I rise before dawn

I rise before dawn

     and cry for help;

I hope in Your words.

My eyes are awake

       before the watches of the night,

that I may meditate upon Your promises.

                              Psalm 119. 147-148

(Antidote for worry, fear, anxiety and stress.

God’s strength builds in layers,

                                 day by day.

Yes, it matters that I spend time in His Word.

                          It matters a lot.

I can’t afford not to).

And David said,
"O LORD, I pray to You,
turn the counsel of Ahithophel
                into foolishness."

                2 Samuel 15. 31

(Keep my eyes on You, O LORD,
not on circumstances,
not on the prevailing winds
     of the opinions of others,
not on the loudest voice in the room.
Help me to seek You,
            You alone.
Protect me from anything
--fear or distraction or flattery--
that causes me to turn away from You).

Your Word

     is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

               Psalm 119. 105

(What does God's Word

have to do with 

     what is before me today?

Everything.

His Word changes me

    more than I realize.

The LORD enlarges my vision

                through it.

What appears as chaos

    is transformed into awe.

Did it even occur to me

   to ask Him about this?

Guide me, O LORD,

     not just to the next obvious step,

     but to Your way in this.

What do I do now?

                "Follow Me."

Even in this.

Nothing too big,

     absolutely nothing insignificant).

I hold back my feet
    from every evil way,
in order to keep Your Word.

                            Psalm 119. 101

(In thought,
  in word,
  in deed,
    and particularly in attitude.
Two warning flags:
    when I justify how I am acting,
    and when others are the problem.

God's Word changes my heart.
And through Him,
   He grants me the power to compose
     a fresh tone, a new tune,
                   and a very different tempo.
     Even in this.
The literal translation of
                "Don't go there,"
  means exactly that).

You are good

You are good

          and do good;

teach me Your statutes.

                      Psalm 119. 68

(God is good.

God does good.

God does not withhold good

      from those who walk uprightly.

Even in what I cannot

               yet understand.

Stop asking God “why,”

         start asking God “what.”

His purposes are deeply woven

                 with incredible good.

Even in this).

Is there not still someone

Is there not still someone

       of the house of Saul,

that I may show

the kindness of God to him?

                   2 Samuel 9. 3

(Who has God placed on my path today?

Especially those who least deserve,

            the reality of grace.

Sometimes those closest to us).