The Valley and the Mountain Top.

Welcome to the first Temple newsletter! At the start of my journey that would lead to the beginning of Temple, while in a place of feeling deep disappointment, God gave me a picture one evening while I was reading my bible. This picture has been a foundation for helping me re-frame how I see “where I’m at” in life. I wanted to share it with you all too:

I saw a valley between two mountains, and I was in the middle of it, a place I felt that I did not want to be. With steep, rocky walls either side there was no way of climbing up or out of it alone, the only way was through. As I looked around I noticed that there was beauty within the valley – among the rocks there were pockets of green grass, billowing plants, and a river running energetically through. It really did seem beautiful and had a sense of hidden wonder about it. In the night when it was darkest the rocky caves gave shelter to weather the elements and in the heat of the day I could set my feet in the cooling water of the stream. At no point was I ever alone, Jesus was with me the whole time, a quiet presence walking beside me as I felt the loneliest parts of my disappointment.

Then my view zoomed out so that I could see the mountain top and suddenly I was upon it – a vast expanse of green grass soft enough to run across bare-foot, with a backdrop of epic mountain views. The sun was shining down and it was so bright, I could feel the warmth – a perfect summers day. It encapsulated the joy and satisfaction of reaching the mountain top, and living in the blessing of what I had waited for. But it wasn’t long before the heat of the sun became too intense and I needed to find shade but I couldn’t see any – I needed God to provide. What did I realise? I needed God. I had known I needed Him in the valley, but now I understood that I still needed Him on the mountaintop too.

In Philipians 4:11-13 it says “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Contentment doesn’t come from getting what we want, it comes from walking with Jesus and knowing who He is. In the valley you discover the good that can be found in the parts of your life you weren’t sure there was any. You learn to trust He is guiding you well, let go of the route you thought you should be taking, and become open to living a life unexpected.

It’s through Him you can see the beauty in the valley as much as on the mountain top and find the contentment to live in either.