Writing through the Valley of Baka by Annmarie Miles

Psalm 84 is one of my favourite Psalms. Maybe best known for verse 10 - being a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord, but it's verses 5-7 that I love most dearly. 

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 

As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; 

the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength
till each one appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:5-7 (NIV)

I love that, as pilgrims travelling through this valley, we have the ability to change it. If our strength is in him and our hearts are set on him, we can turn a place of weeping into a place of springs. My prayer is that our words will do that. That God will use our words to help us and others go from strength to strength as we journey on.

Over the years, a lot of my writing has been done through the Valley of Baka, the Valley of Weeping. At a very low point in 2008, I spent a lot of time with my guitar, weeping and praying to God in song. Calling out to him, from a dark and sad place. In the middle of the tears I wrote a setting of Psalm 84. 

I find myself back in that valley at the moment and so I have dug out my recording to remind me of how God brought me from strength to strength. 

I'm going to be a bit brave and share it here. I hope it will bring a blessing. Click the link below, to listen in Soundcloud

Psalm 84 - setting by Annmarie Miles