By: Jackie Warner
When you are lost in the valley, seek the LIGHT! For those of us who have come out of the valley, make sure your light is shining bright for there is somebody lost in the valley trying to get home.
I have found myself in the valley more times than I would really want to admit, but I know I am not alone. It is something about those valley experiences. I think about the significance of being in the valley. Mentally, it is a place many times associated with difficulty, burden, weight, and isolation. In life, difficult but true, we must accept that the valley can be a blessing to aid our preparation for the next mountain we either choose or are required to climb. It is an opportunity to be still and present, to hear and understand where we are in our circumstances, reflect and pray for God’s ordered steps, and allow ourselves to be conditioned and strengthened for what’s up ahead. The concern comes when we are in the valley and stay too long! Sometimes we miss out on the lessons in the valley experience and get stuck or lost without a path to climb the next mountain. I admit it 
is hard, but it is up to us to use the valley. Yes, use your valley but don’t waste it!
Valley experiences make us stronger and fit to climb so we have a clearer vision to see where the rough sides of the mountain are as we are coming up.
Psalms 23 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
I am reminded of a song my niece loves to sings…
Let your light shine, shine, shine. Let your light shine, shine, shine. It may be somebody lost in the valley trying to get home…trying to get home. It might be me or it might be you. But you know there’s somebody lost in the valley trying to get home…trying to get home
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalms 37:3-5
By: Jackie Warner
Career Development Facilitator “Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters
April 6, 2024
