There’s a sadness that fills your heart; for you feel the anger and the unrest of people coming against you. You know that soon you will lose your home, your family, and your friends. And even though it's part of your heart, part of your soul, you love these people -- you love the city! This is your tribe! You say, "Lord, this is where I belong." As you feel the storm rising and look down the narrow streets, you see violent people coming toward you angrily saying, "You don't belong here anymore. We don't want you. It's time for you to leave."

You're my family. Don't you want me?
You cry out and say, "You're my family. Don't you want me? We've worshipped together and praised God together... how could you not want me?" And the next thing you know, an angry mob throws you outside the walls of Jerusalem, and all the gates are shut. You start to rattle and pound the heavy gates, "Let me in, I'm one of you. I love you. We love the same Lord. How could you send me out into the desert? How could you send me out into the wilderness? You haven't even given me a coat, a staff or water."

And as you look up at the high walls, the people are shouting and shaking their fists. Taking large stones, they hurl them at you. Blood starts pouring from your head. Grief-stricken, you turn and walk away. Your heart melts like wax inside of you. You start to walk, mile after mile. The heat is so hot, your feet become blistered and your tongue cleaves to your dry mouth. Soon, you find yourself crawling. You cry out to the Lord, "Lord, surely I'm going to die."

And as you fall on your face in exhaustion, the hot sifting sand swallowing up your soul, you start to look through the steamy hot desert haze, and you see the Lord. He walks over, picks you up, and to your surprise, He takes you even further away from the city. And then in front of you, you start to see a tent, like a Bedouin tent made of skins....

Come Away with Me, Beloved
He takes you inside the tent of the Lord and you start to weep. You say, "Lord, I thought I lost you... I thought I left you back in the city." He says, "My child, I too dwell in a tent outside the city." He begins to take off all the torn rags and clothes and puts healing oils on the blisters, sores and cuts. He gives you living water and starts to refresh you. He says, "I too was thrown outside of the city, but come and dwell in the House, the Tent of the Lord." Then He takes the balm of Gilead, frankincense and myrrh and continues to heal your wounds.

He says, "Yes, I've anointed you, and I've come to give you My heart." And then, He takes His hand and He begins to touch your heart and it explodes with the love of the Father.

Then, He takes you and lets your head rest upon his chest and says, "Come away with me, My beloved. Come away with Me, I love you." After several days, He dresses you and gives you a new robe. He gives you a staff and as you walk outside of the tent of the Lord, to your surprise, He takes you even further away from the city out into the wilderness. As you are walking with the staff, you notice His shepherd next to you has a staff and both of your staffs start to blossom with almond blossoms...

The Valley of Humiliation and Pain
But, He takes you to the edge of a cliff and you look down and see multitudes and multitudes of hurting people. There's a wail that goes out from your inner being. You cry, "Oh Lord, I didn't even know that these lost sheep existed. I only heard about them in the city, but I didn't understand." He says, "My child, they were too unlovely, too diseased, and too sick to be allowed into the city. For this is the valley of humiliation and pain. Because you have been thrown out, know My pain, and have gone through so much humiliation, I can show you My broken people and you can have My mercy and healing for all the unlovely people. Now, I will give you My heart, My healing in your hands and My eyes of love to heal My people. Follow Me and I will teach you how to pray."

And as I began to follow the Lord, I saw Him go down into the valley. As He put His hands on the leprous people or those with cancer or AIDs, they are healed. He speaks to men's souls and gives them clarity of mind. By breaking the lies of insanity, He commands evil spirits and demons to leave and He says, "I will start to teach you how to pray and minister in a new way."

You Will Return to the City to Minister in a New Way
He releases anointings among the people in the valley who have been healed, and then He says, "My child, yes, you will return to the city but the city will never have the hold on you that it did. And Yes, I will take you through secret passageways and you will go back into the city and you will minister to my people for many of them are so brokenhearted and they are so entrapped in the city. But, I have called you to live in the tent of the Lord. And you and I--we--will minister together."