When Self Lets Go and All You See is Him

I seem to always be struggling with this -

With the enemy of myself -

The idolatry of my self-centeredness,

My inability to let it go.

Last week was the worst week I'd had in awhile.

Monday seemed to be taking me even farther down that path,

Until I randomly selected a sermon from a (very long) list on my computer,

Not realizing it was God's way of reminding me of all these things I already know -

Reminding me of who He is,

And that smile?  The one that makes my face hurt?

It's been back for three days now.

Still struggling.

Still failing.

Still hanging onto Him

Because I know -

Especially in the midst of all this -

He's my only hope.

But I'm smiling.

With as awesome as He is,

How could I not?

Because I'm exploding with gratitude this week,

Thanking Him for:

     ~The sunset today.  So beautiful!
     ~All the words speaking to me lately.
     ~Beautiful Christmas music!
     ~Homework with friends
     ~Muscles sore from smiling.  Can't think of a better reason!
     ~His grace to find me in the midst of my mess.  Again.
     ~His grace to give me more joy in Him than I've felt in months!
     ~So much more that there simply isn't room here!

And, of course, thanking Him for who He is,

Counting these reasons today,

Reasons 2463-2580 today,

Utterly in awe of who He is,

And rejoicing that He's allowing me to see it:

2463. The earth is His, and everything in it (Psalm 24:1)
2464. The world is His (Psalm 24:1)
2465. The world is His, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1)
2466. He founded the earth on the seas (Psalm 24:1-2)
2467. He established the earth on the waters (Psalm 24:2)
2468. The one who has clean hands may ascend His mountain (Psalm 24:3-4)
2469. The one who has clean hands may stand in His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4)
2470. The one who has a pure heart may ascend His mountain (Psalm 24:3-4)
2471. The one who has a pure heart may stand in His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4)
2472. The one who does not trust in an idol may ascend His mountain (Psalm 24:3-4)
2473. The one who does not trust in an idol may stand in His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4)
2474. The one who does not swear by a false god may ascend His mountain (Psalm 24:3-4)
2475. The one who does not swear by a false god may stand in His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4)
2476. The one who has clean hands will receive blessing from Him (Psalm 24:4-5)
2477. The one who has a pure heart will receive blessing from Him (Psalm 24:4-5)
2478. The one who does not trust in an idol will receive blessing from Him (Psalm 24:4-5)
2479. The one who does not swear by a false god will receive blessing from Him (Psalm 24:4-5)
2480. The one who has clean hands will receive vindication from Him, their Savior (Psalm 24:4-5)
2481. The one who has a pure heart will receive vindication from Him, their Savior (Psalm 24:4-5)
2482. The one who does not trust in an idol will receive vindication from Him, their Savior (Psalm 24:4-5)
2483. The one who does not swear by a false god will receive vindication from Him, their Savior (Psalm 24:4-5)
2484. He is the King of Glory (Psalm 24:7-8)
2485. He is Strong and Mighty (Psalm 24:8)
2486. He is mighty in battle (Psalm 24:8)
2487. His people trust in Him (Psalm 25:1)
2488. No one who hopes in Him will ever be put to shame (Psalm 25:2)
2489. His people hope in Him (Psalm 25:5)
2490. His people hope in Him all day long (Psalm 25:5)
2491. His great Mercy is from of old (Psalm 25:6)
2492. His great Love is from of old (Psalm 25:6)
2493. He is Upright (Psalm 25:8)
2494. He is Good and Upright (Psalm 25:8)
2495. He instructs sinners in His ways (Psalm 25:8)
2496. He guides the humble in what is right (Psalm 25:9)
2497. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way (Psalm 25:9)
2498. All His ways are loving (Psalm 25:10)
2499. All His ways are faithful (Psalm 25:10)
2500. All His ways are loving toward those who keep the demands of His covenant (Psalm 25:10)
2501. All His ways are faithful toward those who keep the demands of His covenant (Psalm 25:10)
2502. He instructs those who fear Him in the ways they should choose (Psalm 25:12)
2503. Those who fear Him will spend their days in prosperity (Psalm 25:12-13)
2504. The descendants of those who fear Him will inherit the land (Psalm 25:12-13)
2505. He confides in those who fear Him (Psalm 25:14)
2506. He makes His covenant known to them (Psalm 25:14)
2507. He releases the feet of His people from the snare (Psalm 25:15)
2508. His people proclaim aloud His praise (Psalm 26:7)
2509. His people tell of all His wonderful deeds (Psalm 26:7)
2510. He is the light of His people (Psalm 27:1)
