<BGSOUND SRC="breathe.mid" LOOP="INFINITE"> I believe that we all walk through dark Valleys at some point in our lives. I also believe that we have someone with us through those valleys, I know this from the experience of my own valley that God walked through with me. I am so thankful for the Shepherd of my Valley. He was and is today my constant source of strength. The archive below that you are about to read was written when I was in that dark valley. I had only saved it to be a reference to remind of just how far God can bring us out and deliver us from all of our troubles but after many heartbreaking requests that I often receive on Daily Bread from people who are carrying burdens for loved ones, I find, I am taken back and reminded of the valley God brought me through. This is why I feel so strongly led to record this here now to be a help to all who are going through trials and dark valleys , Just to remind you that you have a Loving Shepherd who is always there , even in your darkest hour to comfort you when no one else can. May it be a help and encouragement to know that you are not the only one who has been in this place and that there is hope and you too will come through your valley in triumph. Written October 22,2004. Bonus Daily Bread : Whatever the Valley. I would like to thank My Friend , Jesus, who's always there to hold my hand or give it a squeeze when I walk through the valleys of life. He gives me hope to keep walking, telling me there's light at the end of this dark , shadowy place. I write this to be a help and encouragement to all of you today because we all go through these dark valleys. It is here Satan tries to take advantage of our weakened estate and condition. We can give in to him or we can lean on the one who's shoulder is right beside us, Our savior and friend. We can keep walking and we can become stronger with each step with our savior's help and guidance and we gain the victory over Satan who has tried so hard to discourage. I have been in a valley. This week was one of the darkest ones I think I have ever been through. I had to make an effort to send the devotions each day but God blessed the effort. I had a struggle to put my cares aside to try and help others because I don't want to fail my brothers and sisters in Christ. Valleys can be a lonely place. A place that feels so empty. A place where you really need help. You find yourself looking around for some source of Comfort. With no one else to turn to , you become dependent on the one you can tell all your troubles to, the lilly in your valley. A ray of hope in a hopeless place. A thing of great beauty in a dry and barren land. When the load was heavy, I would look to him and he would say " My Yoke is easy and my burden is light".When I cried, " Lord I am weak!" , He would say :" My Strength is made perfect in weakness".When I would cry for help he told me to " make my requests known", and I asked you as my Christian family to pray for me. I felt the prayers and saw the effects of them. This brightened the valley and would at times drive some of the clouds away.Oh how important it is to pray for one another! While carrying the burden for another and praying for God to strengthen them with food from his table, I hadn't realized how Hungry I was myself, and he let me sit down and eat also and feed from his word which gave me strength to go another Mile.I am so thankful for the messages that he sent my way. A few streams of sunshine would shine through when I would get a word from one of you saying , " We are remembering your request". You will never really know how much little things like that really mean to a person at the time. A valley is similar to being on a body of water when a storm suddenly comes up. You go from a perfect calm place to being tossed about with violent waves. They wash over us, they are strong and they fight hard to make shipwreck of our lives. Thank God that we know one who can walk on water and calm the storm. A valley is like being in a storm because you are taken from one extreme to another. Battling the winds can drain one's strength but there is one who won't let us sink. Sometimes, we might begin to lose hope but there is always a hand reaching down for us when we call out for deliverance. When he lifts us up we wonder why we ever doubted. The words he spoke to Peter echo in our minds"Wherefore didst thou doubt?" Finally, when we get toward the end of the valley we can see more light. Things start to look a little brighter, steps grow a little stronger and we can then begin again to climb the mountain. Once we reach the top, the valley seems so small below. We have been given victory and strength to rise above it. This has been different but needful for me to do today because , you see, I know some of you are going through valleys too. I wanted you to know that even the strong can get weak sometimes and I have been there.I want to encourage you to keep going because you too will get through your valley. The bible tells us in all things to give thanks. Sometimes we find it hard to find something good out of adversity but when we look hard enough we realize that it makes us more able to be a help to others. Because we have been through rough times, we can encourage others who are still struggling. God knows what my valley was and where it was and he was there with me all the way and he will be in yours too. I expect a few more clouds to pass over my way but I now can see the light at the end of this dark place and I am pressing toward the sunny path once again. I am in a hurry to get there and get past this darkness that has surrounded me. Never give up hope, whatever your valley, you have the support that you need to make it through. When I was to weak to walk, he carried me. He let me stop and cry when I needed to and he dried my tears. A few times I honestly felt he cried with me. When I broke, he picked up the pieces. When I was hungry , he fed me. When I needed someone to confide in, he was always awake even in the middle of the night. Never once did I call on Him did he fail me through this time and so this has made me stronger and for this I am thankful to my God. The devil really gave it a good shot this time but he has failed. I press toward the mark. I haven't let him win . Through God, he has given me the victory over this giant. God has fought for me and delivered me. What a loving shepherd we have with us in the valley to show us the way. What Would I do Without Jesus , The Shepherd of my valley? Be of Good cheer my friends; You will make it through your valley. Lean on the Shepherd who will walk it with you . Thank You Jesus for always being there beside me . All praise and honor to you. You are all I ever need!
