Through the Valley of the Deep Darkness: Holding onto the Ancient Testimonies

Through the Valley of Deep Darkness was written at the suggestion of a grief counselor. She believed Reverend Arner’s story of overcoming hatred, anger, and the desire for revenge and discovering rituals that lead to peace would be beneficial to others. The evil within Reverend Arner came to the fore when his one-year-old grandson died in a fire set by the child’s father, and his daughter, the child’s mother, suffered second- and third-degree burns over 70 percent of her body, requiring a six-week stay in the University of Virginia Trauma/Burn Unit; she was not expected to survive. Also part of this story of overcoming was the trial of the child’s father on capital one murder, arson and attempted murder charges. Reverend Arner shares the spiritual resources within a community of faithful relationships which enabled him and his wife to overcome, to come “through the valley of deepest darkness.”