Psalm 23

Good afternoon everyone! I am sitting here, having only slept about 4 hours last night and I keep having to correct my mispellings, lol!! I need to be napping, but having small children that don't want to nap, sort of prevents that from happening!! I've had some nice rest, but need a good night's rest! I think it's just all the emotions, excitement, whatever you want to call it, that is coming up now that we are almost ready to head to Ukraine! It's pretty much like I am in labor, preparing for a new child to come into our lives!!

I feel like on the outside I have it all together!! Everyone thinks I am this strong woman, that can handle anything that life can throw at me! I have it all together on the outside. But on the inside it's a different story. I feel like a hurricane of emotions, some of which I know aren't from the Lord. So I am being honest here!! I am feeling excited, love, worry, fear of the unknown, fear of lack of provision, not knowing how any of this is going to happy. I have a precious young girl waiting on us that I don't want to let down! Like I said, I know these things aren't of the Lord, and I know we have to take our thoughts captive. I'll admit, some days I don't want to! Some days I want to wallow in all these things, and almost in self pity! I am slowly realizing that continuing to recite the word is the way to overcome these thoughts and emotions!! So I will be a conquerer here!!

The other night I received the book I ordered "The Whole Life Adoption Book", which I am very excited about diving in to! I've heard great things about it! Before starting, the Lord had me sit down and read Scripture! Again, confession, I don't read my Bible as much as I should! I know "gasp", this should be a number one priority and I'm working on getting up early to have my time in the Word! But the Lord told me to read Psalm 23, which is one that almost everyone (even unbelievers) have heard and possibly have memorized! So I picked up one of Jarrod's Bibles, which is a New Century Version. Here's how Psalm 23 reads:

"The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green pastures.
He leads me to calm water.
He gives me new strength.
He leads me on paths that are right for the good of His name.
Even if I walk through a dark valley,
I will not be afraid,
because you are with me.
Your rod and your walking stick comfort me.
You prepare a meal for me in front of my enemies.
You pour oil on my head;
you fill my cup to overflowing.
Surely your goodness and love will be with me all my life;
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever."

How beautiful are those verses!! Here is what the Lord revealed to me.......a shepherd looks over His sheep, protecting them, feeding them, providing all they need, b/c the sheep are helpless. This is how the Lord is with us, and He gives us everything we need. He knows the rest I am missing right now and needing, so He is letting me rest, and leading me to calm waters. Going on inside of me feels like a storm, a hurricane to be more exact, and He is leading me to calm waters. Because of my lack of sleep, I don't have a lot of energy, but He is giving me a new strength, and it will come in a way that doesn't even make any sense to the world! He has us on a path that will lead to complete glory for His Kingdom, so I know this is the right path, b/c it will be good for His name!! Anytime you do something unknown or unfamiliar to you, you are walking down a dark valley. We are walking down this valley, but we walk by faith and not by sight, so we will not fear. He is our protector, so nothing can harm us. He is preparing a meal for us in front of our enemies, b/c the enemy sure wanted our girl for the kingdom of darkness, but he will not prevail. Our heads are annointed for adoption and orphans and widows, therefore He has poured oil over our heads!! My cup is overflowing, now this is a good one! It's been spoken over us 3 times that not only is the Lord supplying all we need, but there will be an abundance and we need to pray about what to do with the abundance! So I believe this will be our cup, it will be overflowing!! How awesome is this!! Surely His goodness and love will be with us all the days of our lives!!

This was such a sweet kiss from the Lord when He spoke to my heart on this chapter! It is one of my new favorites, and although it is read at almost every funeral, I consider it a chapter of life! There is so much freedom in it! So I am declaring that in my mind the enemy has no place, therefore fear, worry, anxiety and all the other yucky emotions have NO place here! I know that there will be more tears, and that the unknown maybe a little well unknown, but I know who my Shepherd is!!

Thanks for letting me share a bit more of my heart! Be blessed my friends and rest in Christ's love for you!! Go and meditate on Psalm 23, it's a beautiful one!!