We don’t often choose the wilderness, but sometimes God leads us straight into it.

The wilderness can feel endless—dry, quiet, and lonely. It’s that space where nothing is blooming, and God’s voice can feel distant.

But what if that season is not a punishment but an invitation?

A trial that isn’t designed to break you—but to reveal what’s eternal within you?

If you’re walking through a wilderness season right now, I see you.

I’ve been there.

And I want to share some practical things that helped me—spiritually, emotionally, and mentally—as I walked with God through my own valleys.

1. Remember What God Has Already Done

Sometimes the only light in the valley is memory. Remembering what God has already done.

There were nights I sat with my journal, eyes blurry with tears, and flipped back to pages where I had written down past victories. They weren’t big miracles—just moments where God met me, reminded me I was not alone, or helped me make it through a challenge or a moment of desperation.

Scripture reminds us to remember:

“Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.” —Psalm 105:5

Remembering My Time In Italy

About a year ago, I remember coming home from work and feeling completely alone. I didn’t have many close Christian friends at the time, and the ones I did have felt more surface-level than deeply rooted. I still had a strong desire to share my faith with others, but the rejection and isolation I was experiencing made me second-guess whether anyone wanted to hear what I believed about God.

One evening, as I flipped through old journal entries, I was reminded of something powerful: God had already given me glimpses of what He could do through my obedience.

A few months earlier, I was walking the streets of Milan, trying to make my way back to a conference on the other side of the city. My phone battery was nearly dead (as usual), so I approached the first person I saw to ask for directions. Just around the corner stood a young man named Luca. I asked him how to get back—and we ended up talking for a few minutes.

Before we parted, I felt prompted to share the gospel with him. We exchanged contact information and stayed in touch briefly after I left Italy.

Months passed, and honestly, our communication faded. Then, out of nowhere, a message from Luca popped up on my phone.

He told me he had accepted Jesus!

He thanked me for what I shared with him—that our conversation changed his life.

When I start to feel isolated, misunderstood, or discouraged, I think about Luca. I remember that there are people—like him, like me, like you—who need to hear the good news.

Remembering moments like that helps restore my hope and reignites my faith.

When the present feels heavy, look back. What wilderness has He already led you through? When you remember, you realize he will do it again.

2. Practical Anchors for the Journey

These were my anchors—the truths I clung to even when I didn’t feel them:

• Trust God: When I didn’t understand, I leaned on His nature.
• God is good: Even when my feelings told me otherwise.
• God’s love is unwavering: I am not forgotten.
• “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5): I repeated this like a heartbeat.

I also kept these practices in rotation:

• Writing daily prayers, even if they were one sentence long.
• Listening to worship music in the morning before my phone.
• Connecting with other Christians that can help me remember the goodness of God and speak life into my soul.

Reflections from last weeks church Retreat

Last week, I was going through such. a. hard. time. I felt emotionally low, and my body had little to no energy. The one thing keeping me afloat was the anticipation of an upcoming church retreat—hosted at a dreamy hotel tucked away in the Virginia countryside.

As the weekend approached, church staff sent out email reminders: packing lists, directions, schedules, and weather updates. The forecast? Grey skies, nonstop rain, and even storm warnings. Basically, the least ideal weather for a peaceful time away.

Still, I held on to the excitement of spending the weekend with two friends I’d recently grown close to. Their presence already felt like part of the healing.

As I left my house to pick them up, I looked up at the sky—it was heavy with dark clouds, and I could almost feel the rain about to break loose. My phone buzzed: “Severe storm warning watch.”

I started praying out loud as I drove toward Arlington.

“Lord, please—clear the skies. Bring the sun. Let me drive on dry pavement the whole way there. In Jesus’ name, clear the sky.”

And I felt peace. A deep, calming peace that didn’t come from what I saw, but from Who I knew.

As I worshipped in the car, I let my fears about the weather go and focused on Jesus. I picked up my friends, and as we hit the road to the retreat, I looked up—and realized: the sky had cleared.

By the next day, at the retreat, the sun was fully out—shining in all its glory. It felt like the gloomy predictions had never existed.

Here’s the wild part: the packing list strongly recommended rain gear, but I had only packed summer clothes—shorts, tanks, and dresses. Something in my spirit must have known. Even with the storm warning, I had this seed-sized faith that God would come through.

And He did.

I felt the presence of the Lord that weekend—not just in the sunshine, but in the small miracle of answered prayer, of joy where there had been sadness, and in the quiet reminder: He sees me.

3. What the Wilderness Produced

Looking back, the wilderness stripped away distractions and surface faith. It brought me back to raw trust. I began to crave God—not blessings, not breakthroughs—but Him.

The outcome? A deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit, a tenderness in prayer, and a quiet confidence that God really is with me through the valley.

This past season hasn’t been easy. Between multiple funerals, conflict at work, loneliness, and so many unknowns, I’ve had no choice but to wrestle with what it really means to walk by faith.

Recently, I listened to a podcast where Mia Fieldes shared her testimony—her journey through health struggles and eventually meeting her husband. One thing she said deeply impacted me: without the moments where she had no control, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to let go and actually live out her faith.

That truth hit me hard.

If I had everything figured out—if I knew exactly what was coming next—I wouldn’t have the chance to experience the beauty and wonder of stepping into the unknown with Jesus.

Faith isn’t just a mindset. It’s movement. It’s trust in action.

Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction of what we do not see. That truth has become my anchor.

This season of surrender keeps reminding me to walk in humility—to step forward knowing that any “success” I experience doesn’t come from my strength or strategy. It’s all God.

I’m just a tiny jar of clay—fragile in so many ways—but I serve a BIG God. A God who fights my battles, gives good gifts, and remains steady in His love. He delights in giving, and He delights in me.

More than anything, I’ve come to treasure His presence and the deep assurance I feel in my spirit. It’s more valuable than anything I could touch or earn.

How Do You Know You’re in a Wilderness Season?

• You feel spiritually dry or distant from God.
• You’re in a transition without clarity.
• You’re battling discouragement and feel unseen.
• You’re stripped of what used to bring comfort or identity.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not broken—you’re being rebuilt. And God hasn’t abandoned you. Jesus Himself walked through the wilderness. You are in sacred company.

So hold on. Let your roots grow deep in what is unseen. You are being prepared.

A Prayer for You

Father God, I Thank you. God, thank you because you are so wonderful. You counsel us through every need, and your power is for everlasting. Father, please forgive us if we have let you down or if we have turned our attention from you to the fleeting things of this world.

Holy spirit, I invite you in. I invite you to abide in my life today and to help my walk more closely to your will.

Father God, I pray for whoever may be reading this today. You know the valley they may be walking through, and you know their every need. Lord, I pray you carry their burdens and extend your peace. Allow them to experience the glory of your presence as they learn to walk in faith.

Father God, I pray you help them bloom as a beautiful flower tall and bright as the sun. Paint their story for your glory and show them you are near.

In Jesus Name

Amen!