2511. He is the salvation of His people (Psalm 27:1)
2512. He is the stronghold of His people's lives (Psalm 27:1)
2513. He keeps His people safe in His dwelling (Psalm 27:5)
2514. He hides His people in the shelter of His sacred tent (Psalm 27:5)
2515. He sets His people high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5)
2516. Though a person's father and mother may forsake him or her, He will receive that person (Psalm 27:10)
2517. His people see His goodness (Psalm 27:13)
2518. His people see His goodness in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13)
2519. He is the Rock of His people (Psalm 28:1)
2520. He will tear down those who have no regard for His deeds (Psalm 28:5)
2521. He will tear down those who have no regard for what His hands have done (Psalm 28:5)
2522. He will tear down those who have no regard for His deeds and never build them up again (Psalm 28:5)
2523. He will tear down those who have no regard for what His hands have done and never build them up again (Psalm 28:5)
2524. He hears His people's cry for mercy (Psalm 28:6)
2525. He helps those whose hearts trust in Him (Psalm 28:7)
2526. His people's hearts leap for joy and they praise Him with their songs (Psalm 28:7)
2527. He is a fortress of salvation (Psalm 28:8)
2528. He is a fortress of salvation for His anointed one (Psalm 28:8)
2529. Glory is due His name (Psalm 29:2)
2530. He is to be worshiped in the splendor of His Holiness (Psalm 29:2)
2531. His voice is over the waters (Psalm 29:3)
2532. He is the God of Glory (Psalm 29:3)
2533. He thunders (Psalm 29:3)
2534. He thunders over the mighty waters (Psalm 29:3)
2535. His voice is powerful (Psalm 29:4)
2536. His voice is majestic (Psalm 29:4)
2537. His voice breaks the cedars (Psalm 29:5)
2538. He breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon (Psalm 29:5)
2539. He makes Lebanon leap like a calf (Psalm 29:6)
2540. He makes Sirion leap like a young wild ox (Psalm 29:6)
2541. His voice strikes with flashes of lightning (Psalm 29:7)
2542. His voice shakes the desert (Psalm 29:8)
2543. He shakes the Desert of Kadesh (Psalm 29:8)
2544. His voice twists the oaks (Psalm 29:9)
2545. His voice strips the forests bare (Psalm 29:9)
2546. In His temple all cry, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:9)
2547. He sits enthroned over the flood (Psalm 29:10)
2548. He is enthroned as King forever (Psalm 29:10)
2549. He gives strength to His people (Psalm 29:11)
2550. He blesses His people with peace (Psalm 29:11)
2551. He lifts His people out of the depths (Psalm 30:1)
2552. He does not let the enemies of His people gloat over His people (Psalm 30:1)
2553. He heals His people (Psalm 30:2)
2554. He brings His people up from the realm of the dead (Psalm 30:3)
2555. He spares His people from going down to the pit (Psalm 30:3)
2556. His anger lasts only a moment (Psalm 30:5)
2557. His favor lasts a lifetime (Psalm 30:5)
2558. He makes the royal mountain of His servant stand firm (Psalm 30:7)
2559. When He favors His servant, He makes the royal mountain of His servant stand firm (Psalm 30:7)
2560. He turns wailing into dancing (Psalm 30:11)
2561. He removes sackcloth and clothes with joy (Psalm 30:11)
2562. He makes people's hearts to sing His praises and not be silent (Psalm 30:12)
2563. He sees the affliction of His people (Psalm 31:7)
2564. He knows the anguish of people's souls (Psalm 31:7)
2565. He does not give His people into the hands of the enemy (Psalm 31:8)
2566. He sets His people's feet in a spacious place (Psalm 31:9)
2567. The times of all people are in His hands (Psalm 31:15)
2568. He has stored up good things for those who fear Him (Psalm 31:19)
2569. He has stored up an abundance of good things for those who fear Him (Psalm 31:19)
2570. He has stored up an abundance of good things for those who fear Him, that He bestows in the sight of all (Psalm 31:19)
2571. He has stored up an abundance of good things for those who fear Him, that He bestows in the sight of all on those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 31:19)
2572. He hides those who take refuge in Him in the shelter of His presence (Psalm 31:19-20)
2573. He hides those who take refuge in Him from all human intrigues (Psalm 31:19-20)
2574. He keeps those who take refuge in Him safe in His dwelling (Psalm 31:19-20)
2575. He keeps those who take refuge in Him safe in His dwelling from accusing tongues (Psalm 31:19-20)
2576. He shows people the wonders of His love (Psalm 31:21)
2577. He shows people the wonders of His love when they are in a city under siege (Psalm 31:21)
2578. He hears His people's cry for mercy when they call to Him for help (Psalm 31:22)
2579. He preserves all those who are true to Him (Psalm 31:23)
2580. The proud He pays back in full (Psalm 31:24)

