, or started a new job. I am still in the wilderness.

How can I tell? It’s hard to explain. But this season has been one where God is still using me and the gifts He gave me, but He has also kept me protected as I healed.

“Still, sometimes you feel like you are going to die in the wilderness while waiting for your release.” -The Prophetical Devotional

Is God preparing to release me from the wilderness? Only His time will tell. I pray for you as you journey with me, because I know that the sharing of stories is powerful, but also triggering. I pray that as I share my story, you will find healing in your own.