TWENTY-THIRD PSALM

I am your shepherd

You will never have need of anything that I want for you.

If you will trust me, and allow me to be the shepherd of your life,

I will give to you such great peace of mind

that it will be like lying in the cool green grass of a springtime meadow;

And as you learn to deepen your love and trust,

a quietness will come over your soul

like a serene, calm lake.

It will be a time of great refreshment to your inner man,

thus preparing you to do whatever tasks I set before you to do;

And do not minimize any task that I give you to do,

as it is for my honor and glory, not yours.

There will be times when, because of my great love for you,

it will be necessary for me to lead you

into great darkness.....

Darkness that will be so great that you will feel as

though you are standing at the very edge

of life, with death awaiting you below.

But always remember, I am still your shepherd.

In the darkness you may not be able to see me,

but you have my eternal promise that

I will never leave you or forsake you.

If you will continue to trust me, even after you have been

through a time of darkness, I will again flood

your heart with such peace that you will even be seated at my table

in the presence of your enemies.

Your joy will be so great

that it will spill over into the lives of others.

And as your reward I will give to you all

the really important things of life.

When you have completed all 

that I have planned for you to do on earth.

I want you to come up 

and live with me forever

and ever

and ever.