Proverbs 15:4 (NKJV)

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

I was struck by the picture in Proverbs 15:4. A wholesome, soothing, gentle tongue is compared to a tree of life. One commentary described it this way: "a properly nourished tree grows and provides shade and refreshment for all who seek its shelter."

What a contrast to words that are reckless, deceitful, or harsh. Proverbs says they can break or crush the spirit. Most of us have experienced the sting of careless words, but hopefully we have also been strengthened by words that brought comfort, wisdom, and healing at just the right time.

We probably all would like to get better with our words (even the ones we think). The good news is that we can learn to speak differently as we follow the example of Jesus.

Isaiah describes Him as One Who listened to His Father morning by morning so that He would know “the word that sustains the weary.”

As we receive His wisdom, comfort, and instruction, we learn to give the same away. May our words become a tree of life, offering shade, refreshment, healing, and hope to those around us.

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John 7:37-38 (NKJV)

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

When Jesus cried out to the crowd, He didn’t need to explain the difference between physical thirst and the thirst He was offering to quench. 

Every time I read these verses, it does me good to evaluate my thirst. I hope it might do you good too. I don’t think there is ever a time I don’t need and welcome this invitation. 

We thirst every day, He invites us to come to Him every day. We need Him, I need Him — every day. 

Jesus Himself is like a huge glass of clear, cool water to our souls. 

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 9.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

This is the last episode of The Restore Project. I will go over some themes we’ve looked at in this series, kind of like when you skip a rock and it leaves rings where it’s been. Just a skim over.

Maybe you’ll hear something you want to revisit, or missed altogether. (Fun fact, I love skipping rocks.)

I will end with the song, "The Lord is My Shepherd," which is Psalm 23 in its entirety and is the third song I’ve written inspired by this Psalm. Well, I only wrote the music, David wrote the words.

Thank you for following along. 

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 8.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:1-3

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

In this episode, we will look at the Lord, our Shepherd, as our Guide. 

You follow a guide because they know more than you, they see what you can’t see — yet. They’ve gone before you and they’ve become an expert.

David Guzik wrote: The sheep didn’t need to know where the green pastures or still waters were; all he needed to know was where the shepherd was.

The shepherd would guide the sheep to what he needed.

We don’t have to navigate life on our own. We follow the Expert of experts. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 7.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

As I was preparing for this episode, I was particularly struck with the love and heart I have received from those who have prepared tables for me. Their example has helped me see the nature of Jesus in a new light. 

What love and promise in this verse. Think of all the Lord your Shepherd has prepared for you and continues to prepare for you. 

He gives us food that feeds our spirit. He gives us eternal words and daily bread. He even knows your food allergies and diet restrictions. He prepares a table before you — no matter what and who surrounds you. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 6.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

2 Corinthians 12:10

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Sometimes I expect way more from my human self than I have to give. I fight it and want to be more. Picture a sheep with a superhero cape. I am a new creation, but I am still bound by gravity, just like all of us.

I am deeply grateful that God chose to show both sides of the human tapestry in Scripture. Both the messy, tangled side full of mistakes, sin, defeat and doubt, and also the beautiful side filled with forgiveness, restoration, patience and healing.

Psalm 23 is the beautiful side of the tapestry. 

It took David a lot of messes and heartache to produce such art.  

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 5.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:1-2

The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

In this episode, we focus on how Psalm 23 reveals the symptoms of our soul and leads us toward the cure.

When I read that “quiet waters” can be translated as “waters of rest,” it made me pause and take a deep breath. These words brought to light a symptom within me — a longing for rest, not the sleep kind, but a much deeper rest.

I’ll end the episode by praying for us through each verse of the Psalm. This may become a regular practice, and I hope it brings you the same change of heart that it brought me.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 4.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

When trying to understand a word, I often list its antonyms. For "abundance," these might be: want, lack, need, poverty, and inadequacy.

In Ezekiel 34, God lists the failures of the bad shepherds who mistreated His flock. They didn’t strengthen the weak, heal the sick, or seek the lost. As a result, the people were scattered and vulnerable — sheep without a shepherd.

In this episode, we’ll explore the opposite of a bad shepherd and discover the beautiful attributes of our Good Shepherd — Who seeks, searches, saves, and restores.

I’ll close the episode with the song, “Where He Restores.”

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project — a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 3.  

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:3

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

As a king, David had pressure to lead and protect his kingdom. Still, he carved out time with God. Still, he stole away. Still, he worshiped and he wrote. 

David cared for the people he led, beyond just the physical realm. He tended their souls and spent valuable hours giving language to an Unseen Kingdom. 

In this episode, we will consider how we spend our valuable hours, and how we encourage the valuable hours in those around us.

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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We are currently revisiting The Restore Project series. We hope you enjoy going back with us.

Welcome to The Restore Project—a series centered around Psalm 23. 

Here is Session 2. 

(Feel free to listen in any order.) 

Psalm 23:1-3

The LORD is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

David painted scenes we can see. You don’t always realize you’re thirsty until you see a glass of cool, clear water. 

Green meadows and peaceful streams stir memories of places we’ve been or would rather be. David’s words travel through the layers of human need and shine a gentle light on our souls. 

He beautifully expressed his need and his remedy— the thirst and the cup. He reflected over his life and led us to his Source of help. 

In this episode, I will encourage you (as I was also encouraged) to do the same. 

If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time gift, thank you!

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