A new take on a common thing.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me. You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

I did not notice this before. There is a difference between a rod and a staff. The rod is what is used to guide the sheep and yank them to where they need to go in order to protect them. The staff is used to protect them from outside predators like wolves and other animals that would try to hurt the sheep. It is so cool how the Lord knows when and how to use both. It is so cool how even something that might hurt at first to protect the sheep (like yanking thier heads with the rod to pull them away from a hole or something) is called comforting. I will continue to repeat... There is no better place than to be in His will. 

On Sunday, got to make new friends :)!! They were very kind and inviting in the new church. After the service we eat lunch together and talk. I did not know what to do as I was waiting for a friend before eating or sitting, but a sweet lady invited me to sit and began to talk to me. She shared with me her testimony and later even her neighbor--who joined us later--got to share her's. It was awesome to hear how Dad knows how to meet us where we are at. Spiritually, though against him, he finds the unique ways to get our attention. In her neighbor's case it was running completely out of money, and DAD telling her to give her money (of which she did not know she needed prior). When giving she revealed to her friend that God told her to give this money to her. Boom! She finally gave church a chance! And now is learning more and more about true Family!! :) 

So amazing! In Grace is no better place.

~Rachel