Biblical Teaching in the Wilderness: An Interview with Appa Prayer

As you may already be aware, these are the original interview questions shared in this story, where I solicited volunteers to be interviewed or to simply share their answers to the questions below. So far, I have had one courageous volunteer, Appa Prayer, who sent his responses all the way from Korea to me in the USA. Technology can be a great tool when it is used for our uniquely designed purpose and God’s glory.

1. Entering the Wilderness

Nora Gwen: Can you describe a season in your life when you felt as though you were in a proverbial “wilderness” — a place of uncertainty, isolation, loss, waiting, or spiritual struggle? What was happening in your life at that time?

Appa Prayer: I can think of two seasons in my life that felt like a wilderness. Let me tell you about the first one.

After finishing my two years of military service (mandatory for men in Korea), I followed a missionary to China to study. I had planned to stay for four or five years, but for health and other reasons, I had to stop after two, and I came back to Korea. At that point, I honestly didn’t know what to do next.

2. Experiencing God in the Wilderness

Nora Gwen: During that wilderness season, how did you experience God — or, perhaps, how did you struggle to experience Him? Were there particular moments when you sensed His presence, guidance, provision, or silence?

Appa Prayer: Back in Korea, I focused on getting my health back. After that, I spent two weeks fasting and in prayer.

During that time, the Lord answered my prayers about my calling. He called me to pray for whatever He would lay on my heart. From then on, I began praying for all kinds of things, and that became my life. Prayer itself became my calling, and I also received the gift of praying in tongues.

3. What the Wilderness Revealed

Nora Gwen: Looking back, what did your wilderness experience reveal to you about yourself, your faith, and your relationship with God that you might not have discovered under different circumstances?

Appa Prayer: The wilderness made me look back on my life. I had finished high school, gone to college, served in the military, and studied in China. I thought I had lived a fairly busy and meaningful life. But when I asked myself,

“If I died today and went to heaven, what would I tell the Lord I had been doing?”

 I couldn’t think of anything worth mentioning.

Of course, I couldn’t spend all my time just praying, so the Lord also led me to work that would support my prayer life and let me earn a living. The wilderness opened my eyes to see where my life should go, and how to get there.

4. The Impact on Your Relationship with God

Nora Gwen: How did going through the wilderness change your relationship with God? Did it affect the way you pray, read Scripture, trust Him, worship, or understand His character?

Appa Prayer: Even before that season, I thought I was living close to the Lord. I started every weekday morning with the Bible, and I was faithful in worship. But if our relationship before was like a father and a child who just plays around the house, after the wilderness it became like a father and a child who has taken on a part-time job.

I finally had some work of my own, and through it, I came to understand my Father a little better and to feel a little more of what He feels. Of course, I don’t think I’m doing anything grand. To the Lord, it probably looks like a child playing house. But I take it seriously, and I believe He sees my heart in it.

5. Looking Back from the Other Side

Nora Gwen: Now that you have some distance from that experience, how do you understand your wilderness season differently? Is there anything you would say to another Christian who is currently walking through their own wilderness?

Appa Prayer: Looking back now, I believe that first wilderness season laid the foundation for the life I live today. Prayer is, and always will be, the most basic part of my walk with God, the reason I live, and my calling.

And one day, when I stand before the Lord in heaven, I think I’ll be able to say: “There were times I was a little lazy, but I did my best to live a life of prayer.”

Finding Purpose Beyond the Wilderness

Appa Prayer’s story offers a profound reminder that the wilderness is rarely a place of abandonment; rather, it is often a sacred solitude where God redefines our purpose. In moments where earthly plans unravel — like an unexpected end to a journey abroad — we are invited to strip away distraction and listen deeply to the quiet promptings of the Spirit. Fasting, earnest petition, and listening become the bridge between human uncertainty and divine assignment.

In the end, embracing a life of prayer transforms how we walk through every season that follows. When prayer evolves from a routine activity into our central calling, even the most ordinary daily labor gains eternal weight. Appa Prayer’s reflections encourage us to view our own wilderness seasons not as wasted time, but as the foundational soil from which a faithful, lasting fellowship with God can bloom.

We, Editors @ Faithful Writers, are deeply grateful to Appa Prayer for his generosity and openness in sharing his inspiring journey with us for this interview.

To explore why sharing your testimony can profoundly impact someone else’s life, you can read the expanded article Your Story Could Be Someone Else’s Lifeline. It offers a deeper look at how personal faith journeys become lifelines for others and encourages you to share.

Call to Action: Reflective Journal Prompts

1. What current or past “wilderness” season in your life might God be using to refine your purpose and deepen your relationship with Him?

2. How has your view or practice of prayer shifted during times of uncertainty, isolation, or transition?

3. What practical step can you take today to align your daily work and routines more closely with your spiritual calling?

   
   

© Nora Gwen 🌻

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