Counting 10,000 Reasons to worship Him: 

(Sylvia's already made it to - past - 10,000!  So amazing to think of who He is like this!)

<a href="http://maryschieferstein.blogspot.com/search/label/10000%20Reasons" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitidrfBKBWTHSBiWyh3WMRKjHFgYKk-RxjYB9-uePQb1-uI3t3bjysPnR65zloJJ0LgTqhT5kW70Rk8VOC2utXFUWhGRPIxNCqzZ_9YQryYPMJdj2XpiX0oawLUiMnmxFOeMkmjk3IIA/s320/10000ReasonsButton.jpg" /></a>

Counting in community:

I know it's not Monday, but linking up here,
 
Partially because I miss link-ups,
 
Partially because I'm just so joyful and grateful I have to share!
 
Visit some other bloggers' posts at the bottom of this one?
 

 

When Your Worst Enemy is Yourself

Days and weeks press in,

Beautiful moments forgotten,

Overshadowed by my constant failures,

And the words I always seem to find

Suddenly aren't there.

I am struggling to process all of this,

Struggling to understand this mess I am,

This sickness in my heart,

Working it out in rhymes and melodies,

But when it comes to text on a screen,

My mind suddenly goes blank,

Not yet ready,

Not done trying to make sense

Of anything and everything

And why life is like this.

I know He said it once -

That if your hand causes you to sin, you should cut it off.

If your eye causes you to sin, you should pluck it out.

And I know -

I know -

It's not meant that literally,

But I can't help but wonder

What do you do when your enemy is yourself?

I can remove myself from the TV,

Remove myself from the computer,

Remove myself from the food,

The sleep,

The relationships

My wicked heart desires.

It isn't easy,

But I can do it.

How, though -

How -

Am I supposed to get away from myself?

I feel like I'm walking into a wall,

Walking into it over and over again,

And I'm just stuck in this place,

In this pit I've dug for myself,

And how on earth will I ever get out?

And that's the key, isn't it?

Nothing "on earth" is going to help me.

I can't fix this.

Other people can't fix this for me.

I am not in control.

My heart comes up with these crazy desires,

And "say, 'no'" isn't a permanent solution,

And whitewashing walls doesn't clean up the filthy mess my heart is.

I can't control my desires.

I can't control my thoughts.

I can't change my heart.

