" The land is a land of hills and valleys..."

 

Deuteronomy 11:11-14 tells a beautiful story of Moses preparing the children of Israel for their trip into Canaanland...a journey of the unknown.  As I prepared for sleep last night and awake again at 2am I couldn't help but think how  that was what January 2014 was for Ronnie and I. 

 

We entered into the year with our friends in Mt Sterling Kentucky at the Shepherd's Shelter Rehab for New Year's Eve.  Little did we know what January would hold for us.

We held our first revival in Royston Georgia with our long time friends, the Vaughn's for a powerful move of God and visitation of His presence.  He walked with us for three days with lives being changed in the altar and a sweet move of His Spirit...we had walked with Him on the hill of His presence!

By our next revival, Ronnie had a relapse of some chest cold he had battled in December and by the time we reached Alabama he was running a fever and coughing terribly.  Because of his illness, we left his equipment in the car and he sat in the back away from most everyone except when we had prayer for him.  By the next morning as we were taking him to a walk in clinic, we discovered our vehicle's window was smashed and all our equipment, guitar, pa system, amp, cds, dvds, cables, clothes, shoes and Ronnie's Bible had been stolen.  They left us nothing but the vehicle.  It had begun.  He now walked with us through the valley.  We spent the next several days contacting the police, filing reports, calling insurance, still going to the clinic and treating Ronnie's fever and cough.  At night, He walked with us in the meetings....but out of the meeting we walked through a trying, frustrating place.  We were on the road for 9 days and He met with us in each meeting in such a wonderful way with souls born into the Kingdom and lives transformed and healed.  His presence was our mountaintop....  During the day dealing with starting again with all new equipment and Ronnie's illness, He walked with us through the valley.

We held our first Campmeeting of the year with my brother Mike Ferree and Cecil Hamby in Johnson City Tennessee at the Bible Church.  Each night Ronnie played a new guitar we had bought on our way home from Alabama but did very little singing....still struggling with his breathing.  By the end of this week, my nephew had rededicated his life to the Lord, received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, many lives healed, touched, changed in the presence of the Lord.

On our return home we finally had an appointment with a local doctor.  The weather had kept us from reaching his asthma doctor the week before.  So we took Ronnie for more checkups, chest x-rays, shots, antibiotics only to find he was fighting pneumonia.  We have cancelled our meeting for the weekend (my brother Mike is preaching in our place) and staying indoors during the 15 degree weather for the next 10 days. 

 Israel was walking into a new land...a land of the unknown.  Moses said it will be not as Egypt but a land of hills and valleys, drinking their water from the rain of heaven....but he also said..."a land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." 

I couldn't help but think back over our first month of this year.  We have encountered great mountaintops of joy, laughter and victory as He walked with us night after night and we received reports of my nephew rededicating his life to the Lord....and then by the end of that week my niece's husband crying in the altar for over 20 minutes rededicating his life to the Lord.  What a mountaintop with Jesus!  We drank from the rain of heaven!  But He also walked with us through this valley....loss of many thousands of dollars of equipment....Ronnie battling off and on for the entire month....better for a few days and another relapse until we finally got a report of the source of his problem...pneumonia.  Although it has been a trying time, I can also say He walks with us in our valley....we drink of His rain...we are renewed by His presence. 

I have many friends that I have watched over the course of 2013 walking through extreme valley circumstances...much more severe than anything Ronnie and I have faced.  I am touched and empowered at the way they have taken every day in stride....whether a hill or valley....never considering the possibility of not climbing the next mountain!  I read it in their posts on facebook (Julie) and in their voice over the phone (Debbie) how quitting or failing is not an option....just to keep climbing.  Truly our life is an open book....a living epistle known and read of all men.

Our walk with God has not been a promise of no difficulties...no pain...no sorrow...no disappointment.  Only a promise of....I will never leave you nor forsake you...

Today I am happy to report....January is over!  I look forward to February walking with my King.  Even though it is another unknown, I feel safe that He continues to hold us in His wonderful hand and guide our steps.  He never promised no valleys....His promise was hills, valleys and rain!  I am thankful this morning for His rain....