Chapter 8: Sheltered by Faith: Ep 2: Divine Guidance: Finding Peace as God Leads Us

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Hello, beautiful people. Welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm glad that you're here as we continue our

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series, Sheltered by Faith.

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Today, we're exploring one of the most comforting images in scripture, God as our shepherd.

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The episode is titled, Guided by the Shepherd, God Provisions and Peace.

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Together, we'll explore how God's guidance leads us through life's valleys,

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provides for our needs, and gives us peace that sustains us.

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So let's begin with the key scripture for today. It's found in Psalms 23, verse 4.

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Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,

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for you are with me, your rod, your staff, they comfort me.

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This verse paints a beautiful picture of God's role as our shepherd.

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He is with us in the darkest valleys, guiding us with his rod and staff.

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His rod presents protection, while the staff, excuse me, represents silence.

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Together, they symbolize God's care, leadership, and every season of life.

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Think about it. A shepherd's job is to lead the sheep to safety,

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provide for their needs, and protect them from danger.

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God does the same for us. He knows the path ahead even when we don't.

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He gently leads us where we need to be.

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I love that. To think of God as our shepherd, that God cares,

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that he is our leader. If we allow him to be, he is our leadership in every season.

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He leads us to safety. He provides for our needs and he protects us from danger.

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And that's what God does for us.

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And one thing about a shepherd, he knows the path ahead.

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And so we don't want to get ahead of God. We want to stay behind where it's

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safe and allow God to go before us and lead us where we need to be.

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I love that. I love that. Psalms 23 is rich in imagery and provision and peace.

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Let's take a moment and reflect on these two phrases.

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He makes me lie down in green pastures.

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Green pastures symbolizes abundance, rest, and nourishment.

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God knows when we need to pause, rest, and be refreshed. Sometimes we're so

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busy running that we forget to let God lead us to these places of peace.

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Could that be you? Could that be me? A lot of times we get so busy about tasks

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and getting things done that he really sometimes wants us to just stop and just

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enjoy the day, enjoy the scenery. Amen.

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So we have to be aware and be alert to when God wants us to just stop and just

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enjoy the peace, enjoy the surroundings.

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He leads me beside still waters. There's that other part. You're like me.

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I like to be busy, busy, busy.

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So being still is really not what I like to do, but sometimes I'm still, I'm still.

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And when I'm listening to God, I'm getting more, God's giving me more dreams.

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I'm getting my devotional time is enriched.

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And so it's not like I'm always writing devotionals. I don't even know when

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it's going to be devotional time. I'm not saying, oh, and you're devotional, Lord.

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It's like sometimes I'm just doing what I'm doing. And then he'll say,

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I'll get a dream or I'll have a powerful time in prayer.

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And he'll tell me this is a good for a devotional, right? Because he's the author

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and the finisher of these devotionals.

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Otherwise, I have too many, right? Everything God says, it'd be a devotional,

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it'd be a lot. But there's some points, what I'm trying to point out is that

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when you actually rest and get refreshed, then it's not such busy work.

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Let's go to Isaiah 26.3. I love this scripture.

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It says, I say it about every scripture you may notice. But it says,

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you will keep in perfect peace whose mind are steadfast because they trust in you.

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This verse reminds us that trusting God brings peace that the world cannot give.

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You know, that's powerful. So it says Isaiah 6, 26, 3, you will keep in perfect

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peace whose mind are steadfast because they trust in you.

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So just like a sheep is allowing the shepherd to lead, we as sheep,

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if we allow the shepherd to lead, we will be able to lie down in green pastures.

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We will be led by still waters.

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We will be kept in perfect peace.

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Remember, God gives us peace that the world cannot give.

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The world is shaking and quivering, but we have that peace. Why?

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Because our trust is in the God who is unshakable. Amen.

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So life isn't about green pastures and still waters, right? And all about that.

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But sometimes we walk through dark valleys.

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These are seasons of uncertainty, pain, or fear. But here's the good news.

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We don't walk through these valleys alone.

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Psalms 27.1, it says, The Lord is my light and my salvation.

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Whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Whom should I be afraid?

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Look at that. That's David saying, what?

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The Lord is my light and salvation. Whom should I fear?

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The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom should I be afraid? That's bold talk.

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God's presence in the valley gives us courage. He doesn't mind.

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He doesn't promise we won't face hard times, but he does promise to walk with us through them.

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I love that. God never leaves us or forsake us.

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We do not have to be afraid because he's with us.

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Where do we need God's provision? Where do you need God's provision or guidance in your life right now?

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Think about the valleys you're walking through and invite God to lead you.

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I love that. Invite God to lead you.

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You know, I've been watching, I know I'm probably late on this,

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but I've been watching, I love, I don't have any dogs.