I stammer it out on Friday morning,

Trying to find the words at 6 AM

For all these things I still don't quite understand,

All these distracctions,

This struggle with focus,

The thoughts and desires I can't change,

And we run to the One who can,

The only One capable of fixing all things,

Changing stubborn hearts and minds,

And we run after Him,

Because,

When we see Him,

All this other stuff loses its hold,

For what powers of darkness can stand

In the presence of True Light?

Romans 8:26-30

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷ And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Philippians 1:6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.


Reasons 2378-2462 today,

Seeking after the only One

Who can change a heart like mine:

2378. The heavens declare His glory (Psalm 19:1)
2379. The skies proclaim the work of His hands (Psalm 19:1)
2380. He has pitched a tent for the sun in the heavens (Psalm 19:4)
2381. His law is perfect (Psalm 19:7)
2382. His law is perfect, refreshing the soul (Psalm 19:7)
2383. His statutes are trustworthy (Psalm 19:7)
2384. His statutes are trustworthy, making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7)
2385. His precepts are right (Psalm 19:8)
2386. His precepts are right, giving joy to the heart (Psalm 19:8)
2387. His commands are radiant (Psalm 19:8)
2388. His commands are radiant, giving light to the eyes (Psalm 19:8)
2389. His fear is pure (Psalm 19:9)
2390. His fear is pure, enduring forever (Psalm 19:9)
2391. His decrees are firm (Psalm 19:9)
2392. His decrees are firm, and all of them are righteous (Psalm 19:9)
2393. His decrees are more precious than gold (Psalm 19:9-10)
2394. His decrees are more precious than much pure gold (Psalm 19:9-10)
2395. His decrees are sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:9-10)
2396. His decrees are sweeter than honey from the honeycomb (Psalm 19:9-10)
2397. He is Redeemer (Psalm 19:14)
2398. He gives victory to His anointed (Psalm 20:6)
2399. He answers His anointed from his heavenly sanctuary (Psalm 20:6)
2400. He answers His anointed from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of His right hand (Psalm 20:6)
2401. His people trust in His Name (Psalm 20:7)
2402. His people rejoice in His strength (Psalm 21:1)
2403. His people take joy in the victories He has given them (Psalm 21:1)
2404. Through His unfailing love, His people will not be shaken (Psalm 21:7)
2405. His hand will lay hold on all His enemies (Psalm 21:8)
2406. His right hand will seize His foes (Psalm 21:8)
2407. When He appears for battle, He will burn His enemies up as in a blazing furnace (Psalm 21:9)
2408. He will swallow up His enemies in wrath (Psalm 21:9)
2409. He will swallow up His enemies in wrath, and His fire will consume them (Psalm 21:9)
2410. He will destroy the descendants of His enemies from the earth (Psalm 21:10)
2411. He will destroy the posterity of His enemies from mankind (Psalm 21:10)
2412. Those who plot evil against Him cannot succeed (Psalm 21:11)
2413. Those who devise wicked schemes against Him cannot succeed (Psalm 21:11)
