I Knew My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

There is a story of an old man and a young man on the same platform before an audience. A special part of the program was being presented. Each of the men was to repeat the Twenty-Third Psalm.

The young man, trained in speech and drama, gave in oratory, the Psalm. When finished the audience clapped for more so that they could hear his beautiful, modulated voice once more.

Then the old man, leaning on his cane, stepped to the front of the platform and in a feeble, shaking voice, repeated the same words. But when he was seated no sound came from the listeners.

Folks wiped tears as they seemed to pray. In the ensuing silence, the young man again stepped forward and made the following statement:

"Friends, I wish to make an explanation. You asked me to repeat the Psalm with your applause, but you remained silent when my friend was finished.

The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd of the Psalm."

(The Shepherd's Psalm by Robert Strand from Especially For the Hurting Heart)

And here's a video I downloaded from YouTube wherein a little cute girl named Abby, recited Psalm 23. So cute!

Psalm 23 (New International Version)

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Father, thank You for You are my Shepherd. You enjoyed to bless me in the presence of the enemy. You protect me in every step of the way. You have been my strength when I am weak, Your strength still shows even at times when I am strong. You guide me and lead me to the paths of righteousness. Surely, surely, surely goodness and mercy and Your favor follows me wherever I go. Thank You for loving me this much....

Myspace Smiley Moods Comments & Graphics

God is still at work...

Dave was raised on the mission field in Africa, and after he completed his seminary training he took a position in a local church, still searching for the right one who could go back to Africa with him. He kept looking over the crowd every Sunday morning to see if a new face had appeared. Finally he asked my advice, “What do you think I should do?” What do you think God wants you to do with your life?” I inquired. “I think God wants me in Africa ,” he responded.

“I said, “Then you had better get moving that direction.”

Sudan Interior Mission, the group that Dave was serving, needed him on a rather remote outstation a distance from Addis Ababa. “Great chance of finding a wife there!” people told Dave. Nonetheless, he went.

Meanwhile an Australian nurse felt called by God into medical missions. She was single but hope to meet someone who shared her vision of missionary medicine. Nobody even came close to being answer. Finally she joined the same mission Dave had joined. They told her about a medical in a pretty remote area outside Addis Adaba. Her family and friends told her, “If you go there, you’ll end up being an old maid for sure.”

Putting the will of God above “finding the right man,” she packed and went to Africa.

You guessed it. They met, fell in love and married.

Believe it or not, they both had lived in the same apartment complex in the same city, on the same street, but had to go 7,000 miles away to meet each other, fall in love, marry and have a family. (I got this story from jhunnelle's blogsite.)

This is the 2nd story I read about "serendipity" or destiny as you may want to call it. The 1st story I read was about Shelby. They may all sound fictional to you, but I believe that they are true. Even if they were not, there is one story that is real. You may visit jhunnelle's blogsite and read about how her fiance met her.

Now, you might be asking, "Who's Jhunnelle?". Well, I don't know her either. We haven't met. But, one night as I was trying to look for a write-up about "Touch of Glory", I found her blogsite. Of course, instantly as I read her posts nakarelate agad ako. We are of the same age. We are both Born-Again Christian. We both have the same struggles in waiting for the "right man" in our lives. I was inspired about her story. I believe that God has led me to her blogsite to tell me that He is still at work.

God is at work in our lives all the time. Every need, every desire, every little things or minute details of our lives are in His mind all the time. Our every call is heard. Every tear that falls, he sees. Every thoughts in our minds, he knew. He is the author of life. He is also the author of our love story.

And one day, I am hopeful and prayerful that I will be able to post my own love story God has wrote about in this blogsite.

You may have a struggles or difficulties in your life. It might be something about your job, school, relationships, finances or anything that you think matters to you. I just want to encourage you on one thing, "God is at work in our lives! He loves you so much. There is nothing good for us that He will withhold. Just think, that if God has given His ONE and ONLY SON for you, what is that one thing will He not do for you?

God's Wings

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating
picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park,
forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's
damage.One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statues
quelyon the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat unnerved by the eerie sight,he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny
chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her
offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings,instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wing would live.



"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4)



Being loved this much should make a difference in your life. Remember the
One who loves you and then be different because of it.

Author unknown

i believe...

shelby was an attractive woman in her mid30's who genuinely desired to be married. she had prayed and prayed but had never even had a serious relationship with a man. in fact, she hadn't been out on a date within the last 2 or 3 years. she was tempted to be discouraged, assuming that nothing was happening and that she might spend the remainder of her life as a single woman.

but one night, she was driving home from work when she had a flat tire and had to pull her car over to the side of the freeway. a few seconds later, another car pulled over behind her, and out stepped a handsome, young man. he not only changed shelby's flat tire, he also invited her out to dinner.

about a year later, they got married and today they are wonderfully happy and in love.

now think about the odds such an occurrence. that certainly was not an accident or a coincidence. that was God at work in the lives of two young adults. God is always at time. her tire had to go bad at just the right time. there had to be just the right amount of traffic on the freeway. that young man had to catch just the right elevator leaving the office. he had to go down to the split second in order for his car to be shortly behind shelby's, when the tire went flat. God is making things happen. just stay in an attitude of faith and in His timing.

**************************************************************************

i've had had my share of men courting me, but i am still waiting for the man God has promised to me sometime in 2003. God promised to give me a man after His own heart. and when i asked God how would i know or recognize "him"? He replied, "just like a banner raised on a mountaintop, you will see it or just like when a trumphet sounds, you will hear it." that when love knocks at the door of my heart, i will clearly recognize it...... but for now, i will wait and have faith... i believe...

************************************************************************