In the Dark, Cold Mornings

Early mornings are quite challenging for me, especially when it is dark
and cold outside. Most mornings I am up by 6am. Often Ziggy the Cat
scratchs at my bedroom door and meows well before that. I quickly let
him in and either go back to sleep until my alarm goes off, or I slowly be-
gin to enter into the new day.

As I ponder what I need do in the hours of the new day and in the com-
ing months ahead of me, I can become quite discouraged. I still do not
know what my next step will be. I also wonder whether I have it in me
to complete my thesis, and whether a church will call me to be their min-
ister. And in recent days my heart has been heavy for the people of Haiti.

In the fall of last year I was struck by Psalm 143:8, and I memorized it.
Now I find myself meditating on it throughout the day. It forms the foun-
dation of my prayers as I begin each new day. It has a gentle way of
calming my anxious heart and giving me a sense of direction, even
though the way is not clear.

Psalm 143:8 reads:

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

I always seem to focus on God's steadfast love. It refers to Yahweh's
unrelenting, redeeming covenantal love, to God's love that will never
let go of us. I am struck that David lifts his heart up to God. It never
fails that when I reflect on God's steadfast love, my heart takes cour-
age.

As always, I ask for your prayers, and let us especially lift up to the
Lord the people of Haiti.

Blessings to you and yours,