The Valley Low

Good evening all, I am not sure but I think Happy New Years is in order as I have been very busy. Thank you to all my loyal readers and followers, now that the hardest classes are behind me I can get back to my blog. Today, I want to talk about the valley experience, I am sure you all have been there and if you haven’t hold on your time is coming. The valley experience is much like the storms of life at some point we all experience each one. Some of us are so blessed that we are in the valley with the storm going on at the same time. Count it all joy, it’s not as bad as it seems. One of my adopted daughters and my spiritual mom sing this song together, “The Safest Place”. I love this song because it says the safest place is in the will of God, even in the valley low, who would think that God came down to the valley. Another psalmist pens these words: My God is Awesome/He can move mountains/Keep me in the valley/Hide me from the rain My God is Awesome/Heals me when I'm broken/Strength where I've been weakened/ Forever He will reign More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/pastor_charles_jenkins/ While we are all familiar with the 23rd Psalms, I question how many of us know, I mean know in an intimate way the Shepard that David was speaking of. Today in church my pastor pointed out that we always think of the valley as a bad place but when we realize it’s a growing place we should look at it different. Look at this, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” (Psalm 23:4). What we need to look at here you are moving in that valley no one especially the Shepard expects you to lay down and die, in fact another point made today is the it’s the shadow of death, it’s not even real. This experience as bad as it feels is not designed to kill you, but to grow you. I am sure you are thinking that’s easy to say when you don’t know all I am facing. Well as always, I will only talk about Shon, I have had numerous valley experiences, and there were times that even though I knew God was there I screamed out to him in anger, because I couldn’t feel him. One day everything was fine and then all of a sudden the bottom falls out and I am in the valley, wondering what, why, how, when. I have discovered that as parents it seems as our kids grow up so fast but, you know that we never let them go and even when they are supposedly grown and on their own we still want to teach them. God is no different where do you think that quality came from? God is awesome and yes he can move mountains or he can keep us in the valley where we grow, where no one else can help us out BUT GOD. So, if right now you are in the valley understand it’s a location on your path to destiny. Don’t stress about that child that seems lost, he’s not after all you once were lost but now you are found, the husband that you gave your love and life too, that walked out, it’s okay, the fact that once again cancer decided to knock on the door of your family, your finances are so screwed up, you couldn’t pay attention if you really needed too. Yes, I am saying to you it’s all a part of the plan. Two years ago, I was coasting along finally; I was blessed to leave a job that made me sick. I was happy feeling good and then my marriage started falling apart, valley experience. I look to and say, God you can fix this if you desire too and if not, then Praise God anyway. I kept right on praising right on, thanking him, because though this looked bad, and not only was my marriage a mess, fake friends were exposed, so now I had no choice but to stay right there and talk to the Shepard. Well, he’s a way maker; he kept me in that valley because soon debris from all this would be flying and his plan all along was that I come out unscaved making him look like who he is GOD. So, today if you are in that valley don’t be discouraged keep moving, the scripture says though I walk, walk is an action, you’re not laying there saying why me, whoa is me, NO you should be moving. Not encouraged that I made it, I didn’t die in the valley, well don’t take my word look at this as I leave you: 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalms) This should be enough to make you shout, he doesn’t say they get to sit and eat, but they do see you blessed, better so much better than you were. So don’t try to find a detour, stay on course, you’re closer than you think. Blessings, Shon Garner Cole