Through the Valley 7-24-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Resurrection and the Life. Breathe Your breath of life into my heart and soul throughout this day. ... "Happy are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion" (Psalm 84:5-7). A good friend of our family, Carolyn Dodson of Ruidoso, New Mexico, passed from this world into the next early this morning. I was so thankful and honored to be able to join hearts and hands with her husband Charles, their children, and a few friends and family around Carolyn before she left her home here on earth for the last time this morning. She battled MS for over thirty years. But today her battle is over and her victory is won through the power of Your resurrection and the everlasting peace she now knows in hers. "Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.... Now He is God not of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all of them are alive" (Luke 20:36-38). Her work on earth done and her victory in heaven won, her spirit is now forever away from her earthly body and forever present with her heavenly Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Though this is a day of great heartbreak for Carolyn's family and friends for the finality and loss of her earthly presence among us, it's also a day of great relief and release to be able to fully entrust her spirit into the arms of her Creator and Lover of her soul. She knew You in her heart by faith and now she sees You "face to face" as her faith has become sight (1 Corinthians 13:12). Some may ask why did she have to endure so much, why did her family have to suffer so long? But in this dry valley of Baca, the valley of life and death in a broken and fallen world not yet fully redeemed and restored, we all suffer and endure in our own way through our own circumstances. Yet the life of Your love given to us and flowing through us, one to another, leads us through this valley and up into the heights of Your Presence when we give ourselves to the God who is love. "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). Carolyn knew You and she knew how to love and she was deeply loved. Love is what turns the dry valleys into the "place of springs," as You lead us through the valleys and low places from "strength to strength" and step by step. You don't promise to keep us from the valleys, but You do promise to lead us through the valleys if we will humbly and faithfully trust You and Your love for us (Isaiah 43:1-7). Thank You for leading Carolyn and her family through their valleys. Thank You for leading me through mine, just as You lead all who will look to You and call on Your name and take You by the hand on the way to resurrection life "through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we'll be staying in New Mexico one day later for me to lead a time of celebration of the life of Carolyn Dodson on her birthday this Sunday. Thank you for your prayers for me and my family during this time of vacation and rest with my mom and some of my children out here in the mountains. We'll be heading back home to Kentucky soon. I'm glad to have you with me in the journey of prayer and life. God bless you! Friends, I'm really excited about my new book on healing, Free to Be Like Jesus. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or through any Christian bookstore or from our Online ministry resource center: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ , where all proceeds go to support the vision and calling of our ministry. I'd love to hear your feedback. I tried to include many real-life experiences, testimonies, and sample prayers along with biblically-balanced teaching on Christian healing ministry. This book puts into words much of what I've learned in these first 12 years of healing prayer ministry, and I'd love to share it with you. God bless you and thank you for your prayers for me to get this book published and available. We still have room for you to join us at our upcoming Healing Prayer Weekend and The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry. Please contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries to join us: DirOfMinistries@aol.com We'd love to have you! Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com-- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Devotional Archives at: http://www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com/