2414. He makes His enemies turn their backs (Psalm 21:12)
2415. He makes His enemies turn their backs when He aims at them with drawn bow (Psalm 21:12)
2416. He is exalted in His strength (Psalm 21:13)
2417. His people sing and praise His might (Psalm 21:13)
2418. He chooses not to answer His people (Psalm 22:2)
2419. He is enthroned as the Holy One (Psalm 22:3)
2420. He is the one Israel praises (Psalm 22:3)
2421. He delivers those who trust Him (Psalm 22:4)
2422. He saves those who cry out to Him (Psalm 22:5)
2423. He does not put those who trust in Him to shame (Psalm 22:5)
2424. He brings people out of the womb (Psalm 22:9)
2425. He makes people trust in Him (Psalm 22:9)
2426. He makes people trust in Him, even at their mothers' breasts (Psalm 22:9)
2427. He is the strength of His people (Psalm 22:19)
2428. He is to be honored (Psalm 22:23)
2429. He is to be revered (Psalm 22:23)
2430. He has not despised the suffering of the afflicted one (Psalm 22:24)
2431. He has not scorned the suffering of the afflicted one (Psalm 22:24)
2432. He has not hidden His face from the afflicted one (Psalm 22:24)
2433. He has listened to the afflicted one's cry for help (Psalm 22:24)
2434. The theme of His people's praise in the great assembly comes from Him (Psalm 22:25)
2435. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Him (Psalm 22:27)
2436. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him (Psalm 22:27)
2437. Dominion belongs to Him (Psalm 22:28)
2438. He rules over the nations (Psalm 22:28)
2439. All who go down to the dust will kneel before Him (Psalm 22:29)
2440. All who go down to the dust will kneel before Him – those who cannot keep themselves alive (Psalm 22:29)
2441. Posterity will serve Him (Psalm 22:30)
2442. Future generations will be told about Him (Psalm 22:30)
2443. Future generations will proclaim His righteousness (Psalm 22:30-31)
2444. Future generations will proclaim His righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:30-31)
2445. He is His people's shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
2446. He makes His people lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2)
2447. He leads His people beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2)
2448. He refreshes His people's souls (Psalm 23:3)
2449. He guides His people along the right paths (Psalm 23:3)
2450. He guides His people along the right paths for His name's sake (Psalm 23:3)
2451. He is with His people (Psalm 23:4)
2452. His rod comforts His people (Psalm 23:4)
2453. His staff comforts His people (Psalm 23:4)
2454. He prepares a table before His people (Psalm 23:5)
2455. He prepares a table before His people in the presence of their enemies (Psalm 23:5)
2456. He anoints His people's heads with oil (Psalm 23:5)
2457. He causes His people's cups to overflow (Psalm 23:5)
2458. His goodness follows His people (Psalm 23:6)
2459. His love follows His people (Psalm 23:6)
2460. His goodness follows His people all the days of their lives (Psalm 23:6)
2461. His love follows His people all the days of their lives (Psalm 23:6)
2462. His people will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23:6)

