Where Streams Flow and Fruit Grows

Have I ever told you about the time I hiked through a quiet, thorn filled valley, in order to reach an ideal location to watch a sunset? Well, I'll tell you now.

It was nearing sunset and I was on a walk. Now, don't think I'm some athletic punk who does this for fun. I just wanted to go on a walk. Simple. I decided to veer off the sidewalk onto what looked like a somewhat, maybe tread once before, path. As I walked I spotted the hill I wanted to watch the sun go down on. The perfect spot.

So I journeyed on, my destination in sight.

It wasn't easy. I walked forward, and sometimes backward, in order to make way. I walked the same path multiple times and wrestled branches and twigs away. But I knew where I wanted to go, so I kept on.

When I hit a ~~ginormous canyon~~ maybe two feet wide gap in the ground, I pulled out an Indiana-Jones-like move and threw my bag across to the other side. Realizing there was no turning back after that, I walked a few steps back for extra speed, and leaped across the ~~huge~~ stream.

It took a few more scratches and some dirt under the nails before I reached my desired destination, but I made it. I sat, next to an ant hill and a spider, and I watched that sun go down in serenity.

It wasn't until after, while I made my way back to the road, when I found that instead of taking the path I took, through the low valley and poky bushes, that I could have simply walked directly from the road onto the very same hill I fought to reach. (Can someone say run on sentence?)

And you know what? I do not regret the path I took.

I just got back from summer camp where I was a volunteer, only two days ago. There are a lot of great things that happened, which I will be glad to tell you about another time. But there were also some very unfortunate things that took place, and my heart has been so heavy.

God is surely doing something, even if I don't know what.

Que the sad violins, will ya?

I'm dealing with a butt load of guilt when it comes to a student's suicidal attempts, and on top of it I dread, every single day, the news I might come home to at night. God is surely doing something, though. Right?

We all deal with our own valleys, like the one I spoke about before, and the pain we face is real. Very, very real. We can sit and ask each other why this happens. Why me? Why you?

Or not.

You can ask me all you want why I think I am going through the trials I've recently been facing, and I will honestly tell you: I don't know.

I don't know why. All I know is I will worship God anyway.

Sometimes God takes us through a low valley. It may be filled with some big, stubby rocks. It may have some weird, poky plants that you had no idea even existed in the golden state of California. And it may not make a bit of sense to you why you are there. Only God knows. He knows exactly why you are there.

You may be dealing with some low valleys. Maybe it's divorce (your own or your parents). Maybe it's rejection or suicidal thoughts. Maybe you deal with bullying and it's caused eating disorders or lack of faith. Maybe you're dealing with health issues or the loss of a family member. Whatever it is- it may not make a bit of sense.

But you are going through this valley for a reason. It's not easy, but it's where water flows and there fruit grows. How can there not be pain in a caterpillar's transformation?

But this valley is not without hope. There is a hill on which the sun does shine, and the view is great. Even if there are some bugs.

Sure, I could have taken a much simpler route. But the view would not be so sweet. I probably wouldn't have even enjoyed it because of those creepy crawlies. But because of the difficulty and the fight I put in, the end result was nothing short of a sweet conclusion.

So there are two paths. One is simple. The other, not so much.

But when God calls me on the tougher one- the narrow path- I will follow Him there.

Always.