My name is Olivia, and this is my attempt to focus on praising God no matter what the circumstances.
One of my favorite worship songs is "Desert Song" by Hillsong United, and that's where my blog title came from. I feel it is fitting after the lessons God's been teaching me in the past year. Here's the part I've related to the most recently:
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
This is my prayer in the fire
And weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me lord through the flames
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here
Listen to it here.
I moved to Louisiana in June, and everything here is dry. Fall and winter was brown and then gray. My favorite season is Fall. The beautiful colors are a constant reminder for me of God's power and love. I did not see any of that here.
This place is my desert, but through it God has drawn me closer to him.
He's taught me that my hope can only be found through him. He is my strength through this trial, and although my life here has been lonely and desolate, I wouldn't trade it. God has taught me about who I am and about the young lady He wants me to become.
My prayer is in spite of this desert, in spite of this place of loneliness that I find myself, and in spite of the homesickness, I will remember that God is still God. He is still good. And he still wants the best for me.
Jeremiah 29:11 says this: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
I want to remember this is a part of his perfect plan for my life. That I will one day look back on this time here in Louisiana, and recognize that I although I missed my friends back home God used this place to draw me closer to him.
Truly, the days that I feel loneliest are the days in which I rely on Him the most, and maybe that was the purpose of this move. Maybe, he put me in a place of loneliness in order to spend more time with him.
I wasn't the greatest about spending time with Jesus back home. I did on occasion. I just didn't on a day-to-day basis. Being here has meant way less distractions. I'm home schooled, which means I'm no longer distracted by the drama of high school day to day. It also means I can schedule time during school to spend with Jesus, which I desperately need. He has used my lonely to make me crave Him.
I'm glad for this time he's given me to sit and listen, to draw near to him, and to cast my worry and sadness at his feet. He has been my strength and my refuge here in this desert.
O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. ~ Psalm 59:17
Praising His name in this Desert,
Olivia
