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An Honest Account of Love, Grief and Walking With God
Finding God's Goodness in Life's Disappointments

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Trusting God in the desert

Trusting God in the desert
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
November 2018




Sitting on the front of the suburban in a quail hunting seat, driving through acres of the west Texas desert in Alpine, I had many different  thoughts that ran through my head. I was eager to jump off the seat and run chasing quail. I love the sport of quail hunting and they are great to eat. I was also how thankful I was for the opportunity to hunt with my husband, son, granddaughter, Collins and my step son and his wife.

The sun was shining bright and a cold wind was blowing viscously, leaving  a layer of dust over everything. This desert would not be an easy place to live and I was thankful that I was born in this century,  and not in the pioneer days of riding in a wagon. 

As I road, I began to thank God for blessings I saw in my life and pray about several difficult situations that were on my heart. I also prayed for  people I knew were struggling this holiday season. Giving thanks always puts our heart in a good place and can open our hearts to hear God. 

My oldest son Austin
About that time, a covey of quail ran  to the right of us, and I bolted out of the seat to go after them. Although I went as fast as I could up the rocky hill, and fired several shots, the quail were fast and won that round…

As I walked back to the suburban, I continued talking to God. A strong gust of wind blew and the tall grass around me,  laid down from the force of the gust. I could not see the wind, but I could see evidence of it and feel it. 

I felt God speak to me in that moment, saying, “Kathleen, I am working in ways in your life that you cannot see. Trust me.” 

Thanksgiving Day with Barrett and Aimee Rambie
I stood still, took a deep breathe and let the words sink into my heart. I could feel God’s presence surround me and His peace in the middle of the desert. Although the things I was praying are not what I would consider crisis level, nor do I feel like I’m currently in a desert in my life, it was a precious moment I wanted to savor.

Isaiah 43:18 states, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (NIV) 

I am sure Mary, the mother of Jesus, had to wonder about having a baby in a stable. I am not sure any woman would want to give birth in that atmosphere but Mary trusted God. It was in that tough or desert place, the Savior was born. God was weaving a beautiful story that would forever change the lives of many, as one woman simply trusted God. 

Miss Collins, my oldest grand daughter





Often times we can miss what God is doing and think He does not care or is not with us, when in fact, He is very busy working on our behalf. We must trust God’s great love for us and trust that He is working, even when we cannot see it or feel it.

I frequently ask God to open my eyes to see things from His perspective, and reveal truth to me. All of us need God’s help, perspective, truth and we should always be teachable and seek Him.

Psalms 63:1 says, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.” 

Are you seeking God in your personal wilderness or hard place? Finances, difficulty with a teenager or loved one, conflict at work, tension at home, sickness? Any of these things can make us feel like we are in a dry place. 

Often times, we can miss what God is doing and think He does not care or is not with us, when in fact, He is very busy working on our behalf. We can miss the majesty in our desert and hard times,  if we are not careful. Leaning on God and drawing close to Him changes us and brings out our beauty. I have discovered that some situations are more about changing us, than our difficulty. 

Psalms 107:35 tells us, “He turned a desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs.” That is a powerful promise to hang on to this holiday season.

At the end of my day hunting quail over the rocky and dusty desert, I was tired, covered in dust and yet my heart was full. I enjoyed teaching my five year old grand daughter how to open and close gates on the ranch, showing her javelina and antelope, teaching her the names of the surrounding mountains and how to quail hunt. Even though this was not the best hunt I’ve had, I got a few birds, found adventure in the parched land, enjoyed time with family, my husband and God. 

teaching Collins to open gates
As our time in Alpine continued, I saw evidence that God was working in the areas I had been praying about, just like I saw the evidence of the wind blowing. Walking with Him in the desert is the best way to travel.

What is your desert right now? What area of your life do you need to trust God to make a stream in your desert? I challenge you to pour out your heart to Him, seek Him, and let God lead you through your wilderness. Keep trusting that God loves you dearly and is working in ways you may not be able to see.




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Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love, You can reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

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