The desert wildreness is a seemingly barren place.  A dry place. Stale. Growth seems impossible.  Unless the roots of  a plant goes deep into the ground, it will shrivel up and die.  I've never been to an actual desert, but I would imagine that the time there seems to be longer than it actually is.  Especially as the suns heat is absorbed by your skin and shade from the harsh rays cannot be found. Truly, deserts are unforgiving to those who do not know how to survive in the harsh conditions.   Yet throughout scripture we see various people in the wildreness.  The Israelites, John the Baptist, and of course, Jesus, who retreated to was driven by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness for 40 days and was tempted by the devil.  But ultimately He prevailed and was strengthened enough to endure and persevere through the coming trials. 

Sprititually, I'm feeling like I'm in one of those desert wildernesses.  I cannot get enough to drink, there isn't shelter from the heat of life's issues, sometimes I just want to give up and allow the desert to consume me.  It's taken a while, but somewhere along this journey in the wilderness I remembered that faith is the evidence of things that are unseen.  Thanks to a measure of grace, I know God is near to me, I know worship is necessary even if it just feel like I am saying a bunch of words, I know that continuing to praise God is of absolute necessity. I know that I have to return to a place of faith, even if I cannot see the clouds that will hold the rain, I know faith is necessary. I'm finally there, I have finally returned to that place of faith.  The rains will come again. The desert will bloom. I will be taken into the places promised to me. "Stay in a place of faith and He will always protect you" -Brenda Peters.

"For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.  The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water" Isaiah 35:6

More Here...

Here's an odd prayer request for you.

A couple months ago I was informed by a complete stranger in a coffee shop that if I continue to talk the way I do that I will do permanant damage to my vocal chords. (she was a voice coach and heard me talking and wanted to let me know)

Interning at the house of prayer I've been singing more and this week I also started prayer leading (so lots of time on the mic.)  In addition to this, I have started voice lessons. Today during lessons the teacher and I became fully aware that I'm constantly tightening my vocal chords and that I need to break that habit.   Now that I know tighteness in your vocal chords is a bad thing, I'm fully aware of it and it really hurts. Kinda like, oh, this isn't normal.

In order to break said habit, I have to first get my vocal chords back to a place where they are loose...which means no singing or talking for the next 24 hours.   Then once I do begin using my voice again it needs to be done with extreme care.  ...not sure how this is gonna work. I gotta break my bad habit (idk how to break it exactly) but then learn how to properly speak/sing.   

Be praying for God's grace in this bad-habit-breaking and good-habit-building process. Pray that there isn't permanant damage and that all temporary damage will heal quickly.