Forever my Shield - Saturday March 28th, 2026

The Lord has laid something on my heart today and asked me to share.  This is far outside my comfort zone, but when He asks I follow.  Though I tried to clean up my scattered thoughts, I'm trusting Him to bring clarity where my words might wander.

I want to tell you that I said yes instantly.  But I am still a child at times, sometimes stubborn, sometimes scared. The moment the thought of sharing something this personal hit me, I jumped up off the couch and headed outside. I needed to walk, to breathe, to be closer to Him than four walls would allow.

As the path stretched out before me, so did the argument in my head.  Was this really a request from the Lord?   No one needs to hear my little ah-ha moments.  Everyone is so much farther along in their walk with the Lord, what do I really have to offer.  So I asked him for a sign. 

And He gave one, so obvious that I had to laugh at my own ridiculousness.  

For days I have been humming/singing the song, Goodness of God, and as I walked, wondering how He might speak, the last lines of the chorus spilled from my lips: from the moment that I wake up, until I lay my head, I will sing of the Goodness of God.  

Well ... if I had been promising for days now that I would sing of His Goodness - I better get to it! 

So it did take me a minute to start typing all this out - and though I follow slowly at times, I pray these words reach whoever He intends, and that they speak of His glorious loving‑kindness.  

I started out this morning with a quick look at the Bible App.  I usually read through the verse of the day and then jump into the multitude of Bible plans or books I have going on.   Today’s verse of the day was Psalm 3:3

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

I opened the commentary, expecting the usual encouragement about God being our Shield and Warrior, the One who lifts us up. All true, all good. But it was the last paragraph that stopped me.   Right as I was already thinking about the next devotional I would jump into, the commentary moved into the usual reminder to pray. If you’re in a season of lost hope… (no, not me). If you feel discouraged… (still no). If you are tired…..wait. What?    

The thoughts came so fast my pen could barely keep up.  I am tired, so tired sometimes. And I never feel like I have the right to be tired.  What do I really do that’s so hard?  My life isn’t hard, not compared to others. But nonetheless, I am tired.  All of a sudden the commentary that I thought was not for my situation seemed to only fit me.  He will shield you during difficult times.  He will lift your head as you continue to follow Him.  

And You have Lord.  Through my days You have been my Shield.  Protecting me from danger, or more often wrong decisions, stopping things I’m not ready for, easing things that cause stress, moving me when I didn’t know I needed to be moved, and so much more. And then a recent example came to mind—something I had been stressing over that You simply… removed. Just gone.

And there it was: another habit You’re gently kicking out of me.

See, it’s funny how stress works.  You don’t see it as stress.  It's planning; preparation really.   You think you’re being responsible, but really you’re worrying about a future that hasn’t even happened. You are wondering how exactly it will play out, planning how to fix what will occur, wishing you had done something different in the past so that future issue wouldn’t have to happen, and realizing how the options of addressing it will impact others. Most of the time the “planning”  takes place when you could be enjoying something around you.  You're missing part of a conversation or you missed the beautiful view right in front of you; you can’t focus on the words on the page of the book you are reading or you simply wish your shoulders weren’t always so tense.  

I thought I was doing all the “right” things. Trying not to dwell on it. Trusting You would help me through it after it happened. Praying You’d open a door once the issue arrived.  None of this was stress, all of this preparing, right?   Really all of it worry!  It didn’t matter that I knew the future is not known.  That most times the thing you are worried about may not even occur, and most times certainly not be as bad as you think. I didn’t pray for it, or at least I didn’t pray for it to be removed.  I assumed it was a done deal.  The possible outcome a definite stone in my path to be addressed.  

But You did what You do best!  You gloriously blessed me, and for this situation that meant removing it completely.  I sat and watched it happen like a movie in slow motion.  And now I look back wishing I hadn’t wasted so much time stressed about it at all. [insert eye roll emoji] [insert palm to face emoji]  

How many times have You done this, Lord? And yet I still fill my days - waste that time - with worry.   I can see the “Shield” you are defined as in this moment.  Protecting me from my worry, and more importantly from myself.   And as I realize this lesson I recognize that I don’t feel chastised.  As I hang my head realizing I could have, should have done better, I feel you instead lift my face to you.  

I do love when you lift up my face to You. I love when you send me God Winks.  The ones that make me look up to You and smile with that knowledge of the message for only me.  The birds that land near to sing me a song.  The stones in shapes of hearts that let me know how loved I truly am.  The beautiful scenery that surrounds me that no other seems to notice as they rush through the day.  

How beautifully you love me Lord.  So personally, so faithfully.  Thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f4MUUMWMV4