Valter Valença’s Living in God’s Battlefield depicts the personal experiences and thoughts from his own life. He goes as far back as his younger years, growing up in Madalena, a suburban area of Recife, the capital of Pernambuco in Brazil.
In this book he explores the experiences he encountered at his native home, while living with his mom, dad, six other siblings and being close to a large family which includes uncles, aunts and cousins, as well as the experiences he encountered in America.
In this book you will encounter a man whose every day’s life is much like yours. In the descriptions of his struggles with religion issues, his belief in God, and his walk in God’s battlefield, you will find that the events in many instances parallel those of your own life experiences.
Living in God’s Battlefield is where we are on this earth ever since the fall of men in the Garden of Eden. Valter’s experiences printed in the pages of this book remind us that our lives are “far spent, and the day is at hand.” It calls each one of us to “cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12.)
The book makes us aware that we are not alone on this earth unless we choose to be, and even so the minute we turn to God we find out that He never left our side.
Valter Valença is a native of Brazil. He came to America in 1967 at the age of 20. In 1968 he registered to study at Washington Drafting Institute where he graduated in architectural drafting in 1969. While working for a consultant engineering company he obtained his associate degree in engineering from Montgomery College. Later on, after passing the professional engineering test, he became a licensed professional engineer for the State of Maryland. He received his bachelor degree in mechanical engineer from Kennedy-Western University.
In 1969 he married Linda Schmidt, an American girl from Takoma Park in Maryland. Earlier that year he was baptized choosing to place God first in his life. In his Christian walk he has been active in his denomination where he led and taught in the children division, held the position of deacon, elder and Sabbath school leader.
Two children were born to Valter and Linda. In 1999 the untimely death of his daughter Cristina at the age of 27, propelled him to write weekly devotionals.
He began writing the weekly devotionals and sharing them with his family and friends. The weekly devotionals were published through the channels of email. Living in God’s battlefield comes as a result of these devotionals and it is now printed in the pages of this book.
I Am Right Here By Your Side
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Gen. 1:1 and 2
I often read Genesis 1: 1 and 2. And by doing so, I often feel I have chewed the cud in a manner of speaking. I am intrigued that in the beginning darkness and light prevailed. Or else God was in the dark. The Bible says: “God is light.” “…and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
It is strange to think that God allowed Himself to be in the dark. But the thought of God being in the dark reminded me of a trip our family took to Virginia. We were visiting Luray caverns when deep inside the cavern, our touring guide turned off all the lights. We were in total darkness. “Your mission,” he said, “is to look at your hand.” He asked us to place our hands directly in front of our eyes. That was simple enough! I raised my hand about a foot away! I couldn’t see my hands. I moved my hand within six inches away from my eyes and still no hands. Two inches away! No hands. I was in total darkness. My mission was an impossible mission. I could not see my hands even tight to my face. He went on to say that where we were, light was absent. There was no source of natural light to show us the way.
The thought of God being in the dark, became more meaningful to me as I thought of that experience at Luray Caverns. I realize that only God can see every thing regardless of how dark it is. He can see my thoughts, He can see my faults, He can see my silent cries, and so on. The reality is that for God to be in the darkness, it doesn’t matter. God knows the way. I can not even imagine God saying: “Ouch!” because He got “whooshed” by a wave or because He bumped into something while “moving upon the face of the waters.” Can you?
Throughout my life, I wonder how often I have been physically or mentally in the dark. I would probably have to say that more often mentally than physically. What does it mean then? Does that mean that the times I am in the dark God leaves my side? Of course not! I hold on to the promise that He, God, is always by my side. The times when darkness surrounds my life are not the times God has left me, but the times He is the closest.
As you and I think can about it, for our sake, during our darkest hours, that is when God allows us to be ignorant of His plans.
For our sake, during our darkest hours, that is when God allows us to think the hardest.
For our sake, during our darkest hours, that is when God allows us to cry out loud: “God! Where are you?”
And for our sake God replies “I am right here by your side.” It is then that you and I should realize, “It is a good thing, we have our hands on His. Otherwise, how could you and I survive our darkest hours in God’s battlefield?”