Out of the Wilderness

Six years ago, I began a journey that changed my life.  I had been in a long drought of wilderness travel spiritually, when I was introduced to spiritual transformation retreats.  My decision, at the start, was to jump into those retreats with both feet.  I knew I was in a spiritual void, and I wanted it filled.

I studied various topics and read related books.  I learned to listen to God as He spoke to me through His Word.  I wrote down my thoughts in a journal.  And it was through the daily reading, listening, and journaling that I began to see that God had plans for my life.  Even though I am growing older, I realized that God is not finished with me yet.  He wanted me to get back in the race and finish well.  I was awakened to the fact that God wanted so much more from me than just to be a student of the Word.  He wanted me to live the Word.

Psalm 71:17-18 reads: “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”

So, I began inviting women to meet me at places like Starbucks and Panera Bread.  I was learning to share my story and my journey from my wilderness years.  I learned to listen as women shared their stories.  God was waking me up to the cry of women’s hearts to tell their stories and share their lives with me.  The greatest cry was to see Jesus more clearly in their everyday living.
I really cannot identify the turning point from when I was inviting women to meet with me to when women just started coming to me, asking me to meet with them.  Perhaps that is when my whole attitude changed from “meet with me” to “Jesus wants to meet you where you are.”  I no longer have to look for appointments.  God brings Divine appointments to me.  I ask myself “Why the change?” Again, perhaps, because women are looking for more of Jesus in their lives, and they are asking for direction.

This certainly causes me to search the Scriptures more diligently so that I will have answers for those who seek me out.  Not that I have – or will have – all the answers.  I don’t, and I probably won’t.  But, I cannot go wrong by pointing people to Jesus.  I started on a journey to get myself out of my spiritual wilderness; as I shared with other women, I began to see them coming out of their wildernesses..

If you would like to find out more about the spiritual transformation journey such as I traveled, let me encourage you to attend Candy Anderson’s seminar on Friday afternoon at Council.  She will outline some of the steps anyone can take to leave the spiritual wilderness behind.

Article Submitted by: Fran Doty, GCW National Executive Team

Fran Doty

Fran has worked in Information Technology for over 25 years. She plays the guitar regularly on the worship team and is an active member of the Bluegrass Bee Keeper's Association. Fran and her husband, Dan, attend First Alliance Church in Lexington, KY.

One Response to “Out of the Wilderness”

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this, Fran! It is truly in those simple coffee shop meet-ups where we share our stories, that God encourages and challenges us through those stories. Thank you!!!

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