A warm thank you to the 120 friends who sent greetings and prayers to Barbara after her cancer operation. Very thoughtful of you all!

“Let those who fear the LORD say: ‘His love endures forever.’” Psalm 118:4

Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are my Shepherd,

that we can know that whatever comes, you have led us into it.

You led your disciples into the storm on the lake, into the opposition of the crowd, into the pain of your death.

And because You have the larger picture, we can trust and follow you as you walk with us into the future.

Psalm 118:5-9 goes on to say, “In my anguish I cried to the LORD….”

This is the proper response to any situation, going right to you, O God, fleeing from

self-pity,

worry,

fretting

and anger

to embrace your goodness, wisdom and love.

And You WILL respond to our prayer: “In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:7).

And your answer begins inside us: “I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my FEARS” (Ps. 34:4).

“In my anguish I cried out to the Lord and he answered by setting me FREE” (Ps. 118:5).

Forgive us, Lord, for not seeking you first, not calling on you, not crying out to you.

Help us to seek you first in all that comes, so that we may honor you before the world, the flesh and the devil.

Picture: Jesus embraces us and takes our burdens