Lately, I’ve found myself leaning heavily on the words of David in Psalm 23:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”
Over the past year, I’ve spent some time in the valleys. Not necessarily the kind people can always see. The valleys of uncertainty. Waiting. Heartache. Questions without answers. The places where faith feels less like a mountaintop celebration and more like putting one foot in front of the other.
Because when life gets hard, our first instinct is usually to ask why.
- Why is this happening?
- Why is it taking so long?
- Why does it hurt so much?
- Why won’t God just remove it?
But when I read Psalm 23, I’m reminded of something important. David didn’t say he stopped in the valley.
He didn’t say he sat down and gave up.
He didn’t say he spent all his time trying to figure out why he was there.
He said he walked through it.
That’s what faith looks like sometimes. Not having all the answers. Not knowing how everything is going to work out. Not seeing the whole picture. Just choosing to keep moving anyway.
And one of the greatest gifts God has given me during these valleys has been the people who have walked beside me. This is where my Eastern Shore Friends come in.
I thought I was looking for a church. A place to worship. A place to hear a good message on Sunday morning. A place to grow in my faith. What I found “across the Bridge” was so much more.
I found people who show up. Not just on Sundays. Not just when life is easy. Not just when there’s something to celebrate. They show up in every season. These are neighbors, church members, friends, mat holders.
When life is joyful, they’re there cheering me on. When life feels uncertain, they’re there holding my hand. When grief settles in, they’re the ones arriving with flowers, prayers, and quiet presence. When fear creeps in and the future feels unknown, they’re the ones dropping off journals, books, devotionals, and reminders that God is still writing the story.
Over the past few years, I’ve been blessed with sisters in Christ who have become some of the most genuine friendships I’ve ever known. Women who pray for me, encourage me, challenge me, and love me enough to tell me the truth when I need to hear it.
And then there are my mat holders.
Just like the friends in Scripture who carried the paralytic to Jesus when he couldn’t get there on his own, these are the people who hold me accountable, lift me up when I’m weak, and remind me of God’s promises when I can’t see them myself.
They’re available at all hours. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Not because they have to be. Because that’s what love does. It’s honestly something to do with ‘this side of the bridge’, the Eastern shore.
Maybe it’s the slower pace. Maybe it’s the understanding that community isn’t something you post about—it’s something you live. Whatever it is, people here seem to understand that being present matters. Showing up matters. Encouraging one another matters. Being there matters.
In a world where social media often feels like a stage, where “friends” collect likes but rarely share burdens, I’ve found something different here.
So much of our culture says, “Look at me.”
But the people God placed around me quietly ask, “How can I help?” They don’t show off. They show up. Day after day. Season after season. Faithfully.
The support, friendship, and love I’ve experienced on this side of the bridge have reminded me of what the Church and family/friends was always meant to be. Not a building. Not a neighborhood. Not an event. Not a Sunday morning obligation.
A family. A community. A group of believers carrying one another through life. I have truly found people who walk beside me. People who point me back to Jesus. People who remind me that no matter what season comes next, I will never have to walk through it alone.
And honestly, that’s more than a church or neighborhood. That’s home.
So if you don’t have these types of friends – find them. Trust me, it makes the world of difference. Find a church. Find a neighborhood. Find out who is going to walk with you in all seasons and who is going to hold each of the corners of your mat. Or, you can reach out to me. I am happy to be a mat holder or just a genuine friend to help walk you through life’s valleys and mountain tops.
Thanks for stopping by. Blessings to you! –Bev
“The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.” — 2 Timothy 4:22
