Week Fifteen - Leave a Well in the Valley

A dear friend, Dale Peterson, wrote a book called Leave a Well in the Valley. In it, he recounts God's path through ups and downs, lessons learned, and faith that carried him through. 

A few years ago, my friend Becki and I began reading books written in the 40s by a woman named Marjorie Wilkinson. She wrote in a simple and homespun way to encourage others to follow Christ. 

And in the 1600s, a man named Jeremiah Burroughs wrote two works that have blessed my heart: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment and An Exposition of the Beatitudes. Comfort and instruction from others often prove serviceable to our spiritual growth. 

These writers, and many others, left a well in the valley for our encouragement. When we read of their journey, we know they have been there before us and dug a well for our supply. These road signs of pilgrims gone before help us see the footprints of faith. How thankful can we be for those who took the time to log their journey?

Proverbs 13:22 reminds us, "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children." This verse isn't just about material wealth but the legacy of faith we leave behind. Money and lands may pass away, but a spiritual inheritance is eternal. We may not all write books, but we can all share our testimonies of the Lord's faithfulness with our children and grandchildren. This is how we leave a well in the valley for them, a source of spiritual nourishment that will never run dry. 

In Deuteronomy 6, we are not just encouraged but urged to speak of the Lord freely and frequently in our homes. Our conversations about God should flow as naturally as water from a well. I can still hear the words of my grandparents as they shared their salvation stories, the times when the Lord intervened in their lives, and the prayers they fervently offered and answered. These memories I now pass on to my children and grandchildren, creating a legacy of faith and leaving a well in the valley for them to draw from.

What are you leaving for others? A well full of faith and encouragement or a dry valley? 

Psalm 78:6 reads, "That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children." Do you see the idea? Each generation is responsible for leaving a well in the valley for the next.

Today is a good time to start digging!