Even 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.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

I associated the 23rd Psalm with death for most of my life. As a pastor’s daughter, I attended numerous funerals and the majority of those services––in some way––included Psalm 23. And I understand why. This psalm gives great comfort in times of mourning.

Yet, it’s not only a song to sing when we experience the darkness brought on by the loss of a loved one. It’s a passage to cling to in every dark experience we endure in this life.

Sometimes the darkness is in the form of rejection, an unexpected diagnosis, job loss, familial discord, or a child who walks away from the faith. In these valleys, we battle fear, despair, and doubt.

One miserable valley I’ve circled in and out of throughout my adulthood is….