I was in a valley of dry bones...

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I'm not even sure where to start right now. I wouldn't even be writing if I didn't feel like I'm supposed to. For those of you who don't know, I'm at Passion 2013. I'm here worshiping with 60,000 other 18-25 year olds. It's absolutely phenominal. If you haven't heard about it, check it all out here.

During our first session Louie, the speaker, read the account in the Old Testament when God tells Ezekiel the prophet to walk in a valley of dry bones. Then God says to him, "Can these bones bones live?" He was basically saying, "Do you think I can do this prophet? Am I big enough to make these brittle bones come to life?" Ezekiel said "Only You know Lord." Then God told him to prophesy over the bones, to speak the Word of God into death, saying that He will breathe life into them, repair them by putting the flesh back and give them skin again. Then they will know that He is the LORD. The dry bones had life.

It was then that the Lord took me back to a place I so often like to forget. It was a valley of darkness, a place so low that seemed to have no end. I felt the weight of that time in my life. I felt the pain as if it were yesterday and it washed over me like a tidal wave. I haven't ever found the right words to describe that valley until now. I was sick. The doctors had no clue what I had, though I was clearly unwell. Over the course of 4 years I slowly lost health until could hardly get out of bed. Soon it all became too much and I knew I might not make it through. I was so dry, so weary, so tired of all the struggle and pain. He truly could have taken me home, but He chose to bring me back to life.

One miraculous day He healed me. Through circumstances only He could work, He was glorified by the faith-filled prayers of His people. I was so low, but He brought me up. My body was riddled with death, but He gave life. He repaired my broken body and made me new. He breathed life in me. I haven't had any of my old symptoms since. Before I couldn't do anything, now I can do whatever He calls me to do. Tears flowed freely down my face as I remembered how it felt to be healed, to be filled with new life. Suddenly all the things I have deemed impossible in the past few months flashed before my eyes. What are they compared to making something living from the dead? I shouldn't be here. I should be crippled by pain. But He has set me free from that for a purpose. I needed to remember that last night. Now He points to the impossible in my life and says "Can these dry bones live?" All I can say is that He has done it before and He can do it again. He can do immeasurably more than anything I can ask or imagine.

I don't know where you are or what you are going through this morning. I don't know what sort of death and dryness plagues your life. Just know that you are not without hope. There is a God who breathes life into dry bones. He speaks His Word into death and repairs broken flesh. He takes hearts of stone and replaces them with a heart of flesh. You can hope in Him.

"This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden...then all the nations that are left around you will know that I am the LORD; I have rebuild the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate." - Ezekiel 36