1. Why Walking Through Wilderness?

What image springs to mind when you hear the word ‘wilderness’? Although I know there are many different types of wilderness, such as frozen wastelands and vast forestlands, for me, the word wilderness always conjures up pictures of hot, arid landscapes, sparsely populated with scattered trees or shrubs, and a noticeable absence of people.

Most dictionaries describe a wilderness as being an uncultivated, uninhabited, or inhospitable region, often neglected or abandoned by mankind. That doesn’t sound like a very exciting place, or like the kind of place that could inspire joy and purpose, so why have I chosen to write about it? I’ll tell you: because most of us will have a ‘wilderness experience’ at least once during our lives here on earth (for many of us, they will be far more frequent) and having the right tools to use in that environment is crucial.

I’m talking about a metaphorical wilderness experience, of course. Most of us will have some idea of what the landscape of a literal wilderness looks like, but what does our metaphorical wilderness look like? Pretty similar, actually. Yup, not very inspiring, and definitely not fun. However, I’ve discovered that wilderness experiences can be absolutely life changing!

There are tribes of bushmen who live in the Kalahari Desert in Africa who know how to not only survive, but actually thrive, in that environment. They find water by digging up, shredding, and squeezing the bulbous roots of certain plants. They know how to track animals and make poison for their arrows so they can shoot their prey from afar to feed their families. Their communities are close-knit family units who understand the preciousness of life and the joy of a life lived simply, without the need for much else apart from their families, along with the necessary food and water.

These bushmen thrive in their desert wilderness – and I believe we can do the same. When we go through a metaphorical ‘wilderness time’, we don’t have to crawl out the other side of it half dead, dangerously dehydrated and irreversibly traumatised or disillusioned. It is possible to walk out the other side with our heads held high, stronger and wiser than when we entered it, and with an enhanced appreciation of God’s grace, and His amazing kindness to us.

My first books as a published author were based on the story of one nation’s journey through a wilderness, seen through the eyes of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary leader: Joshua, son of Nun. Joshua was an Israelite, one of millions of Israelites who had been slaves in the land of Egypt. He became manservant to Moses, the prophet leader who led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, and into forty years of wandering around the wilderness. What adventures they had together! If you would like to read more about it, you can find my novels, ‘Into the Wilderness’, ‘Then There Were Giants’, and 'The Shining Men' in bookstores across the United Kingdom, or on Amazon (details on my website, www.nickyheymansauthor.com).

However, as wonderful as it is to read inspired accounts of what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness, unless we take the principles which they learnt during their wilderness sojourn and apply them to our lives today, they remain just that – inspiring stories. So, over the upcoming months, I would love to take you on a journey – a journey of understanding, of learning and growth. This journey is personal for me, because when I started writing ‘Into the Wilderness’, I was just coming out the other side of a fifteen-year long wilderness journey. However, I’m thrilled to say that now, a few years down the line, I am completely through that particular wilderness season in my life (I have had a few!) and I can testify to the goodness and kindness of God in my life.

There are some life lessons that can only be learnt in the wilderness; nowhere else will you learn what you can in a wilderness. Along the way, I’d like to share with you some of the lessons I’ve learnt and some of the things I experienced in my fifteen-year wilderness sojourn, while at the same time drawing parallels with the Israelites experiences and what they learnt - or didn’t learn, as the case may be!

So come with me on this journey of discovery, whether you are a believer or not, and whether you’re going through a wilderness experience or not. It’s always good to share our thoughts, learn from each other, and help others who are in a dry, wilderness place.

Let’s journey together!

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Nicky Heymans is an author of historical fiction who is known for drawing fresh life and inspiration out of familiar Bible stories. She would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions by scrolling down to the bottom of this page and clicking on the 'contact' link, and she will get back to you.