You answer our prayers with amazing wonders
and with awe-inspiring displays of power.
You are the righteous God who helps us like a father.
Everyone everywhere looks to you,
for you are the confidence of all the earth,
even to the farthest islands of the sea.
What jaw-dropping, astounding power is yours!
You are the mountain maker who sets them all in place.
You muzzle the roar of the mighty seas
and the rage of mobs with their noisy riots.
8O God, to the farthest corners of the planet
people will stand in awe,
startled and stunned by your signs and wonders.
Sunrise brilliance and sunsetbeauty both take turns singing their songs of joy to you. Psalm 65:5-8 TPT
The mountaintop vistas are breathtaking. The horizon is beyond reach but at the same time right there in sight. And the panoramic view provides a feeling of arrival, majesty, and accomplishment.
In the same glance, you look down upon the valley floor and secretly rejoice that you made it to the top. But with further introspection, you know that it was your time in the valley that brought you to the top.
Mountaintop vistas or valley floors. The choice is yours. Both serve a purpose and both are necessary on the road to becoming. Your journey is richer when you accept the breathtaking views as well as the limited perspective found when the way before you is uncertain.
Last week, I wrote on the road to becoming and explored the steps we take in unison with God. While God is always present along the way, it is the steps taken in
Any mountaintop victories I have experienced belong not only to me but also to God. The climb is never easy and is seldom accomplished alone. When we tire, the cheering of friends, family, and others keep us on track. My own experience has proved this time and time again.
But the landscape of
I hold my close relationships close and my family even closer. Any other community is a bonus. While I am in community, I find a strength that sustains and heals. But as I wrote above, God continues to grow me by changing what community looks like in my life.
I adore the view from the mountaintop. The feeling of reaching to touch the sky is one that never grows old. But I am not too naive to believe that making it to the top is the only pinnacle I ever want to reach.
For it is in the gaping valleys that the strengthening of my heart has undergone the deepest renovation. And my soul has cried out in desperation just to be heard. Even though we are never alone we pray for the desires of our heart to echo for others to hear.
So the choice is yours–mountaintop vistas or valley floors. God is in both. Life most definitely is better when we experience the view on top and down low.
For it is in the gaping valleys that the strengthening of my heart has undergone the deepest renovations. #TellHisStory Share on XI’m walking the road to becoming and letting God grab my hand and show me the way. Will you join me?
Newsy Notes:
Next week, I have the honor of welcoming Linda Stoll to the blog as our second featured writer for Tell His Story. She is a regular member of the community and if you have not had the pleasure of reading her wisdom, head over to lindastoll.net and check her out.
Although I don’t like the time in the valleys and it hurts down there, they have been good to me. They have shaped me into who I am. I like the person I have become much better than the person I was. Plus, when I get to the top, I sure to admire the beauty a lot more. Wonderful post and a great way to start my morning.
I agree that the valleys hurt and are refining. But I would not be who I am without the time I spent there. So glad you stopped by here this morning to start your day.
Community has and continues to be a gift for me too! Your post makes me think of the Gospel text for Sunday “The sermon on the plain.” Jesus is in a level place with the disciples. Earlier in Luke, we find Jesus on the mountaintop praying. Being on a level place puts us on level playing field!
I love seeing you with your community. For me, it has changed a lot over the years, but it is something I treasure. Thank you for being here.
Mary, I thought I submitted a comment here yesterday but I don’t see it, so I will try again. (If you get two from me somehow, feel free to delete one of them!) Like you, I feel the tension of constantly changing community. Many of my dearest friends have been “seasonal,” meaning that we’ve been close for a time and then life sends us in different directions (usually geographic). This used to really bother me, but it helped when I finally started appreciating the gift that those friendships are and how God has greatly used them to strengthen my life and faith. I am so looking forward to reading what Linda has for us next week …
Hi Lois! The first comment ended up in spam. Thank you for trying again. Like you, community can be seasonal but God never fails to bless me with beautiful friends. It helped me to read that you spend time in gratitude for the gift of friendship rather than focusing on what you don’t have. See you next week. 🙂
So true, Mary! Those mountaintop views can be breathtaking and feel so invigorating to our faith. I love when I get to that mountaintop–which by the way, doesn’t come all that often! 😉 And I suppose I don’t really “enjoy” the valleys until I lean into the Lord and feel His comfort surrounding me and His power strengthening me. Then I know it is more than worth the time in the valley. Great insight and contrast here, my friend! So glad you’ve had friends to support you in every valley as well. Hugs and prayers!
Your words help me to know I am not alone in this journey that takes us directions we don’t expect. Time in the valley is always worth it. Glad we are on this journey together. Blessings!
“I’m walking the road to becoming…” Beautifully stated. laurensparks.net
Thank you! Sabbath blessings!
Although I do have a core community that stays stable, I also have a rotating community in many other areas of my life. It’s both invigorating and draining for this introvert. 😉 But God is good and he is one of the constants!
I am also an introvert so as much as I love community there are other times I need to pull back to reenergize. Thank you for sharing and being such an integral part of this community.
