It's Time to Emerge.

Emergence - 36"x36", Acrylic on canvas, Elise Ehrenholz, 2025.

If you've been following my art Instagram @eliseehrenholz you will recognize this painting. It used to look a lot different. I haven't painted over everything, but in its previous incarnation you would've been able to recognize the mountains behind the carousel as the sun was going down. But now? Night has fallen and the carousel that was once just part of the painting has truly become the focus. Surrounded with darkness, it has become like a vision in the desert, a beacon. It would be hard to miss. If this was truly a desert scenario, it would be drawing you in like nobody's business. It would be overwhelming in all the best ways possible. Every adult grown up, metered thought in your head would instantly disappear and those childlike places in your spirit that have been dormant would light up like a Christmas tree. And how we still need them to.

I was driving to the mall just the other day and as I was getting onto the ramp for the highway I saw a Wonder Bread truck drive by. This might feel a little strange for some, but whenever I see a Wonder Bread truck I am encouraged and I say to myself, "The Wonder Bread trucks are coming!" and I am genuinely thrilled. Somehow this became a thing. I can't even remember why. We weren't "Wonder Bread people" when I was growing up, we weren't even allowed to put sugar on our cereal. No squishy soft Wonder Bread for us. Did my Grandma have some? Probably not, she was still baking up a storm well into her 80s and cooking with her wood burning stove. Was it all those American television commercials I watched as a child during Saturday morning cartoons? That was probably actually it. Wouldn't the marketers be so proud. Wonder Bread was for me in my non-sugared cereal life something to attain to I guess. I know, I know, small goals. Didn't it look so good on the commercials though? So perfect for a sandwich. I guess you're learning something about me today. Ooh sandwiches. Love me a good sandwich. With pickles! Kosher pickles are the best, but I digress. When I see those white trucks with their floating blue, red, and yellow circles and the name "Wonder" on the side they look to me like giant loaves of white bread rolling down the highway. It feels special somehow, and it reminds me that there's something I'd never expect from God coming my way. They feel like a God sign to me. I know it's a stretch, but I want to keep my mind on the good things from God past, present and future. I want to keep that hope front and centre because God's bread is more than just good bread, it's wonder bread from Him! There's a lot talk of bread in the Bible, and that's because people in the ancient world knew it would keep them alive. It literally sustained them! In the Bible it's mentioned over 400 times! I'd like some more please!

When I think of bread in the Bible, I mostly think on the manna that God supplied from Heaven for the Israelites in their desert season. It was miraculous bread from Heaven. A complete miracle. It never ran out, perfect and always just enough for the day they were on, and besides water of course, it was everything they needed. Everything. If you haven't been in church in a while, or ever, there is a lot of comparison between the ancient tribe of Israel and our modern selves as we follow Jesus in faith. I think the most applicable connection here is that they went through a very long desert season. They had no idea what they were doing and ended up staying there 40 years. Well doesn't that sound like fun. I won't go into to the whole thing about how they could've just gotten there earlier because sometimes in our modern-day situations that's where the comparison ends and we just can't. When we say yes to Jesus being our Lord and Saviour there is this little thing called "process" that God starts to bring us through. In my experience, sometimes following God can be like falling down a hill. I know, great metaphor, but God uses hard things to get us to the place where He can release us from our desert season. Isn't God good? Yes, He also knows us better than we know ourselves and knows what needs to happen so that we can become that person that this place called the universe needs us to be right now. We cannot coast and get there. That strategy will never ever work. He loves us too much for that to happen anyways. We need to become more whole and that processing with Him gets us to that place. That's when we get to that word that everyone loves to hate, submission. It's absolutely necessary in this case and we can submit ourselves to Him though without fear because know this, He can take care of us better than anyone, especially our own selves. I know, now I'm stepping on toes.

There's a scene in the film "Passengers" where Chris Pratt's character Jim is trying to get something else to eat out of the vending machine in the cafeteria. And it's not happening because that's all, besides a cup of black coffee, he's allowed to eat there according to the Bonny Ship Avalon's data base. Those are his rations. And just like Jim sometimes we just have to stay where we are and eat our cube of portion-controlled oatmeal. There are times when we have to just sit in our God-led desert season and eat our simple breakfast keeping our trust in Jesus without complaining (unlike the Israelites) because that's the best thing for us. It can be so hard, and if you are in that place right now, you have my empathy. There is a song that I love by UPPERROOM called, "Good Shepherd" whose lyrics are all about how faithful God is to lead us as we follow Him with all our hearts. I get stuck in this song. If you've never heard it, I highly recommend you put it on repeat for about an hour and let it soak into your soul. All of it is SO good, but these words stand out the most to me today. 

