Hosea 2:14

"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her" -- Hosea 2:14

I read this verse today, and it definitely spoke volumes of my semester. This has been easily the hardest semester of my college career. Stress was taken to a whole new level and I did not handle it well. I was frequently a train-wreck frequently. It did not take much to make me melt and completely fall apart. Crying was a regular thing; my parents and my best friend got many phone calls where I was sobbing and couldn't put words together to explain what was wrong. I began to isolate myself from friends because I always had too much to do. I would go days without seeing my roommates because I would always be in my room. I was in a pretty dark place.

"Dark places" are found easily in the Bible. They are often referred to as "the wilderness" or "deserts", but regardless, they exist. God will take us into the wilderness, into these dark places, for a purpose. He uses these times that we often view as isolated and lonely to grow us. He equips us and makes us stronger; ultimately, He creates us to be more of who He needs us to be for the next season. He tenderly speaks, He softly calls our names, and beckons us near. He whispers gently, calls us by name, and breaths life back into our heavy hearts. He leads us into the desert and then He speaks tenderly to us.

But the most glorious thing comes next. He leads us out. Take Moses - He spent 40 years in the desert where the Lord prepared him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. It took 40 years of following God into the desert and Jesus speaking tenderly to Moses, reminding Moses of His Goodness, before Moses could accomplish God's Will for his life.

Deserts are hard places to be. But God promises to speak to us while we are there and to lead us out. I've been in a desert, and it's not fun. But I take hope in knowing that He is preparing me for what is next and that is enough to cause excitement. My heart starts to race and my dreams begin to run wild as I imagine what could possibly be in store at the end of this desert season.

Until then, I will continue to follow my King throughout the desert, listening to His soft whispers and quiet reassurances of His truth as He speaks tenderly to me.