Why Do Things Happen As They Do?

You know people often ask me why things happen as they do. They also ask why God allows those things to happen to us. Last night in youth Mrs. Kelley talked about just that. You know it's funny how people always talk about the Valley's and stuff to young people, I guess that's mainly because we are always going through hard times. I know I have went through a lot of hard times in my life. But you know what they help us grow. Captain Bobby has always told me that "The Mountaintops are Glorious, But It's In The Valley's We Grow".

It's In The Valley's We Grow
Sometimes life seems hard to bare, full of sorrow trouble and woe,
It's then; we have to remember that it's in the valleys we grow.
If we always stayed on the mountaintop and never experienced pain,
We would never appreciate God's love and would be living in vain.
We have so much to learn and our growth is very slow,
Sometimes we need the mountaintops but it's in the valley we grow.
We do not always understand why things happen as they do,
But we can be very sure of one thing. Our Lord will see us through.
Our little valleys are nothing when we picture Christ on the cross,
He went through the valley of death; His victory was Satan's loss.
Forgive us Lord, for complaining when we're feeling very low.
Just give us a gentle reminder that it's in the valleys we grow.
Continue to strengthen us, Lord and use our life each day,
To share your love with others and help them find their way.
Thank you for the valleys, Lord, for this is one thing we know,
The mountaintops are glorious but it's in the valleys we grow.
Captain Bobby Graves

This poem above is my favorite poem in the whole wide world! I read it everytime I go through those tough times or as we call it Valley's. I guess the reason we grow more and more towards God when we go through those valley's is because we always turn to God when we go through those times. The bad thing is we only turn to God when we go through bad times and we don't use him every day, we only use him when we need him. That's not good because we're supposed to use him everyday. Sometimes God leads use through valley's and sometimes we don't want to go through them. Take Abraham for example in Genesis chapter 22. God test Abraham and that to me was a valley for him because he was told by God to take his only son and sacrifice him before the Lord. As Abraham went to slay his son God stoped him and told him not to lay a hand on his son. Then in the bushes was a ram, and not just any ram but a perfect ram. My point is when God takes you through Valley's we won't leave you, he will provide every thing you need just as he did for Abraham. So when your going through those Valley's just remember God is with you and he will not leave you. Also always remember: Those Mountaintops are Glorious, But It's In The Valley's We Grow.

Erika

What's The Deal?

You know what I have always wondered? I have always wonder why there has to be that little bit of conflict between siblings. You know like with a sister and a sister or a brother and a sister and so on. I mean when it's all over and done with and you go your separate ways you always end up not ever seeing each other again. I'm worried that my relationship with my older sister is becoming just that. I don't want it to but it just is. I have tried to fix the relationship with her but it seems like it's just me doing the fixin', and it just doesn't work that way it takes two to fix a relationship between two sisters. I know what the Bible says about loving one another cause I grew up hearing that a lot. But sometimes it's just hard when that one person is always treating you so badly and always makes you feel like your little. It is stated in 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 12:"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in purity and in faith." Yeah that's easy to say but sometimes it's just hard. I really just don't know what to do anymore, I don't know if I should give up or to just keep on trying. It seems like the more I try the worse it gets. So I'm not sure, maybe it's just better off being that way. My older sister she calls me bad names and such, and then maybe an hour or so later she's wanting me to do something for her and I'm sorry it just doesn't work that way. I guess all I can do now is pray.