...and the woman fled into the wilderness,

where she has a place

          prepared by God,

in which she is to be nourished

                for 1260 days.

                Revelation 12. 6

(The wilderness even in our lives

only appears

    as barren and bleak and scary,

but throughout Scripture,

the wilderness is a place God uses

     to bring us closer to Him

--a place not of abandonment

       but His Spirit there,

not a place of famine

   but of intense nourishment,

not a place of fear

                but of trusting Him.

God has prepared a place for us,

His Presence surrounding us.

"Do not fear.  I am with you.")

O LORD,

Help us to know that

just because we do not understand

   does not mean You are not in it.

And just because this is really hard

   does not mean You have not

                  appointed us here

to bear witness,

to bring the name of Jesus there,

to love You and those we find here,

to seek the welfare of this place,

to bring You glory and honor.