Valley Days

I finally understood that the reason why I don't like to be in a valley is because it is so quiet. Valleys can be beautiful, filled with flowers and greenery; they can have the spring pastels and vibrant trumpets to summer, there can be autumn colors, rabbits cavorting, quick foxes, deer leaping, birds singing, or the blanket of winter, but still, even with all of that eye candy, there is silence.  My voice can echo from the mountain tops, but in the valley, I can hear myself breathe.  No matter if it is a quick walk down and then out again or if I am there for weeks, walking through to the other side and up the mountain, it is quiet.  I like quiet sometimes, but not this kind of quiet and not when I am going through the valley.  I have come to know with confidence that although there is silence, I am not alone in the valley.  I have tried to get out of the valley faster than I am supposed to one time taking a short cut, but that just left me wandering into thickets and traversing stones and rocks and ending up in the desert.  I really hate the desert, so dry, hot, vast, filled with snakes, scorpions, coyotes, scorching sun, no water, no paths to lead me home.  No, I would really rather I didn't end up in the desert.  Then there are the times that I tried to run up the side of the mountain, but have slid back down, only to start again.  Walking is best.  Really.  I know.  I tried to scale the steepest sides, figuring that would be the quickest way out, but that didn't work either.  Staying on the path, no matter how long it seems, having heart faith that He is guiding you, has always turned out to be the best way.  I remember one time before I set out through a new valley, I looked to my right and saw wolves to my right, directly above my path.  There were four of them and they just stood there watching, with their tongues hanging out, panting.  They didn't try to step my way; they just watched as I started down the path.  I forgot about them as I negotiated the steep way down, moving from rock to rock, careful not to slip and fall.   Then, later on storm clouds gathered and although it poured sheets of water, no harm came to me.  I wasn't cold, just wet and I  shook that off as I walked.  I had flowers and birds along the way, but it was quiet.  I couldn't hear the Voice I longed for.  I had to count on His promises, remembering them and letting them guide me along the way.

I don't like valleys, but at least I have learned that I am never alone, no matter how far down into the valley I have to go, or how long the valley venture lasts.  I remember one valley that was so short I could see the path up to the mountain as soon as I left off on my trip.  But for some reason, the reason I had to discover with my heart, for that reason, the way was very slow.  I have been in very long valleys, valleys that at first glance would seem to go on forever, and I have navigated them in a very short time.  Before I grew weary of the valley I was on mountain tops, with echoing  voices all around.  But no matter what, no matter where, He never left me alone.  I prefer the mountains, and I prefer not to have to deal with the valleys, but even more, I prefer not to have silence.  I need to hear His voice.  He is there for us even when we do not hear His voice, walking beside us, guiding us, watching over us.
Never doubt that He loves you; He loves us all.  Even when you can't see your way out, know that He has made a way and it is just up ahead.  Every day you wake up and start the morning, you are one day closer to standing on top of the mountain.  Greet each day with joy because He has given it to you.  You can go through the day or you can be the blessing of that day, you can be the joy that people seek, you can encourage, care, uplift others.  Be the light, be the joy, be the one.
The walk through the valley is shortest when walked with joy.  I found that even though I couldn't hear His voice, He could hear mine, and I could praise Him and I could sing.  The valley wasn't so quiet when I was singing His praises.  I could hear other praises echoing and the silence of the valley ceased.  I became the light, the song, the praise, the voice, the one.  Then the journey became the joy.

Blessings

If you want the blessings of God
then      


Bless God!

All That I Have Done

Do you see what I have done?  

I know you see me 

and everything I do

I am the betrayal on the wind, 

yet still you call me to you, even with my sin.

Who are You and who am I that you would love me with all that has past;

I know you see me and all the things I do

even out of the corner of Your Eye,

yet you call my name and bring me home,

sit me down at the foot of Your Throne, 

and

as I sink into the mercy seat, 

you wipe my tears as I kneel at Your feet.

