Psalm 18:33 - Hinds Feet

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
     he causes me to stand on the heights. (NIV)

He maketh my feet like hinds' feet,
     and setteth me upon my high places. (KJV)

This verse was a pivotal one in my development as a Christian. At the end of a mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya in a summer off from college, one of the local missionaries gave me the book "Hinds Feet on High Places." To be honest, I don't remember too much about the book or why it effected me so much, I just bought it for my Kindle, so maybe I'll do a book review in the future.

Lord, thank you for wonderful memories associated with scripture. Please help us to continue to build strong ties to you word. Amen.

Psalm 18:16 - Rescue

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
     he drew me out of deep waters.

The first few verses of Psalm 18 talk about God's power and glory. The next group of verses (16-29) focus on how God rescues us. I love in verse 19 it says, "he rescued me because he delighted in me." I've seen the word delighted a few times in scripture, referring to how God feels about us.  It feels nice to be "delighted in." God knows where we are. He knows when we need rescued. He loves us and wants us to put our trust in him so that he can rescue us.

Lord, thank you for rescuing us. Please help us to always trust in you. Amen.

Psalm 18:2 - Instant gratification

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

     my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

     my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

This verse is great! So empowering! The Psalms are a great place to go for instant gratification, especially the first or second verse of each psalm. They all begin with praise, worship, or calling to the Lord. If you ever need a quick pick me up from the Word, just read a few first verses of the Psalms.

Lord, thank you for your word and for being our rock. Please help us to keep your word close to our hearts at all times, Amen.

Psalm 17:1 - Praying about a "sin enemy"

Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
     listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
     it does not rise from deceitful lips.

This psalm is primarily about defeat of an enemy. In my life I rarely have an actual human enemy which I am facing, but I do have sin enemies. Whatever sin we face over and over again can be faced using the words of the psalms. Verse 13 states "Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked." When we look at these verses from another angle, they resound with purpose and hope. The Lord will hear our plea.

Lord, thank you for hearing us. Please defeat our our sin enemies and protect us. Amen.

My LIVEday - The day I survived a 150 foot fall

Happy LIVEday!

Today is my LIVEday, the day I survived a 150 foot fall from a hiking trail in Skagway, Alaska. This was such a monumental moment in my life, I am celebrating the one year anniversary of this fall with a video. Please watch it and share it with others.

Lord, thank you for saving my life one year ago today. Please help me to bring glory to your name every day I walk this earth. Amen.

Click here to watch a 3 minute video about my fall.

Psalm 16:8 - Not shaken

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

     With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Right now I am working so much, I feel on the verge of a break down. I pray all the time for God to get me through the day. I need to remember, with him at my right hand, I will not be shaken! This whole psalm was just what I needed. God gives us safety, security, instruction and hope for eternity.

Lord, thank you for being at our right hand. Please help me to always keep my eyes on you. Amen.

Psalm 15 - John Gattis

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless,
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;
    who does not accept a bribe
    against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.

God always gives me the right scripture at the right time, Today is the 21st anniversary of marriage to my husband, John Gattis. John is a remarkable man and probably the only person in the world who would put up with me for 21 years. I can not believe how precisely this passage describes him. I love you John!!

Lord, thank you for John and our happy 21 years of marriage. Please help us to always keep you first in our marriage. Amen.

Psalm 14:2 - I seek you, God

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

There are so many corrupt people in the world who have turned away from God, but when I read the verse above, I wanted to jump up and down and shout up to God, "I seek you!!"  As hopeless as it sometimes seems, there are righteous people seeking God. God knows his people and he protects them.

Lord, thank you for knowing us and protecting us. Please help us to always seek you, Amen.

Psalm 13:1 - How long?

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
     How long will you hide your face from me?

Sometimes we feel like God has abandoned us. We have prayed and heard nothing. Things are not getting better. David felt like this over and over in the Psalms. In this psalm, he starts with this verse, but ends by saying "But I trust in your unfailing love" and singing God's praises (v. 5-6). God can handle our frustration, but ultimately we must trust and honor him in all things at all times.

Lord, thank you for listening to us, even when we are frustrated with you. Please help us to trust and honor you in all things and wait on your timing. Amen.

