Yesterday we began our journey through Psalm 27 where in a season of trouble, David begins by declaring God as his light, salvation, and stronghold. We saw how knowing God changes the way we respond to our circumstances and we reflected on the current battles facing each one of us. The enemy isn’t defeated in a day, our struggles carry on. They can at times leave our hearts heavy, so before we begin, I want to provide space for you to pray and share with God what’s on your mind and heart. Use this time to make the same declarations David did and declare your trust in Him.

Anyone who has found themselves in crisis, periods of waiting, or trying circumstances understands Psalm 27 isn't two separate psalms, but an accurate representation of the human experience, the highs and the lows, of navigating troubling times. What we do in the waiting matters more than we realize - it is here where our faith gets tested, formed, and shaped. Seeking God, meditating on His Word, and learning to walk in His ways brings good to our troubling times by drawing us closer to Him.

Today’s devotional will be a bit different in its format and flow, and this switch is done with intentionality. First we will read Psalm 23 together. Then I’ll lead us through a reflective time, using the psalm as a prayer back to God. As we meditate on the psalm verse by verse, we will be reminded of His goodness while strengthening our understanding of His truth.

Today, in verse five, David still finds himself in that same ominous valley. Yet, something unexpected occurs - a feast breaks out. Before we explore how we can flourish rather than flounder amid adversity, I want to give you space to pause and thank God in prayer for being a generous host who provides for all of your needs.

For the past few days, we've found ourselves inside Psalm 23, reflecting on the ways God is a shepherd to us. Up to this point, David spoke of green pastures, still waters, and right paths - how God leads and guides. All things we instinctively seem to want and desire. Today, the tone changes as we move to verse four, and David finds himself in a dark valley.

We are cared for and protected by a God who knows us intimately. We don’t want to rush past the powerful reality that God sees and recognizes our needs, and wants to provide for us and sustain us in ways we can’t fathom.

"The Lord is my shepherd...." Hold on...did you catch yourself rattling off the rest of this Psalm without even thinking? You're not alone. Psalm 23 stands as one of the most well-known, often quoted, and frequently memorized pieces of Scripture in the entire Bible. If the Bible had a soundtrack, this passage would likely be the first track. Its comforting words have brought hope and courage to countless individuals wrestling with grief, sorrow, and trials - and rightfully so.

Over the past week, we’ve slowed down, sat with and reflected on the inspiring words of Psalm 1. Today’s devotional will be a little different (and maybe a bit shorter) - as we want to help you, and us as a community, articulate the things we’re learning, sensing, and feeling as well as the way God has spoken to you through Psalm 1. Before we begin, let’s take a moment to pray for wisdom and discernment , that we would tune our ears and posture our hearts to be receptive to God's still, small voice. 

Today, we’re going to see that delighting in Scripture and  enjoying God’s presence does something in us. It molds and shapes us, the question is - into what? But, before we begin - take a moment to clear your mind and center yourself. Empty all your worries, concerns, and anything else occupying your mind, so that God has a space to fill with His truth.

Today, we want to take a closer look at what the “blessed” person does to feed and fuel their soul and how it makes their heart come alive with delight.

Yesterday we talked about the importance of rest, rhythm, and reflection. Then, we spent a few moments meditating on Psalm 1, our passage of Scripture for the week. Today, we will look at the first two verses and explore the age-old question: Does God want me to be happy? Or, is there something greater he wants us to experience?

Psalm 1 is probably one of the most loved, and well-known of all the Psalms. It serves as the book’s introduction, but it also stands on its own. Many of the themes of Psalm 1 get picked up throughout the rest, themes like being blessed, the Lord’s protection, the influence of our relationships, and the truth that our choices determine our direction in life…

My husband loves making knives. It’s a process of taking the roughhewn metal, forging and hammering, and making something sleek, beautiful, and useful. I can’t recall when this interest was kindled, but I know that when I’m using one of his hand-crafted chef’s knives for one of my favorite pastimes, cooking, I can be assured it will be sharp & precise.

Okay, here it goes... I'm a horrible gift giver. The pressure of finding the "perfect" gift for my loved ones paralyzes me…

If we are honest, there is a lot to wrestle with in Scripture. Saying we just don’t know is not a weakness or something to be ashamed of. We are all better off when we are authentic together. Also, there is so much beauty in becoming Christ followers who want to wrestle with Scripture together…

If your social media newsfeed is anything like mine, you know that school is out for summer. Almost every post I come across is end of the school year related. It might be someone in a cap and gown or pictures of a graduation party. Then there are those shots of kids grinning from ear to ear, knowing there's no more homework, tests, or assemblies for quite a while.

If you have been to more than one wedding, you have probably heard today’s Scripture read, maybe while the couple braids rope. We all get the symbolism and understand the imagery of the tight knit rope, portraying a covenant relationship dependent on the third strand to hold the other two together. But, could today’s verse be about something other than marriage?

As my 6th-grade classmates plugged their noses in disgust, I knew I was in trouble. It was a scorcher of a day. The school's broken air condition didn't help matters. As we continued to roast in the chorus room, a funky smell began to set in. People looked around and wondered about the cause of the puttered odor. Self-conscious, I prayed they wouldn't figure out it was me, but God failed to answer my plea on that day.

Growing up, I said my prayers (and ate my vitamins) not to get closer to God, but because I was a Hulkamaniac. Like most kids raised in the late '80s, my idol was the wrestling icon, Hulk Hogan. Much to my younger brother's chagrin, my dream growing up was to follow in Hulk's footsteps and become a professional wrestler.

We do desperate things when we long to be loved. We will go to dramatic lengths to experience love, confirm we are loved, or show others we are lovable. From people-pleasing and attention-seeking to fixing our behavior and becoming a doormat, there is nothing off-limits to what we're willing to do to experience that elusive thing called love. These responses focus on our behavior and work towards being worthy of love. If we can perform, act, and look worthy, we reason we may actually be worthy.