# Valleys

Category: Suffering, Trials & Burdens
Key Passage: Numbers 32
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024

It is vital how you handle the valleys of your life. I think of David when he came, and on the other side there was an army, the Philistines, on this side of army of Israel, and a giant would come out and go in the valley. David faced that valley in the right way. A lot of people don’t face the valleys in the right way.

And just this morning, briefly, handling the valleys right, I wish I could tell you how to have a life without valleys. But as long as you’re in this world town here, you’re going to have valleys. One of our men was teasing with me this week. He said, pastor, he said, why are you preaching on valleys? That’s why we’re all having all these valleys now, you know. And I said, we just changed about 10 seconds though. We’re preaching on victories for the month, you know. And it’s just part of this life. And how you handle the valleys, handling them right for just a little bit this morning. We’re in numbers 32. And they are rehearsing a little bit the children of Israel, a decision they made.

We’ll just kind of read these verses very quickly. Then we’ll pray. We’ll look at the map real quick and try to let you figure out everything’s going on here and get going in the message. Numbers 32, verse number eight.

In the Bible there, God says, thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Cadash Barnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Ashkel and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.

If you look at the map behind here, the children of Israel, they were over here in Egypt. All right. You see the Nile River, Ramsey’s, where they were at a lot. And remember, God used Moses, and he led them out of Egypt. Remember, they crossed over the Red Sea. And maps will draw at different places, but they crossed over the Red Sea. And they crossed over in all the desert, the wilderness, Sinai Peninsula there. And they came over, they made it over here to the south border of the promised land.

Now this up in here is Canaan land of the promised land. They had made it there to K-Dash, often called K-Dash-Barnia, really in a short order, approximately, don’t hold me exactly to this, but around a year. They were there. They could have moved in to the land that God had promised. Did you notice when we read that the last part that God had given them? That last verse we read. But this here, this here is the spot where the 12 spies went in. Remember that? And they went in for 40 days, all right? 40 days they went in and they searched out the promised land. 12 spies, 40 days searching it out.

This is then. They left K Dash Barnea. They went in here. And when they got up here, the Valley of Ashkel, that’s what we just read out. Look back at the verse we just read. Verse number nine, they’re rehearsing this. Verse number nine of numbers 32, for when they went up into the valley of Eshkel and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.

This valley, it’s the valley where the Bible talks about, they went in there, and they cut off a cluster of grapes, so big. How many like to eat grapes? Anybody like grapes out there? I like some good, cold grapes, you know. I like the green ones. I like the red ones. I just like grapes. Man, they’re good, you know. Anybody ever have a contest? See how many you can throw up and catch without dropping it, you know? Anybody ever do that, you know? By the way, in Tennessee, you have a 10-second rule. As long as you get it up, you’re all right now. Amen. Y’all with me out there? I lost some of you. I understand on that. But anyway, my wife keeps the floor clean, so we’re good, you know. Won’t mention we have a dog in a house. We won’t go there. But anyway.

I got to get back to the message. But they said they cut these cluster of grapes. It was so big that they had to put a pole between or through it. And then two men carry the pole. The guy up front of the guy. Now can you imagine grapes that big? I wonder if the grapes were the size of a grapefruit or something. You know? Can you imagine? Can you imagine trying to throw a grape like that and catch it? Man, it just smashed all over my face, you know. I’m talking about this valley. They call it flowing with milk and honey. If you study that out in the Hebrew, that means there’s a lot of ice cream there, all right? All right, that’s my version. But, man, it’s amazing. But something about that valley. Maybe it was that it was so fertile in growth in the valley. Remember the first Sunday, by the way, in the valley there’s growth. There’s fertile ground. That’s where, flowing milk and honey. Maybe that’s where the giants were. There were giants. In fact, another scripture of the Bible says, man, when we went there, we were grasshoppers compared to them.

Something about this valley right there intimidated them. It put fear in them. And said, we can’t do this thing. There’s no way. Us children of Israel, our little puny army, in comparison to them, we can go into the valley. There’s just no way we can do it. You know the story. Ten of those 12 spies came back. Something out after the valley, I mean the Bible there specifically mentions that valley. Something after that valley, they said, hey, we can’t do it. There’s no way we can do it.

And the children of Israel listened to those 10 of the 12 spies said, no, we’ll not enter in.

