Believe it or not, this is week 26, AKA halfway through the year!
Psalm 91
1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
I have once again fallen behind on blogging! I did my day of devotion on Monday, but alas, I am now just getting around to writing about it. I should make more of an effort to blog on the day itself as my thoughts surrounding it are more acute.
But, the reason for my tardiness is acceptable to me. I’ve been putting my efforts into finalizing my church newsletter! It will come out Sunday, and I am excited for it. When it comes to ministry, writing, editing, and laying out the newsletter is something that gives me true joy. No matter what my state of mind is, working on the newsletter adds a satisfaction and joy that outshines any other emotion.
This is not true with ushering. I am actually a great usher when I am “myself.” I am attentive. I enjoy serving people. I understand the procedure. However, every once in a while I will have an off ushering day. My point is that ushering doesn’t draw me out of myself the way writing does. LOL!
Verse one of chapter 91 has always been one of my favorite scriptures. The whole chapter reminds me that God will protect me. I can see the evidence of this protection all around. As a woman who lives alone, I rely on the Hand of God to keep me and my home safe. I have woken up countless times to discover that my door was unlocked all night. Yes, I live in a secured building, but I don’t rely on that. I rely on God’s protection. When I hear things bump in the night, I start praying to my refuge and fortress!
When I travel alone in foreign countries, I feel safe. I have friends who have traveled alone and been harassed, followed, and one was molested. Yes, I have some “street smarts” but it has not been the street smarts that have protected me. It has been the Hand of God and the prayers of my family and friends.
This scripture reminds me to me thankful and mindful of the blessings and protections. So, my prayer is simply one of thanks! It is a prayer that I don’t forget where my blessings come from. It is a prayer that I never get high and mighty enough to forget God’s protection. It’s a prayer that I don’t ever take it for granted. And it’s a prayer that God always keep His Hand on me. Despite my shortcomings!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Week 25
Psalm 28
1Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.
4Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
6Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever.
One thing that has always puzzled me about humanity is the extremes in our ability. We have the ability to be great and accomplish many wonderful things. On the other hand, we have the ability to destroy and tear down with seemingly no regards.
I continue to be puzzled by people who seem to take pleasure in the misfortune of other people. It’s the most bizarre thing to me. In some ways, I want to put myself in a bubble and protect myself from these people.
It’s kind of where I am out today. I realize that in me lays the potential to do good and do evil. All I can do is cry out God to help me, and He will help me.
1Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.
4Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
6Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever.
One thing that has always puzzled me about humanity is the extremes in our ability. We have the ability to be great and accomplish many wonderful things. On the other hand, we have the ability to destroy and tear down with seemingly no regards.
I continue to be puzzled by people who seem to take pleasure in the misfortune of other people. It’s the most bizarre thing to me. In some ways, I want to put myself in a bubble and protect myself from these people.
It’s kind of where I am out today. I realize that in me lays the potential to do good and do evil. All I can do is cry out God to help me, and He will help me.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Week 24
Psalm 121
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
This has been a very interesting year. Nothing is “wrong” but nothing “feels” quite “right” either. I feel a little uneasy in my own skin. I’m not quite where I was, but I am not quite were I am going to end up. I haven’t felt this under construction in a long time. In some ways, I feel a little “lost.” Not quite sure where I belong or where I am going. I just need to look to God.
This is why I choose Psalm 121. My focus is straight ahead even if my vision is a little bit fuzzy. Life comes in seasons, and this season too shall pass in its own due time.
I sometimes get glances of myself and my reactions, and it’s not pretty. I can’t blame not feeling “comfortable” right now. This current season is trying to teach me not to react. It’s trying to teach me to always let my light shine. To remember that death and life are in the power of the tongue. To focus on what is good, pure, honest, just, etc. To remember that love will help make me make the right decision.
