Hi! I’m Matthew Dennis. Typically, this is where I am supposed to list everything I’ve done, my degrees, and what qualifies me to write about stuff. I used to care about those things, but the dark nights of the soul and the deserts of life change what you value. The truth is, the King and Author of my soul is the only one who qualifies me for anything. Perhaps you stumbled upon this page because you feel like the “desert” is where you are at right now. Whatever the reason, maybe you are someone who feels like a wanderer or like you were made for more. Maybe you feel alone and are enduring the dark night of the soul. It could be that you know someone who finds themselves in one of those positions. This page is meant to be a gift for you and for those you love. When I stepped into the calling that God had on my life, it seemed like all chaos broke loose. I was cast into the desert. The desert is dry, barren, and unforgiving. No one expects to get any “gifts” from the desert, other than a mouthful of sand. What if I were to tell you that God’s greatest gifts come from the desert, that life’s most beautiful gifts come in ugly wrapping paper? My prayer for you and everyone that reads these posts is that you will be better equipped to navigate the trials of life, and ultimately discover God’s purpose for you. Most of all, I pray you find Him because He is the greatest treasure, even more so than blessings, purpose, or destiny. My posts and thoughts are the result of many lonely walks, many tears, and many sleepless nights; and, they are God’s gifts to me to give to those around me. I am praying for you and am with you on the journey. May the Lord bless and keep you.

“Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self. Jesus himself entered into this furnace. There he was tempted with the three compulsions of the world: to be relevant (‘turn stones into loaves’), to be spectacular (‘throw yourself down’), and to be powerful (‘I will give you all these kingdoms’). There he affirmed God as the only source of his identity (‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone’). Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter – the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God who offers himself as the substance of the new self.”

Henri J.M. Nouwen