I believe that we all walk through dark Valleys at some point in our lives. I also believe that we have someone with us through those valleys, I know this from the experience of my own valley that God walked through with me. I am so thankful for the Shepherd of my Valley. He was and is today my constant source of strength. The archive below that you are about to read was written when I was in that dark valley. I had only saved it to be a reference to remind of just how far God can bring us out and deliver us from all of our troubles but after many heartbreaking requests that I often receive on Daily Bread from people who are carrying burdens for loved ones, I find, I am taken back and reminded of the valley God brought me through. This is why I feel so strongly led to record this here now to be a help to all who are going through trials and dark valleys , Just to remind you that you have a Loving Shepherd who is always there , even in your darkest hour to comfort you when no one else can. May it be a help and encouragement to know that you are not the only one who has been in this place and that there is hope and you too will come through your valley in triumph.
Written October 22,2004. Bonus Daily Bread : Whatever the Valley.
I would like to thank My Friend , Jesus, who's always there to hold my hand or give it a squeeze when I walk through the valleys of life. He gives me hope to keep walking, telling me there's light at the end of this dark , shadowy place.
I write this to be a help and encouragement to all of you today because we all go through these dark valleys. It is here Satan tries to take advantage of our weakened estate and condition. We can give in to him or we can lean on the one who's shoulder is right beside us, Our savior and friend. We can keep walking and we can become stronger with each step with our savior's help and guidance and we gain the victory over Satan who has tried so hard to discourage.
I have been in a valley. This week was one of the darkest ones I think I have ever been through. I had to make an effort to send the devotions each day but God blessed the effort. I had a struggle to put my cares aside to try and help others because I don't want to fail my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Valleys can be a lonely place. A place that feels so empty. A place where you really need help. You find yourself looking around for some source of Comfort. With no one else to turn to , you become dependent on the one you can tell all your troubles to, the lilly in your valley. A ray of hope in a hopeless place. A thing of great beauty in a dry and barren land.
When the load was heavy, I would look to him and he would say " My Yoke is easy and my burden is light".When I cried, " Lord I am weak!" , He would say :" My Strength is made perfect in weakness".When I would cry for help he told me to " make my requests known", and I asked you as my Christian family to pray for me. I felt the prayers and saw the effects of them. This brightened the valley and would at times drive some of the clouds away.Oh how important it is to pray for one another!
While carrying the burden for another and praying for God to strengthen them with food from his table, I hadn't realized how Hungry I was myself, and he let me sit down and eat also and feed from his word which gave me strength to go another Mile.I am so thankful for the messages that he sent my way.
A few streams of sunshine would shine through when I would get a word from one of you saying , " We are remembering your request". You will never really know how much little things like that really mean to a person at the time.
A valley is similar to being on a body of water when a storm suddenly comes up. You go from a perfect calm place to being tossed about with violent waves. They wash over us, they are strong and they fight hard to make shipwreck of our lives. Thank God that we know one who can walk on water and calm the storm.
A valley is like being in a storm because you are taken from one extreme to another. Battling the winds can drain one's strength but there is one who won't let us sink. Sometimes, we might begin to lose hope but there is always a hand reaching down for us when we call out for deliverance. When he lifts us up we wonder why we ever doubted. The words he spoke to Peter echo in our minds"Wherefore didst thou doubt?"
Finally, when we get toward the end of the valley we can see more light. Things start to look a little brighter, steps grow a little stronger and we can then begin again to climb the mountain. Once we reach the top, the valley seems so small below. We have been given victory and strength to rise above it.
This has been different but needful for me to do today because , you see, I know some of you are going through valleys too. I wanted you to know that even the strong can get weak sometimes and I have been there.I want to encourage you to keep going because you too will get through your valley.
The bible tells us in all things to give thanks. Sometimes we find it hard to find something good out of adversity but when we look hard enough we realize that it makes us more able to be a help to others. Because we have been through rough times, we can encourage others who are still struggling.
God knows what my valley was and where it was and he was there with me all the way and he will be in yours too. I expect a few more clouds to pass over my way but I now can see the light at the end of this dark place and I am pressing toward the sunny path once again. I am in a hurry to get there and get past this darkness that has surrounded me.
Never give up hope, whatever your valley, you have the support that you need to make it through. When I was to weak to walk, he carried me. He let me stop and cry when I needed to and he dried my tears. A few times I honestly felt he cried with me.
When I broke, he picked up the pieces. When I was hungry , he fed me. When I needed someone to confide in, he was always awake even in the middle of the night. Never once did I call on Him did he fail me through this time and so this has made me stronger and for this I am thankful to my God.
The devil really gave it a good shot this time but he has failed. I press toward the mark. I haven't let him win . Through God, he has given me the victory over this giant. God has fought for me and delivered me. What a loving shepherd we have with us in the valley to show us the way.
What Would I do Without Jesus , The Shepherd of my valley?
Be of Good cheer my friends; You will make it through your valley. Lean on the Shepherd who will walk it with you .
Thank You Jesus for always being there beside me . All praise and honor to you. You are all I ever need!