“The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side.  The sun will not strike you by day, or the moon by night.” Psalm 121 5-6

I am beginning “Stepping Up” by Beth Moore.  I just really love her studies and how they really get you into the Word – searching for truth and understanding.  The scripture we are studying is Psalms 120-134; the “Psalms of Ascent.”  These chapters are songs Israeli pilgrims would sing as they make their way to the temple in Jerusalem.  They describe the journey, physically and spiritually, to the presence of the Lord.  It always amazes me that at the time these songs were written, the presence of the Lord was literally in a box, inside the temple.  How grateful that makes me for the Holy Spirit that we now have through our faith in Jesus Christ!  We have the gift of being in the Lord’s presence where ever we are physically located.

As I have made one decision in my life, to accept a job teaching in Auburn – I am now facing numerous other decisions.  While I have been praying about where to live as I assimilate back into “Auburnite” culture, the Lord began to speak to my heart through these Psalms I am reading. 

God is my shelter.  It does not matter where I live, Auburn or Accra or anywhere else in the World.  God is my home, my shelter, my guide.   What peace it gave me to be reminded of this.

While, I wish I was on a journey directly to Jerusalem, like the pilgrims in the Psalms of Ascent, my journey is through the unknown -  eventually to God’s presence in Heaven.  While passing through Auburn on my life journey – I am comforted by God’s presence that resides in my heart and goes with me wherever I am headed.

Right now, I am on a journey in New Orleans, with good friends.  My friend, Erin and myself packed the car to the brim! We are both used to flying - and having to conserve space and weight for plane luggage - and so we decided to make the most of the road trip and pack everything we might possibly want on this trip!

I felt like a storm chaser yesterday, driving down right into the tropical depression!  Praise God for safe travels! 

We are exploring the city, and then headed along the coast, documenting the oil spill along the way.  We did meet some Coast Guards yesterday - who said there was no oil near New Orleans.  This is the second time I have been to the coast - and seen no sign of oil - I hope it's really just not as bad as everyone is saying it is.