Hope in any Shadowy Death Valley

.. I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Ps 23:4

The 23rd Psalm is a classic go-to scripture of comfort for believers. I read the beginning 'the Lord is my shepherd' to the concluding promise 'I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'.. BUT my life seems to be hung up these days in the middle.. the SHADOWY DEATH VALLEY part.

Maybe I am the only one, BUT.. in this divisive election year, with social unrest, riots, racial tensions, persecution of Christians, and where socialism, and Marxism are being mainstreamed all while this little (microscopic little) virus Covid-19  deepens our paranoia and to wear a mask or not wear a mask has divided even our churches to where we are mandated to comply. This is a whole other discussion, but my point is ..

​WELCOME TO SHADY DEATH VALLEY 2020.

​Who knew there was a VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH in Minnesota in my neighborhood, but I am living proof it is here and wants to be here to stay.

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The good news.. no.. THE GREAT NEWS is .. if I Love God with all my heart soul and mind, and others as myself, AND pray for God's providence for me, the promise of Psalms 23 is true.  I do not want to be caught up with focusing on just a part of Psalms 23:4.. I must read it in context of the whole chapter to find my peace

So the next time I find myself lost in any VALLEY I will fear no evil because of the complete promise of Psalms 23. While bad stuff, bad people, bad weather all packaged in little bite sized segments can make a fella .. SICK... I choose to fear no EVIL.  

I am determined to turn off those news SHOWS, get off SOCIAL MEDIA, and turn to the source of all truth in God's word. Psalms 23 is that message of peace tucked neatly in the middle of my Bible, but reading the whole Bible provides the big picture of God's plan for mankind from the Genesis beginning, through the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and through the promise of his return.   IT IS A MUST READ!

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I pray that God will blessed with the peace of God's answers for any SHADOWY DEATH VALLEY moments in a way that is beyond your dreams.

Jeff (in the SHADE not the SHADOWS) Larson

note: Let me leave you with more than a few cartoons of HOPE inspired from the Bible book of Psalms. Psalms is for everyone who feels life is hopeless, and/ or you are simply .. having a bad day.

There is..

• HOPE for COUCH POTATOES? 
• HOPE for WORMY self esteems
• HOPE for the GUY WITH BAD BACK (my personal SHADOW today)
• HOPE for the UNPREPARED STUDENT
• HOPE for STAR GAZERS
• HOPE for SKY DIVERS
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The 23rd Psalm specifically is full of Hope.

• HOPE for CAMPERS
• HOPE for all of us BURDENED by life
• HOPE for OUR NATION if...
• HOPE for this world created by God where NATURE sings and
• the Illegal use of SHEEP HORNS cannot be stopped​

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