Hello!

I've been thinking of making my blog private for awhile. In researching it, I realized that even if I made my old blog private, one could still find it through google from old posts that weren't marked as private. So I was kind of in a holding pattern until recently there have been some threats towards Westerners. We are not concerned at this moment, but I thought that now would be a good time to change my blog. So now it's private. Now it no longer has our name in the title.

All who read my blog regularly know that fear is something I constantly struggle with. Receiving emails about threats to Westerners close to where you live can cause fear to arise. And it did. It was a terrible day or so where I was just fearful. The adrenaline, on edge kind of fear. I decided that I couldn't live like that. I had a long tearful, prayerful talk with my dear Father and He gave me great peace. As I was looking up verses on fear, I was struck on how many talk about fearing the Lord. That's who I need to fear, not threats of things. Matthew 10:28 "Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." He also impressed on me Psalm 91. The need to rest in the Shadow of the Almighty, to take refuge under His wings. Since "Shadow of the Almighty" and "Under His wings" were already taken, I chose Refuge Under His Wings for the blog title. I am changing my blog, sure. But I'm not doing it out of fear. Just trying to be responsible with what has been told to us. Anyway, I'll leave you with more of Psalm 91. And just a clarification, it talks about no harm coming near you and being kept safe. I am fully aware that this means that when I am in His hands, nothing can touch my relationship with Him. Despite what happens to my physical body, I am safe in His arms. So no I don't think this means I will always be safe. I just think I must seek to find my rest, my refuge, my security in His hands, not my own and what I may think is best.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."