Walking in the desert has taught me, like Ray Vanderlaan that God wants to carry the burdens that you have been stuffing along the way of life.

1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior Isaiah 43

I was reminded once again of the struggles people carry. The burdens that seem to be so heavy that it causes chaos and brokenness in peoples lives. Watching this walking with God in the desert video reminded me once again the purpose of our desert experiences in our lives and why I needed to walk through that barren waste land when we encountered the worse nightmare of any parent, the loss of a child.

The bible, I have discovered, is a living history book filled with stories of God's love and provision for those who are broken, filled with chaos, wandering aimlessly around the desert.  For it is in the desert that God is able to grab our attention to remind us that He is all we need.  It is in the desert that he provides just enough to get through each day. By this same token it isn't in our prosperity that God grabs us because there are so many distractions that seemingly crowd him out.

I remembered in my younger days going on a boundary water canoe trip, carrying huge a seemingly overloaded Duluth pack wondering why my pack had to be so much heavier than all the others around me. I  remember thinking how there were so many other things I would rather be doing at the moment like attending a sporting event, watching a movie, or riding my bike than being stuck carrying this overloaded pack.  I remember my elation when I finished the trip with a new resiliency knowing that I did it.

In another sense that Duluth pack symbolizes the burdens that we all carry in this life. We suffer a loss and we toss in it all of the emotions associated with that loss. We encounter layers of family dysfunction and we toss that into our pack. As we trudge along in life we toss other kinds of hurts along the way until that is the pack becomes so heavy that it nearly causes us to collapse from the weight. I am reminded by this verse in Matthew 11 with the words of Jesus, For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” as a reminder that no matter what chaos, brokenness, dysfunction we might be carrying  Jesus wants to carry that burden for you as you walk through your desert.

I remember my desert experience in the days, months and years following our loss. I remember the loneliness, the sense of abandonment, the sense of wondering how in the world I would ever survive such  a experience, and how I was going to get my family out the other side without losing any of them. Then I remembered that I can't, but God can. 

Placing one foot in front of the other and looking toward the cross of salvation I lead my family forward though the slippery sands of the desert going from one Sabbath day of worship to the next. I learned from my desert experience that  God will never forsake you, nor leave you  ( Deurteronomy 3:6)

I encourage you that no matter what you are carrying give it over to Jesus Christ. He alone was God's instrument for our salvation. He alone was resurrected. He is our living savior who continues to reside in us  who believe. 

 Your desert experience doesn't have to be your end. No. Your desert experience can be the sign to those around you that God is so real that he brought you out a stronger, more resilient person. 

Your desert experience just may be God's instrument to lead others to salvation!