You are my holy guide

My vision in the heights

Miles and miles high

I don't see You getting tired

Oh, Good Shepherd

I follow where You lead

'Cause Your steps have tested the strength of the ground before me

And fear cannot hold me, I'm set on the mystery

Your invitation is calling

Though faint is my strength, You're my eyes, You're the way

You give grace to my faith so I'm climbing

You give strength to my days so I'm climbing

This is my heart about persevering in the wilderness season. Before anything I want to see change, or move, or happen in my own timing or way, I want what God wants first before anything. He knows what's best for me and all of my people and every situation. If He wants me to hang out in the desert then I will stay here until He says it’s time to be done. He's my first love. A friend encouraged me this way. He wouldn't bring you through the desert for nothing, would He? And in my time in the wilderness I'm learning that it's not all about just struggling through. It can't be or we'd never make it! It's a place where others are blessed through us, and we are blessed through them! Truly blessed! God wants to bless us in our wilderness seasons! The Bible describes the manna that God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness and it was like, "wafers made with honey"(Exodus 16:31). Honey! Not anywhere even close to oatmeal! In Numbers 11: 8 it describes it like this, "and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil." So in the waiting, the hard waiting time, God does this amazing thing for us, He helps us to keep going by giving us sweet things from His hand. We will get gifted by God in the wilderness season if we can just hold on. Don't let the enemy of your soul steal the fullness that God wants to bring you in the desert. Wait for God's timing. 

And the timing of God is actually part and parcel of that word submission. Consider them co-requisites in the university of life in faith in Jesus. Even if you are truly submitted to God in everything you can think of and have done everything that you have felt lead to by God Himself, you might still have to wait. This is not necessarily a reflection of your character! I heard it somewhere that there are situations where it's not just about us being ready, other people need to be made ready too. That proverbial train can't leave the station without them! It all has to line up and all of this takes time. Days. Months. Years. Decades. Do not rush ahead like Abram and Sarai did, innocent people will end up getting hurt just like Hagar did (You can check out all of that mess in Genesis 16). As humans we are prone to magical thinking. We want to believe something so badly sometimes for whatever reason, but when those aren't what God has truly said to us, we need to recognize that and let those things go. And try not to beat yourself up about it! There is a learning curve when we start wanting to hear the voice of God! Keep in mind though that you were designed to hear from Him! Seek Him and you will find Him! Keep asking God for clarity and for His wisdom and you will see just where He wants to lead you! If it is God then it will keep coming together! If it isn't then He has another plan for you. Trust Him!

Jesus is faithful and knows how to manage the desert season. He went there Himself with the enemy of our souls in His face, and after He told the enemy of our souls in not so many words, "Not today Satan", He emerged from that dry place. He emerged from the trial a victor because that's who He is and that's who He makes us. We are victors in Christ. Are you tired? Just walk down the path a little bit more. You can make it.

Just like this carousel is waiting at the end of this path in this painting, there are good things just for you if you are a child of God. There is wonderment from God that is unmatched by the world when we step by faith into what God has for us! His promises! Look at this promise! 1 Corinthians 2:9 says this. "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things, which God has prepared for those who love Him." That "nor have entered into the heart of man" is standing out to me today. It hasn't even entered into our hearts. This verse in Corinthians is talking about things we haven't got a clue about. We have absolutely no idea about the fullness of God, and His good plans for us. The verse says that those incredible things are ones that we haven't thought of and they are prepared for those who LOVE Him. Just love, no works, or ability to hold ourselves together mentally or otherwise. It says, for those who LOVE Him. That's it. That's the criteria. Amazing. What the blood of Jesus has purchased for us! 

There is a clear finish for that long sojourn in the desert, and an overflow of light and joy coming that you cannot even comprehend if you submit to the process of refinement that God wants to bring. You will make it out of the wilderness and when you do, you are going to be lit! 

This piece feels like a special encouragement for those who have toiled in a long, dry wilderness season, misunderstood, mostly unseen, worn out, broken even, but who have kept walking with their First Love first, always in their sights. Just as this carousel is emerging from the darkness of the desert full of sparkle and wonder, those of you who have been faithful to follow after Jesus in your desert season are coming out of it.

And I hear God saying, "Emerge!"

We haven't seen anything yet. The Wonder Bread trucks are coming!

"Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all." - Luke 4:14,15.

"Take away the dross from silver, and it will go to the silversmith for jewelry."- Proverbs 25:4.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." - James 1:2-4.

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever" - Psalm 138:8a.

"And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."- John 6:35.

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"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”- Romans 10:9-10

Keep stretching your hands out to God dear hearts. Pour your heart out like a waterfall to Him. The road has surely been rough, but we are mighty in Him. Praise you Jesus. You did it all.