"He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name."
Psalm 23:3

Instead of making a New Year's resolution this year, I felt the Lord pressing this verse into my heart. He has also emphasized the word "path". He has a specific way He wants me to walk. For a long time He has been teaching me, ever so gently and patiently, about surrender and trust. It has been a life-long lesson that suddenly became the focus of my life when I found myself in the midst of circumstances I could never have imagined. I knew in those moments that my struggle to always keep my life (and the lives of my loved ones) under my control was absolutely futile. I had to make a decision to either surrender to despair or surrender to the Lord. Little by little I released my clenched fists and gingerly placed my hands in His. The resulting peace was both surprising and life-changing.

Now I find that the Father is asking me to not only surrender my circumstances to Him but to follow Him on the path that He has chosen for my life - with no assurances of what I may encounter along the way. Since the beginning of the year when that verse just burned into my heart, He has confirmed His plan over and over again. Just the other day, in my Bible Study book I'm using ("Walking by Faith") the author, Jennifer Rothschild had written:
"On our journey of faith, we struggle with the same tension. It's hard to let go of our desire to be in charge, but the life of faith requires us to trust the Lord completely and not our own clever convictions. Learning to release control and willingly follow is essential for traveling the path (There's my word!)God has chosen for us."

I don't know where this path of my life is leading. I do, however, finally understand that I am not the one in the lead. I have dreams and desires I want so much to see fulfilled. My Father has dreams and desires for me as well. I pray that mine will begin to align with His so that the plan He has for my life (a plan to prosper me) will come to fruition. He knows me even better than I know myself; He knows my heart; He knows the way in which I should go. I'm trying, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to follow.

Blessings,