e-mail 1/30/07

For some reason this morning I am up early, thinking about Cindy and have already been praying for God to give her he peace she needs for the surgery she is having today. I love my pastor's wife and I do pray that her doctor will insist that she take some time off and take care of herself. Lifting those heavy mail packages and riding in that cold mail truck for 8 hours is not going to be in her best interest so I ask you to intercede with me on behalf for Cindy. She is the best pastor's wife I have had in quite a while. She is a great help-meet for Bro Gregg. God has a great sense of humor, he gave Bro.Gregg someone like Bob (calm and smart,)for his helpmate and he gave Bro.Gregg someone with with some of my character traits (not finished yet and taking a little longer in the oven). We are so blessed with their friendship.

Someone who travels with the Gaither Vocal Band is a lady with a deep vocal voice named Lynda Randle. The first time I heard her sing this song, I wept through the whole thing because she reminded me of so many things in my past. I have spent so many days on the mountaintops and wanted to stay there and I have also had those days in the valleys. I wanted to stay on those mountain top experiences and stay.

Bro Gregg described his absolutely favorite idea of a vacation of cabin in the mountains, snow outside, warm inside and snow. I thought to myself, somebody had better be outside chopping wood and finding someway to get me out because I am going to get claustrophobic being shut up inside a cabin with nothing to do. Then I thought of my own favorite vacation and I have had several of these and I already know that none of you would find this appealing but to me it was like going to Heaven itself. Bob and I have spent several of our summer vacations going to Ridgecrest North Carolina to Sunday School Conferences or to WMU Conferences and either camped or stayed at a Motel in the area and we would get up early and go down to the conference center to sit in conferences where we could learn what worship is, learn how to have a better quiet time with God, how to pray for missionaries, how to lead our Sunday School classes to grow, how to minister more effectively to those in our classes and we would attend morning worship for 1 1/2 hours, go to lunch, then come back for another conference or two or we could take the afternoon off and see some sites like the Billy Graham Cove and then back for an evening of Worship that lasted for a couple of hours.

Our afternoons that we were free we could wade in the water at the Prayer Garden or we could climb the mountain that seemed to reach all the way to Heaven and I never made it to the top. He was like atrip to Heaven to us - the perfect Vacation spot. No Mickey Mouse frills or expensive rides making us fill like our brains had been scrambled but our hearts and souls came home refreshed from our dream vacations. I remember my pastor Bro Vernon Clifton telling me after one trip up there, "Peggy, You've been on the Mountain Top but now you have to come back down into the valley with the rest of us." I admit that I am a junkie when it comes to those things, those meetings, and those studies that lift my heart and soul to the heavenlies.

Lynda Randle's song sings about being on the mountain and having peace of mind. I think this is something we all want because Life is easy while we are up there. We are so filled with God's Spirit, we think we can find that special spot and just fly away to Heaven.

But then reality sets in and we are back in the valley and that four letter word FEAR slips into our lives and all of us struggle not to have it because we don't want to lose our faith. We know in our hearts that God is not going to leave us but we still wear flesh and we are not perfect.

We must constantly remind ourselves that God is on the Mountains but He is also in the valleys with us. He never promised that He would just stay with us just as we go through the good times but also through those times that are tough. So we hold on to our faith with all we can while fear snips at our heels.

My dad died 14 years ago this week and I remember walking down his halls and telling God" Lord, this is one of the darkest days I have ever gone through, but I will never stop believing in you."

Don't lose faith by Lynda Randle

Life is easy when you're up on the mountain,
When you've got peace of mind
Like you've never known
But when things change
And you're down in the valley
Don't lose faith
For you'e never alone

And the God on the mountain
Is still God in the valley
When things go wrong
He'll make them right
And the God of the good times is
Still God of the bad times
The God of the day is still
God of the night
We talk of day when we're up on the mountain,
But talk comes so easily when life's at it's best
But in the valley of trials and temptations
That's when the faith is really put to the test.


Remember no matter what you go through today, find a way somehow to show and share God's love,

Peggy