December 14‚ 2023 Why Did God Lead Me Here?LYSA TERKEURST  Lee en español "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 (ESV) If I were writing my own life story‚ I would have written it differently. I never would have had the courage to write my story with the twists and turns it has taken. I have walked through seasons of devastation beyond what I thought I could survive. But I have also been incredibly blessed and humbled as God has proven Himself faithful beyond my ability to comprehend. Maybe you're in the devastatingly dark middle of a season you didn't choose. One that leaves you tempted to pull away from the Lord‚ wondering‚ How could a good God lead me to such a difficult place? Oh‚ friend. I understand. So did David‚ the shepherd who was destined to be king‚ who penned the words of many biblical psalms. David's desperately honest cry in Psalm 22:1 reveals he was well acquainted with discouragement and despair: "My God‚ my God‚ why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me‚ from the words of my groaning?" (ESV). But despite the agony and distress we find in Psalm 22‚ Psalm 23 reveals David still knew where his hope was found. This shepherd boy needed a greater Shepherd - the Lord. We do too. So how do we keep choosing to follow our Shepherd when He leads us into valleys we'd rather avoid? We can begin by remembering these two truths about the Lord: 1) He will never lead us carelessly. Psalm 23:1-3a paints such a serene picture: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul" (ESV). We might imagine lush green hills like you'd find in Ireland‚ but David's reality was the steep‚ rocky‚ dry Judean hills. Hills that had to be carefully traveled in order to get to the water and vegetation waiting in the valleys below. Shepherds leading their flocks also had to be cautious about the timing of their trips. Hard rains could quickly lead to flash floods in a gorge. When a shepherd knew a storm was coming‚ he wouldn’t allow the sheep to be down in the gorge because they'd drown; instead‚ he’d wait patiently until the storm passed to lead his flock down to drink. So not only did sheep have to trust where the shepherd was leading them; they had to trust the when of his leading. Our Shepherd wants to get us to the still waters. He wants us to lie down and rest where it’s safe. But we have to trust that His timing is perfect and His provision is good. 2) He will always lead us intentionally. Psalm 23:3b says‚ "He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake" (ESV).The very reputation of the Lord is at stake in His leading. That means we can trust He will always lead us in perfect ways - for our goodness and for the sake of His name. The Hebrew word for "paths" in Psalm 23:3 referred to well worn or deep ruts that were actually good ruts‚ important because they marked the safest paths. While these paths could be formed by one shepherd over time‚ it’s more likely they were formed by other shepherds who'd gone before - generations of shepherds wisely walking the same paths. Even today‚ you can literally look at the hills in Israel and see paths the shepherds have been walking for generations. I wonder: What deep ruts or paths have you created in your life of regularly walking with God? What deep‚ positive places have others forged that you can follow? I encourage you to remind yourself of those paths‚ those regular rhythms of relationship with God. If you're in a low valley right now‚ I know what that looks and feels like. But let me speak life into your worn-out‚ broken-down‚ hurting heart. I've lived the horrors where I couldn’t see any way out. But there's always a way with God. Stay close to Him. Stay close to people who love Him. And He will make a miraculous way. One that you couldn't have imagined but one that is perfectly timed and planned. Heavenly Father‚ even when my heart is hurting ... even when I don't understand what You're doing or where You are leading me ... I'm choosing to trust Your love for me. I'm choosing to follow Jesus‚ the Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. The One who willingly died for me. In Jesus' Name‚ Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS When it's difficult to see where the Lord is leading us‚ one of the ways we can stay close to Him is by holding fast to the promises found in His Word. That's what we long to help you do here at Proverbs 31 Ministries. Would you join us in these efforts by giving a donation today? Together‚ we can illuminate God's goodness for a woman currently struggling to see it in her own life. Give now. ENGAGE Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Hebrews 12:2‚ "looking unto Jesus‚ the author and finisher of our faith ..." (NKJV). What parts of your story from the past would you have written differently? How does knowing Jesus as "the author and finisher" comfort you as you look ahead to the future and trust in Him? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2023 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews‚ NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Why Did God Lead Me Here? –  Encouragement for Today – December 14‚ 2023 appeared first on GodUpdates.