Who am I to receive your grace

Who am I to think of ever seeing Your face,

Who am I to come to You

Expecting forgiveness after all that You do?

What do I have that You want me?

"Nothing" is the reply, Nothing you have is what You need;

Then take my nothing, because that is all I have,

My nothing is Yours, because nothing I am but Yours.

R.Sanacore   02/20/12 (c)

Essence

Now, if I have this right, then the essence of our being here on this earth is
that we are to love our God as much as He loves His people,
and to love His people as much as God loves them.

Words

Our words do matter.  We can use them to harm or we can use them to heal.  Being positive with our words can bring positive influence to our day or if we choose to be negative and entertain negative thoughts, then we can influence ourselves to have a 'bad' day.  It's our choice.
But, more importantly, His Word matters more than anything I could say.
"In the beginning, there was the Word and the Word was made flesh. "  John 1"1
The Word is, the Word was and the Word will ever be.
We meditate on words.
We speak words.
We hear words.
There is a lot of emphasis put on words throughout the Bible.
Words can define who we are.  Words can define what we do, how far we can go in life.  If we speak positive thoughts, we act in a positive manner, people feel the positiveness of your attitude and it will carry forward.
Words of encouragement go a long way.  Lifting people up, giving an encouraging word to someone can change their day, change their attitude towards themselves and holds the possibility of that person being uplifting to someone else, and then that person.... and so on.  Not a foreign concept at all.  Not a difficult one either.  But it is something we have to be aware of, conscious of our own attitude and the atmosphere and aura we portray to others.   With the barrage of media speaking bad news into our lives, with reports of war and death, famine, rising prices, unemployment, kind and uplifting words, encouragement is important to everyone.  It isn't always easy to do, but it can be life changing for the encourager as well as for the recipient.  It is a habit to be cultivated.
Words are thoughts, some that we should never speak, some we don't speak enough to each other.  Words can stir the heart, calm the soul, edify and encourage a person.  Angry thoughts show an angry face and an angry demeanor.  No one really wants to be around a person with an angry demeanor, at least I know I don't.  Fearful thoughts show a fearful face and a fearful demeanor.  By the same token, a happy face, a sincere smile will produce a similar reaction and one that is likely to be passed on.  A kind word will produce a kind word in reply.  It's all in the word.  The word we read influences our mind, our thoughts and our attitude.  The more positive, encouraging and intelligent words we read, the more positive, encouraging and intelligent the words coming out of our mouths and into the lives of the people we meet will be.  It's all in the word, and when we live in the Word, read the Word, study the Word, search the Word, we become the Word that we read. We find the truth in the Word, our destiny is found in the Word, our confidence is found in the Word, our vision, our confidence, love and all of our positive beliefs come from the Word.  The  Word is God's word, given to us to be able to live a free life in Christ.  A life free from strife, free from hate, free from hurts.
Are our words His words?  Do our words lift others up, give meaning to life and rejoicing to each day, bring a positive perspective to each situation?  Do our words reflect His Word?  Our words should be edifying words, words of the One who gave the Word.  Words that stir the heart to do the work of the one who is the Word.  Jesus.  Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  Words have power; my words have power over my attitude, over my day, over others, over myself for an outreach, for an outcome to a struggle, a problem, or an event.  I can create a joyous atmosphere for myself and those around me.  I can give or take.  It is my choice how I live this life and I choose joy.

Who can rule the world that God made?

Romans 8: 28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Trust is not in things or in circumstances but in Him.


I know for a fact that I do not have enough faith not to believe. 

Don't worry about messing up; God isn't about rules, He is about forgiveness, He is about love.  Besides, He already knew you would do that when He formed you in your mother's womb.  And, He loves you.  Through His forgiveness, there is freedom.  There is freedom to move, to live, to dream, to succeed, to have joy. 

Who can rule the world that God made? 
No man can.  
HE is the Great I AM.  

