Introduction to the Desert

Who are we and why are we here? Today marked our first day in the desert; the hot, comfortably breezy, rocky, mountainous, rugged Negev desert. The desert where Abraham and all of our other ancestors roamed as they (sometimes painfully) learned about the Father. My perspective on the Israelites who navigated this vast land has changed drastically. More than that, my understanding of the Father’s love and His intentional connection of Old Testament to New is transforming me from the inside out. The realization that being a part of God’s family and being in community that loves like family is consuming my heart. He is about family and He gives us so many visual markers in His Word to show us that. This group has come together as family when we are helping one another down a desert mountain incline that most goats would not navigate.

This group has come together as family when we gathered under an acacia tree in the Wadi Zohar and listened to John Hinkebein teach. We discussed the remarkable characteristics of the acacia tree and how that very tree parallels healthy community. From there we traveled to the Tel Arad `region where Scott taught us about the ultimate covenant and we walked the blood path down that desert mountain to mark that place in our memory. Our next stop was Avdat where we toured amazing ruins that included houses, caves (that this girl chose to admire from afar) and a church. Our last stop would have qualified as the official Israel post card. It was a picturesque overlook that framed the Makhtesh Ramon. This is a unique landform that includes a desert valley peppered with more color and texture than a VanGogh painting. Just one of many views that exemplifies an extraordinarily creative Creator! He purposed this place just as He purposed everything. Our “desert clan” is growing in knowledge, understanding, curiosity and passion. We are a community. We are a family. We are a desert people!

Robin Reed

Thank you,
Jason Carlettini