Down in the Valley

Life is funny. I think it's supposed to be. Just when you think that things are going along just fine and nothing can bring you down from the mountain, smack....in the valley. I'm not saying that to be all "glass half empty" - I'm saying it because it's real. It's real that sometimes you are up on the mountain and sometimes your life events bring you to the valley.

When I was younger, I had a friend named Tammy. Tammy's mother was married to a singing evangelist who used to come to our church every year. He sang and played the piano. Each year that Tammy came, our friendship grew closer. She wasn't in the best of situations. Her father was not very nice to her and occasionally abused her. Tammy and I became very close during the times she was here. One time, during a particular bad patch of her life I remember walking around our church building several times and listening to her hum. I couldn't believe that she could be so peaceful during such a rough time. When I asked her about it, she sang a song for me. Now, even by Tammy's own admission she wasn't a great singer. She sang a song called "Life is Easy". Life is easy when you're up on the mountain and you've got peace like you've never know. But it's down in the valley of our trials and temptations - that's when faith is really put to the test. And the God of the mountain, He's still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He'll make them right. And the God of the good time is still God in the bad times. And the God of the day is still God in the night. Every once in a while, I forget that. It is easy to remember that God is in charge when I'm on the mountain - when things in my life are fantastic. When I step down that mountain, it's hard for me to remember that God is still God in the valley.

I have someone close to me who is somewhat in the valley. She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and bravely came through the treatments. She was sad about having cancer. Who can blame her, right? The courage and faith she showed was amazing. That was her valley. Her mountain was when she was declared cancer free in November after breast surgery. Cancer free. I have never had cancer and can't even imagine what it's like to hear those words - "You are cancer free". It has to be the top of the mountain in someone's life. This past week, though, I believe she has stumbled into the valley. She discovered another lump in the same breast. Bam. Just like that - on the mountain one day and deep in the valley the next. I'm not sure I could handle it with as much grace and beauty as she has. She will soon find out if she has to face the challenge of not being cancer free...The best part of the story - today she said to me, "I'm scared, but like the song you sing, God is still God in the valley". Could I be that graceful? Could I sing the song of God being God in the valley? I'm not sure I could.

Two friends with stories of being in the valley. I've been in the valley; I've been on the mountain. Just in the spirit of honesty, my faith waivers in the valley. I'm not sure if that means that I'm a spiritual weakling or just that I'm human. My faith waivers. I ask questions and wonder how I got into the valley so quickly. Just as David cried out in the Psalms, God is my salvation and fortress. He is a stronghold in the day of trouble. I believe that means that God is all the strength we need in the valley. I try not to dwell in the valley for too long. I can only hope and pray that when I'm in the valley, I can be as strong as these two beautiful women - the God of the mountain is still God in the valley - whatever that valley may be. Amazing how God's grace is sufficient.