Psalm 23:2-3

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

I don't know what I'd do if I didn't know the promises of God! In the midst of stressful situations, turmoil, and daily annoyances, God still promises to calm the waters!

He restores my soul by bringing peace, which could come in the form of laughter, a phone call from a friend, a smiling baby, a sunrise, or a hug from my hubby and kids. Peace. There is nothing like it.

I have to work at giving myself over to peace. While I can get caught up in the "white water" and the "rapids" of my stream sometimes, I sure can't wait to go over the falls and back into the calming lull of the stream.

I sometimes fight the waves with everything I've got! Sometimes I throw in the paddle and just float aimlessly. At times I've fought the current, getting myself even farther from the goal. Sometimes I just jump out of the boat into the water and try to swim my way out in my own strength! I'm not much of a swimmer (terrible lungs), so that's never a good idea. It's only when I simply paddle in a nice left-right-left pattern that I get to where I need to be. Focused. Calm. Controlled. Trusting God for direction.

As I sit in the green pastures, God is restoring me from inside out. He's replacing my worn-out parts with fresh new ones. He is calming me, gently lifting me back to my feet, placing me carefully back in the boat.

And when the storm threatens to come again, this time maybe tossing my boat out of my control, I can close my eyes, knowing I'll be ashore in no time at all.