VICTORY VALLEY
by: Donna Selma Lind
Have you ever been in the valley? I have. Being in the valley is part of all of our lives. How we maneuver our way through and out of the valley really depends on our faith in God.
Sometimes we end up in the valley because of our own choices in life. Sometimes we end up in the valley because of other peoples choices. And sometimes life just happens and we find ourselves in the valley. No matter how we got in the valley God is with us!"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
It has been a difficult few years for me as I have had to witness the decline of my parents health. Seeing people you love suffer and fade before your eyes is never easy. Death is a part of life that happens for all of us. Grief is a process that we must walk out and part of that walk involves a time in the valley.
The dictionary describes a valley as an elongated depression between uplands hills and mountains, a low point or interval in any process, any place, period or situation that is filled with fear, gloom foreboding or the like.
The good news is that it's only temporary.
"To everything there is a season...a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:4
I was reading about the Mojave Desert and Death Valley. I found it fascinating all the parallels between these physical destinations and our spiritual and emotional destinations.
First the word "Depression"that describes the low points in between the mountains and the valleys. Are you at a low point?
Secondly in "The Mojave Desert"the mountain boundaries are outlined by two of the largest fault lines in California, the San Andreas and the Garlock faults.
What happens when we are surrounded by fault lines? We experience tremors and earthquakes right?
Isn't that exactly what happens to us right before we end up in the valley? Something in our life shakes us off our foundation and an earthquake of some kind rocks our world!
Death, Divorce, Job loss, Sickness, Drugs, Alcohol, Abuse, Depression,Anxiety, Stress etc.
What is the earthquake that has rocked your world lately and tossed you into the valley?
One thing I have found about the valley it is sparsely populated. Yep, you know what I'm talking about. Not many people want to hang around with us when we are in the desert or the valley. People seem to scatter when we are at our lowest. We feel alone.
True valley walker friends are the ones that come alongside us, encourage us and help us find our way back out of the dry and parched valley. Although the path is rough and rocky as long as we focus on the Lord we will make it out!
Did you hear me? Repeat after me : I AM GOING TO MAKE IT!
Do you know what the name "Mojave" means?
"Beside the water."
Isn't that awesome? Though you are in the middle of the Desert and Death Valley you are "Beside the water."
"He leads me beside still waters." Psalm 23
Refreshment for our soul is right there beside us in the midst of the desert and our lowest valley! Our Victory is within reach!
In the Mojave Desert where temperatures can soar to over 130 degrees there is a tree that thrives, it's name is "The Joshua Tree." The Joshua Tree grows in only one place in the whole world, in the Mojave Desert. It's roots are deep resulting in a long life span. No matter what storm tries to knock it down it hangs in there. This elegant tree stands strong with it's branches reaching upward to the heavens as if to praise it's Creator!
We can follow the example of the Joshua Tree.
When we've been wandering around in the desert and the fault lines around us start to tremble and the earth is quaking under our feet and we land in the valley, we too can dig our roots down deep , hold on and lift our arms up to heaven to praise the one who created us!
He is the only one who can save us, the only one who knows what we are going through.
His name is Jesus!
By the way did you know that the meaning of the name Joshua is "The Lord is Salvation"?
That's right! No coincidence with God! The Lord saves!
"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor me." Psalm 50:15
"As for me, I shall call upon God, And the Lord will save me." Psalm 55:16
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."Psalm 34:18
GOOD NEWS:
If you are dry and parched and feel like you are lost in a valley of darkness call out to the one who created you and He will save you ! He loves you and will make you a stream in a desert or a tree in the wilderness and He will turn your Death Valley into a Victory Valley! Amen.
HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!
~Donna Selma Lind~