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I don't have time for dogs. Well, I wish I did.

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I had a couple of dogs when my kids were young, but I've been watching this

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show Dog Whisperer. And I'm learning a lot about behavior, human behavior by watching dog behavior.

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And this thing about allowing God to lead really helped me understand that when

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I get ahead of God, I get real anxious. I get real nervous.

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And you know how little nervous dogs get, they get real barky.

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So you're biting off, biting at everybody, you know?

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And so I realized that when I get that way, that I have stepped ahead of God.

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And so I need to pretty much like get back behind the Lord and let him be the lead pack leader.

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And then I can sit back and become why I don't have to be the nervous,

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fretful dog about what's going to happen next, because I'm in a position I'm

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not supposed to be in. I am not supposed to be the leader.

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That's why I'm nervous out front. That's why I'm anxious. You ever been that way?

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You're snapping off heads.

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You're smart. You're short with people because you're in the way.

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God is supposed to be leaning, and yet you have stepped out in front of him,

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and that brings out nervous and anxious energy because you're not supposed to be the leader.

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And I'm like, oh, my gosh. When I step back behind God and allow him to lead.

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Allow Jesus to be the shepherd of my life, I don't have that nervous energy.

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When I feel that nervous energy, I was like, okay, Father, I'm sorry.

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I've stepped out in front of you. I feel anxious and nervous because I'm trying

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to run ahead and trying to protect myself and do some things that I'm not supposed to be.

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And so that's not where I'm supposed to be. So I'm learning my position now.

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Because of just my emotional status, right?

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And I said, that's so good. And I'm just learning that from Dog Whisperer.

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When you're not the pack leader, you should be up front biting and barking at

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people. Why? Because you're out of place.

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And so I'm like, I'm out of place, Lord. Please forgive me. I'm going to step back behind you.

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How good is that? That's the good news. So how can we actively seek God's guidance and provision?

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Here are three ways to reconnect with him as our

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shepherd number one we want to spend time in prayer

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that's a reconnect that's to get back in your

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right space with him as your shepherd not you running out ahead but you stepping

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back you spend time in prayer talk to god about the areas where you need his

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guidance right lord i need your guidance in this i'm out ahead of you and i

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know that because I'm anxious and I'm nervous.

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And he, be honest about your fears and your uncertainties and prayer opens the door for his direction.

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Call on him and I will answer and tell you great unsearchable things you do

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not know. That's Jeremiah 33.3.

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Meditate on Psalms 23. Spend time reflecting on each verse.

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Let the words remind you of God's promise and his care for you.

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And number three, practice intentional rest.

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Just as sheep need to lie down in green pastures, we need moments of rest to hear God's voice.

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Take a quiet walk, sit by a peaceful spot, or simply pause and breathe.

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What are the three points? Spend time in prayer. Meditate on Psalms 23.

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Practice intentional rest. And, you know, one of my practice intentional rest

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is with these daylight saving times, it gets dark around here about 530 or so. That's early.

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And sometimes I would just go to bed. I was just like, you know,

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it's been a long day. It's 530, you know, put on my pajamas.

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And if I haven't took a shower, I will go take a shower, put on my pajamas and

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boom, I'm in the bed and 5.30, I am asleep by 4.45 or 4.15, the alarm is off

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and I have slept the whole night.

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So I did some intentional rest, especially when I feel anxious or nervous.

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I just need to go to sleep.

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Sometimes God gives me a dream. Sometimes I just have peaceful sleep.

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It's just how God works with me because I just know how to get in my place. Can I get an amen?

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So as we close out, I want to encourage you that no matter what valley you're

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walking through, God is your shepherd.

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He's guiding you, providing for you, and protecting you in every step of the way.

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Trust in his leadership and you'll find peace and provision you need.

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I want to say that again, us ladies, us strong ladies out there,

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trust in his leadership.

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Get out the way. Get out the way. Trust in his leadership.

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And I'm going to close this out in prayer. Let's pray. Heavenly Father,

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thank you for being our shepherd. You guide us.

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You protect us. Provide for us, even in the darkest valleys.

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Help us to trust in your care and to rest in your peace you offer.

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Lead us beside the still waters and restore us.

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And Lord God, I ask you that when we get in the way, just kind of tug us back

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on our little rope and put us back in our place.

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Lead us beside still waters, Lord God. Teach us how to have intentional rest.

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Teach us how to walk in faith, knowing that you are always with us.

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And I thank you in Jesus name, amen.

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I'd like to thank you again for joining me on this episode of Sheltered by Faith.

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If today's message encouraged you, share it with someone who needs a reminder

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of God's guidance and peace.

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And don't forget to subscribe to Diary of a Black Woman podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

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Until next time, remember God is your shepherd and you are never alone. Be blessed.