Big Valley

Foreword

When I first met Apostle Julie Harvey several years back on ning networks, I knew there was something special about her. She had such a sweet spirit about her and an eagerness to learn. I also immediately noticed her frequent writings, which we often featured on the network. Her perspective in writing was (and remains) both unique and insightful, revealing the thoughts and true called and purpose-full-ness of a woman of God with the ability to reveal the thoughts of God.

It’s been an honour, over the years, to be able to feature Apostle Harvey in both Power For Today Magazine and Women of Power Magazine, exposing her powerful, practical revelatory messages to the world. It was also an honour to serve as her teacher for a semester of Early Church History, in which she excelled with honourable mention through the advanced curriculum. I’ve watched her writing style, thoughts, and work expand and develop in a deeper way. It is for this reason that I am so excited about her first full-length book, Big Valley.

In the pages of this book, I do not only see spiritual insight; I also see a spiritual walk. It is obvious that Apostle Harvey has walked through every valley, desert place, ravine, and mountain that she discusses -and learned in the process. Many today in the church may walk a similar path, but they do not seek God long enough to gain insight into the ordering of their steps. Apostle Harvey reminds us all, with candour and practicality, that if God is a part of our lives, He is there with us, through all that we may be going through.

Our lives aren’t merely about what we see on the surface. At every point in our spiritual journey, God is teaching us something powerful and valuable, if we will only take the time to note and listen. As Apostle Harvey clarifies throughout this work, we don’t always understand everything immediately; that is why we must keep walking through and onward. The promise and power of God’s work within us lies in our persevering and overcoming nature, hearing God speak to us in varied ways and seeing His revealed purpose as we continue onward, never going back, and never giving up. Using practical imagery that anyone can relate to as it is found in nature, Big Valley gives us a solid way to view our journey of faith. This gives everyone, from the novice to the leader, an understandable and readable way to see the work God is doing in their lives.

I have often said, God promised us heaven -not a rose garden. In a church that believes God seeks to baby them and make everything easy, Big Valley is a refreshing revelation of the truth about the hard and difficult times every believer will face -and the encompassed blessing in both. God never promised us the Christian life would be easy; He promised us He would be with us throughout it. Even though we are not promised something easy, God has assured us that we are left here, in this world, for a reason. It is not to be abandoned or to be forsaken, but to be a witness.

If we are going through the same difficulties of life as those around us -and yet we triumph -that is a greater witness than if we went through nothing at all. God calls His people to be over-comers, with an overcoming and triumphant spirit. Big Valley reminds us there is nothing we cannot overcome with the help of God, even when things are hard or we face the most difficult challenges of our lives.

As I read this book, I was reminded of my own journey, which now encompasses close to seventeen years in faith. Apostle Harvey’s journey is not just her own; it is a part of all of ours, as can be seen through this work. Even though are experiences may be our own, our journeys are not all that different. We all experience loss, challenge, difficulty, hard places, dry places, scary places, fearful places, and victorious places. Those experiences unite us as a Body of believers, running the race with joy as we build His Kingdom. In the difficult places, we receive something we couldn’t if our lives were nothing but ease and comfort. Through our difficulties, we learn how to reach out to others; how to extend ourselves in love to others; how to witness to others; and how to tell the truth of promise to another.

What we experience in God, nobody can ever take away from us. Instead of using the Word of God as mere words on a page, the experiences we have in God make the truth of God alive, active, and real to us as we go through this life. There is a purpose to what we go through, no matter how impossible or challenging it may seem -and Apostle Harvey reminds us of this great truth. Even though right now may seem hard, a better day comes to us, if we faint not. Our hard times prepare us for the better times, and keep us focused on God, no matter what we have or do not have. No matter what it looks like, feels like, sounds like, or may seem like, God is with us, for us, and working through us, every step of the way!

Whether the words in this book prove to be new revelation or a refresher course, Big Valley reminds you that you can make it. -and encourages you to do just that. The product of this powerful work makes me blessed to know Apostle Julie Harvey, and count her as a fellow leader, minister, friend, and co-worker in the Gospel.

Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D.

Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries, NC, USA

January 4, 2013

Preface

The idea for this book came about during a really rough period in my life. I was struggling with many issues both spiritually and emotionally at that time -it was late 2003, early 2004.

One day during that particular time of turmoil in early 2004, my husband and I went for a drive through the Adelaide Hills. During that drive we went through a place called Chain of Ponds. It is an interesting and very beautiful and picturesque place. We had wanted to stop somewhere along the road and take some photos with our recently purchased digital camera.

Our enthusiasm soon turned to disappointment when we could not find anywhere to park and do so. Due to how I was feeling at that time as I pondered this situation I realized that my life of late had been reflecting this. There seemed to be no pause to the trials that I was experiencing, no rest stop. Things didn’t seem to be letting up at that time - we seemed to be going from one crisis to another. It was then, as we wound our way through this beautiful scenery, that I had this thought: This chain of ponds is really just like one big chain in one big, long, unending valley.

My mind went back to one of the Psalms in the Bible: Psalm 84. From there, the Holy Spirit started prompting me to write about this subject, which was in line with my experiences from that time. After a few weeks of journaling about these things, I put my blueprint away for a period of time; I would go back to it once in a while, ponder it and then put it back.

As the years went on, I would continue to do this, and, like me, it has evolved over time - it has gone through quite a few changes: from journal entries, to a blog series, some various updates have been made, until finally throughout all its different stages of transformation, it has now become this book!

Throughout these pages, I will give you some of the keys that I learnt from my experiences at that time and I will also share with you some of what I have learnt since. I have not always enjoyed my valley experiences, as of course most people won’t, but I can honestly say that I have gleaned much insight from them for which I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Holy Spirit.

Now as I can look back, I can honestly say without a doubt, that I would not have it any other way!

Yours in Christ

Julie Harvey

Introduction

We are all on a journey. One thing is for sure, this journey will have its ups and downs. It will have its mountain top experiences, its flat, uninteresting plateaus, and it will most definitely have its valley experiences.

Some mountains are higher than others, and some plateaus are seemingly without end. There is no doubt about it -some valleys are big, deep and wide!

Sometimes on this journey though the valley, there seems to be no place to stop and enjoy the view -nowhere to park along life’s road; no place for refreshment and respite. The terrain may be full of spiritual thorns and briars. These things can cause us pain and heartache, and we, at times, can seem to have nowhere to turn.

There can be times when the place we find ourselves is a barren and lifeless place - it is extremely hard to find a suitable pit-stop -a spot to stop and rest. We may not be able to glean anything much from our experiences at that particular point in time. Everything may seem unclear and perplexing. We may even feel confused about many things that we are going through.

However, as we continue to abide in Jesus Christ, and persevere with God, we will eventually get to the place where light has been sown [for us as] the upright in heart (Psalm 97:11, AMP). Very soon, we will begin to see the purpose of our Big Valley.

This book is all about how to navigate these hard and difficult circumstances and situations that we find ourselves in, and, in particular, the valleys of life. Psalm 84 is our meditation scripture for the teaching in this book. The valley