Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey
My spiritual journey took me from the lush and beautiful California coast to the desert region of the state. Initially, I struggled to adjust to life there. The landscape was stark, filled with brush, rocks, and miles of sand—an entirely different scene from the scenic vistas along the Pacific Ocean. A friend on Facebook once commented on how lucky I was to be in such a beautiful place, and I responded rather negatively. I found it hard to see any beauty in the vast expanse of the California desert.I remember our pastor, John, at Victorville First Assembly, mentioning that when his family moved to the area from Seattle, a woman told him he would come to appreciate "all the shades of brown." I laughed—there are indeed many shades of brown in the High Desert.
The image I chose today was not taken in Victorville, where my wife and I lived for several years, but at the Desert Oasis Rest Area off Interstate 40 in Newberry Springs, a place truly in the middle of nowhere. How I ended up there is quite a funny story. I had gone to pick up environmental samples from a contractor working nearby and was supposed to meet him at 4 PM after he finished his job. When I arrived, he greeted me with, "Oh, great, you're here, now we can get started." To my dismay, the crew hadn't even begun the work. He assured me it wouldn't take long and that I could soon be on my way, but I was understandably frustrated—I had driven two hours to get there, it was getting late, and I had a two-hour drive back to the office ahead of me.
I called my office to express my displeasure, and, as expected, I was instructed to stay put and wait it out. Let me set the scene: there I was in the desert, at a rest stop, before the age of smartphones, with nothing to entertain myself. Was I bored? Absolutely. Mind-numbingly bored. To pass the time, I began walking around and taking snapshots of the area. I even took a photo of a trash can, although that image never made it to my Facebook feed.
Related: Finding Hope Amidst Trials: A Personal Reflection on Faith, Judgment, and Resilience | Ken Hulsey
Back then, I wasn’t a patient person, and I knew it. I remember praying for patience once, and let that be a lesson: be careful what you pray for! In that moment, I had no choice but to be patient. I was stranded at the Desert Oasis, with nothing in sight for an hour in either direction—no towns, no attractions—just the desert I had come to dislike.
That short wait ended up stretching into three hours. Oddly, during that time, something unexpected happened. Through my photography, I started to notice some beauty in the landscape, compelled to look for it. Just consider the scene: wide-open spaces, distant mountains, and a sea of lava rocks from a long-dormant nearby volcano stretching as far as the eye could see. Do you see the beauty there? It’s interesting how God puts you in situations to teach you lessons. That day, He provided me with a two-for-one lesson in patience and appreciation for the place where He had placed me.
I don’t know about you, but I can be a stubborn person—just ask my wife! If you’re like me, sometimes God needs to put you in extreme situations to help you "get it." The lesson in patience took me a few more experiences to fully grasp, but hey, I’m slow to learn, yet I can be taught. As for appreciating all those shades of brown? From that point on, I began spending a lot of time in the desert, capturing photos that illustrated just how scenic and interesting the area truly is.
God can change your perspective if you allow Him to. I encourage you to open your mind to new experiences today. Don’t wait for Him to place you in your own Desert Oasis for three hours to shift your viewpoint—you definitely don’t want that! Trust me.
Back then, I wasn’t a patient person, and I knew it. I remember praying for patience once, and let that be a lesson: be careful what you pray for! In that moment, I had no choice but to be patient. I was stranded at the Desert Oasis, with nothing in sight for an hour in either direction—no towns, no attractions—just the desert I had come to dislike.
That short wait ended up stretching into three hours. Oddly, during that time, something unexpected happened. Through my photography, I started to notice some beauty in the landscape, compelled to look for it. Just consider the scene: wide-open spaces, distant mountains, and a sea of lava rocks from a long-dormant nearby volcano stretching as far as the eye could see. Do you see the beauty there? It’s interesting how God puts you in situations to teach you lessons. That day, He provided me with a two-for-one lesson in patience and appreciation for the place where He had placed me.
I don’t know about you, but I can be a stubborn person—just ask my wife! If you’re like me, sometimes God needs to put you in extreme situations to help you "get it." The lesson in patience took me a few more experiences to fully grasp, but hey, I’m slow to learn, yet I can be taught. As for appreciating all those shades of brown? From that point on, I began spending a lot of time in the desert, capturing photos that illustrated just how scenic and interesting the area truly is.
God can change your perspective if you allow Him to. I encourage you to open your mind to new experiences today. Don’t wait for Him to place you in your own Desert Oasis for three hours to shift your viewpoint—you definitely don’t want that! Trust me.
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