Now here’s the sad part. Since they did not enter in, God said, all right, all right. Every day they went and searched it 40 days. Now you’re a wonder in the wilderness for a year, 40 years. That older generation, they said, no, we won’t go in. We’re just too much fear. We’re backing up from doing what God had already gave it to them. That’s what it’s said right there. God had already told them to go in there, by the way. And they said, no, we’re not going to do it. And they backed up on doing it. And here’s the sad part. Some mats, and there’s a little different on the details here. Don’t get too argumentative about that. Some will show them even more just loops. They just wandered in the wilderness. I mean, just kind of like, oh, what is it, Thompson Chain Reference Bible, a map in the back of it, it’s got very detailed, and you’ll just see them doing loops. It’s according to who you kind of follow it, but we know they did some loops. They just wandered all over. And that older generation that made the decision said, nope, we’re not going to enter in. We do it out of fear. They said, no. They died of natural causes of death wandering in the wilderness.

40 years later, then God leads them up this way and they cross over the Jordan River. And then, remember the first battle at Jericho there, under Joshua, the general Joshua, the new leader. But here’s the thing. So these people, they wondered and they died of natural causes. Why? When they came to that great valley, we can’t do it. No way. Yes, there’s fertile grounds down there. There’s grapes huge. Yes, there’s just plentiful down there. But that valley, I mean, no, we can’t do it.

Now, let me ask you, when you come to your valley, what do you do? It’s vital. It’s vital how you and I, how we handle valleys. When you face valleys, don’t turn back. When you come and you’re going to come, if you’re not there, you’re going to be there pretty soon. You’re going to be coming to a valley. And you’ll see it. A lot of different valleys we face. Sometimes the valley is a phone call and they say the doctor wants you to come in and get the results. You understand what I’m saying? Sometimes the valley, and this is a tragic valley, sometimes the valley is a child, one of the most hurtful valleys there is. Sometimes the valley is, man, where in the world did that money go? We got more bills and we got money. And there’s bills I didn’t even know of them. Sometimes it’s a financial valley. Sometimes it’s just, it’s a health. Sometimes it’s a valley of no friends and just a lonely valley. Young people sometimes because you want to live for the Lord and you don’t have many friends. And you say, I don’t like this valley of no friends. And they don’t like me because they do the same things. And I don’t go to the same places. I don’t watch. And there’s a valley. You’re not popular because you’re trying to live for the Lord. But here’s a key friend. When you face that valley, don’t turn back. When you face that valley, don’t do like the children of Israel. They said, no, we cannot win there. We cannot conquer that valley. And it was the valley that discouraged them. And they said, we will not enter in. There’s a sad part. They wondered.

You’ll meet them all across Middle Tennessee, all across the Bible Belt. Well, I used to serve God. I used to read my Bible every day. I used to pray. I used to be faithful to church. We used to go Sunday morning. Used to teach Sunday school. We used to. And here’s the thing, somewhere along the line, more often than not, they faced a valley. Sister so-and-so at church said such and such. The preacher did such and such. I just got so burdened down with life, whatever the valley. And in that valley, now listen, in that valley, they said, now I’m just giving up on serving the Lord. Here’s the thing. Hear it, you’ll hear it. I wonder what my big calling in life is. Where do you go to church yet? Well, I used to go there, I go there, I go there, I don’t have a home church. I’m not sure what the big thing that God wants to do in my life. And they’re just wondering. And so often for the rest of their life you’ll find them wandering around in the wilderness. They might hit a hot spot in their prayer time and praise the Lord for that. They might hit a church every once in a while. They might hit a Bible reading every once in a time. But they’re just kind of wandering around and loops in their life. Why? Because somewhere on the line, they hit a valley and they said, we can’t do it. And they just wonder. Well, I think this is what I believe, but at least that’s what Pastor So-and-So said way back there. Well, this is my opinion, and I don’t know. I heard this on TV. I heard this radio guy say this. And they just kind of wonder. And they wonder in their Christian life. And, friend, more often than not, if you back up and look somewhere in the past, a Valley King. And they face that valley in fear. And they said, no, there’s too much hurt. There’s too much pain. There’s too many problems there. And they just wonder, sad thing.

