{"id":16344,"date":"2018-02-08T08:45:48","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T16:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=16344"},"modified":"2018-02-10T11:52:21","modified_gmt":"2018-02-10T19:52:21","slug":"thriving-in-the-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/thriving-in-the-desert\/","title":{"rendered":"Thriving in the Desert"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our church no longer has a printed church newsletter. \u00a0Instead, we have an online newsletter on our website called “The Latest.” \u00a0In that newsletter we talk about things that are happening in the church, highlight ministries, and sometimes we even have book reviews.<\/em><\/p>\n

Upon reading Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader<\/strong> by Shelley Trebesch, I came to the conclusion that this was a book that many Christians could benefit from. \u00a0That is why I asked for a few copies to be available in our church’s bookstore and I will be publishing the following article on our church website.<\/em><\/p>\n

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THRIVING IN THE DESERT<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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A recent internet search on leadership books produced titles like The Power of Positive Leadership, Fired Up, Leadership: Essential Selections on Power, Authority, and Influence, Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows: Winning at Work and in Life, Leadership Gold, Empowering Leadership<\/strong><\/em>, and Be A Boss.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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A similar search for books about Christian discipleship produced titles of books including:\u00a0Radical Christian Discipleship, Kingdom Disciples, Brave New Discipleship, Moving Mountains, Soar!,<\/strong><\/em> and Discipleship on Fire.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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It seems to be a given that books on Leadership and Discipleship need to have titles that are positive or inspiring.\u00a0 For this reason, I was surprised when the Christian leadership book Isolation<\/strong><\/em> by Dr. Shelley Trebesch was recommended to me. Many of the words used in the titles of these books (Soar, Power, Winning, Brave, Transforming, and Radical, are attractional words that make you think of success.\u00a0 Yet, the word \u201cIsolation\u201d sounds like something that happens to you when you have a disease. It did not help that the book, published in 1997 to a very small publishing company, had the overall appearance of a book that you would see in a discount bin for 75% off.<\/p>\n

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Yet, as I delved into this powerful little book, I was amazed at how much meaning and depth was packed into a mere 76 pages.<\/p>\n

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As Christians, most of us have had \u201cmountain top\u201d experiences when we had a supernatural sense of God\u2019s closeness.\u00a0 Those times are filled with joy and excitement.\u00a0 Yet, there are also times in our lives when we feel like we are in a spiritual desert.\u00a0 During these times our hearts are heavy, and we may even feel like God cannot hear our prayers (or worse\u2026is ignoring us).<\/p>\n

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When we face times of feeling like we are stuck, injured, or abandoned by God, the word \u201cisolation\u201d seems appropriate.\u00a0 Yet, while most books that I have read view times of isolation as something to avoid at all costs, Dr. Trebesch makes a case that these times can be a critical part of our development as leaders (and as followers of Jesus).<\/p>\n

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In Isolation,<\/em><\/strong> Trebesch\u00a0highlights the Biblical examples of Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and Paul as they each came out of a season of isolation and did mighty things for God.\u00a0 \u00a0Trebesch draws upon the life of pioneer missionary Amy Carmichael, who was severely ill for over 20 years.\u00a0 Carmichael, who wrote extensively when she had to leave the mission field, gives us a perspective on how someone could grow spiritually while being (seemingly) unproductive. \u00a0\u00a0A similar example was provided by the life of Chinese pastor, Watchman Nee.\u00a0 Referring to Nee, Trebesch writes:<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe isolation profoundly influenced his theology, his relationship with God, and his identity as a Christian.\u201d (Isolation, 46).<\/p>\n

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One of the most memorable illustrations given in Isolation<\/strong><\/em> is when the author\u2019s grandfather invited her to help him strip and restore an old chair.\u00a0 \u00a0During this process, layer after layer of paint and stain was stripped away by chemicals and hard work.\u00a0 The process was difficult and tedious.\u00a0 Yet, when all of the old paint was stripped away, the bare wood exhibited a beautiful appearance.\u00a0 In the same way, God sometimes sees fit for us to be stripped of our old, comfortable life in order to be molded into a person who has a much stronger faith.<\/p>\n

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Have you ever faced times of profound spiritual dryness?\u00a0 Do you seek to grow as a follower of Jesus?\u00a0 Are you a Christian who is seeking to be a greater influence for the Kingdom of God? Then I recommend that you pick up a copy of Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader<\/strong><\/em> by Shelley Trebesch.<\/p>\n

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