Your rod & Your staff, they comfort me...

Psalm 23...a very popular psalm that many know...if you don't know it, you probably just didn't realize it was a Bible passage. :) Here it is...

PSALM 23

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 & Your staff protect & 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 & unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,

& I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Notice the lines I italicized. I read this Psalm the other day & these lines have stuck with me. When I walk in the darkest valley...You are beside me, Jesus. Your rod & staff protect & comfort me. If you read into taking care of sheep, sheep herders will tell you a rod is used to discipline...to get the sheep back in line where it needs to be. A staff is used for comfort to the sheep...it lets the sheep know its owner is there watching over it. In using this stick as both a rod & staff, it shows the sheep love.

I found it interesting this line came after the section about walking through the darkest valley(s). Even in the valley that's ridiculously dark, the rod has to be used. Hmm. Even when Jesus is the only light I can see in these kind of valleys, I still get out of line & wanna stray off to do things my way! Amazing how "awesome" I think I am sometimes that I try to be God & make things happen. Sheesh! haha Just like walking in a dark room...sooner or later, I'm gonna stub a toe or fall over somethin! haha Sometimes, He has to give me a good whack with the rod so to set me straight again...which I'm cool with even though it hurts. He does it only out of love & knowing where I'm headed when I'm in that mode. :) 

What about you? Do you have those "I can do better" moments even in the dark? I know I have...not fun having to be disciplined back to the straight & narrow! But one thing I'm thankful for...the staff. Jesus uses the staff to remind me He loves me...to remind me He's always with me...to keep me close so to stay on track with Him. All of it He does out of love. Thank You Jesus! :)

Verse Mapping (Heather Bleier)

In going through the Proverbs31 Online Bible Study, I learned of Verse Mapping. Basically, you ask God to lead you to a verse to study throughout the day/week/month/however long God keeps that verse in your mind & heart. Write it out on an index card. Read the verse, aloud if needed, & pay attention to each word/phrase that stands out to you. Circle/underline/star/highlight those word(s)/phrases. You then write the thoughts that come about that particular word. I include some of the definition(s) for the word as well. Once you've dug into all those words/phrases, write a simple prayer or thoughts to God on the back of the card.

Having done this for now 4 verses, it has caused me to get deeper than face value with God's Word. I ask more questions in how each verse relates to me or what God is trying to show me through focusing on that verse. :) AND, it helps with memorizing Scripture so to withstand the fiery darts from my enemy.

Here is an example from the last verse I just finished mapping out. This is actually the verse of the week for our Made To Crave Action Plan study. :) You want to know God's will for your life? Read & study in the depths this verse...

Front of index card -- Verse

Back of index card -- Prayer

I am courageous!

That sentence has been on my mind a lot this past week...I am courageous! I always had in my mind an idea of courage...people I've learned about or knew that seemed courageous. Like Martin Luther King Jr. He faced a hard reality head on with God leading & overcame so much with courage. Or Helen Keller. She was deaf & blind from young childhood on yet achieved so much in her life due to digging deep & being full of courage. Then of course Jesus. He was THE Son of God, yet came to live among us humans. He was & is the epitome of courage. Looking at all these people, I sometimes find it hard to find my courageous moments in life...if there are any, they definitely don't seem to be the same depth of courage as these few people listed. But then, I look up the definition of courage & expand on that a moment...

Courage means the power of dealing with or facing danger, fear, pain, etc.; the confidence to act in accordance with one's beliefs. But my favorite definition: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc without fear. Whew! Just typing it made me sweat! ha j/k j/k. :) Now that I read the definition & think back through my life, I really am courageous! :) Of course, in many situations I had room to take action on that courage a lot more than I did, but hey, live & learn & grow, right?! :)

Now to think of being courageous with my cravings, especially my food cravings. Lysa Terkuerst (author of Made to Crave) mentions how I can be courageous with choosing healthy options...not only when I'm in front of other people, but more than that when I'm at home & no one is around. Wow! Then God ran with that & showed me how this craving of food can be such a HUGE blessing in my life in this way...here's a peek at how the convo went down between me & my Best Friend, the Holy Spirit. ;)

Me: "God, why is it I have to have this craving of food...why can't my craving be with something else that's easier to deal with &/or stay away from??"

God: "Jenn, think about how many times a day you face food..."

Me: "A lot...multiple times a day. That's the problem. ha"

God: "Now, think about all those times & choosing to eat as I lead you..."

Me: "I've been doing that through this study & it definitely has me feeling closer to You for sure. :)

God: "Do you realize that is living courageously? Like Lysa said choosing courageously the good healthy food over the junk especially when only Me & you know..."

Me: "So, that's considered courage? Never thought about that. Just thought it was obedience more than anything."

God: "Yes, it's obedience, but how easy is it to choose the junk & satisfy the temporary craving rather than look to Me to fill that craving? See, if you can choose courageously in those moments in particular, how much more courage in Me can you live out in other situations in your life that you only face for a moment rather than daily??"

Me: "Wow...that's awesome! I've been blessed rather than cursed...I get to live this issue out so to bring You glory through it by applying its truths to other situations too. You are awesome, God! Thank You Holy Spirit for this wisdom. Man, I love You."

God: "I love you too...you put a smile on My face!" :)

Now, did I have a full out audible convo with God? No, but this rather happened in the depths of my soul. The Holy Spirit was impressing in my soul all this wisdom for a battle I thought I was cursed with. I was finally ready to gain wisdom & understanding in an area that had almost overtaken my life due to the defeat I felt repeatedly. God now fights this battle for me. Is it easy to turn away from the brownie or cake or fudge or cookies or...you get the idea. No, it's not, but it's EASIER now that I know I don't have to resist by my own self-power. I've allowed God to work through me so to cause me to crave good healthy things. :)

What about you? Do you feel any more empowered now realizing God loves ALL parts of you, including what you eat? You pray blessing over your food, why not pray about your food & if you should eat that particular item?? ;) You are loved...You are courageous. If you don't feel that way, have a little talk with Jesus. Tell Him all about your trouble. He will hear your cry & answer. (That's a song, too! haha)

Please, if you don't know the God I speak of & don't have a personal relationship with Him...don't wait. Message me or comment on this post. There are multiple resources to help you understand more about God, Who is love. Or contact your pastor or a close Jesus-lovin' Christian friend that you feel comfortable being real with. We need each other...the support helps, especially when we choose to live courageously! :)

Joshua 1:9

"Be strong & courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

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