valley of weeping

in the past two weeks or so, i have been heavy hearted with pain for several friends who are facing valleys of weeping and pain in their own lives right now...it is maddening to feel so hopeless, but i pray like crazy for them in that stead...i read this chapter this morning and it brought to mind all the sweet souls that i know that are hurting and i wanted to share what i read...

The Blessing Book, by Linda Dillow


"so many hurting women; so many heavy, heavy burdens. i cried out to God: is there no end to the pain in this world? o' God, give hope to the broken hearted, wrap Your arms of comfort around my friends...."

wow, this is exactly how i feel...thanks, God for this encouragement....


"each of us has our own 'valley of weeping'...for some, the valley is shallow. for others, the valley is so deep there seems to be no way out.....what do we do when pain overtakes the path of delight we had planned? we can go to the psalms..."

"with the psalmists, i Remember, i Hide, i Cling, i walk AND my valley of weeping becomes a place of Blessing..."

Psalm 77- i Remember
Psalm 46- i Hide
Psalm 63- i Cling
Psalm 84- i Walk

i love the idea that i can cling to Him...like my son clings to me for comfort and peace and security..how my arms can melt away pain and fear and hurt for my little one...our God can do the same for us...for me...for all my hurting friends right now.

Linda Dillow's poem based on Psalm 63.

My Scorched Soul:

"The hour is late. The shroud of darkness covers the world.
I am shrouded in darkness of another kind.
Pain oozes from a raw wound within my soul. Deep, searing pain. It will not go away.
My mind is etched with the streams of this fast flowing pain. Pain scorches.
Blisters form on the tender curves of my heart.
They, pop-sending a flood of fresh anguish over the valleys of my soul.

I ask my Lord, Where can I go? What can I do?

And he answers clearly: Cling to Me.

I am desperate.

The fingers of my soul stretch-yearn-ache-grasp-cling onto the Holy One.
He is my Lifeline. I close my eyes and picture myself with pain in hot pursuit.
I jump onto the raft of His presence and cling like a drowning woman.
He upholds me.
My heart awakens to the glorious truth...

Every moment I have been searching, desperate for Him, He has been holding me in His right hand! Holding me!
Oh the secure saftey to be held by My Father.
Why didn't I know?
Why didn't I feel?
Why did I frantically run in circles of pain when He was always there?
He was always there. Holding me...."

she then ends chapter four with this prayer, encouraging us to hear God speaking to us personally:


..."As you cling, I, who am in you..will take the promise to revive you and pour refreshment, renewal, and restoration into your scorched soul. As you cling, I, the Spirit, whose name is Encouragement, will pour courage into you to face this problem."

i pray this for my hurting friends, who sit in a crooked puzzled season right now..i love each of you..i lift you up and pray the spirit, the Encourager will see you through this season and carry you through your valley of weeping...