I have decided that over the next few weeks, maybe months – I will be writing my journey through one of the best books Max Lucado has ever written – at least from my perspective. That book is “Traveling Light” and it’s been quite the adventure to read through his thoughts and ideas about what it means to release the excess baggage we all tend to carry around throughout our life. It is my hope that you too enjoy the journey with me.

Max’s book is based on the Promise of Psalm 23 and we begin with that now….

The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths or righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. (NKJV)

Lucado eludes to something that I think we all see, but fail to understand. And that is this – we see this Psalm in so many familiar places….our churches, our homes, christian bookstores, our bibles – but do we really believe these words? Do we really take these words of comfort and make them real in our lives? I know for me I have said that Psalm so many times, but haven’t really picked it apart to understand to the depths its real meaning in my life, especially today.

Crawling up and into the Lord’s lap and taking comfort in His peace and grace is a vision I treasure. It was a gift someone gave me after Brittany died when I was struggling to hold onto my faith. I dropped everything I knew and everything I was feeling and just imagined crawling up into His lap and letting the feeling of having a Father, the One and Only God, love me, soothe my weary mourning soul. It was truly one of the most healing things I’ve done thus far on this journey.

What am I getting to? Well perhaps, just maybe – it’s possible to let go of all the baggage, all the pain, all the bad stuff and let God do what He does best and that’s love us unconditionally and to give us a peace that passes all understanding.

Hang with me – this is gonna be one great ride.

Until next time,

m