A poet once said "Lean thine arms upon the window sill of heaven and gaze into the face of thy God. And then with the vision full in your heart, turn to meet the day."

In the past 26 months our family has faced heart surgery, breast cancer, a near death experience and 12 months of surgeries for my wife and two cracked vertebrae for my son. One pastor told me he was asked how much more can this family bear?

We have not looked at our challenges in this manner. We know many people read this text have faced larger challenges. What we have learned by this adversity is that there is a real closeness available.

We found closeness to God. We have seen sustaining miracle after miracle. We were walking toward God before. Now we walk with God. He is a great guide.

We have found closeness to our family. We no longer take family and family time for granted. We turn off the television to have conversations. Hand holding is more common and more intense. Hugs are more special. We are able to more deeply and fully enjoy one another's presence.

We found closeness to our Christian brothers and sisters not only in our church but in churches thoughout the area. The outpouring of love, prayers, meals, and generosity of this Christian community has sustained us, revived us, and allowed us to share our story of hope with others. On this very cold February day when I am tempted to ask, why do I live here?

The answer is evident. The love, care, and generosity of this community give us warmth that not even the sun can match.

The Lord is my Shepherd. I have walked through the valley. God took my fear. God was with me. God comforted me. God fed me. God held me up. God blessed me. God restored my soul. I heard God's voice. I saw God's face. I felt God's love through the actions and kindness of my Christian brothers and sisters.

Dan Gottschalk is pastor at the Camden United Methodist Church.