Psalm 12:6 - Words

And the words of the Lord are flawless,
     like silver purified in a crucible,
     like gold refined seven times.

Psalm 12 focuses on our words. Our tongues are powerful and can be used for good or evil. Our word reflect what is in our hearts. As our perfect example, God's words are flawless. They never lie or falsely flatter.

Lord, thank you for the reliability of your word. Please help us to follow your example and use our words for good. Amen.

Psalm 11:1 - Take refuge in the Lord

In the Lord I take refuge.
     How then can you say to me:
     “Flee like a bird to your mountain.

When I read this verse I was struck by the beauty of the phrase "Flee like a bird to your mountain," the I remembered the hymn with this title. I read the hymn and I think this verse and hymn don't really match up. The hymn is beautiful and has a good message, but in this verse, David is upset because of this statement and the two following verses. David plans to take refuge in the Lord, not retreat as he is being counseled to do,

Lord, thank you for offering us a place of refuge. Help us to trust in you always and not flee when things get difficult. Amen.

Click here for another resource on this passage.

Psalm 10:14 - God sees

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
     you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
     you are the helper of the fatherless.

God sees us. He knows when we are in pain, when we are facing difficult issues, when we are a victim. He will defend us, encourage us and listen to our cry (v. 17& 18).

Lord, thank you for being there for us. Please help us to not lose hope, but to turn to you immediately in our time of need. Amen.

Book Review - Bursting with Life: Triumph Through Cerebral Palsy

Last Sunday the speaker where I attend worship services (Webb Chapel Church of Christ) mentioned a book called Bursting with Life: Triumph Through Cerebral Palsy by Robert Reid, I was intrigued by the synopsis offered so I got the book and read it. It was truly inspirational. Honestly, I think it would make a great movie! My favorite quote of the book is this:

"Many don't understand being handicapped. The truth is that everyone is handicapped in one way or another. We all have challenges or disabilities that we have to overcome."

Robert's story is amazing, but like the quote says, we all have challenges to overcome and this story gave me inspiration to see beyond what I can or can not do.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to have challenges. Help us to see these challenges as opportunities. Amen.

Psalm 9:9 - Presenting our problems with praise

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 9, like many of the Psalms, is filled with prayers asking God to defeat enemies. I don't really have big enemy issues, but I do have issues. Just like David's Psalms are full of the same problem, our prayers tend to take on a repetitive nature. We daily go to God in prayer with the same issues over and over because these are what are important to us. These are our "enemies". The thing that makes the Psalms so beautiful is the way God is constantly praised, worshiped, and thanked. Are these included when you pray?

Lord, thank you for allowing us to come to you with our problems with the knowledge that you are our refuge and stronghold. Please help us to offer you praise and thanksgiving even in our times of trouble. Amen.

Psalm 8:9 - Scriptures in Song

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

I love it when I am reading scripture and I come across a verse which is featured in a song I love. I have shared a YouTube video with of the song with lyrics.

Oh Lord, Our Lord Video

Lord, thank you for music. Please let us use our musical abilities to praise your name. Amen.

Psalm 7:9 - End the violence

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure - you, the righteous God     who probes minds and hearts.

God always seems to give me the right verse at the right moment. This verse in Psalm 7 speaks directly to the heart of Americans today. Vengeance is God's, not ours, so we don't ask for revenge. We ask for the violence to end and to feel secure. God loves every person and knows their mind and heart.

Lord, thank you for making me feel secure and knowing each of us, inside and out. Please bring to an end the violence of the wicked. Amen.

Psalm 6:6 - Sorrow

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

Right now I am on top of the world. My life is going fantastic! But in my joy, I must remember sorrow is only a moment away. While I celebrate, others mourn. While I feast, others are in famine. In chapter 6, David is pleading for mercy and healing. We have all have felt this kind of intense sorrow where we flood our bed with tears. In verse 9 he states his confidence that the Lord has heard his cry and accepts his prayer.

