Springs In The Valley

Good Morning and Happy New Year!! Yesterday, our pastor reminded us that a new year is an opportunity for a new beginning – how very thankful I am for that!

This past Christmas, the girls gave me several devotional books including this one by Mrs. Charles Cowman – (author of Streams in the Desert).

Below is an excerpt from this morning’s devotional:

“We shall never be “springs” until God comes to us. We shall never be fresh, or fruitful, or useful to others till God comes to us. If we do not have constant visitations of God, we shall soon cease to be “springs”, and shall go back to the old dry and barren days.” (taken from Springs in the Valley – January 1)

Reading the above this morning reminded me of the title of this blog – In Thine Heart – and the verses from which the title was taken:

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:6,7

Before we can be a “spring” that God can use to refresh the lives of others, we must have God’s Word in OUR hearts. As mothers, before we can be a conduit of spiritual truths for our children, we must be spending time alone with God ourselves.

I was talking to someone recently along these very thoughts as I encouraged this individual to become a spiritual leader. As a Christian, this is not something from which we need to cower. When we are walking and talking with the Lord by faithfully reading His Word and spending time in prayer, becoming a spiritual conduit will be a natural result. Just as a spring does not have to be forced to flow, a person who is faithfully walking with the Lord will not have to “force” themselves to speak of the things of the Lord – the words will just flow from a full heart!

We live in a broken world that desperately needs the refreshment of “spiritual springs”. As I think of my LBC family, I am very thankful to say that the church God has allowed us to be a part of is full of “spiritual springs” – springs from which I have been refreshed in times of discouragement! Praise the Lord!

Among our new year’s goals, may we include this thought of becoming a spring in the valley from which others can draw encouragement.

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.” Psalm 104:10