season of reflection

Fall has arrived!

I love this time of year. The crisp air, falling leaves, changing of colors; Ilove it all. For me it is a time to relfect and ponder. A time to look back over the past year and consider my failures and successes. A time to look ahead to where I will go from here.

October is my birthday month and for several years now I have taken a verse from the Psalms to be my verse for the year. In recent years the verses have been from Psalms 40:3, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD."; Psalms 41:12, "In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever; and Psalms 42:8, "By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life."

Some of the verses have been prophetic, for at the time I took them as my own I couldn't see how the Lord, for instance, could "put a new song in my mouth" with circumstances as they were in my life. But He always proves to be faithful and these verses have been, many times, an anchor in the storm. They have been a light in my darkness and hope when all seemed hopeless. Other times the verse I have chosen has served to guide me in ways I have needed to change myself and my relationship with God.

This year my verse is "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." (Psalms 43:3) It will be my prayer for this year. I will study and meditate on what Psalms 43 teaches and how I should apply it to my own life. As I go through this year I will remember that it is His light and His truth that guides me. He will lead me to Himself.