Would you do this? Would you determine this morning? Would you say, look, when I see that valley approaching, I don’t like it, I know there’s going to be a lot of problems, there’s going to be pressure. I mean, there’s going to be a lot of tears, and everywhere I look, there’s just going to be pressure. And I don’t want that. But, Lord, I’m not going to quit. Would you let you let something in your heart say, I’m just going to stay in my Bible? Whether I’m having good health or bad health, I’m going to stay in the book. Whether the finances or man, man, where’d all the money come from? Or where’d all the bills come from? No matter what it is. When the church doors are open, I’m going to be in church. Would you say, hey, whether everything’s going hunky-dory or everything’s going horrible, I’m just going to be in the prayer closet. There’s got to be something inside of you that says, hey, I know valleys are going to come. But when the valley comes, I’m not going to turn back on God. Because just a sea of graves, if you will, in the Bible about so often of people just wandering in the wilderness because somewhere back there they face the valley. They say, well, this thing of witnessing. I mean, I tried to witness at work and nobody even talks to me anymore. And they got to be wise at work. But friend, something inside your heart, you got to say, hey, I’m just going to serve God. I’m just going to stay true to God. I mean, my marriage might be going good, but it might be going not so good. But I’m just going to try to be the best godly husband, the best godly wife I can be. I’m just going to serve God. You got to get that because valleys come. The children are when they face the valley. We’re going back and telling them, uh-uh, we can’t do it. Valley of Asheville.

I love this story. It’s a wonderful story of the three Hebrew boys. My right hand, amen, illustrates that well, you know. Shadraq, Meshach, and Abindigo, amen. You remember them? They were the children of Israel. They were in captivity over in Babylon. Those who’ve been coming on Wednesday night. We’ve been doing a study of that, the book of Ezra. But they were, as a crow flies, help me out. Here’s a commercial for Wednesday night. As a crow flies, how far away was Babylon? Oh, we just fell on that commercial for sure. 500 miles, yeah, to Jerusalem, to Babylon, yeah. And anyway, come to Wednesday night anyway, even though we didn’t know all the answers there, you know. But I’m teasing with you, but no, really do come. But anyway, they’re over there in Babylon. 500 miles, 900, as they typically travel. And the way over there, three Hebrew boys, Jewish boys, are probably born in Babylon. And the king at the time of this world empire, Nebuchadnezzar, he built a 90-foot statue. That’s almost as tall at St. Thomas Hospital in Rutherford, Murphy’s World, just about that height. They’re adding on over there. But can you imagine? I think it was the image of Nebuchadnezzar, kind of a proud guy before he got saved, you know. And he said, oh, right, all right, I built my statue, 90 feet tall. When you hear the music start playing, everybody bows down or else, fiery furnace. Boy, can you hear the music starting? I imagine it’s almost like satanic rock and roll music. Man, the band start playing and the music starts glared and… Man just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and, and boy, everybody starts bowing. Shadjac, me, Shad. They said, no, we’re not going to bow. It’s the valley for sure. I mean, it’s called the fiery furnace. I like to grill out on the grill, but I don’t like to be the one being grilled, you know.

And those three boys, man, can you imagine him standing there? Can you imagine they say, well, old Joe over there, he knows Jehovah God, they won’t bow, and they look over there, well, Joe’s bowing too. Fred’s bowing too. Surely my friends that go to church with me in the youth group, they won’t bow. Everybody’s bowing. Those three Hebrew boys, they said, hey, look, it doesn’t matter, we’re not going to bow. Was that a valley? You better believe it’s a valley. Can’t imagine, I think about that. Somebody said, hey, look at those guys over there. They’re bowing down here. Look at them. They’re not bowing. Boy, I can hear the, you know, the soldiers coming, marching over there and grabbing those three guys, dragging them. I mean, come on, but we can walk, you know, but just kind of dragging them. And to bring those three boys over to the king, Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar liked him. He said, who those are some good guys right there. Hey, fellas, how you doing? And he said, now, probably a mistake. You didn’t understand right now when the music starts playing. You bow down. All right, boys, you got that? King, we’re not bowing. The Bible says his face. I don’t know if he is smiling. I don’t know, you know. Then when all of a sudden, they said they’re not going to bow, the Bible says this whole face changed. I don’t know what it was. Something like that, you know. Boy, he was mad. Man, he got hot. I mean, it’s kind of like when your wife told you to do something. You didn’t do it. That’s a joke there, all right now. Don’t talk about two years there. Brother Anthony didn’t say mercy. Him had and said, hey, tell him heat that furnace up seven times hotter than’s ever been, boys. If you don’t throw you in there, I don’t care if you’re my buds or not, you’re getting in there.

