We often talk of mountaintop experiences—times when we enjoy the Lord and others in a most happy way. Moses had such an experience with the Lord, as did the disciples on the mount of transfiguration. But then we speak about having to return down the mountain to continue on with everyday life. We associate going down into the valley as a low time in our life where we experience suffering or trials or failures. But as we will see in this issue, the valley can also be a place and time when we learn that the Lord is always with us, to comfort, to protect and to deliver us from harm and evil. We have an example of this in the life of Isaac. When there is a famine, the Lord appears to him and tells him to stay in the land and not go to Egypt, promising, “I will be with thee.” He settles in Gerar. Like his father, he is afraid of the Philistine Abimelech and lies about his wife. Yet, like his father, the Lord is with him and protects him. He departs and goes to the valley of Gerar and dwells there. His servants dig in the valley and find a well of springing (living) water. Others want to take the well from him. He digs another, and then another. Finally, he has peace and reports, “The Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” His valley time was for his profit and blessing. God wants ours to be so as well.