Counting 10,000 Reasons to worship Him: 

(Sylvia's already made it to - past - 10,000!  So amazing to think of who He is like this!)

<a href="http://maryschieferstein.blogspot.com/search/label/10000%20Reasons" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitidrfBKBWTHSBiWyh3WMRKjHFgYKk-RxjYB9-uePQb1-uI3t3bjysPnR65zloJJ0LgTqhT5kW70Rk8VOC2utXFUWhGRPIxNCqzZ_9YQryYPMJdj2XpiX0oawLUiMnmxFOeMkmjk3IIA/s320/10000ReasonsButton.jpg" /></a>

Counting in community:


 

The More Important Stories

No words here again today.

Sorry.

It's just anything and everything

And nothing is forming into words.

I think they call this writer's block.

It's okay, though.

Really.

Because there are much more important words,

Much more important stories

Going on this week.

Visit these blogs?

Read what these people are experiencing?

Take a step with me

Outside of this comfortable world

To catch just a glimpse

Through someone else's eyes.

Such beauty going on here.

Reasons 2315-2377 today,

Struggling to keep my eyes focused on Him

In the midst of all the mess:

2315. Apart from Him, His people have no good thing (Psalm 16:2)
2316. He alone is His people's portion (Psalm 16:5)
2317. He alone is His people's cup (Psalm 16:5)
2318. He makes His people's lot secure (Psalm 16:5)
2319. He counsels His people (Psalm 16:7)
2320. His people keep their eyes always on Him (Psalm 16:8)
2321. He is at His people's right hand (Psalm 16:8)
2322. He is at His people's right hand, they will not be shaken (Psalm 16:8)
2323. He will not abandon His people to the realm of the dead (Psalm 16:10)
2324. He will not let His faithful one see decay (Psalm 16:10)
2325. He makes known to His people the path of life (Psalm 16:11)
2326. He fills His people with joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11)
2327. He fills His people with eternal pleasures at His right hand (Psalm 16:11)
2328. He probes His people's hearts (Psalm 17:3)
2329. He examines His people at night (Psalm 17:3)
2330. He tests His people (Psalm 17:3)
2331. He will answer His people (Psalm 17:6)
2332. He vindicates His people (Psalm 17:15)
2333. He lets His people see His face (Psalm 17:15)
2334. He satisfies His people with seeing His likeness (Psalm 17:15)
2335. He is His people's strength (Psalm 18:1)
2336. He is His people's rock (Psalm 18:2)
2337. He is His people's fortress (Psalm 18:2)
2338. He is His people's deliverer (Psalm 18:2)
2339. He is His people's rock, in whom they take refuge (Psalm 18:2)
2340. He is His people's shield (Psalm 18:2)
2341. He is His people's horn of salvation (Psalm 18:2)
2342. He is His people's stronghold (Psalm 18:2)
2343. He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3)
2344. He hears the voice of His people in distress (Psalm 18:6)
2345. From His temple, He hears the voice of His people in distress (Psalm 18:6)
2346. The cry of His people comes before Him (Psalm 18:6)
2347. The cry of His people comes before Him, into His ears (Psalm 18:6)
2348. The earth trembles because He is angry (Psalm 18:7)
2349. The earth quakes because He is angry (Psalm 18:7)
2350. The foundations of the mountains shake because He is angry (Psalm 18:7)
2351. The foundations of the mountains tremble because He is angry (Psalm 18:7)
2352. Smoke rises from His nostrils (Psalm 18:8)
2353. Consuming fire comes from His mouth (Psalm 18:8)
2354. Burning coals blaze out of His mouth (Psalm 18:8)
2355. He parts the heavens (Psalm 18:9)
2356. He parts the heavens and comes down (Psalm 18:9)
2357. Dark clouds are under His feet (Psalm 18:9)
2358. He mounts the cherubim (Psalm 18:10)
2359. He mounts the cherubim and flies (Psalm 18:10)
2360. He soars on the wings of the wind (Psalm 18:10)
2361. He makes darkness His covering (Psalm 18:11)
2362. He makes darkness His covering, His canopy around Him (Psalm 18:11)
2363. He makes darkness His covering, His canopy around Him – the dark rain clouds of the sky (Psalm 18:11)
2364. Clouds advance out of the brightness of His presence (Psalm 18:12)
2365. Clouds advance out of the brightness of His presence, with hailstones and bolts of lightning (Psalm 18:12)
2366. He thunders from heaven (Psalm 18:13)
2367. His voice resounds (Psalm 18:13)
2368. He shoots His arrows (Psalm 18:14)
2369. He scatters the enemy (Psalm 18:14)
2370. With great bolts of lightning, He routes the enemy (Psalm 18:14)
2371. The valleys of the sea are exposed at His rebuke (Psalm 18:15)
2372. The foundations of the earth are laid bare at His rebuke (Psalm 18:15)
2373. The valleys of the sea are exposed at the blast of breath from His nostrils (Psalm 18:15)
2374. The foundations of the earth are laid bare at the blast of breath from His nostrils (Psalm 18:15)
2375. He rebukes (Psalm 18:15)
2376. He reaches down from on high and takes hold of His people (Psalm 18:16)
2377. He keeps the lamp of His people burning (Psalm 18:28)

Counting 10,000 Reasons to worship Him: 

(Sylvia's already made it to - past - 10,000!  So amazing to think of who He is like this!)

<a href="http://maryschieferstein.blogspot.com/search/label/10000%20Reasons" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitidrfBKBWTHSBiWyh3WMRKjHFgYKk-RxjYB9-uePQb1-uI3t3bjysPnR65zloJJ0LgTqhT5kW70Rk8VOC2utXFUWhGRPIxNCqzZ_9YQryYPMJdj2XpiX0oawLUiMnmxFOeMkmjk3IIA/s320/10000ReasonsButton.jpg" /></a>

Counting in community:



 

When it's Been One of Those Weeks and You Don't Have Anything to Say . . .

