You Will Not LIVE in that Valley!

We recently made a trip through the Boston Mountains in northwest Arkansas.  Normally I’m pretty worn out after the ride but this year it was nice. I like rolling hills and the not so big mountains in Arkansas.  We came home a different way to avoid construction and found ourselves going through a valley. Some valleys are pretty, fertile and green with slow moving cattle and the occasional deer. Other valleys are stark, treeless and without any green to speak of.  I find it hard to see any beauty in those valleys. 

God speaks to my heart: I’ve been through a lot of valleys. Some of you may be going through a valley right now. Some of them were valleys I chose to walk through. Other valleys showed up abruptly because of things that happened to me. At the hands of another, the valley can be especially hard. Can you relate? There are the valleys of decision, valleys of death, valleys of troubles, trials and emotion.

What do we do when we’re in a valley? What happens if a torrential rain of trials, hurts, agony comes? How do we escape? Where do we find solace? What if the sun is beating down so hard on us that we feel we’re going to burn up and die right in that valley? Will anyone find us? Will anyone help us? Where is the shade when you need it? Where are our friends? Why are we all alone in this huge valley? We don’t think we’re going to make it!

What we’re really saying in all of our valleys is “where is God?” That’s who we really want!  When everything else is empty, when everyone else has walked away, driven on, ridden out of our life, it’s just us and we have a Savior. And His name is I AM. His name is Comforter, Wonderful, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and He is my Abba Father.

Oh beloved, God is God in everything you are going through. He has not abdicated His throne. He has not given away His Sovereignty, His Provision or His will. He is stepping into your valley as King of Kings and Lord of Lord. But He alone is King. He alone is Lord. If you will look up from this valley and look to the mountain of the Lord, look to Him alone, you will find Him to be the All Sufficient One.

Nothing else is true beloved. You are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are not lost. Because God sees the past, present, and future, He is able to know beforehand what our needs are and therefore make provision for all that we need. You are not at the mercy of the buzzards who want to circle your circumstances. You are not left to be eaten and destroyed.

The Lord Himself loves you and that love is everlasting, eternal and complete. He is on your side, already making provision for you! Rejoice as you live in the light of His Word!

Genesis 22:14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Jehovah Jireh)

Isaiah 33:6 In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!

When the Storms of Life are Raging...

Storms have again visited our state. For days we had deluges of rain. By the 4th day we all felt that we might never see the sun again. But yesterday morning the clouds parted and the sun returned. It always amazes me that after every storm things look so much cleaner and the trees look so much greener. The rain washes away the pollen and dust that settles in the flora of our earth as well as cle...aring the sky. No blue is bluer than the sky after a storm.



There are all kinds of storms that come into our lives. Some we are warned about. The siren of God’s Word speaks loud and clear. We grab for a hold to God’s firm foundation as we hope and pray. Other times storms come through without warning, like a flash. We find ourselves in over our heads and not so sure that we will make it. We invite neither the warned storm nor the surprise storm, yet we all have to go through them.



We get comfortable living with the cobwebs and dust. We want to have things go smoothly and seek for the easy road. We often choose ease over promise, good over best and fun over true fellowship. Fair weather friends multiply in the sunshine. It’s when things get dark and strength is needed that people leave, promises drop and friendliness wanes. We trust God in the bright light of day, but when the clouds darken the sky and our view of God is obscured we find ourselves foundering and hoping we survive.



Our lives are a lot like the sky after a storm. Because we must call on God! Easy times may let us talk about Him, but hardship makes us cling to Him. We find in a storm that those things that we thought were secure are wobbly, but just as we’re about to tumble we grab God’s hand and find He’s always there – whether in sunshine or storm. The wonderful thing about life after a storm is the cobwebs of life are washed away, the dust in our hearts is swept out and our view is crystal clear again. We’re back to where we should be – God and us – first and always. Just Jesus? people say. Absolutely. For unless we can cling to Him with our whole heart we’re not really clinging to Him at all. Would a boatman use a fly swatter to row? Would a crippled person use willow limbs to walk with? Would a traveler go with monopoly money? Everything has its place, but we must cling to God for everything so that if we have nothing, He’s enough.



Oh beloved, you don’t have to fear! The same Lord who lets you enjoy every day pleasantries is the same God who will walk with you through the storm. You may have heard the sirens and hunkered down in prayer only to find things looking oh so awful. You could have been caught completely by surprise, yet He has gone before you into the dark. He’s no fair weather God; He’s the Lord of Heaven and Earth. He’s the One who spoke and the winds stood still. As you cry out to Jesus, you don’t have to wonder – you are heard. For He always hears His children and He always makes a way.



Rejoice that He loves you – rejoice that He’s for you – in this way you will make it no matter what your eyes may see – for your heart will fully trust in Him alone!



James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.



Isaiah 25:4 For You have been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ruthless Is like a rain storm against a wall.



Psalm 139:1—12 Even there Your hand will lead me, Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.



Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.