Psalm 23 - God Has All That I Need

/ Whitney @ Journey Mercies
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The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

 {psalm 23}

This Scripture came to me at just the right moment.

I read my devotional one morning, feel worn down and frayed. And although this is one of the most familiar psalms, reading it in the New Living Translation opened my eyes to its beauty. It simply describes who God is, what he does, and who we are in light of that.

The LORD: 
leads.
renews.
guides.
protects.
comforts.
pursues....me.

 He IS:
my shepherd.
close beside me in the darkness.
goodness and love.

 Me:
I have ALL that I need.
My cup OVERFLOWS with blessings.
I will live in the presence of God FOREVER.

 One sentence in that day's devotional stuck out to me - God is the only one who has the power to be your everything.

 Do you feel the weight of that?

We hear the lie crooned over the radio, spoken in the cinema by wide-eyed lovers, whispered in our hearts by our deceitful desires - I am what you need. I demand that of other people - my husband, my friend. Be everything for me! 

But another human being can never be loving enough to satisfy the cravings of our heart, powerful enough to stand up under the weight of our endless need.

Yet - God can.

I love that list of God's traits in Psalm 23. It encompasses everything I need to thrive in this life. And it can only be found in walking with the Lord wherever he takes me - through green meadows of joy, answered prayers, and friendships; and through the dark valleys of loss, pain, and disappointed hope.

Because of his love for me, I can say - I have ALL that I need.

And I pray that you find all you need in the arms of the Father today.


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Isaiah 58:11 - You Will Be Satisfied in the Desert

/ Whitney @ Journey Mercies

We've been back in Poipet for a week now, and it's been rough and beautiful.

In a word, I love our new son. His big blue eyes, the way he stares at the world in wonder, his little newborn sighs and squeaks - how can someone so little take up such a huge part of your heart?

But he does come with some challenges.

Really, I have nothing to complain about - except that I didn't have realistic expectations about what life was like with a newborn. Especially when Declan slept through the first week of life, allowing us to make lots of trips to the hospital, embassy, immigration office, and supermarkets with little interruption. Now that he is almost one month old, Declan is exerting his independence by staying up late crying into the night and eating like a bodybuilder on a steroid binge. #sosore

Reality is quickly sinking in - the reality that my productivity levels have dropped drastically and I won't have any predictable, consistent schedule for...not sure how long? Add to that the unpredictability of electricity and running water at times and heat indexes over 105 degrees F almost every day this week, and you have one stressed out, tired mamma.

And it doesn't help that I haven't spent consistent time with God, between feeding, cooking, cleaning, and trying to reassemble our life around this new human currently sleeping at the foot of my bed in his pack n' play. In fact, that is probably the source of my frustration, snappiness, and impatience.

For several days, every time I turned on Instagram or Twitter in an attempt to stay awake during another feeding, Isaiah 58:11 was everywhere. Coincidence? I don't think so.

God knew I needed to read this verse. To hear his promise.

I have reached the end of myself, and I desperately need God's guidance. I feel helpless when the baby is fed, clean, and still crying - I have no idea what to do. When I think about trying to manage on my own when my mom leaves and Andrew is at work all day, I feel overwhelmed. But I know I'm not the first new mom to feel this way, am I right?

I need to be reminded that God is still present in my life. He can still meet my needs and my family's needs, even when I have no idea how he will do that. He can give me the strength and energy I need. I don't need to worry about next week or next month; God is faithful to give me what I need right now, in this moment.

I want to be a well with living water flowing from it - just like Jesus described in John 4. I don't want my heart to be frustrated, impatient, or critical towards everyone else, just because I feel like I have no control over my life. But my words flow from what is in my heart, and my heart has to be re-centered on Christ every day, or I will be dry and parched, like a desert.

In reading this verse, my heart comes back to life. Even if I feel like I'm walking in the desert of my own weakness, God can make me flourish and have so much love and joy I can't help but let it overflow into the lives of others.

Anyone else feel like this at times? I'd love for you to encourage others with your own story and words!

/ Whitney @ Journey Mercies/

Whitney @ Journey Mercies

Philippians 2:13 - God is Working in You

/ Whitney @ Journey Mercies
!

I love Philippians 2:13 because it is a promise.

The verse shows up in a long passage where Paul encourages followers of Jesus to become like Jesus - to have the same humility, attitude, and mindset of our Savior.

Does anyone else struggle with that?

I think about last week's Scripture from Matthew - the call to serve others like Jesus, even laying down our lives for other people. I know I can't do that on my own. I can't even want that on my own. Everything in my natural self cringes against the idea of always putting others before myself. And I can't change my desires with sheer will power. The heart wants what the heart wants.

You know what? We need new hearts. 

 In Philippians 2:12, the verse right before this one, Paul calls on believers to continue "working out their salvation with fear and trembling" - and then he tells them, it's actually God changing your desires to line up with his and giving you the power to obey him.

In the end, it's not up to me. If my wants and attitudes change, it's not because I've overcome my personal weaknesses or learned a new strategy that enables me to be a kinder, more loving version of myself. It's because God is creating a new person and giving me the will and the ability to obey him. In this verse, God has promised to be at work in us and making it possible for us to want him, love him, and worship him with our lives like he deserves.

Knowing this keeps me humble and dependent on the Lord, in two ways. When I fail (as I often do) to follow him whole heartedly, it gives me the opportunity to recognize my complete weakness and to turn to him for strength. When I do succeed - whether it's responding patiently to difficult situations or forgiving someone who's hurt me - I know it's not because I'm a good person or superior in any way. I know God has been at work inside my heart, slowly changing my attitudes, my perspective, and my desires.

So if you're struggling with personal change or feeling like you will never overcome the difficulty you're facing, take heart. God is at work, even if you can't see the results yet. He is giving you the desire and power to do what pleases him.
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