Through the Valley ~
Author Unknown


"I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the 'God of all comfort' was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

"As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,
Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places us oft in the furnace,
The dross from the gold to destroy.

"When he leads thro' some valley of trouble
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace.

"Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning,

Forgetting the Husbandman knows
That the deeper the cutting and paring,
The richer the cluster that grows.

"Well He knows that affliction is needed;
He has a wise purpose in view,
And in the dark valley He whispers,
'Hereafter Thou'lt know what I do.'

"As we travel thro' life's shadow'd valley,
Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses,
Are blessings just sent in disguise.

"So we'll follow wherever He leadeth,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that our God can give comfort;
Our God can give songs in the night."

~ * ~

Psalm 84:5-6

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools."

Flowers in the winter ...

One day, I think last winter, I was struggling with such a horribly deep and dark depression. Oh! It was really eating away at what felt like the last of my strength. I managed to walk out and stand under the cloudy, grey skies and just poured it all out to Father God. Literally cried out for His comfort, His steadying hand. I screamed out for His help, as I knew this depression was becoming danagerous, once again. I seem to remember actually becoming hysterical.
     After an undeterminable amount of time, I snapped out of it. And the first realization was that I was turning to look down at something ... this was of no conscience thought on my part. I really had no idea exactly what had just taken place or what I was turning to look for.
     But my eyes fell upon a mound of pineneedles, covered in ice. And in the center thereof stood the most perfect ... most beautiful ... tiny flower I had ever seen! 
     A warmth spred throughout my body, as the cold wind blew. And I knew then that Father God had just chased away my heart's clouds with a flower ... and a hug.  

 


I borrowed the following quote from one of the pages of another group that I belong and really enjoy, Believer's Hope on Yahoo Groups.  http://www.believershope.com/welcome.htm

When we pray it is not always necessary to consciously experience the sensation that we are talking to God, no matter how nice this would be. What matters is being with Him, living with Him, in His will. To love with a pure heart, to love everybody, especially to love the poor, is a twenty four hour prayer.

- Mother Teresa -





http://www.edyoung.com/watch.php