Some Favorite Psalms - reflections (+ fall photos)

   

     Fall is really here now. Yes, I know, it has been for kind of a while. Finally the leaves are beginning to change color! It's been slow in my area. (And clearly, so is my ability to keep track of it).
     In all seriousness, though, fall can make life difficult. Specifically, when fall comes, so does school -- lots of it. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by everything that must be done. (Which might have something do with why this fall post comes so late in the season.) 

    And then Thanksgiving descends on us, a reminder to thank God for all the blessings he's given us. Still, we're not to thank him only then, but all the time, in all circumstances. So, what can you genuinely thank him for, considering that you're swamped by work?           

      I think the answer is in two of my favorite Psalms, the ones I go to for encouragement and reassurance. Both of them are in the English Standard Version. 

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and our strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High. 

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the earth totters,

he utters his voice, the earth melts. 

The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolation on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire. 

"Be still and know that I am God!

I will be exalted in the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth!"
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 145

I will extol you, my God and my King,

and bless your name forever.

Every day I will praise you,

and bless your name forever and ever. 

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; 

and his greatness is unsearchable. 

One generation shall commend your works to another;

and declare your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,

and I will declare your greatness. 

They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness

and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 

The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all, 

and his mercy is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord;

and all your saints shall bless you!

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,

and tell of your power,

to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,

and kind in all his works.

The Lord upholds all who are falling,

and raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you;

and you give them their food in due season.

You open your hand;

you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and kind in all his works.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; 

he also hears their cry and saves them. 

The Lord preserves all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord;

and let all flesh speak his holy name forever and ever.

     Do you see the common theme traced in these two passages?
     Both these psalms speak of God's protection toward those He loves and show why we need not fear, no matter what's going on. Maybe you were one of those who took the PSAT tests last week (and suffered all the nervousness along with me). Maybe you're behind on schoolwork, and feel stressed to keep up. (Nah, never mind, no one's behind on schoolwork..... right.) Maybe you've got a lot of different activities to balance. (Thinking of all the Bible Bee Nationals contestants out there!) Maybe you're worn down by sickness. (All those fall colds/flu...) Whatever your situation: 

   
The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our fortress.

       And therefore:

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.

      In any time of trouble, God is with us. And because God is with us, we have reason to praise Him and thank Him, no matter the situation.
.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Anyone else taking fall photos? What are some things you like about fall?
(I wonder if parenthetical statements are some things other people like, because I'm noticing that I have a lot of them.;))

All images taken and edited by me.

God Knows My Size! Silvia Tarniceriu, by Harvey Yoder

     

       Well... I'm back.
      (-Samwise Gamgee, J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings)

     It's been a while since I last posted, but I should hopefully be able to get back into my every-Tuesday posting schedule. Starting back up with a review of this very inspiring biographical story of a Christian woman in Communist Romania. 

     Plot Summary: (I usually write these myself, but I thought the one on the back of the book was really accurate, so I'm using it.)
     Is there really a God?
     This is the question 13-year-old Silvia faced. Her teachers laughed at the mere idea of God. Yet her parents and pastor not only believed in God, but served Him devotedly. Which of them was right?
     So Silvia decided to find out for herself if God was real. She asked Him for three things - a pair of shoes, a sweater, and a coat. For a large, poor, Christian family in communist Romania, these things were almost impossible to buy. How could she expect a miracle?
     But it happened! God answered her prayer in a way far more beautiful than she expected! And the truth He showed her then sustained her years later as she faced persecution and even prison for Christ's sake. 
     Read Silvia's story, and you will find yourself challenged by the faith and dedication of Christians behind the Iron Curtain. You will share in the sorrows and triumphs Silvia faced as she served her beloved Lord with all her heart. And through it all, you'll discover the loving, personal care God shows to all of His children. 
    Read this book and find your faith in God strengthened. 
   
    Discussions:
    Well, that summary basically said it all.
    This book fascinated me. It follows the life of Silvia Tarniceriu, who lives with her very large and very poor family in Romania. She learns about God watching her father's trust in Him to provide for their family, and discovers faith for herself when she begins to cultivate her relationship with Him. Her faith is strengthened by the unforgettable event of a miraculously answered prayer. It follows Silvia's life from her childhood to her adolescence to an adulthood fraught with persecution.
   Silvia Tarniceriu's struggles in school with unfriendly teachers, her relationships within her family, her attempts to spread Christianity, her unfailing faith -- all are described richly in this book. 
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place or other missionary stories. One caution: there are some very graphic descriptions of the torture Silvia and others suffered. And there's a couple places where it's pretty unpleasant. Just something to keep in mind when deciding whether to read it.
   Overall, God Knows My Size! is an inspiring, vivid read, that I really enjoy and constantly re-read. I encourage you to check it out!