Can I read for you what they said? It’s what they said. I like it. It’s Daniel 3:17. Let me just read it for you. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. And he would deliver us out of thine hand, old king. Watch the next verse. Let me read it for you. But if not. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

This is what they’re saying. It doesn’t matter if it’s a valley. It doesn’t matter how low it is. It doesn’t matter how hard it hurts. It doesn’t matter how hard it is to get through. We’re just going to keep serving God. And if you’re going to serve God over the long haul for years and years, there must be something inside you says, it doesn’t matter come feast or famine. If the cupboards are all full of food or if they’re bare, we’re just going to serve God. You’ve got to have that in your heart. It doesn’t matter if everybody likes me or everybody hates me at work. I’m not going to curse. I’m not going to go there for lunch. I’m going to pray. I’m going to read my Bible at lunchtime. I’m going to be what God wants me to be. You got to have that. The children are when they face the valley, turn back. Oh, don’t turn back because they wandered 40 years.

Let’s get the second thing. Every good preacher’s got three points, so we’ve got to get them all in. Let’s get the second one. You all still with me out there? Facing the valleys. Don’t turn back when you face them. Number two. Now this is an interesting one. Stick with me at the beginning here, all right. Face the valley in faith, not in fear.

You know the verse, for God’s not given us a spirit of fear, of power, and of love, and that’s out of mind. Can I, can I be honest, take my mask off and be honest with you? None of us fully does that. The only one that was perfect, and that was Jesus Christ. If the truth be known, all of us when we face the valley, sometimes we’re facing it in fear. I’m not trying to condone, but I’m just saying, we’ve got this flesh. That’s why God led Psalmist David to write, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee.” I like it sometimes. Everyone’s why I face the valley, and boy, I can face it in faith. But there’s sometimes, I got fear, afraid. What time I’m afraid, I will trust in thee. I compare that a little bit like flying second class, right? I don’t know how much I’ve flown, probably about the average. I don’t know that I’ve ever flown first class, to be honest with you. If I ever have flown first class, to be honest with you, first class, probably somebody donated or something for free. I mean, you know, I get there right in class, you know what I’m saying? Get in the same destination. Now, they want to upgrade me or something. Hey, praise the Lord, bring it on. We’ll take it, you know. Now, a little bit I compare that. I’m in faith, not in fear, but can I say sometimes I fear, but I keep trusting and I’m riding second class, but I still get there. Y’all with me?

But let me try to give you three helps to face the valley, faith, not in fear, three helps, right? That’s the only problem is those Baptist preachers, they say they got three points, but they got like a hundred sub points. You know, that’s not fair. That’s cheating. Let me give you three sub points under the middle of the three points. Amen, you know. How do you face the valley in faith, not in fear? Well, number one, number one, you know the verse, Romans 10:17. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Hey, when you face a valley, say, Lord, I need a verse. I need a verse. The land situation and trying to build and all that, God’s giving us Revelation 3:8, “I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it.” That’s a little strength. It’s kept my word and has not denied my name. God’s given us that verse.

I remember a time in my life and, man, just think about there’s pressure everywhere and problems everywhere and battles and, oh, pressure. Anybody here like pressure? Not me. I get tired of pressure. And just, oh, just, and I think it was my dad. I’m not sure. It was the Lord, but someone else in the verse to me. It’s Psalm 138, verse number six. It says this. It says, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. Thou shall stretch forth mine hand. Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies shall save me.” Boy, that verse kept me going in that valley. The walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. That was my quote. Boy, I’d see problem here and problem here and problem. The problem I can’t worry. It all just problems. And I think it kept me to go, though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. And that verse gave me faith.

Can I just, I wouldn’t plan on saying this and I got to hurry along. But when it says so in faith, it comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It’s not the typical Greek word, Logos word. It’s Rhema. It’s to do with when God, God, God gives you a word from the Word. He gives you a special verse. God, I need something. It may be in your marriage. It may be in your finances. And the Lord has a verse for this valley. And the Holy Spirit says, hey, that verse right there is for you. You hang on that verse. Faith in the valley.

How do you have faith in valley? The Word of God, number two. That just helps to have faith in the valley. Dwell on his unconditional love. Let me read for you. First John 4:18. There is no fear. Notice that there’s no fear. You face the valley, there’s a lot of fear. There’s no fear in love, but perfect love. Nobody loves with perfect love besides God. Perfect, unconditional, never-changing love. But perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. So when you’re there and you see the valley is coming, oh, my goodness, some relatives mad at us, and there’s going to be a division, there’s going to be problems, and it’s worse when it’s family. And I don’t know if I can handle this valley. Do you know what made me say I need to spend a little bit of time dwelling on the fact that God loves me?