 . . . maybe it's to teach you

That it's not about having words

Or having time

Or having it all together,

But about trusting,

And blessing.

(I've been wanting to share this Matt Redman music video with all of you who are counting!)

And,

As promised,

Though slightly delayed,

My counting from the days off I was graciously provided,

Reasons 2201-2314 today,

Because I need to keep remembering

That it's not about what's going on around me,

Or even inside of me,

But about who He is,

And that He can be trusted.

With all of it.

Counting:

2201. In the morning, He hears the voice of His people (Psalm 5:3)
2202. He is not pleased with wickedness (Psalm 5:4)
2203. With Him, evil people are not welcome (Psalm 5:4)
2204. The arrogant cannot stand in His presence (Psalm 5:5)
2205. He hates all who do wrong (Psalm 5:5)
2206. He destroys those who tell lies (Psalm 5:6)
2207. He detests the bloodthirsty (Psalm 5:6)
2208. He detests the deceitful (Psalm 5:6)
2209. His love is great (Psalm 5:7)
2210. By His great love, His people can come into His house (Psalm 5:7)
2211. He blesses the righteous (Psalm 5:12)
2212. He surrounds the righteous with His favor (Psalm 5:12)
2213. He surrounds the righteous with His favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:12)
2214. He hears the weeping of His people (Psalm 6:8)
2215. He hears the cry for mercy of His people (Psalm 6:9)
2216. He accepts the prayer of His people (Psalm 6:9)
2217. His people take refuge in Him (Psalm 7:1)
2218. He is the Righteous God (Psalm 7:9)
2219. He probes minds (Psalm 7:9)
2220. He probes hearts (Psalm 7:9)
2221. He is a shield for His people (Psalm 7:10)
2222. He saves the upright in heart (Psalm 7:10)
2223. He is a Righteous Judge (Psalm 7:11)
2224. He displays His wrath every day (Psalm 7:11)
2225. If He does not relent, He will sharpen His sword (Psalm 7:12)
2226. If He does not relent, He will bend and string His bow (Psalm 7:12)
2227. He has prepared His deadly weapons (Psalm 7:13)
2228. He makes ready His flaming arrows (Psalm 7:13)
2229. He is the LORD Most High (Psalm 7:17)
2230. His name is majestic (Psalm 8:1)
2231. His name is majestic in all the earth (Psalm 8:1)
2232. He has set His glory in the heavens (Psalm 8:1)
2233. Through the praise of children and infants, He has established a stronghold against His enemies (Psalm 8:2)
2234. Through the praise of children and infants, He has established a stronghold against His enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger (Psalm 8:2)
2235. The heavens are His (Psalm 8:3)
2236. The heavens are the work of His fingers (Psalm 8:3)
2237. He set the moon and the stars in place (Psalm 8:3)
2238. He is mindful of mankind (Psalm 8:4)
2239. He cares for human beings (Psalm 8:4)
2240. He made humans a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5)
2241. He crowned humans with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5)
2242. He make humans rulers over the works of His hands (Psalm 8:6)
2243. He put everything on the earth under the feet of humans (Psalm 8:6-8)
2244. His deeds are wonderful (Psalm 9:1)
2245. People are glad in Him (Psalm 9:2)
2246. People rejoice in Him (Psalm 9:2)
2247. People sing the praises of His name (Psalm 9:2)
2248. The enemies of His people stumble and perish before Him (Psalm 9:3)
2249. He upholds the right of His people (Psalm 9:4)
2250. He upholds the cause of His people (Psalm 9:4)
2251. He sits enthroned (Psalm 9:4)
2252. He sits enthroned as the Righteous Judge (Psalm 9:4)
2253. He rebukes the nations (Psalm 9:5)
2254. He blots out the name of the wicked (Psalm 9:5)
2255. He blots out the name of the wicked for ever and ever (Psalm 9:5)
