The Lord is My Shepherd Treadmill Style

When I was in middle school I was part of a church program called Missionettes. It was for young girls and it was a pretty intense program of service, scripture memorization and learning. I had to memorize Psalm 23 in KJV and that was a big deal for me. Now it seems like nothing. However, once I learned it, I learned it and I still know it to this day.

Recently, I was on the tread mill and thought to myself, "Let's kill two birds with one stone and work out the body and the spirit at the same time." (So typical for a woman - multi-tasking! :)

Nobody was in the room, so I started praying in the spirit and then I would recite Psalm 23. I'd go back and forth. As I would recite it, I would picture the imagery.

Seriously, folks picture the Lord as your shepherd. He brings you rest, provides for you and guides you into all righteousness. That's what a good shepherd does. Jesus is the ultimate good shepherd. Sure there are hard times, but he's right there with us. What else do you need?! It gets better, he sets this exquisite table before you in the presence of your enemies. There is abundance and you should just plan on dwelling in his courts forever. Of course this is the paraphrased-Jaimee-version of the entire 23rd Psalm. (You'll have to read the real version, it if you don't know it.)

I started imagining this verse as I have done so many times before. I literally visualized the good shepherd making me lie down in green pastures, leading me beside still waters and my favorite visualization is the table he sets before me. It's is in the grandest ballroom overlooking lush hills with  linen that  is softer than baby's skin. Delicious pastries are displayed on the table and there is no calorie-counting! All my problems are on the outside looking in mocked by the display of affection from the Lord toward me.

If I could just live in this, carry this reality and manifest it everywhere I go - I'd never complain. I'd want nothing else, but the Lord. Therefore, there would be no room for depression, despair, defeat, etc. There is so much power packed in this one chapter of Psalms. I almost floated away in the weight room while I was meditating. No wonder the Bible tells us to meditate on things that are righteous, just, lovely, of good report (Phil 4:8). It will encourage the socks off of you. Nothing will be able to stand between the good Shepherd and you.

Next time you go to the weight room or even the kitchen to wash dishes, set your mind on the Word of God. I encourage you to mediate on the imagery of Psalm 23. See the Lord guiding you, giving you rest, etc. And then believe it, because it's true.

Anybody else have any good scripture passages that they mediate on? What were the effects of it in your life?

Finding Still Waters in the Tub

This past week my mind has been racing. I've had lots of thoughts, questions and maybe even revelation, but I've had a hard time making sense of it. And my dreams have even been all out of sorts. It's like I've had so many that I can't remember anything because of overload. Yikes!


I know the cure to that is to get to the resting place with God. His presence takes care of everything. His love embracing me makes everything better, restores, refreshes and renews me. I know this as truth and yet I don't always do this.


I made a decision right then and there to stop texting, get of Facebook and put down my to-do-list. It was time for the tub - the only place where I know I won't get on the computer, answer my phone or clean something.


As I was sitting in the tub talking to God. I asked Him to take me to a peaceful place. In my imagination He took me to a place where I've been many times, though I haven't explored. This place is in a secluded cave. On the right side is typically where I sit in the dirt and ponder the universe with God. There's a huge library full of ancient books with lots of knowledge. On the right side is a grassy area with lots of flowers, full of life and sunshine. A stream separates the the two sides.


When I've been to this place before I always stay on the left side. Mainly because I don't want to cross the stream and get wet, and I'm not sure what's in this stream or how deep it is.


Today God said, "Do you want to go to the other side?"


I thought of two reasons why I didn't want to go to the other side: 1. I don't want to get wet, and 2. I don't know what's in the water. Then I realized I was already wet (I was in the tub.) and He was with me so it would be O.K.


But what I really wanted to do was read the books. He said, "Yeah, you can do that. There's lots of knowledge in there, but you still won't get all the answers you're pondering."


So I thought, O.K. let's get in this stream and get to the grassy patch on the other side. The Lord and I got in the water. I was nervous, but quickly realized that the water was only knee deep. When I made to the other side, the Lord told me to lie down.


I saw that their was a perfect indentation of my body on the grassy floor for me to lie in. He said, "This the place where you dream up ideas so you can write the books that you see on the other side of this stream."


I had a "Whoa" moment in the tub. "You mean I can do something significant out of rest? I don't have to strive and be super smart and work and work and work?" What a concept, I know this and, yet again, I still don't make rest a significant part of my life. I let distraction take over and call it productivity and success.


And right before I had the thought, "Yeah right, this isn't real," the whole scene suddenly reminded me of Psalm 23.


The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures (He has a special indentation in the grass just for me!)

He leads me beside quiet waters (The stream is quiet, my tub waters are still)

He restores my soul.


Suddenly I realized these five minutes with the Lord stopped my racing mind, changed my perspective, gave you revelation, brought me peace, restored me, encouraged me, strengthened me, showed me my destiny and so much more.


All I have to do is get to the still waters, lay down and rest.