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EMBRACE THE WILDERNESS, CHAPTER 1
The wilderness is generally a place one wishes to avoid. If it has to be, then at best some might tolerate it. But to desire it … long for it … embrace it!?
Yet it is in the wilderness that we hear the most passionate words of kindness imaginable. This is written to encourage and give direction to those who are in times of deep turmoil.
A BOESMANLANDER'S STORY OF DROUGHT
Towards the end of 2005, Johnnie’s marriage proposal was as follows: “Darling, there is a drought, and I don’t know how long it will continue, but...will you marry me?” And so our fairytale began – Johnnie, who knew and feared the drought and its consequences, and me, who thought that the Boesmanland only needed faith.
CLIMBING OUT OF A DEEP HOLE
A few years ago, we were digging a well, and I decided to climb down to inspect the bottom. It was already about 12-14 metres deep, and the top third had spikes hammered into the side of the shaft to make climbing easy. For the rest of the way, footholds had been haphazardly cut out of the side walls. So down I went.
THE REMARKABLE LINK BETWEEN FAITH AND WEAKNESS
The original article was written one month after we were evicted from our farm in Zimbabwean. During the turmoil of that time I wrote this to help people understand the deep spiritual battle that one goes through at such a traumatic time. I trust that it will be an encouragement to you, whatever your personal battle might be.
WHEN I AM WEAK
Weakness is not generally a sought-after attribute, and weaklings are usually mocked or looked down upon. Most of us are really only mediocre - that is of course from the world's point of view. Yet the apostle Paul often writes about his own weakness, saying that those times of weakness were actually his times of greatest strength..