When the Valley of Suck Won't Let Go We Need Faith, Hope, and Love All the More!
So you know what it is to be in the valley of suck now, at least a little. This whole past year sucked and it is still sucking, isn't it? No doubt! Nobody wants to hear someone say, "We're in this together," because, truth is, well, we aren't. It is different for ALL of US even if there are some similarities.
This past week, for whatever reason, the valley of suck (the nasty, dark side of grief), grabbed ahold of my Achilles tendon and tore it. I mean, come on, it has been so long now since Heather's death, right? Well, guess what? It doesn't matter and it never will.
But there is another part of it. I am stronger now. I have intent I didn't have before. I don't write about the valley of suck and grief and widowhood, all the time, not because they don't matter but because I do not want those labels to be the defining aspects of my life and work. If you look at my themes in my video creation and various projects, hope and faith have taken a front seat. Right now, as I am writing and working on my book on Breath Prayers and my next project on Chrisitan Spirituality, it is about faith for everyday.
I am leaning into a deep desire to be an encourager. While I have befriended grief, I will not be defined by it and its nasty offspring that is the valley of suck. I so own my first book, "Life Sucks, Seek God," because it needs to be named and the antidote needs to be promoted and preached!
Life does suck!! Seek God!! When 1 Corinthians 13 states, "Faith, hope and love remain but the greatest is love," it doesn't ignore the truth that faith and hope DO indeed remain. We need faith and hope to seek God!!
That faith and hope are counted with love should be noted and not neglected. While the greatest is love, we need faith and we most assuredly need hope! For in these days and times when we are all in this together, we need to keep faith, hope and love together so might be altogether Christians, little Christs, in the fullest sense of the meaning!
Do No Harm, Do Good, Stay in Love with God. This is the Way.
Jedi Pastor Ken
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6 comments:
This is a beautiful post, Ken, and your blog looks great too. There’s one little typo at the end that you probably want to go back and correct — you said Do Harm instead of Do No Harm! Best wishes on your continuing journey as you walk daily with Our Lord.
I wanted to let you know that our daughter Angela, age 53, was diagnosed with cancer in her left breast two weeks ago and will begin chemotherapy on Monday morning. Please add her name to the list of people you are praying for.
Bob Brague
Canton, GA
“ While I have befriended grief, I will not be defined by it and its nasty offspring that is the valley of suck.”
What an amazing statement. I too have befriended grief and allowed it’s waves to wash over me. I sometimes now find myself trying to fight it off, to push back. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
And I have no idea where that name came from. I must have created a blog in 2007 and never used it. Funny.
Thanks for sharing. If we chose, we can keep growing. It can be easy to be stagnant. I hope to be a encourager to keep moving. Sounds like you have been doing it too. Keep encouraging!
Bob, it is ALWAYS good to hear from you! Thanks for catching that little typo! Know I am praying for Angela now. Be safe and stay well!
As for fighting it off and pushing back? Yes! I think it is good to do so. I am reminded that studies regarding tears indicates they contain toxicity during grief and hurt. We need to get the stuff out and not stay.
I worry there are writers today feeding a culture of grief to sell books and become experts. People need to see people moving through it.
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