We live in a valley—cradled low between mountain ridges. I know it well because smoke from a wildfire counties away or dust from a distant storm somehow finds its way here and settles. Living here has its perks, though. We get the kind of mornings where clouds sit in the hollows and you literally drive through them. Our area welcomes millions of visitors every year and is home to more plants and animals than I can count. I’ve had the privilege of hiking a mountain over 6,500 feet high, and yet our home sits around 1,500 feet above sea level.
Life is a lot like that. One day you’re on a 6,500-foot ridge—clear view, lungs full—and the next you’re back at 1,500 or lower. Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. Those highs and lows can come out of nowhere or stretch on for years. One of God’s gifts is that it’s never too late to start over. This is a story of new beginnings.
Today is September 1, 2025. I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but right now I’m in a valley. Honestly, I feel one emergency away from everything unraveling. You might not see it from the outside, but inside it’s a steady fight. Only a couple of people know the details.
Why share this now? Because I don’t think I’m the only one. Most of us are either in a valley, about to enter one, or climbing out. And on the flip side, we’re either on a mountain, headed toward one, or stepping down from one. Every time we move through these places, we grow. We either lean in and long to see our Savior more, or we harden and push Him away.
I’m going to write short devotionals from this place so I can remember what God is doing in the middle of it—not just after the fact when the sky clears. My hope is to encourage you to live in a way that puts the spotlight on Him and His goodness. As Paul wrote, “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Whether I’m in a valley or on a mountaintop, that’s the aim.
If you’re in a valley right now, hear this: don’t give up. The trail bends. A mountaintop is just around the corner.
If you have life, you have purpose. Make it a good one.