Mary, I missed your post from the last few weeks of not linking up, I will have to make time to go back and read it, but your post today is very moving. I love this line: “it is the steps taken in community that shape us for the road ahead.” I am so glad God calls us to be a part of community and that we have the opportunity freely be in one. Blessings my friend!
I know life has been full for you. No worries! I also love that we are in community together. Blessings as you enjoy this Sunday and the week ahead.
I have found this so true – “For it is in the gaping valleys that the strengthening of my heart has undergone the deepest renovation.” The valleys are necessary and painful, but they make the mountaintop vistas all the more glorious, don’t they? Thank you for this insightful hope offering, Mary. I definitely will join you on the road to becoming and letting God grab my hand and show me the way. Love and blessings to you!
The valleys are where the deepest growth takes place and it is hard. But through it all, God prunes us and makes us stronger. That is what I see and learn in the valley. Blessings to you as we walk on the road to becoming together.
Good morning, Mary,
Your post is timely. I was just talking with a friend yesterday about this. The mountain top with the climb you described so well, could be preparation for the next valley. Wherever we are, we would be wise to heed your wisdom of acknowledging His presence with us. May He bless you today, friend and sister in Christ.
Mountaintops and valleys each come with their own challenges. But as you said, knowing God is with us will see us through. Happy weekend.
Thank you, Mary. Same to you!
🙂
Dear Mary,
Oh, so sweet thoughts you have shared here today! Yes, I am joining you on that journey of allowing God to show me HIS perspective in both the mountaintop and the valley. He knows how much we need both of those places, to grow and to sing of His working within us. Thank you for the blessing you bring here in your sharing! Blessings to you.
Thank you for always being a blessing in this place with your sweet encouragement. Love knowing we are walking together on this journey.
Mary, thanks. Your intro to next week is sweet and kind … this wasn’t an easy post to write.
I can’t wait to share your words. Many will be blessed.
“Your journey is richer when you accept the breathtaking views as well as the limited perspective found when the way before you is uncertain.” So true. It makes me also think of a landscape photo compared to macro. The limited perspective can also reveal fine details you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
I so agree with the photography analogy. After writing this, I was thinking about the beauty of the valley from a physical perspective to remind me of how good God is at all times. I am looking for the fine details in the challenge. Praying you find them too.
Time in the valleys is not always what we would choose but it is encouraging to look back and see how God has used it, that both our time on the mountain tops and our time in the valleys are necessary. I agree about the landscape of community changing too. Sometimes it’s hard to let go when our community changes or circumstances mean we see people less often, but then God brings new people along to bless us in different ways.
The valleys and mountaintops are needed. And I am better for having experienced both. Thank you for encouraging me with the reminder that God brings new people along to bless us. Love having you here!
I’m so thankful for God’s presence and all that He teaches us in both the valleys and the mountaintops.
Me too. He is the best guide to have in our lives.
While in valleys, one thing that I always try to remember is from the wisdom of the 23rd Psalm. “Even though I walk THROUGH the Valley of Death…” (vs. 4) We are not stagnant in the valley…we are going through it. When we continue to rely on God and acceptance His guidance in that place, He will bring us to the other side and once again on the mountain top!
Blessings, Joan
We can never go wrong with Psalm 23. It is my go-to when facing challenges that are beyond me. God will see us through because He never leaves our side.
Mary, you’ve hit upon a truth few of us want to embrace: the valley is the road to the mountain top! Thanks for sharing your story and challenging us to rethink our valleys! And I’m so glad you’re featuring Linda next week! I love her blog.
The deep heart work is accomplished in the valleys. Anytime we are faced with hard work we want to run the other direction. Thank you for being here. And Linda’s words are going to bless many.
Just like the weather, one thing we can count on is the changing of the terrain under our feet. Thanks be to God for the stabilizing love that keeps us upright and trusting for the next step!
Yes! God’s love is the firm foundation beneath our feet. Blessed to walk this journey with you. Blessings and hugs!
Mary, such a beautiful post. I find it easy to want to be on the mountain tops. In the past, I’ve tried to avoid the valleys. But, as I grow older, I realize God does a lot of work in the valleys. I loved this:
“For it is in the gaping valleys that the strengthening of my heart has undergone the deepest renovation.”
You’re so right. It is in the valleys where our hearts are strengthened, our characters deepened, and our eyes are opened.
I thought of you when I wrote this post because you have more physical opportunities to reach the mountaintop because of where you live. In fact, the pictures are from Durango. But with that said, God never takes us to places where we don’t need to go. My growth in relationships is because of the valleys and the hard work that I do when I am there. Praying we see the wondrous guidance of God wherever we are.
Mary,
Given the choice, I’d choose the mountain top vista, but I realize that it has been in the valleys that my faith has truly been girded and strengthened. You really don’t know Jesus until all you have is Jesus. If I’d never had the valleys, I don’t think I could appreciate the mountain tops!
Blessings and good to pop in at your place,
Bev xo
It’s so good to see you, Bev! I’ve missed you. You speak such truth in your comment today. We need the valleys to strengthen us for the climb. Blessings and hugs!