You’re in your school, you’re the only one trying to do right, and there’s a valley there. Think about it. God loves me. Dwell on it. Jude says, keep your stuff in the love of God. Think about it more. God loves me. Sometimes you need just think God is looking down from heaven on this old hillbilly, three fingers. And God says, I love that guy right there. Think about that. God loves you. Dwell on it. Contemplate it. Let it be in your mind and in your heart. God loves me. God’s allowing this for a reason. God’s not trying to hurt me. He’s proved his love by sending his son. He has a purpose for this valley. He’s going to help me in the valley and think about his love for you.

Letty called the preacher. She said, preacher, I’m just, I’m fearful. There’s problems and there’s issues. I don’t know what I’m going to do. And I’m worried. And the preacher could hear a child in the back. And the preacher said, ma’am, is your child worried? She said, well, no, that’s my son. That’s my daughter. He said, why isn’t your child worried? Because that child trusted his mom. Mom’s here. Everything’s going to be all right. And the preacher said, hey, your Dad’s there. Would you focus on your Dad, that he loves you?

How do you face the valley in faith and not in fear? Of the Word of God, number two. Think and dwell on His love, number three. And we’ve got to hurry along. Let God be your shepherd. You know that Psalm, Psalm 23. Y’all with me? Would you quote the first verse with me, everybody? The Lord is my shepherd. Y’all ready? Here we go. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. A little bit later on, he says, “Yea, though I walk through…” Here it is. You got to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. “I will fear no evil. Why? For thou art with me.”

My daughter, when she was about 10 or so, something like that, she got a baby sheep, a little lamb, Snowball, was a pet. Sarah just mothered that thing. Sarah was that sheep’s shepherd. That sheep thought it was like one of the dogs in the neighborhood. I can remember kids in the neighborhood coming over in our yard playing kickball. And sheep, when they’re in good moods, they butt things, and they butt people, whatever’s around, you know, and somebody would be running the first base and Snowball would sit. She is happy-go-lucky. Sugar, they’re knocking down. They couldn’t get in the first place. They said, “Would you put your sheep up so he can play kickball?” you know? Forget it. It’s just the way it’s Snowball. And Snowball, she, our dog or maybe another dog that was always around, you know, she had played with him. Dogs bite each other, but sheep, they butt each other. The dogs had kind of be rousting a little bit, and Snowball could over there and butt him in the side. And the dogs were like, man, what’s your problem? What are you doing butting us, you know? The dogs would be barking, “Boh, blah,” you know. And Snowball, bad. The dogs are like, man, that’s the weirdest bark I ever heard, you know.

Sheep were very fearful. There’d be a new dog in the neighborhood, a bigger dog, Snowball would get real fidgety, nervous, afraid. There’d be a storm, the wind would be blowing, and lightning be coming, and maybe starting to rain, and Snowball just, she’s fearful. And sheep when they’re fearful, “Bah, ha!” It drives you crazy in the middle of the night, “Bah, bah, bah.” You’re going to shoot that sheep out there, you know. We’re going to have a sacrifice right now, amen, you know.

It’s honest truth, though, when there’s a new dog, Snowball was fearful or a storm, if Sarah was anywhere around, Snowball would run to Sarah, a shepherd. She would rub up against Sarah. Sarah put her hand down. Snowball would calm down, quiet down, get peace. So when you see the valley approaching, go over to your shepherd, dwell on his love, get in his book. He didn’t say, “I will fear no evil in the valley because he takes the valley away.” No, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” Get close to you.

Number one, when you face the valley, determine I’m not going to quit, not turning back. Number two, the best you can by the grace of God, face it in faith, not in fear. Number three, we’re done. Somebody’s got some fried chicken somewhere. We’re going to go to your house and eat, amen. Number three, we’ve got to hurry along. Now listen to me, we’re done. View the valley the best you can by the grace of God as a stepping stone.

Those other military men of Israel, they’ve seen that giant is almost as tall. That’s 10 feet. He was about 9 foot 9, something like that. And they said, man, Shazam, look at that giant, you know, down there in the valley. We’re not fighting him, and they were fearful. And we’re not doing that, no way. No way, that big old fellow. But David, he saw an opportunity. And David’s coming down there to feed his brothers. He was bringing ranch Doritos to his brothers, amen. That’s good preaching, I’d tell you for sure. And he’s seen that big old giant down there in the valley? Everybody said, let’s go. And David, can I read for you his first words? And David spake to the men that stood by him saying, “What should be done to the man that killeth this Philistine?” He saw an opportunity.

