Psalm 23 has become our life chapter for this phase of the journey. How did we go from life is good, to the valley of the shadow, you ask!?! Well it goes like this. We have been on this adventure from God, going through the doors He has opened as they come along and all along Craig has been looking for work and praying that God would open the door to what is “next” for us. So God opened a door. Craig applied for a job as a UXO tech. What is this, You ask? UXO stands for Unexploded Ordnance Technician, In other words Craig is walking through the desert at the Barry M Goldwater Firing Range,
looking for explosives that didn’t explode. He did have to take a class on job safety and have a little training, like don’t touch that and keep your eyes peeled for things you shouldn’t touch.
Needless to say NOT the job I thought of when God said “I want you to do a new new thing.” But God has encouraged us all the way that this is what He wants us to do. The Sunday before Craig started work the message at church was on Psalm 23 and He reminded us that He is with us even in the dangers of walking through a bomb strewn desert. He has confirmed this every Sunday since with Psalm 23.
We are not alone. He is with us holding us up. Craig is getting whipped into shape, everyday is an adventure of unknown finds and dangers, I get to pray for him and the rest of the team as well as keep things running on this end. It has been a growing experience for both of us as we have always worked the same jobs together.
I know that this is one of the steps to what God has for us and we are continuing to pray about the road that’s before us. The Lord is the Good Shepherd.
Deborah Graber …
PS From Craig,
Deborah and I for 13 years have always worked jobs together, as a team. God is so faithful. I actually asked God for a wife that would partner with me in whatever He gave me to do, and that’s exactly what He did. I could not do this work on my own. My wife is my support team. I get to walk 37 to 40 miles in a week, in the desert, with the snakes, and gila monsters, and things that go might go boom. My wife makes sure my clothes are clean, lunch is in my backpack, my electrolyte bottle is full. The best part is that she prays for me. I am certain that if you told me 6 months ago that we would be doing this I would have said you are crazy. I can’t do that! That’s what a praying wife can do….
Psalm 23 (NKJV)
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, 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.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Blessings from Craig and Deborah <><