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Written by Elihu Anderson for “Elihu’s Corner” @ http://elihuscorner.com/
Original post @ https://elihuscorner.com/2022/09/30/lessons-from-the-wilderness-scripture-writing-plan-october-2022/
Lessons from the Wilderness: Scripture Writing Plan October 2022
September 30, 2022Elihu
Several years ago, we relocated to the Mojave Desert for work. The town we lived in was positioned in a sandy valley, encircled by mountains. The landscape was so bland and brown compared to the green, tree-lined city we’d left behind.
I was pregnant with our second child, and felt a deep loneliness surrounded by boxes, bugs, and that utterly desolate landscape. One afternoon while my oldest child napped, I pulled out my daily Bible, and read these verses:
“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.
And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you,
testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”
(Deuteronomy 8:1-2 ESV)
I laughed out loud.
I knew this was addressed to the Israelites, but here I was in a wilderness of my own!
All my friends were in other places, my design business back home had to be shut down, my home itself was being rented out, and we were renting a run-down, bug-infested house.
The testing and the humbling had already begun in earnest!
I had no idea how much I would be tested and humbled over those next seven years. Just when I started to find some level of contentment, it was time to move camp again and continue our wilderness journey.
My desert experience and all our relocations have made me realize how much life itself is a wilderness wandering.
Home isn’t here—it’s in Heaven with God.
This wilderness is an opportunity to deepen my trust in God, and strengthen my commitment to Him.
What lessons have you learned in the wilderness?
The desert is a desolate place.
It’s dry.
It’s dusty.
It’s either miserably hot or bitterly cold–there is rarely a mild day.
To top it off, there is minimal vegetation as far as the eye can see. Any visible plants include shrubs, succulents, palms, or spindly Joshua Trees (in certain parts of the world).
And water? Well… you’d better start digging (or start walking). And you should probably hope there isn’t a sudden monsoon when you’re in the low-lying regions (especially in Arizona).
When I spent a seven-year stint in the desert, I observed that we had approximately one week of fall and one week of spring–the two most pleasant weeks of the year. The remainder of the year was either winter or summer (mostly summer). And although I loathed the harsh terrain, I grew to appreciate its rugged beauty. The sunsets over the Sierra Nevadas were breathtaking, and the wildflowers that would spring up for that brief week of Spring added vibrant color to the rocky terrain.
In many ways, living in the desert is an apt parallel to the life we lead on this earth. Some attempt to make this world a permanent residence, heaping up wealth and prestige while neglecting truth and love. You and I must always have the mindset of the traveler. As the old hymn says, “this world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through…” Both the Apostle Peter and the Hebrew writer refer to Christians as sojourners/pilgrims/strangers.
Like living in the literal desert, this world is a vast landscape of sorrow. Death, destruction, and decay abound. The pleasant seasons come, but they are brief–often tinged with peripheral problems. Occasionally, you come to places that look pleasurable, but they are full of thieves and deadly traps.
And yet, God has provided for us in this wilderness. He shows us beauty in unexpected moments and ensures that we have our basic needs. He’s even provided purpose, direction, and lasting love.
In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, God lead the Israelites through the Wilderness to the Promised Land. Tragically, when they finally reached that land, they feared that land more than the wilderness they were in! In Deuteronomy, Moses recounts the years in the Wilderness including the forty additional years they had to wander because of their faithlessness. The eighth chapter lists several lessons they learned in all that time of wandering. Because we are also “strangers and sojourners,” there are lessons we can draw from that passage.
For the month of October, we will be writing through Deuteronomy 8 and related passages. In this plan, I have outlined the main lessons I noticed in my study and I hope it is beneficial to you as you write each day.
This month’s plan was inspired by an excellent sermon given by Erik Borlaug–a gospel preacher in Kentucky–while he was visiting a congregation in San Diego. The title and concept are used with permission.
Special thanks to Liz Smith and Sara McBroom who read through my plans each month and provide the children’s scripture writing pages for the youngest participants!
To download a black and white PDF copy of the plan, click the link below:
Oct 2022 Scripture Writing PlanDOWNLOAD
To download the tracing and copying sheets, click the links below:
kids scripture writing tracing october 2022DOWNLOAD
kids scripture writing copying october 2022DOWNLOAD
I frequently post each daily scripture on Instagram (@elihuscorner) and Facebook. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
Thank you for studying these scriptures with me each month! I love your comments and insights on social media (and here too!). You encourage me with your love for the Lord and His word.
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God's group 
Wow!! I am shocked at the similiarities in our blogs on wilderness experiences. I am writing my 2nd book on the subject as well. I invite you to read: https://phyllismccolister.blog/2022/10/15/wilderness-wanderers-deuteronomy-81-10/
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Do you have a Facebook page, or can you put me on an email list for your blogs ?? I was going through some and would like to re-post occasionally on my website- http://www.Godsmanforever.com and Facebook Page Gods group, where I share with 25 other groups totaling over 10 million members.
Blessings in Christ, bruce 🙂
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Of course. That would be great. I will add you to the email list for the blog. They are always posted on my Facebook page: HealingWatersCounselingFL. I would honored to have you repost any blog you feel will bless others. Let’s keep in touch. God bless you.
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Thanks sooo much !! Blessings in Christ, bruce 🙂
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My email is brucermillslast@comcast.net
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