Psalm 23; 33 - "Breathe"

Praise God when I woke at 4AM I was able to go back to sleep. Yesterday was a trying day with getting up at 4AM. On the bright side God finished the sermon He wants given this week before 8AM. I love how He plants seeds for sermons and then cultivates it over days/weeks. He brings Scripture into my mind for it and then 'boom' He brings it all together. I also love how He gives extra rest on days that it is needed. This morning He reminded me of the words to Psalm 23. I remember growing up I thought this Psalm was a 'funeral Psalm' because it was always read at funerals. I loved studying it and realizing David wrote this Psalm about life not about death. God desires to take care of me. He desires to lead me down the path He has set out for me. Because of the free choice He gives me it is possible for me to stray off of that path but I pray every day to stay on it. I pray for His cleansing so I can be filled with the Holy Spirit. I pray for His guidance so I do not miss any opportunity He puts before me. I pray for His love to ooze out of me so others will desire to be in relationship with Him. He reminded me this morning of the words of Psalm 33:20-22. It reads in The Passion Translation:

The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts. His wraparound presence will strengthen us. As we trust, we rejoice with an uncontained joy flowing from Yahweh! Let your love and steadfast kindness overshadow us continually, for we trust and we wait upon you!

Woo hoo! As my Shepherd, He will not only lead me but He will protect me from harm. I was thinking this morning about how a pet trusts their owner to care for them. They trust their owner to provide for their needs. Pets with owners who care for them are ones who do not need anything in life. That is how my relationship with God is. He cares for me. He provides for me. He directs me. In return I bask in His presence and allow Him to live in and through me. There is no better place to be than in His wraparound presence! Woo hoo! I remember when I was in junior high and on a youth retreat where God was brought to me in a different manner than ever before. That retreat changed my life. God was no longer someone I read about in the Bible or went to church to worship. He became a living part of my life. He became alive as I read His Word. He became more real to me than I had ever experienced. I remember taking a bubble bath when I got home and talking out loud to Him for probably the first time in my life. I remember my Momma knocking on the door and asking who I was talking to. LOL. Oh the memories of those first few days with my new-found life are ones I treasure. I am so grateful when I pulled away from Him He never left me. I am so grateful He continues to listen to me, love on me, provide for me, etc. I am so grateful He is alive to me. Plain and simple. I am grateful.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the way You love on me so greatly! Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to have Your love ooze out of me! Thank You for the opportunities ahead in this day! Thank You for going before me today and directing me! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts in a new, different way in the day ahead! Thank You for the work You are going to get accomplished at the church building today! Thank You for the wisdom You are going to give with decisions to be made! Father, I continue to pray for so many going through 'tough' days. Little Ivy and her family; Owen; Pastor Karen; my sister Linda; my friends Kaye, Mary, and Cait; my cousin JR; my nephew Steve; and so many others. I continue to pray for a couple with concerns over their unborn baby. May You be their peace. Thank You for last night as my Momma, Rickey, and I talked together over the phone! I am so thankful for today's technology that keeps me connected with friends and family! Thank You for the rest You provided yesterday! Thank You for being with Ms Paula with oral surgery yesterday! I pray for Your healing touch to be on her today. I pray the same for another friend going through some tough physical issues. Be greater than their circumstances. Thank You Jesus for being My Wraparound Presence! Amen.