Winter Wilderness.

Isaac and Levi are currently watching "The Chronicles of Narnia" right now.

I love this movie. It's one of my favorites of all time because it's whimsical and mysterious, beautiful, and captivating.

It is a reminder for me of Christ's love. His eternal favor. And the beauty of His breath.

It is a time when four children walk through a dark and gloomy forest, filled with temptation and evil, to find Truth.

Winter is a tough season to stay motivated, with just about anything.

It's cold.

It's depressing.

It's gray.

The sun is less present.

And everyone gets cabin fever and claustrophobia.

It seems that winter makes us internalize things more, too. Do a lot of sorting out, and in. With not only our feelings and state of mind, but of our closets and wardrobe. A cleansing, if you will.

In winter, I like wearing sweatpants and slippers. Drinking hot chocolate. Curling up and watching movies. Playing in the snow. Once. And watching The Bachelor and American Idol. These are a few of my favorite things!

Oh, and my birfday. Teehee.

But on a normal, every day basis, I just crave sunshine and long for the warm weather again.

A state of hibernation only lasts so long in my mind, and then one must open up to see the light.

I think this scenario sounds a lot like our hearts can be.

When we struggle and are downtrodden, weary, or burdened in any way, we hibernate. Close ourselves off and try to search for answers from within the Deep.

Sometimes, this is the best place to be. It's where the valley is, I think. It's the wilderness, where we find the most comfort in crying out for help because it's dark and we can't be seen. No one cries out in broad daylight, do they?

Although I do believe that "the darkness doesn't have any answers," I do think it can help us regain our strength to come OUT into the light.

The darkness, while it may be sad and lonely, is a place I think we often go through first before we become enlightened.

I like the term wilderness. Jesus was tested in the wilderness with temptation (Matthew 4:1).

We are often tested with temptation in the wilderness too. Of giving in to our flesh. We walk blindly, in the dark, seeking to find the pathway to our Savior. The pathway out into the light.

I'm going to start calling winter what it seems to be for me. The wilderness. A time to be sober in Him. To be alone. To get refreshed and become cleansed. To glean wisdom and understanding. To ponder and seek His everlasting Truth.

I pray to keep this promise. To seek Him during this dark and difficult season we call winter.