Reflection On Psalm 23

 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord! Isaiah 55:8

 You may have experienced times of rejection, abandonment, betrayal, shame, fear, confusion, or loss along your journey…..but listen and meditate on the Lord’s words to you:

PSALM 23

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

It is His job to supply all of my needs – food, shelter, emotional support…

He makes me lie down in green pastures: He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

He will take all of my burdens, hurts, and brokenness to bring healing. He will guide me on the way that is aligned with His will.

Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

When I am in the pit, and I don’t see any way out I must know that You are with me and that you will be my strength.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows.

You set the time, space, and circumstances in front of my enemies. You anoint me with your Holy Spirit and pour down Your overflowing graces so that I am able to love like You.

Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life!

When I obey and do what God wants me to do, goodness and kindness will be with me always and in all ways.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.    

When I walk with the Lord in his Kingdom, I am eternal.

(Take time this week and ponder these words and record in your journal what you received)

From book, “Strength For Your Journey”, by Linda Rose   www.lindarose.net

Nothing Else Matters

This past summer I was privileged to witness the birth of my second grandson. It was so amazing to see him…his eyes wide open as he entered the world for the first time! I was speechless seeing little Sebastien come out so perfect and beautiful. I can’t help but think that in the womb he was full and perfect too! In the next few days, as I held him so close to me, I was made so keenly aware of the absolute dependence, vulnerability, and fragility of this beautiful soul! Nothing else in the world mattered as I held him…nothing was more important than the care and safety of this precious little soul!

I ask you to take a moment and think of your own newborn baby…your newborn brother, sister, niece or nephew…your grandchild…even great grandchild, or any baby for that matter…look at them…see how tiny and fragile they are…spend time in your mind with them…

I am also a mother of a baby born with multiple heart defects…

I ask you, parents, relatives, or friends of a baby born with any kind of birth defect, to remember when you first saw that baby…maybe held that baby…maybe prayed for that baby…even begged God for that baby…

For me, absolutely NOTHING mattered in this world except finding a doctor that was able to save my baby, a doctor that could help him to stay with me under any condition…I would have gone anywhere, paid anything…done anything…ABSOLUTELY NOTHING MATTERED but the life of my baby!

Today I am reminded of someone who said to me: “If you only knew he was going to be born with these heart defects you could have had an abortion.”

Today we are faced with an election where if one candidate wins, together with Planned Parenthood and the Supreme Court, it would be legal to have an abortion all the way to the full ninth months AND, if that baby is born with any kind of birth defect, it would be legal to kill that little soul!

I come to you today to beg you…Please help me save these defenseless, vulnerable, fragile little babies…please vote for life! NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

 

Are You Living in Murky Water?

I recently attended a day of reflection at the Ignatius House Retreat Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The theme was Friends of Jesus and we were reflecting on St Ignatius and his friends and how they ultimately founded the, now known, Jesuits.

After one of the presentations, it was time for reflection so I walked around the property and found a pretty fountain which I immediately was drawn to. There were lily pads and slates of rock where the fountain water fell so gently upon them. I sat on the edge in preparation for my contemplation…my thoughts were interrupted as I stared at the water: “What murky water…so dark and yucky…why can’t they clean it…after all the lily pads and fountain with the sound of trickling water are so beautiful!”

I kept trying to refocus on my contemplation with no success…I kept going back to that murky water! As I sat there with my judgmental thoughts I spotted a tiny goldfish! I sat up in amazement…when then I saw, what seemed like a portal, open up in the water! There I was able to see a whole school of shining goldfish!

To my surprise the Lord spoke directly to my heart: “These goldfish have each other …they are comfy…cozy…have enough food to eat and are safe…I am caring for them…My eye is upon them.”

It was then that I saw myself: I was in some murky water: I was deeply troubled…afraid…stressed. I heard deep in my soul that the Good Lord’s eye is upon me…I am safe and cared for and I have many friends in Jesus that are with me through this!

How’s that for contemplation!

Linda Rose is available for Retreats, Programs, Concerts, Spiritual Direction, and Speaking Engagements. Learn more at http://www.LindaRose.net.

 

Is Your Angel With You?

Thirty five years ago, while awaiting the birth of my second child, I “saw” a beautiful image. It was a huge angel with the most gorgeous wings! The wings were shimmering gold and bronze with ornate designs embedded on them! This angel was walking away from me holding the hands of two children: one was my daughter; then three years old, the other was a little boy. I didn’t recognize the boy; though he seemed to know me…both children kept looking back at me…then at the angel…they seemed to be filled with joy to be able to be with this angel. I never forgot this beautiful scene and kept it in my heart throughout the years ahead.

The little boy was born to me with multiple heart defects. He was not expected to live past five months. Through some very close calls, I often remembered the image and came to believe that I had been privileged to see my children’s guardian angel. Fourteen years and six experimental open heart surgeries later, and after returning from another life threating heart operation, I found myself in sheer exhaustion only able to pray the words: “Lord…Lord”…when I, again, “saw” that angel with the magnificent wings! This time though I “saw” him with images of ME through the years: sitting for endless hours in the hospital next to my son’s bed or in the intensive care unit, while I prayed desperately for his life. The angel was sitting right there beside me. I then realized that this was MY angel! He had been with me every step of the way, lifting me up, comforting me and giving me strength through prayer…

The rest is a miracle. It has been thirty five years and eight experimental open heart procedures later…and my son is alive!

In sharing this with my dear friend and prayer partner, she became inspired and wrote the song “My Angel” as a gift to me! I now pass it on to you. God bless you and may His angels lift you up, comfort you and give you strength!

MY ANGEL, words by Michelle Morse

1. Through fear and disbelief, in loneliness and grief, in sorrow and in pain, when prayers all seem in vain.

Refrain: My angel is with me, I’m never alone. He’s lifting me up on His mighty hand, lest I cast my foot against a stone. Mt angel’s a warrior, he’s brave and he’s strong. He’s fighting my battles and holding my hand, so God triumphs over wrong!

2. God’s given his command; I’m in the angel’s hand. Protector from above, the messenger of love!

3. Not flesh and blood my foe, but unseen things I know. God won the war when he sent Christ to die for me!

 

Linda Rose is available for Retreats, Programs, Nights of Witness and Song, Spiritual Direction, and Speaking Engagements. Learn more at http://www.LindaRose.net. 

Want to Trust God? Look Up!

"Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the ‪Kingdom of Heaven," Matthew 18:3-4

 

You cannot see what God is doing in your life. You cannot see the Lord's abiding love for you in the midst of your trials if you don't trust Him as a child! When you look around at the circumstances- at the world- and use YOUR reasoning, YOUR imaginations, YOUR judgments, you are simply not trusting God. You are leaning on YOUR OWN understanding.

This is an excerpt from Week 7 of my book, "Strength for Your Journey" by Linda Rose Ingrisano which is available at http://lindarose.net/bookstore/

Linda Rose is available for Retreats, Programs, Nights of Witness and Song, Spiritual Direction, and Speaking Engagements. Learn more at http://www.LindaRose.net.