I am in the hardest battle I have ever had to fight. I knew why I do or react certain ways; however, it doesn’t give me license to. I can find the justification to do and say many things, but it doesn’t mean I should. I have a choice. I will keep my eyes on God, and I will choose to reach down and be a person who shows love, peace, and joy when convenient and not convenient. We all have “bad” days, but even our "bad" days can be tempered with a little focus.
My prayers continue to be a little unfocused. I ramble and come back to where I started. I don’t know many things. I do know that God is with me.
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
This has been a very interesting year. Nothing is “wrong” but nothing “feels” quite “right” either. I feel a little uneasy in my own skin. I’m not quite where I was, but I am not quite were I am going to end up. I haven’t felt this under construction in a long time. In some ways, I feel a little “lost.” Not quite sure where I belong or where I am going. I just need to look to God.
This is why I choose Psalm 121. My focus is straight ahead even if my vision is a little bit fuzzy. Life comes in seasons, and this season too shall pass in its own due time.
I sometimes get glances of myself and my reactions, and it’s not pretty. I can’t blame not feeling “comfortable” right now. This current season is trying to teach me not to react. It’s trying to teach me to always let my light shine. To remember that death and life are in the power of the tongue. To focus on what is good, pure, honest, just, etc. To remember that love will help make me make the right decision.
I am in the hardest battle I have ever had to fight. I knew why I do or react certain ways; however, it doesn’t give me license to. I can find the justification to do and say many things, but it doesn’t mean I should. I have a choice. I will keep my eyes on God, and I will choose to reach down and be a person who shows love, peace, and joy when convenient and not convenient. We all have “bad” days, but even our "bad" days can be tempered with a little focus.
My prayers continue to be a little unfocused. I ramble and come back to where I started. I don’t know many things. I do know that God is with me.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Week 23
Last week was pretty interesting. My conclusion is that God is trying to teach me not to “react” to the chaos around me. And, it’s hard. But, when it comes down to it, becoming emotionally distraught about events one cannot control or change isn’t worth it.
So, I am back to Jeremiah 1:5. I have also added Psalm 37:23-24 and Romans 8:28. I just need to remember that God has a plan for me, and it will come to pass.
Jeremiah 1:5, reads, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Psalm 37:23-24, reads, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
Romans 8:28 reads, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
My prayers continue to be weird, but as I have said a million times, I know that God knows. Only He can quiet the storm that wants to rage in me.
This morning, I learned that my friend’s aunt passed away. I spent 2.5 weeks in South India and most of the time was spent living in Bangalore at the home of my friend’s grandmother. Her grandmother lives with her daughter (my friend’s mom) who happened to be in the U.S. when we were in India. There were two other homes in their family compound where two of her aunts lived.
It was an amazing time, and I spent a lot of time with three of the four amazing women who live in the compound. The woman who passed was so extremely intelligent. She was a historian who told us stories and tales with the hugest smile on her face. Living with them for that short time created a big place in my heart for them. She will be remembered fondly. Another mighty oak has fallen.
So, I am back to Jeremiah 1:5. I have also added Psalm 37:23-24 and Romans 8:28. I just need to remember that God has a plan for me, and it will come to pass.
Jeremiah 1:5, reads, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Psalm 37:23-24, reads, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
Romans 8:28 reads, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
My prayers continue to be weird, but as I have said a million times, I know that God knows. Only He can quiet the storm that wants to rage in me.
This morning, I learned that my friend’s aunt passed away. I spent 2.5 weeks in South India and most of the time was spent living in Bangalore at the home of my friend’s grandmother. Her grandmother lives with her daughter (my friend’s mom) who happened to be in the U.S. when we were in India. There were two other homes in their family compound where two of her aunts lived.
It was an amazing time, and I spent a lot of time with three of the four amazing women who live in the compound. The woman who passed was so extremely intelligent. She was a historian who told us stories and tales with the hugest smile on her face. Living with them for that short time created a big place in my heart for them. She will be remembered fondly. Another mighty oak has fallen.
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