Valley Views

I am one of those people who can go to the mountains every so many years and that is enough. I know the mountains are beautiful but the view from the valley looks too difficult. The thought of climbing those huge mountains, going round and round in a car makes me sick!

That is true in so many cases in my life. In a years span, my dad died suddenly, Mike's mom died, Mike's dad was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma, Mom had back surgery, I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer and some other things were going on. Someone who doesn’t know our Lord and Savior would say, our family is cursed!!! I say, look how God has used it and what He has taught me! I see His wings of protection on our whole family.

Job comes to mind because after losing everything, he kept his faith and God blessed him - double for his trouble! Job 42:10. "After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before." Job taught us about faith and we can learn from him just as we can teach others through our faith. I can think of many times it was hard to keep looking up. I began to remember there will be a beautiful mountaintop and I can get there with lots of hard work and perseverance! This is when our trust grows in God.

A friend sent this to me during a time in the valley. "You will never know the way you have impacted the lives of others as they watch you walk through each valley trusting that the mountaintop ahead will make it worth it all. I love you, my friend. Thank you for letting me intercede for you in the coming days!" There will be days that we wallow in the valley and we need our Christian friends to intercede for us. That is also when we reach for God and He will give us what we need to climb that mountain! Psalm 122: 1-2, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

"Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys!" Billy Graham