I THINK I AM A VALLEY GIRL

Do you know or are you one of the people who can’t wait for the next thrill? For the most part you feel that life is boring and you would be happier if you could live in Disney World and ride the roller coaster every day. I DO NOT understand you!!! I am happier with the mundane and would prefer to live in the rut; I think I am a “Valley Girl.”

Our Walk with God has been expressed many times as either a “Mountaintop” or “Valley” experience. The “Mountaintop” describes exhilarating times, conquering, the end of the battle, and victorious celebration. The “Valley,” on the other hand speaks of constant searching, struggling, or stumbling through the darkness and discouragement. I think the Valley gets a bad rap and as a Valley Girl, I have a different point of view.

While a mountain may offer excitement and be exhilarating, living on a mountain is hard. Mountain climbers describe the treacherous perils awaiting those who dwell on the peaks. There are stories of hikers finding a quiet, flat site to set up camp for the night only to have a storm blow in unexpectedly, upsetting the camp. The climber must always be aware of missteps into a crevice or loose boulders that appear solid only to break off with the slightest weight and go tumbling into the canyon below. The thunder of an avalanche strikes terror into the hearts of even the most experienced explorers who understand that trying to escape the tidal wave of snow racing down the mountainside is futile. Once the adventurers have reached the peak, there is a feeling of incredible achievement and the view is breathtaking, but trying living on the mountaintop. There is nothing to be found that will sustain life. There are no places to build a house, no rich soil to grow a garden, or beautiful streams from which to draw life giving water. It can be cold and lonely on the mountain. What do you do when all the provisions you toted on your back have been depleted? There is no local grocer or Wal-Mart on the top of the mountain. Suddenly, the valley begins to sound a little more inviting.

It is in the valley we find peace, rest, safety and provision. The valley provides a quiet place where we can take the time to feel God’s love surrounding us and earnestly seek His guidance. Our bodies have been created to endure hardship, expend incredible amounts of energy and achieve amazing feats of strength but even the strongest and most energetic person will eventually hit the wall because we are also created to require rest. It is in the valley that we can take the time to be revived, refreshed, and reinvigorated. It is true, sometimes life in the valley becomes boring or as I prefer to call it, peaceful. For all you “thrill-seekers,” be assured, Life is never static, the valley will come to an end and soon you will have another mountain to climb.

All of you Mountain Climbers please be patient with us Valley Girls as we journey through life together. I will climb up the mountain side with you and rejoice when we reach the peak. I promise to be a shoulder to lean on as we descend on the other side. I only ask that you allow me just a little extra time to linger in the valley. Let me drink from clear stream of refreshing water, eat the fruit from the Tree of Life and smell the sweet aroma of the Lily of the Valley. As a Valley Girl, I need a few extra moments to prepare for the next adventure. We will reach the mountain soon but for now there are green pastures and still waters awaiting this Valley Girl.