Highlights

So, Chara, our English Springer Spaniel, decided to get highlights today. She didn’t even go to the doggie groomer! She did them all by herself.

I absentmindedly left a yellow highlighter out on a table this morning. That was all Chara needed for her highlights! I gasped when I saw her new look… both front feet covered in yellow!!!!

The definition of highlight is to make or try to make people notice or be aware of someone or something. For me, I highlight things I want to remember. Most often, I highlight a scripture or something I’ve written down in my prayer journal.

As Ben and I try to navigate our new normal following his bicycle accident and broken pelvis, I’ve been highlighting a lot. Why? I’ve realized how desperate I am for God and His Word. Over the course of these last few weeks, I’ve experienced emotions too deep for words- feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear, frustrations, impatience and weariness.

It’s these crazy emotions that draw me back to God’s Word. I highlighted the following Scripture this morning, Psalm 42:1-2, 5

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?.......Put our hope in God, For I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you.”

The Psalmist got it right. Just like a deer depends upon water, he depended on his God. The Psalmist was knew his need and knew who could answer his need. He poured out his heart to God! He was so discouraged and downcast because of the circumstances of his day. Watch his antidote: He talked to himself. He asked his soul why it was so downcast. Then, he challenged himself to put his hope in God and God’s word. He saw the benefit of running to God and his Word in times of deep despair and challenge. 

That’s what I did today. I ran to God and His Word. I need Him so much to help see me through this trial. This highlighted portion of my Scripture is a reminder of my need to sometimes talk back to myself: “Put your hope in God, Nancy!” Sometimes, we need to give ourselves a talkin’ to.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.