Traveling Through the Valley of Weeping

" What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem."~Psalm 84:5-7 NLT


Decades ago, my mother-in-law shared hosta plants that she had dug and split from her yard with me. I had never grown hosta and wasn't sure how much care they would need. I quickly came to love hosta and their unique qualities. My yard is filled with many different varieties, and I find great joy in watching them grow. 


Sometimes, the hosta plants become too big for the area they are planted, and I have to dig and split them like my mother-in-law so lovingly did so long ago. The process of splitting hosta plants is an interesting one. If you want to move the entire plant, you have to dig all around the plant and remove it from the ground. The root system is similar to a turnip in consistency. It's a mass of root.  I then take a very long and sharp knife and cut through the root mass splitting the plant into two or more new plants. I often wonder if the plant feels pain during this process. It is now forced to change it's entire future growth because the root system that it was accustomed to no longer exists.  In order to maintain life, it has to accept the change.


Last summer, I was blessed to receive a couple new varieties of hosta to add to my many hosta gardens.  The problem was they had to be moved in late June. Needless to say, I wondered if they could handle the stress of the move when full seasonal growth had taken place. I also had to split them in order to have the strength to lift and carry them home. They looked sickly and terrible throughout the summer and fall. I cared for them by giving them extra water, fertilizer, and mulching. I didn't know what spring would produce, but I was dedicated to helping them through the transition. When spring arrived, those beautiful points erupted from the ground letting me know that the love and care I had provided had made a difference. They are growing into exquisite plants never revealing all they went through last summer. 


This past week, dear friends lost their son, and they are going through the Valley of Weeping that the Psalmist talks about in the verse above. Their pain is intense, and it has forever changed their lives. Their family root system has been split in a way that has left them devastated and yearning for what was rather than what lies ahead. Many weep with them wanting to care for them in any way they are able. They will need extra love, care, and support as they journey through the seasons ahead.  


This family has a strength that will sustain them. They are on a pilgrimage here on Earth to live their lives dedicated to loving and serving our Living Savior. They have no doubt that a day will come when they can reunite with their son. Sadly, like the hosta plants that I've split in my garden, they are forever changed. The change has occurred, and now they are faced with how to go on. It's at moments like these that God is counting on His people to step up and be His hands and feet in their lives. He sends us out to do His work in a world filled with brokenness. 


As the seasons pass, I know that like my hosta plants, my dear friends will be undergoing many changes. Their hearts are wounded from their loss and this next year will be transitional to their future. They will be growing a new family root system missing a part that was so precious to them. I am certain that as time passes that God will find new ways for them to become firmly rooted and once again be able to find joy in their days. I trust completely in that because God never deserts us in those Weeping Valleys. The refreshing springs of Living Water will arise.


Heavenly Father,
Let us pray for those traveling through the Weeping Valleys. The journey may seem dark and painful with each step taken. May we find hope in the refreshing springs of Living Water that will maintain and enrich life. 
In Jesus Name We Pray,
Amen