Lord, thank you for hearing us and shouldering our burdens. Please help us to remember those who are in sorrow, even when we are in a season of ease. Amen

Psalm 5:11 - Praying for other believers

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
     let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
     that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

The first three verses of this chapter are addressing God, as in the beginning of a prayer. I especially like verse 3, "In the morning Lord, you hear my voice". The writer then laments on his enemies. The end of the chapter he concludes with prayers for others and I think this may be what is missing in my prayer life. I pray for others sometimes, but not on a regular basis. Considering others, especially other believers, and their situations and needs will help me treat people better as I interact with them.

Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers. Please let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Amen.

Psalm 4:4 - Search your hearts

Tremble and do not sin;
     when you are on your beds,
     search your hearts and be silent.

Chapter 4 begins by asking God to hear and answer prayer. It ends remarking on peace and safety from God. My thought is that this psalm was written while David was in bed. When we are in bed we are either at peace and relaxed or we are tormented by thought. This passage covers both scenarios. Either way, it gives us an opportunity to search our hearts and be silent.

Lord, thank you for the quiet of of the night when we can come to you in prayer. Please hear our prayers and help us to search our hearts. Amen.

Psalm 3:5 - The Lord sustains me

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

The third chapter in the Psalms mostly talks about deliverance from an enemy, but the verse above struck me because I am in a very busy month. When I am working full time (plus) and am busy with other projects, I get tired and grumpy. I know I have to pray my way through each day to keep up my energy and strength. No matter the struggle we are facing, God is always the one to turn to for sustenance.

Lord, thank you for giving us sleep and sustaining us. Please help us to rely on you at all times. Amen.

Psalm 2:10-11 - Kings and rulers

Therefore, you kings, be wise;
     be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear
    and celebrate his rule with trembling.

Psalm 2 is a warning for kings and rulers who do not serve the Lord. I love verse 4 which says, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them." This passage gives me comfort that no matter who is "in charge" here on earth, God is truly the one in charge.

Lord, thank you for giving us confidence in you. Help us to not be over concerned about the rulers here on earth because you are the only ruler who really matters. Amen.

Psalm 1:3 - Daily supply

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.

"That person" refers to (v. 2) the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his laws day and night. In order to produce fruit and remain alive in Christ, we must receive a regular, daily supply of his word. The blessings of God are available, we just have to reach out and take them.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please help us to study it daily. Amen.

Proverbs 4:26 - Graduation Day

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Today my son is graduating from high school. I am so proud of him I could almost burst. As he completes this chapter in his life and heads off to college in the fall, I would like to share this verse with him. All of Proverbs 4 is great advice for a young person heading out into the world on their own.

Lord, thank you so much for my son and his successes (and his failures). Please help him to grow in his relationship with you. Amen.

Joel 3:16 - The Lord is a refuge

The Lord will roar from Zion

     and thunder from Jerusalem;

     the earth and the heavens will tremble.

But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,

     a stronghold for the people of Israel.

All around us bad things are happening and the causes are countless. It might be the fault of our family, friends, neighbors, city/state/national governments, the weather, society, political groups, etc. It might be our own fault. It might be Satan's fault. It might be God's fault. Regardless of where the trouble comes from, we do not have to be afraid. God is our refuge. We can always take shelter and rest in him. Peace is always available in every circumstance.

Lord, thank you for being our refuge. We know in this life there will be trouble, please help us to take shelter in you. Amen.

Joel 2:23 - Thanks for the rain

Be glad, people of Zion,
     rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains
     because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers,
     both autumn and spring rains, as before.

It is spring in Texas and we are receiving a huge amount of rain. Some years we are in almost drought conditions and are praying for rain. This year (and last) we have complained about too much rain, but "be glad...rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you...rain."

Lord, thank you for the rain you have sent to us. Please help us to appreciate your control of the weather. Amen.

Joel 2:13 - Tear your heart

Rend your heart
     and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
     for he is gracious and compassionate,
     slow to anger and abounding in love,
     and he relents from sending calamity.

I love the phrase "Rend you heart and not your garments." It really struck me. I looked up the word rend and it means to tear. When we repent, outward signs of mourning and sorrow are not what God is looking for. He wants us to be torn on the inside, to tear out the past and the sin, to tear our heart.

Lord, thank you for wanting us to return to you and not just giving up on us. Please help us to have a true tearing of the heart when we return to you. Amen.