Psalm 23:

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

3 He renews my life;

He leads me along the right paths

for His name’s sake.

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,

I fear no danger,

for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

as long as I live.

Some friends and I have been studying this particular Psalm over the past few months.

Psalm 23.

One of the very first scripture passages I put to memory years ago, it holds special meaning to my heart.

As with any scripture, certain passages come to life a little more in different seasons of our life.

When I first memorized this scripture, it was to combat fear and anxiety. It packs a heavy punch and I loved recalling it when I was in a black hole of fear.

This time, when I began to study this passage, something just struck me in a new way.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Timothy 6:6-7

As usual, this is not the post I was about to sit down and write.

Nope.

There is no preparation for this post.

Just a heart being bent a different way by the Holy Spirit as I write.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about motherhood. How hard it can be at times. How hidden it can feel at times. Meaning, so often, what we do is not seen. And, may never be seen.

But, God sees it.

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish" Matthew 18:12-14

There is a question I have pondered on and off for the last few years.

It is something that wakes me up at night, and causes my heart to beat rapidly in my chest.

It has haunted me at times, like a shadow looming over me beckoning me to acknowledge it.

The question is this:

What is my purpose?