In life, there are seasons of abundance and seasons of wilderness, where the landscape of our existence seems barren and desolate. Our journey through the wilderness was not just an excruciating physical experience, it was a spiritual journey where we encountered God in ways we never imagined.
The journey into our wilderness began with unexpected job losses during the economic downturn of 2008-2009. In addition, we found ourselves grappling with uncertainty about our finances as work opportunities dwindled. Yet, in the midst of it all, we began seeking closeness with God, and the Holy Spirit started preparing us for what lay ahead. As we grew our faith with prayer and daily Bible studies, God revealed himself to us through the Word and prophetically.
When we began our wilderness season, God started to lead us to the book of Revelation, chapters 11 and 12. At the time, we didn’t fully understand the meaning of those chapters, but here are the verses that stood out: “And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”- Revelation 11:3 (NIV). “The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.” Revelation 12:6 (NIV). We believe that Revelation 11 and 12 depict our struggles and our ultimate victory through intense spiritual warfare. The imagery of the wilderness is the perfect backdrop for the divine protection and provision we received, and highlights God's sovereignty and care for us during our time of trials and persecution.
In general, our spiritual revelation led us to make a lot of decisions that did not make sense to a lot of people, and even ourselves at times. We clung to our faith as we navigated closed doors for jobs and attempts to save our home, but God met us at each step through divine interventions. One intervention that stands out is when an offer Adrian received was rescinded through a case of mistaken identity. However, as unemployment and underemployment persisted, we lost Adrian’s home to foreclosure, and were eventually evicted from a small apartment we were able to secure after the foreclosure. After that, we eventually found ourselves homeless, living out of our car. After we were stripped of our worldly comforts, we felt crushed by the weight of our circumstances.
January 15, 2012, marked the official start of our 1,260 day wilderness season. With dwindling resources and uncertainty, we sought God through prayer and by searching the Word for answers. We found divine confirmation in unexpected places, including a chance encounter at a church during a Wednesday night Bible study where the pastor was teaching about Revelation's prophecy of 1,260 days. This confirmed to us that our hardships were indeed God ordained, so we slowly began to accept our circumstances. That acceptance did not come easily. The harsh realities of homelessness tested our resilience and shook the foundation of our faith.
We faced rejection and despair, grappled with isolation as we navigated through one rejection after another. It got to the point where we were denied employment opportunities due to not having an address. We quickly found that organizations dedicated to providing support to those experiencing homelessness were ill-prepared to support us, but the church was in a worse position. During this season, we learned that churches were not equipped to support those experiencing crises such as homelessness. It's not just a lack of resources, though that's certainly a significant hurdle. It's also a deeper lack of understanding about the many circumstances that can lead to homelessness and the diverse needs of those affected. Churches often find themselves ill-prepared to offer meaningful support. We've encountered situations where judgment overshadowed empathy, where the absence of resources meant turning away those in desperate need, and where community connections were either lacking or underutilized.
Yet, in the midst of it all, we hold to the belief that our wilderness season was not in vain. We see it as a divine appointment, a journey that God allowed us to experience so that we might shine a light on this neglected area within the church. Our hope is that by sharing our story, we can encourage churches to establish better support systems, to foster understanding and empathy, and to provide non-judgmental assistance and prayer, even when tangible resources may not be available. It's a call to arms in a sense: not just to alleviate immediate suffering, but to truly embody the love and compassion of Christ in our communities.
Our wilderness journey concluded on June 28, 2015, as God orchestrated a series of events that led us out of homelessness and into stability. We were blessed by a wonderful church that allowed us to utilize their parsonage for a few months, allowing us time to secure stable employment and find an apartment. Once we found stability, we were determined to emerge from our wilderness season transformed. We felt empowered by our trials. With a newfound purpose, we were eager to share our testimony and extend blessings to others in similar need.
As we look back, we learned that our spirits are resilient and our hearts continue to burn with gratitude to God for allowing us to experience this season. We have come to understand that this wasn't just a time of hardship, but rather a holy journey. Each trial and tribulation we faced served to strengthen our faith and ignite our path going forward. We are forever grateful for the blessings that came from our great tribulation. My encouragement to you is that when, not if, you enter a season of trials and tribulations, remember that God is not allowing these trials to harm you, but to help you. There is not testimony without a test and there is no redemption without refinement. Seek God at all times and in all ways to truly understand the purpose of your trials and come out of it on the other end better than when you entered it. God is with you always. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Hold steadfast to Him and he will see you through.
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