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Proverbs 22:3 – A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. (NIV)
Psalm 23:1-4 – The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. (NIV)
When I was young and foolish, my boyfriend and I slipped away from our church picnic to find a secluded place. Walking along a dirt road from the picnic area, we came across a beautiful, verdant field filled with lovely plants waving in the breeze. Beckoned to explore, we never wondered why there were no trails through that field. But the moment we plunged in among the plants, we found out why. Those lovely plants were stinging nettles! Oh, the welts on my arms and legs! With the damage done, we quickly returned to the road.
Back home, my unhappy mother slathered my itching arms and legs with calamine lotion while she scolded me for snagging my clothes. When she finished, she wiped away my tears with a tissue, hugged me, and said, "I love you, but you're grounded." Then, she made me wear mittens so I couldn't scratch my very itchy skin.
That was just one time when I deliberately and stubbornly persisted in continuing down the path I'd chosen. Every time I experienced the painful consequences, I knelt in prayer asking for forgiveness. That's when Jesus Christ used a comforting word from a family member, a friend, or even a sermon at church to comfort my angst.
Being in a relationship with Jesus Christ means that He stays with us in challenging times as well as good times. When we ask the Lord to forgive us, He does, and sometimes, He even removes the consequences, but not always. Sometimes, like a good parent, He allows us to experience the fallout of ill-considered actions … like walking through a field of stinging nettles and suffering from the stinging welts of sin.
Prayer: Father God, forgive us when we stray into the stinging nettles of sin and comfort us with Your presence, for we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Monday, March 24, 2025 – In the Middle East — We recently received a message telling us that one of our dear local friends has passed away. This was so hard, as we are on home assignment which makes it even harder. Please pray with us that the Lord will comfort his family and children and that Christ's name will be glorified. Help them to stay strong in their faith in the face of opposition..
friend: "Update March 21, 2025; Please continue to pray for Hilde who has had dizziness for many months..." 
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Great devotional!
And haven’t we all been there? Thanks, Cass.
Guidance, Comfort, Hope – Psalm 23 is complete.
An interesting story with consequences and lessons.
Oh, Lord, keep me out of the nettles! Thank you, Cassandra.
Your devotional helps me welcome and value those lessons learned “the hard way” – by experience.
Hi Sandy,
Thank you for the long-awaited devotion.
Blessings.
Thank you for sharing your faith in a personal way.
It reminds me that there is hope in all ways.
(Ontario, Canada)
Thank you for today’s devotional Cass……very vivid analogy !!!
May your weekend be a good one.
Keep Well.
Ouch! Thanks Cassandra, for this stinging warning to stay on The Way!
Blessings,
(BC)
Good one! My weeds were poison ivy so I can relate. I will remember your take from the experience. Thank you.
(Manitoba)
Thank you for writing this devotional.
I appreciated your comparison of our actions and sin brings me up short.
Thank you.
Blessings.
Good morning, Cassandra,
I am sure you can still feel those welts sometimes. I had poison ivy once and remember how much it itched. It is so true that God wants us to learn from our misadventures and to come to Him seeking comfort and forgiveness. As I age, I definitely try not to go down too many paths that will lead me astray. Sometimes it is hard to see where the path is going i.e. where my mind is heading. Blessings.
Greetings Cassandra and thank you for writing today’s devotional. Oh, what an uncomfortable time you dealt with after being stung by those nettles!
It is truly amazing to us at times how the Lord gives us unexpected circumstances to deal with and He certainly has his right reasons for it. He really wants us to stay on the right path and be obedient to His word and by doing so we have comfort and more joy in our daily lives. Blessings for sharing your unfortunate experience of encountering those nettles and may you have a pleasant day.
Thank you for your devotional, Cassandra. I loved your message and the prayer.
Blessings.
Thanks Cassandra, blessings.