I Lack Nothing

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. — Psalm 23:1-3 

With God as my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down to rest in green pastures.

God leads me beside quiet water.

He gives my soul refreshment.

And He guides me along the right paths.

All this for His name's sake.

Love the Lord Your God

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-38 

Jesus commands us to Love God with all we have.

This is the first commandment.

The second is similar to this one.

Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

This is hard to do.

I'm naturally very self-centered.

But trusting God's commands is about allowing Him to transform me from the inside out.

As I fall more in love with Him.

The Lord Our God Is One

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. — Deuteronomy

The Lord our God is one.

We love the Lord with all our hearts.

And with all our souls.

And with all our strentgh.

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Praise the Lord, My Soul

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits — Psalm 103:1-2

Praise the Lord!

He helps us through stressful times.

He hears and answers our prayers.

Yesterday I made a job offer to one of our writer candidates.

If she exceptes, I'll have just two positions still available.

My colleague also made an offer to her social media opening.

We said a prayer of thanks together for God's goodness.

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.

And for His love.

My Soul Glorifies the Lord

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. — Luke 1:46-47, 49

When Mary visited Elizabeth, she greeted her.

At that, the baby leaped in Elizabeth's womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Then Mary sang this song of praise to God.

Thanking Him for His goodness.

And glorifying the Lord.

God's Word Is Alive and Active

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. —  Hebrews 4:12 

God's Word penetrates into my soul.

It judges the thoughts and attitudes of my heart and finds that I fall short.

Each time I read it, I get something new from passages I've read over and over all my life.

It permeates my joints and marrow, letting the Holy Spirit convict me when I start to go against it.

Or when I start to move in an opposite direction or ignore God's Word.

It divides my soul and spirit.

The Word of God is alive and active.

The Sword of the Spirit is sharper than the sharpest double-edged sword in this world.

It is my one offensive weapon in the battle for the Lord.

Truly My Soul Finds Rest in God

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. — Psalm 62:1

My soul finds rest in God alone.

My salvation comes from the Lord.

He is my Rock and my Salvation.

He leads me beside still waters.

And He restores my soul.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.

All the days of my life.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. — Psalm 23:1-3 

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The Lord Jesus is my shepherd.

He guides me where I should go, when I let Him.

And He provides just what I need when I need it.

He leads me beside quiet waters and restores my soul.

When I get lost or mixed up along the way, he gets me back on the right path.

I live for His name's sake.

What a wonderful God we serve.

Love the Lord

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. — Deuteronomy 6:5

These are the commands, decrees and laws that God directed Moses to teach us to observe.

The first is to love the Lord our God with our entire being.

To love the Lord with everything we have.

With our heart, soul, and with all our strength.

So every fiber of our being sings His praise and glory.

The Word of God Is Active

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12

God's Word is alive.

It speaks to me differently that it did a year or two ago.

Each time I read a passage of Scripture, God has a new insight for me.

He is continually teaching me through His Word.

It is alive and active.

Sharper than any two-edged sword.

It penetrates to my soul.

It judges the thoughts and attitudes of my heart.

And then helps to steer me back to the path God intended.

My Soul Finds Rest in God

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. — Psalm 62:1 

Recovering from pneumonia, I have had to take time for plenty of rest.

And my soul has found rest in God and His Word.

Starting on Monday, I began swimming for 25-30 minutes each morning.

And my body found rest swimming laps gently at a snail's pace just doing the sidestroke.

My salvation comes from God alone.

And my soul has found rest and a deep peace in His comfort and care.

I grow stronger each day, thanks to His healing touch.

The Lord, My Portion

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him." — Lamentations 3:24 

Today our friend Susan sent us a photo of herself with her boys.

They're sharing the last of the homemade Passito that their dad brought back from Italy in 1983.

Susan had kept it in her freezer all these years.

Very cute photo.

Susan looks just like she did 30 years ago!

The Lord is my portion.

Therefore I have hope in Him.

The Lord Refreshes My Soul

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. — Psalm 23:2

The Lord is my shepherd.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

God helps me relax, even in the midst of turmoil.

He leads me beside quiet waters.

When the world overwhelms me, God prepares a quiet place for me away from the crowd.

He refreshes my soul.

When I take the time to read His Word, God reinvigorates my soul.

He knows just what I need and when.

Love the Lord Your God

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. — Deuteronomy 6:5

Welcome, February!

Today my friend Lorraine told me about a coworker of hers that was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

I was diagnosed three years ago in January, and my surgery was February 22, 2019.

I was wearing a hat and fall for our 35th anniversary party in October of 2019.

Three years later, my oncologist has said that I don't need to see her again for a year.

Last week when I got my hair cut, my hairdresser mentioned how my hair has come back in thick and full.

Just as it was before the chemo.

My cancer is either in remission or completely healed!

What a wonderful miracle.

I'm praying the same for Lorraine's friend.

May God bless her through this time as He has blessed me.

And may she feel His loving arms holding her tight and surrounding her with His deep peace.

My Soul Finds Rest in God

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. — Psalm 62:1 

Even when things seem to crash around me, my soul finds rest in God.

He delivered the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt.

His midwives delivered the Hebrew baby boys, even when they were ordered to kill them by the king.

And He delivers our world from evil.

So I find rest in Him.

He is my deliverer.

When my friends and their relatives are diagnosed with cancer,

When my friends and acquaintances lose their loved ones.

When we see their parents become ill, go through strokes and dementia,

God is our constant.

He carries us through the hard times.

Just as this koala can feel safe and secure in his tree, I can feel secure in the knowledge of God's love.

Praise the Lord!

Salvation comes from Him.

Love the Lord Your God

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. — Matthew 22:37

God commands us to love each other.

But not to just acknowledge others.

Instead, to love and care for them.

With all of our heart, soul, and mind.

With all we have, we are to love them.

That is often easier said than done.

It's probably not even possible without His help and guidance. 

Love the Lord

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-39

Mission San Luis Ray

I often take turns choosing which part of me will love God at this moment.

Either my heart or my soul or my mind.

But not all at once.

It's too hard to devote my complete self to Him all the time.

The booklet that pastor Jerry uses, "My Heart, Christ's Home," talks about opening each room of our hearts to Jesus.

But there are some dark closets that are easier left closed to Him.

And some areas of my life I prefer to keep to myself.

Just so I don't have to work on cleaning them out or turning them over to Him.

Help me, Lord, to open all parts of my life to you.

Purge the sin from the dark corners of my soul.

Let your light flow through me.

My Soul Glorifies the Lord

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." — Luke 1:46-47

During this time of year it's so easy to get wrapped up in all the lights and glitter and blow-up Santas.

But the real message was God sending His only Son to earth. 

Born as a baby in Bethlehem.

Come to save us from our sins.

To die and rise again for me personally.

The best gift of all!

Bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, O my soul.  Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. — Psalm 104:1

God is clothed with splendor.

He is robed in majesty.

He has given us dominion over the earth.

And Saturday night in the midst of peaceful protests, a handful of looters rode the trolley to Spring Street and decided to burn a couple of banks and destroy some businesses in La Mesa.

Very sad.

I'm sure it grieves God to see us turn into such selfish people, not concerned about the welfare of others.

Even so, God reigns.

He is in control, and He loves us even still.

The Lord Refreshes My Soul

The Lord . . . refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. — Psalm 23:2-3

God refreshes my soul when I stay in His Word.

When I start to go my own way, He brings me back.

He guides me along the right path.

For His name's sake, He leads and guides me.

He knows what's best for me and directs me in that way.

My Father, he cares for me.