“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God,
the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?” (vs 1,2)
Long before I reached Nepal, Psalm 42 had been a prayer burned deep into my soul.
Through seasons of questions…
Through times of deep pain…
Through loss…
Through overwhelming love, joy, redemption, and personal victory.
It is almost laughable to me now just how many ways God has rescued me.
And so, during my time in Nepal, I collaborated with a local artist to create my version of Psalm 42 in body art form.
I have walked out a wilderness with God…
And this little sketch commemorates the hope I will always have in Him.
Though I am not encouraging (or discouraging) anyone from getting a tattoo while on the Race – this little bit of ink is simply apart of a greater love story I wanted to share.
Discouragement might come in the moment…but I know I can ALWAYS praise Him again!
No situation or circumstance has the power to keep me from His unfailing love.
So, this Psalm reminds me of where my hope will always lie.
No matter what…
It will always be safe to put my hope in God for the turnaround.
“I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.” (vs 7,8)
It will never matter how loud the storm is…
Or how dark the night…
God’s love towards me will never change.
Never.
And this is why I can say with a laugh:
“WHY am I discouraged? WHY is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” (vs 11)
With who does your hope lie?
…especially when you are waiting for the Kazakh embassy to return your passport with a tourist visa allowing you access into their country. Haha…true story.
{Excerpt from Psalm 42 – New Living Translation. Emphasis mine.}
