Where the Flowers Grow...

They say you are either in one, going into one, or are just getting out of one.

A valley.

You are in another one...

You feel you have gone to the very edge. You feel like nothing else could go wrong, like your whole world is falling apart. You may even feel like God has abandoned you...

Let me assure you, He has not. He never will.

In one of my recent ministry school classes, I was sitting there (sadly, to be honest, I was not paying much attention) thinking about all the things that were going wrong/all the things that were worrying me and being completely selfish when I heard the teacher say, "The valley is where the flowers grow."

Woah. When he said that it hit me in the pit of my stomach and twisted my heart in conviction. Such a simple statement with such great meaning. The more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense.

Time and time again I've dwelt in the valleys... and every time God has made something beautiful, beyond what my so little of faith heart could see in those dark places. Time and time again I have seen God's faithfulness even when I have been faithless, He had always and will always create something amazing out of the mess. My faith will be made stronger as He helps me climb out of the valley, and to the top of the mountain.

Yet here I was again... worrying about this valley. Wallowing in my self-made sink hole in the valley. Forgetting of all He has done for me. Forgetting that He is my God, my Savior, Redeemer, Lover of my soul. Forgetting He is the living God... the God who heals, who mends the brokenhearted, who is Father to the fatherless. The God who parted the Red Sea, who gave an elderly woman the ability to get pregnant, who gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, the One who casted out demons, who raised the dead to life.

The same God who did that then, can do that now. He gives hope in what seems like a hopeless situation. Situations don't always turn out the way we want them to, the way our human minds think it is "suppose" to turn out...But our Creator knows what we really need.He knows the way a situation is suppose to turn out for our good. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 Whether you are in a valley today or not, I encourage you to spend time in the Father's presence. He aches for your time and attention. He delights in your prayers and praise. Stop falling for the things of this world, stop bowing down to your pains, problems, all your "valleys" and turn back to The One who holds your heart. Show those valleys in your life that they do not control you, that you do not worship them. Tell your valleys how amazing, faithful, strong your God is. Give it to Him, truly trust Him, and you will see that the love, comfort, joy, and peace that He will give you is far more overwhelming than the pain you've been feeling. Let the Gardener in. Let Him weed out the bad and plant the good. It may still hurt at first, but He will make something beautiful out of the pain if you will just hand it completely over to Him and rest in His presence. Let the flowers grow.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 somewhere out there in the world, Cami G.