Hope for Dry Bones
Wilderness. Living in the wilderness. Wandering in the wilderness. For many years I felt I was wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. I lost my career and calling due to deteriorating eyesight. I struggled pursuing other artistic outlets. I gave myself shingles and then descended into depression, all because of a simple genetic disorder.
I wanted to get back on that stage but felt I couldn't see well enough to move around the set and backstage. Besides, who wants to hire a blind man? But I loved creating characters. I loved performing.
"Isn't this what You called and gifted me to do, God?"
Through it all God kept answering me. Through Sermons, music, Bible Studies—God said: "Trust Me." "Have patience." "I'm with you."
Primarily He spoke through whatever Bible passage I read on a particular day. Not every day. Not every passage. But often enough to keep me going.
I'm a methodical person. I start reading with Genesis 1:1 and keep turning the page until I get to Revelation 22:21 (not all in one sitting). Then I start over.
One particular morning, sitting in our home library, feeling the heartache and depression from not pursuing my art, I unleashed my frustration and pain on a God I knew could take it.
Why, God? Why can't I do what You called me to do? Why do I still desire to act if I can't? I begged for mercy. Was there any hope?
I methodically picked up my Bible and the next chapter in my Genesis to Revelation reading was Ezekiel 37—the valley of dry bones. More specifically, God restoring the flesh and breathing new life into what was dead. I felt His still small voice promising me that, yes, He would restore life to my art.
Dare I really hope that? Was it really God's voice or just my wishful thinking?
God didn't stop there. That night, as we picked up our daughter's children's Bible to read the next story before bedtime, God spoke again. Of all the stories in the Bible that are picked for any particular children's Bible, in the Bible we owned, on this very day, the next story was the Valley of the Dry bones from Ezekiel.
"Yes," God reiterated. "You will act again."
And I have: Since 2007 performing in over 35 professional stage productions (and some quality non-paid gigs like "Hello, Dolly!") and several TV/video productions; plus producing a small, but growing, handful of short audio books. God didn't restore my physical vision. He did breathe new life into my calling. And through it all I learned to hear Him better and trust Him more—no matter what the Wilderness.
