Strength in the Valley

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
                                                                                                                        Psalm 23: 4



Here in the mountains we are privileged with the joy of experience the beauty of God’s creation. People clamor to where we live for rest and relaxation because of this beauty. It is an amazing place to experience God. However where there are also valleys. We never stay on the mountain top forever; we must at some point come down into the valley.

Our lives flow from high to low but at times we seem to get stuck in one place. It’s funny because we rarely get stuck on the mountain top. Our valleys are not physical but they are the places where it is harder to find light. The valleys appear to be more dangerous and scarier. They appear when those we love are sick or die. They are those moments when we feel that no one else can understand what is happening to us. The times when we can’t understand what is happening to us. We enter the valleys of life either on our own accord or because of an experience that changes us completely.


The Israelites cried to God in the desert because they were hungry, thirsty and scared because they did not understand where they were going or what God’s plan was for them. In their fear they became angry and lashed out at God but each time they complained or were controlled by their fears God provided for them. They were given food, drink and even life lessons to remind them that God was with them in the desert. We study and remember this journey across the desert to the promise land because it is in the desert where the Israelites stop being a group of people wandering and became a great nation. Like the Israelites, it is our struggles that define who we are and how we approach life.
It is in the dark valleys that we learn our strength and where to find help. We learn in these moments that God is with us on the mountain top and in the valley.

I believe that it is the job of parents to help our children learn how to navigate the valleys of life. We cannot protect them from those dark moments no matter how hard we try. We must teach them how to find the help they need. We need teach how to access the tools that God has given them. They should be taught see that God is walking through difficult time with them and protecting them. 

Resilience only make us more successful in life and better equipped to God's work in the world.  Our children need to know that when things get hard it is not the end. They will get stronger and they can find guidance and protection if they keep trusting God while they are walking through the valley towards the next mountain. 

Conversation Starters:
  • When do you feel like you are alone?
  • How can I help you?
  • Do you know where to get help if you need it?
  • How can you tell that you are loved and supported when things get tough?
  • Where do you find God when things are difficult or painful?

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