In The End

In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.—Daphne Rose Kingma

Our words matter; they can scar and wound, or heal and help. Every person you see is fighting a battle; we all are hurt in some way.   Life is a struggle and a battle.  We can meet it head on victoriously, charging into the day to conquer and restore, or we can sit on the sidelines and complain, or worse yet, just exist.  There are disappointments and hurts; there is discouragement and set backs, but these life events do not have to be our legacy.  The loss, hurt and pain is not the end of our hopes and dreams; it can be just a change of plans, a new beginning.  It all depends on our attitude and perception.   We can experience joy if we want to.  We can experience love, even when in pain.  We can experience gain even when suffering a loss.  When we take our eyes off of ourselves and out of self-pity we move out of the pit of depression we have fallen into.  We are able to move through the valleys and move onto the mountains where our view is unobstructed.  

I am not saying that you don't feel pain or that you should, or even can, ignore the pain, hurt and sorrow that life can bring.  We all experience that.  But you can have joy every morning, every day, all through the day if you can just claim it.  I am not talking about the "name it and claim it" doctrine that was being widely preached a few years ago.  I am talking about really understanding how fortunate we really are to be living in this country, how blessed we are, what a wonderful God we serve, and knowing deep in our hearts that He has good for us, and not harm, that He has a plan for you.  Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, " Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you, hope and a future."

Philippians 4:4  "Rejoice in the LORD always.  And again I say Rejoice!" 

Look for the person you can lift up and watch how you are lifted up.  Look for what God is doing around you and ask Him if you can join Him.  Sometimes we should do just that, rather then to ask and wait to see what He would have us do.  Jump in there and do things with Him.  

I know what that feels like to have suffered the loss of a loved one, someone who is gone too soon.  If you are hurting badly from such a loss and find it impossible to think of others, if you are in a place that you  can't think of the next thing you need to do, if you feel the darkness around you like a wall, then reach out to your friends and family.  don't try to hide it with deeds.  I am not saying that at all.  Pain is pain and we all feel it.  Talk to someone, ask for prayer, move in your walk through this dark valley.  You don't have to go through this thing alone.  Let others help you bring love to life inside of you.   Ecclesiastes 4:10 "If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them." There are certain things that happen to us that take time to heal.  But don't let this thing become your life; lead your life through it.  Tragedy and loss becomes a part of us and a part of our life.  But we don't have to let it define who we are, where we go or how far we can go.  If you need help healing, ask for it.  Seek out those in counseling who are trained and raised up with a true relationship with God.   

Psalm 17:6 "I call on you, oh God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer."
Move forward, reach out for help, reach out to others who need help.  Where there is healing, there is hope.  When we help others heal, we learn; when we learn, we grow.  When we grow, we move forward.  When we feel good about ourselves, we can make others feel good about themselves. 

Don't worry about messing up; God isn't about rules, He is about forgiveness, He is about love.  Besides, He already knew you would do that when He formed you in your mother's womb.  And, He loves you.  Through His forgiveness, there is freedom.  There is freedom to move, to live, to dream, to succeed, to have joy.  

God never promised it would be easy, but He did promise it would be worth it.  

If you need prayer, leave your prayer request in the comments and you will be prayed for.  God bless you.

A Light on the Hill

Be the voice that helps heal the hurt.
When we look at another person, we should not see their clothes or their earthly circumstance; the things a person has been through, what pain is in their heart, the scars that lie within them, we have no knowledge of these things.  We need to help people to know the love that is there for them, draw them to the one true Light.  There is nothing more pure than hope and nothing can give more encouragement than faith.  We can give encouragement through our faith, and when we do, we give hope.  Our words can help and heal.  The way we speak to each others does matter.  Kindness helps heal the hurt. When  we give of ourselves selflessly, we receive joy in abundance.  We don't need to look for rewards for what we do; those rewards that are ours will find us and sometimes when we least expect them. We should act from the goodness of our heart and let what lies in the corners die away.  Feed the joy, let it grow and give the abundance of your joy to others and watch how God will add blessings to you.  The people we see today are God's children too and He may want them back one day, so be kind to them, that their report will favor you.