872 - John VIII elected as Catholic Pope 1793 - 1st state road authorized‚ Frankfort‚ Kentucky‚ to Cincinnati 1903 - The Wright brothers attempt to fly the Wright Flyer for the first time at Kitty Hawk‚ North Carolina 1945 - Elmer Rice's play "Dream Girl" premieres in NYC 1957 - Frank Loesser's musical "The Most Happy Fella"‚ based on Sidney Howard's 1924 stage drama "They Knew What They Wanted"‚ closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 678 performances 1964 - Michael Brown meets Renee Fladen‚ then writes "Walk Away Renee" 1967 - DNA created in a test tube 1991 - 57th Heisman Trophy Award: Desmond Howard‚ Michigan (WR) 1996 - 12th Soap Opera Digest Awards - Days of Our Lives wins 2020 - Russia revealed to have been behind massive cyberattack on US government agencies and private companies since the Spring More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1903 - The Wright brothers attempt to fly the Wright Flyer for the first time at Kitty Hawk‚ North Carolina 1960 - Australia v West Indies 1st Test Cricket at the Gabba ends in a tie 1977 - Test Cricket debut of Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul Qadir v England in 1st Test at Lahore 1978 - China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor‚ PRC 1994 - Construction begins on the Three Gorges Dam‚ China 1998 - 64th Heisman Trophy Award: Ricky Williams‚ Texas (RB) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1681 - Giuseppe Valentini‚ Italian violinist‚ poet‚ and composer‚ born in Florence‚ Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1753) 1853 - Henry Wood‚ English cricket wicket-keeper (4 Tests‚ 1 x 100‚ HS 134no; Kent CCC‚ Surrey CCC)‚ born in Dartford‚ England (d. 1919) 1870 - Dirk Jan de Geer‚ Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1926-29‚ 39-40)‚ born in Groningen‚ Netherlands (d. 1960) 1915 - Ruth Railton‚ British musical director (National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain‚ 1948-65)‚ born in Kent‚ England (d. 2001) 1952 - Germain Houde‚ French Canadian actor‚ born in Petit-Saguenay‚ Quebec 1966 - Carl Herrera‚ Trinidadian-born Venezuelan NBA forward‚ 1991-99 (San Antonio Spurs‚ and 2 other teams)‚ born in Trinidad and Tobago More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1417 - John Oldcastle‚ English nobleman and pro-protestant Lollard leader‚ whom Shakespeare based his Falstaff character on‚ hanged for heresy at 39 1799 - George Washington‚ American Founding Father‚ Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during War for Independence and 1st President of the United States (1789-97)‚ dies at 67 1806 - John Breckinridge‚ American lawyer (5th United States Attorney General) and politician (U.S. Senator from Kentucky)‚ dies at 46 1860 - George Hamilton-Gordon‚ 4th Earl of Aberdeen‚ Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Peelite: 1852-55) and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1841-46)‚ dies at 76 1918 - Sidónio Pais‚ Portuguese politician (4th President of Portugal‚ 66th Prime Minister of Portugal)‚ murdered at 46 2000 - George Sholty‚ American harness driver (2‚934 career wins; $20 million+ purse money)‚ dies at 68 More Famous Deaths »

One of the brightest stars at Stax Records‚ Otis Redding’s life was cut tragically short but the work he left behind lives on

Despite the joy of giving gifts over the holidays‚ the excessive amount of packaging trash is a growing problem‚ particularly considering the recycling catastrophe in the United States. Before China banned the import of plastic waste back in 2018‚ it had taken 70 percent of the United States’ plastic waste and two-thirds of the UK’s. Without the option to export‚ the United States has contended with an ever-growing packaging dilemma. The crisis of excess and inadequacy The United States made matters worse by not strengthening its recycling infrastructure or encouraging businesses to reconsider their package designs‚ despite repeated warnings of this change. Municipalities around the country struggle to manage recyclables‚ with some turning to landfills or paying to have recyclable goods disposed of. Shipping behemoths anticipate handling hundreds of millions of shipments amid growing consumerism and online shopping‚ worsening the surge of cardboard‚ plastic‚ and packing materials. Individual impact matters While structural improvements take time‚ individual efforts have enormous potential in reducing packaging waste during holidays. Here is a list of ideas you may consider to reduce your waste this year. Actionable