2256. He brings endless ruin on the enemies of His people (Psalm 9:6)
2257. He uproots the cities of the enemies of His people (Psalm 9:6)
2258. He causes even the memory of the enemies of His people to perish (Psalm 9:6)
2259. He reigns forever (Psalm 9:7)
2260. He has established His throne (Psalm 9:7)
2261. He has established His throne for judgment (Psalm 9:7)
2262. He rules the world in righteousness (Psalm 9:8)
2263. He judges the peoples with equity (Psalm 9:8)
2264. He is a refuge for the oppressed (Psalm 9:9)
2265. He is a stronghold in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9)
2266. Those who know His name trust in Him (Psalm 9:10)
2267. He has never forsaken those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10)
2268. Those who know His name trust in Him because He has never forsaken those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10)
2269. He avenges blood (Psalm 9:12)
2270. He remembers (Psalm 9:12)
2271. He does not ignore the cries of the afflicted (Psalm 9:12)
2272. Salvation is His (Psalm 9:14)
2273. He is known by His acts of justice (Psalm 9:16)
2274. He will never forget the needy (Psalm 9:18)
2275. He sees the trouble of the afflicted (Psalm 10:14)
2276. He considers the grief of the wicked (Psalm 10:14)
2277. He considers the grief of the wicked and takes it in hand (Psalm 10:14)
2278. He is the helper of the fatherless (Psalm 10:14)
2279. He is King (Psalm 10:16)
2280. He is King for ever and ever (Psalm 10:16)
2281. He hears the desire of the afflicted (Psalm 10:17)
2282. He encourages the afflicted (Psalm 10:17)
2283. He listens to the cry of the afflicted (Psalm 10:17)
2284. He defends the fatherless (Psalm 10:18)
2285. He defends the oppressed (Psalm 10:18)
2286. He defends the fatherless so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror (Psalm 10:18)
2287. He defends the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror (Psalm 10:18)
2288. He is in His holy temple (Psalm 11:4)
2289. He is on His heavenly throne (Psalm 11:4)
2290. He observes everyone on earth (Psalm 11:4)
2291. His eyes examine everyone on earth (Psalm 11:4)
2292. He examines the righteous (Psalm 11:5)
2293. He hates the wicked with a passion (Psalm 11:5)
2294. He hates those who love violence with a passion (Psalm 11:5)
2295. He will rain fiery coals on the wicked (Psalm 11:6)
2296. He will rain burning sulfur on the wicked (Psalm 11:6)
2297. He loves justice (Psalm 11:7)
2298. He arises because the poor are plundered (Psalm 12:5)
2299. He arises because the needy groan (Psalm 12:5)
2300. He protects the poor and needy from those who malign them (Psalm 12:5)
2301. His words are flawless (Psalm 12:6)
2302. His words are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible (Psalm 12:6)
2303. His words are flawless, like gold refined seven times (Psalm 12:6)
2304. He will keep the needy safe (Psalm 12:7)
2305. He will protect His people forever from the wicked (Psalm 12:7)
2306. He will protect His people forever from the wicked who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race (Psalm 12:7-8)
2307. He is good to His people (Psalm 13:6)
2308. He looks down from heaven (Psalm 14:1)
2309. He looks down from heaven on all mankind (Psalm 14:1)
2310. He looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek Him (Psalm 14:1)
2311. He is present (Psalm 14:5)
2312. He is present in the company of the righteous (Psalm 14:5)
2313. He is the refuge for the poor (Psalm 14:6)
2314. He restores His people (Psalm 14:7)

Counting 10,000 Reasons to worship Him: 

(Sylvia's already made it to - past - 10,000!  So amazing to think of who He is like this!)

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Counting in community: