“Are we there yet?” That blessed, universal question every parent loves to hear 23 minutes into a 600-mile road trip. It’s gonna be a long day, friends! Yep, we’ve reached the halfway point of our series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” And, well…it’s about to take a turn.

Join me as we round the bend into a deeper (and darker) part of our Psalm 23 journey. Yet, the deeper the valley, the deeper the relationship can build. May Psalm 23:4 bring comfort as I share a glimpse into my “valley of the shadow of death." Valleys aren’t usually our favorite part of the journey. Let’s walk it together.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “Friend, for nine months, I walked THROUGH the valley, until I walked out. I didn’t walk out with a son, but I did walk out with something else… my bedrock belief that He.is.good. It’s why I so readily refer to Him as the Good Shepherd because the depth of my relationship with Christ was forged in the depth of that valley.”

Ever feel like sometimes no matter what you do, you keep getting turned around? (Uh-huh.) It's easy to feel like we're just spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Turns out, Psalm 23:3 has something to say about that. We'll continue our series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day," as we chat about steadying ourselves when life twists and turns.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “I began to think about all the times He’s led me, guided me in circles of righteousness. And wow, do those circles look odd? They haven’t always been easy, enjoyable, or even welcomed. I don’t always understand the circles He’s guiding me to take, and sometimes I step off that path for a minute. Yet, even in those moments, those cycles if you will, the Shepherd is always right there…even when it may not feel like He is.”

Don't you love awkward conversations? Oh, for sure, me too. (Eye roll.) Yet, part of being a good friend is navigating those oh-so-fun talks you'd rather opt out of having.

So, let's talk election and why you matter in this short, BONUS episode.

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Here's an excerpt:

"We cannot base good and evil on our own standards, or, hear me, even on our empathy, because we are subjective and easily swayed. We must have a constant, not a variable, when defining good and evil. Otherwise, we will be influenced by those who call evil, good and good, evil. Without using the Word as our final, foundational authority, we as Christians might confuse compassion with conformity and call evil, good and good, evil."

Slips, spills, and total wipeouts. Whether we laugh or groan, it hurts to crash- both in the literal and figurative.

Let’s chat about the times we get twisted up and turned around as we peek at Psalm 23:3, "He restores my soul."

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Here’s a small excerpt: “It’s normal to shy away from pain, hard conversations, difficult choices, and sacrifices. Yet, when we routinely choose comfort, shortcuts, and a shallow faith because “God just wants me to be happy,” well, that’s horse manure. Comfort isn’t the goal. Obedience is, and I know that’s a horrible marketing strategy. But routinely choosing our own comfort over Christ is an invitation to be cast; off-balance, panicked, and flailing in desperation.”

Maybe it's the election. Maybe it's a health crisis. Maybe it's too much month and too little means. Whatever the reason, if you find yourself weary of life and thirsty for peace, join me as we continue our series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” We’ll crack open the back-half of Psalm 23:2 where rest is restored and chaos quenched.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “But as the saying basically goes, “You can lead a sheep to water, but you can’t make her drink...” We have a choice what we will drink. When I read Psalm 23:2, “He leads me beside still waters,” I want it to be just a sweet little picture, a promise that life won’t be chaotic. Yet, we live in a world blinded by brokenness. We are deeply flawed and thirsting. ”

Ever having an off-week? Where life seems to hit you sideways and everything just feels extra: extra scary, extra hard, extra frustrating, extra empty. Me too. (And yes, that’s a lot of extra’s!)

Sounds like the perfect time to lean into our series, “It’s A Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” Join me as we peek into all life’s extra’s with verse 2, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Grab your coffee and settle in for a moment of extra encouragement.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, even maketh me sometimes. We might need a “maketh me” moment, and that’s okay.”

Re-entry to reality is a tricky little bugger. After being off-grid hiking for the past 11 days, I missed a few events: a horrific disaster, massive war escalations, and unimaginable evils exposed among Hollywood and political elites. Yep, more than ever, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.”

Join me to chat through the back-half of Psalm 23:1, “I shall not be in want.” Let's talk about when our circumstances do leave us wanting or lacking at times. How do we reconcile our reality with Psalm 23? Great question.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “Life’s circumstances will throw plenty of evidence at us that our shepherd is far from good, which is why a whole-picture view, a zoomed-out lens through which we read the Scriptures (in their whole context) is necessary. Life comes into focus when the perspective remains on the shepherd…because- well, life leaves us wanting some days.”

Has life been peacefully smooth and simple lately? Mine neither. Seems like there’s definite ups, significant downs, plenty of “meh,” and oh, yeah, something about an election too. Sounds like a great time to immerse ourselves in the beloved Truth of Psalm 23.

Join me for our new series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” We’ll lay the framework for the next 12 weeks as we discuss Psalm 23:1. Invest in a few moments for peace, comfort, courage, and Truth. Your soul will thank you.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “For all the comfort and promises, for all the times we recite these verses at the graveside and the bedside, for all the moments these promises comfort our anxious thoughts and panicked perspectives…it all revolves around this core, this nucleus: “The LORD is my Shepherd,” David writes.”