solutions -Make personalized gifts: Use current materials to make one-of-a-kind gifts by investigating DIY gift choices or repurposing products. -Opt for minimal packaging: Choose items without excessive outer packaging or opt for second-hand gifts‚ minimizing additional waste. -Conscious online shopping: Give preference to companies who use plastic-free and recyclable shipping materials‚ thereby supporting sustainable practices. -Think about your wrapping options: For eco-friendly wrapping‚ use reused materials such as fabric‚ newspapers‚ or brown paper. Check out this article for more alternatives to wrapping paper. -Rethink gift giving: Consider giving unwrapped presents or wrapping them selectively to reduce unneeded packaging. -Community engagement: Engage with family and friends‚ advocating for reduced packaging waste in shared holiday traditions. Embracing change for a sustainable tomorrow While quick solutions to the recycling challenge may be elusive‚ changing our buying habits and lowering our reliance on packaging represents a huge step toward a more sustainable future.The post A guide to reducing holiday packaging waste first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Donovan Jooste‚ a passionate conservationist‚ witnessed a stunning spectacle in the South African grasslands: approximately 2‚000 southern white rhinos congregating on a farm in the North West region. This astonishing gathering represents an astounding 12 to 15 percent of Africa’s remaining rhino population‚ outnumbering any single nature sanctuary on the continent. “It’s an awe-inspiring sight‚” Jooste says‚ as he considers the size of this confined society. “But the true excitement lies in the conservation opportunity. How can we transition these rhinos from their current captive setting to secure‚ open habitats?” From captivity to conservation The acquisition of Platinum Rhino‚ the world’s largest private rhino-breeding facility‚ by African Parks in September represented a watershed event in the care of this captive rhino community. The origins of this farm‚ whether spurred by conservation or economic objectives‚ arose amid ambiguities due to the ongoing worldwide prohibition on rhino horn trade‚ which was founded by John Hume in 1992. “The vulnerability of these rhinos would’ve been magnified‚” Jooste says‚ emphasizing the dire situation. The assistance of African Parks was critical in securing the farm‚ rhinos‚ and a varied diversity of animals. The ambitious plan calls for the abolition of active breeding and the relocation of all 2‚000 rhinos and their progeny to protected African areas over the next decade‚ marking a huge step toward assuring the species’ survival. A species’ rebound and the peril of poaching Mike Knight emphasizes the rhinos’ ecological and economic importance‚ underlining their astonishing recovery. Despite being on the verge of extinction due to colonial hunters‚ southern white rhino numbers have rebounded to 16‚803‚ indicating a promising future. However‚ poaching remains a persistent problem‚ with at least 551 rhinos poached in Africa in 2022‚ providing a continuing threat to their survival. A journey of restoration The farm’s care is expensive‚ with strict security measures in place to prevent poaching. The upcoming translocation‚ which is set to begin next year‚ intends to relocate a considerable number within South Africa while taking precautions to alleviate current poaching concerns. The delicate procedure of transferring these rhinos is fraught with logistical and financial challenges. Climate change and potential disease threats in new areas highlight the complexities of this massive conservation effort. Anticipating positive ecological impact Jooste anticipates rhinos being reintroduced across vast ecosystems‚ stressing their unrivaled ecological contributions. “The ecological value they bring is immeasurable‚” he asserts‚ predicting a positive ripple effect on protected regions. In closing‚ Jooste passionately expresses his aspiration‚ saying‚ “In two decades‚ let’s not discuss 16‚000 rhinos‚ but aim for 25‚000‚ 40‚000‚ 50‚000 rhinos. That’s our ultimate goal: to never witness such dire rhino scarcity again.” This program holds the prospect of not only protecting an important species but also reviving their presence across the African environment‚ demonstrating humanity’s extraordinary dedication to conservation.The post Conservation success: 2‚000 captive Southern White Rhinos to be released across Africa first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.