In life we will all experience both mountain top and valley experiences, and everything in between. When we are at the top of the mountain, when things are going well, we have peace, contentment, and happiness. Yet few of us spend a lot of time at the top. Often, we find the slippery slope down, sometimes all the way to the bottom.
There are many experiences like this. In the valley experiences. It seems that it is then when we will call upon the Lord with greater fervor. It should not be this way, but it is kind of the norm.
Last year I went through a deep valley experience. I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, stage 4 metastatic bladder cancer. I was in the valley. David wrote of such in Psalm 23.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, KJV)
Yes, I needed courage and comfort, things that David wrote would meet a person in “the valley of the shadow of death,” the very place that I found myself in. In the Psalm, he wrote that the defining thing that brought courage was the presence of the Lord, and His active movement in our lives.
So, I prayed to the Lord for His courage and comfort. Well, the Lord spoke to me through His word and brought thoughts of understanding, strength, courage, and comfort. I began writing these thoughts down as a record thinking that others might read them someday.
After discussing this with others. they encouraged me to publish these thoughts and I did. The book titled, “Through the Valley,” is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle. My hope is that these thoughts may help others going through trials of their own.
Available on Amazon in Paperback or Kindle.
Renewing the Heart 