Faith through Hard Times

A tough conversation

As we gathered on April 5th, about six months after Helene- roads were still closed, crews were still at work each day with chainsaws and excavators. The evidence of their productivity the neatly stacked logs sandwiched between the riverbed and the road, ready to be loaded on the endless stream of black logging trucks.

There were unforgettable stories of human toughness and survival and heartbreaking stories of life lost. The kind of stuff that can make people question everything. Give up on everything. So we knew in programming the 'Truth Talks’ we would want to highlight people who’ve shown courage and grace in unimaginable difficulty.

Johnny is still living in the same room he was born in.

Immediately thought of Johnny Glosson, a North Carolina farmer I’ve been friends with for about 15 years. He’s a person who has experienced more than his share of personal tragedy and who has leaned heavily on his faith to continue on. We decided to screen a short film about Johnny before we started the talk.

Also brought Pastor Mike- of the Rural Revival team- into the discussion because he’s a person who worked with Chris in the days after the devestation of Helene to raise awareness and funds for people who needed food and water. He’s also helped pull dozens of people out of the grip of poverty and drug addiction, and into new productive lives through his church.

Pastor Mike in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Johnny, who is ninety years old, was accompanied by his daughter Donna- who dutifully sat in the front row. He talked about the hardship faced in his life, losing loved ones, tending to family members with debilitating disease. How he has questioned the tragedy, has had moments of doubt- but has eventually been able to surrender to God, to put faith in a power and a reckoning beyond his comprehension.

Pastor Mike talked about how people had come from impossibly difficult childhood situations and- like Johnny, had put faith in God, and been able to find a path forward.

It was a hard discussion to moderate, a hard discussion to even sit through because of the stories. The sadness and heartbreak people endure. Very few dry eyes.

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But it was not all sadness. Pastor Mike shared how because of the donations anonymous people gave to his church, they were able to rebuild entire homes near Spruce Pine, and buy people vehicles who had lost them in the storm.

Johnny was reminded about how when he was a boy there used to be revivals at his church. People would keep activities going all week long, staggering long work shifts on the farm, or the store, to be at the church to preach, to share food and gather.

These memories stirred up raw emotions. Hard words were spoken by both Pastor Mike and Johnny about how many modern churches have lost their way, been too much on the sidelines, and not really involved in helping people deal with the ugly side of existence. Basically, many churches are not there when people need it most.

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The discussion ended as Johnny read a poem he had found, written by Virginia author Jane Eggleston:

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It’s In The Valleys I Grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It’s then I have to remember
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountaintop
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it’s in the valleys I grow!

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It has been said the messenger is just as important as the message.

This poem was especially powerful in the slow measured voice of Johnny Glosson. We could feel his earnestness, his humility, his reverence for every word. Each of us sat there filled with gratitude. What a gift to be in the presence of this special human being. A person who had dedicated his life to feeding people and to honoring God.

A Spirit of love and surrender was thick in the air as we stood to clap.

best thoughts,

Graham