When the valley comes, I’m not perfect at it. Not trying to act like a hand, but I’m saying the best we can when you see the valley, God’s going to grow me. God’s got something he’s trying to do. God’s got a purpose. God’s got somebody in the future he’d like me to minister to and I’ve got to go through that valley to get there. David’s seen that valley and he said, oh, there’s an opportunity.

Would you look over in Psalm 84 real quickly here? We’re almost done. This is a great challenge to me, these verses. I’m not there. I looked at them for years and my mouth kind of just falls open like, wow. These are challenging verses. I like to be there. What’s what he says here in Psalm 84? Psalm 84, number 5. If you’re there, would you say, amen? This is a challenge. It’s amazing. Psalm 84:5. He said, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and whose heart are the ways of them.” They’re the ways of them that are putting their strength in the Lord, getting the strength of the Lord doing right. Here’s the verse: “Who passing through the valley of Baca…” So what’s that? Baca? Tears. They’re going through the valley and they’re just sending a whole lot of tears. You’re just driving out. I don’t understand it, just tears start coming. You wake up in the morning, you can’t help it, tears start coming. You go to bed at nighttime and there’s tears. There’s just a valley of Baca, just valley of tears, “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well.” A well where they draw water. Life comes from there. Nourishment comes from there. Straight people, other people get fed from there. Land gets nourished from there. Blessed is a man that makes this valley of tears a well. Let me see the verse. “The rain also filleth the pools.” The ponds, the lakes, and mumpel all get filled up with the rain. Boy, just rain is problems, troubles him. Blessed is that man that he goes through the valley of tears and he makes it a well where life comes out of it. Pretty amazing.

Johnny Erickson Taht. How many of you know who I’m talking about? Johnny Erickson Taht. I think about her and I caution a little bit because I don’t know of some of her minor doctrines. I don’t know. I believe she’s right on salvation. That’s what he used it. She’s born in 1989, born in Baltimore, Maryland. She’s the youngest of four daughters. She’s very active. By the way, that’s why Johnny, her dad’s name was John, so that’s why Johnny Erickson Taht, the youngest of four daughters. Trying to get that boy, never got it, so we’ll just name her Johnny, you know. She’s very active. Her dad, in fact, was a backup guy in the Olympic wrestling team. Just very active family. And she enjoyed just growing up. She rode horses. She liked hiking. She played tennis. She was swimming. When she was 18 years old, July the 30th, she dove into the Chesapeake Bay. She thought it was very deep there, but it was not. When she dove in where she thought was very deep, head first, she dove in, very shallow, she hit her head. Pretty much, not specifically accurate, but pretty much broke her neck. She was paralyzed from neck down. Could not ever move her arms or legs from neck. Couldn’t move anything. The wheelchair for the rest of her life, you talk about a valley.

She said at first, and this is from her book, her autobiography, at first, she experienced anger, depression. She thought about killing herself. She doubted God. But she decided the best she could by the Holy Spirit and his leadership to face that valley as a stepping stone. She became an artist. They would sell her paintings. I’m not talking about her paintings, you say, before the accident, no, after the accident. You said, wait a second, you just said she’s paralyzed from neck down. Yes, she is. She’d be in her wheelchair and there’d be paint brushes and she’d take her mouth down, get the paint brush at her mouth. She’d paint. They sold some of her paintings. She viewed the valley as a stepping stone. She’s the author of over 40 books. 40. They made a movie of her autobiography. I’ve not watched it. I don’t know if it’s decent or whatever. She’s helped many organizations. People around the world get wheelchairs and needy equipment for those that are handicapped. She started some organizations along that line. She’s been on Christian radio for years and years and years. I’ll be honest with you, there’s been times, not just her five-minute little thing she gives, but a full broadcast I’ve listened to her when I was going through the valley. No, God spoke to my heart through that. Why? Because the lady said, you know what? I’m going to face that valley as a stepping stone. How you handle the valleys are so important. Just determine I’m not going to give up on God. I’m not going to quit. By the grace of God, I’m going to face it in faith, not in fear. The best of my ability, I’m going to view it as a stepping stone. God’s got a reason for this. God’s got something on the other side. He’s trying to do something. We’ll face it as a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.

Original File: Valleys - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday AM 102719