Psalm 23

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.
 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
 3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
   for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
   through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
   for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.

 5 You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.


Well, today this scripture means a great deal to me. The Lord speaks to me every year in the days leading up to my birthday about the next year of my life. There was something very significant about year 22 of my life. The Lord told me the last night that I was 21 that the next year would be filled with much tribulation. He told me year 22 would begin with sorrow and end with Praise. This was true in many ways...but what was so very kind about that day was that He also told me, "fear not, you will overcome and year 23 will be the year of Psalm 23." I have clung to this word from the Lord all year. It has kept me steady...or, sane atleast when times were tough. And now, I stand on the edge of year 23, not knowing what exactly He meant by that, but believing in His goodness and love towards me. I am embracing this word and eagerly expecting the provisions, peace, rest and confidence in His guidance that this scripture implies. I also understand that in order to "fear no evil", I must at some point "walk through the valley of the shadow of death". I don't know what that will look like, but I see the last verse of that psalm, and I am filled with so much joy and hope! David boldly proclaims, "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever." I am so looking forward to this next year...and all that it brings.

I can look back on last year and see a few trials that I faced that I sort of wasted. Make sense? Instead of praising Him through the storm, I doubted at times. Instead of standing in faith, I got offended with Him for not coming quick enough. When faced with persecution, I ached and groveled much longer than I should have. I learned so much about the narrow way. My prayer for you and for myself this year is that when faced with any kind of trouble, that instead of looking the problem in the eye and trying to solve it- that we would look up into His eyes and let Him do what He will. If we can simply believe that He is good and that He really has our best interest in mind, maybe we can rest in knowing He has it under control. Sorry for the rambling. I tend to have a million words to say and only time to write 1000 of them down. He is just so good and I am so excited for this new year of my life!


I had a wonderful birthday! I feel like a kid that got everything they asked for, even though I didn't ask for anything. ;) I was so totally blessed! It's going to be a good year!!! Come what may, The Lord is my Shepherd!!! (that means I am safe as long as I follow where He leads!) :):):) good news!