It's a question I would dare say most of us have asked at one time in our lives. When life gets difficult, we so often assume God has left us or abandoned us, even though He tells us that He will never do that.

Psalm 23 has long been a favorite passage for me because I do understand what it means to walk through the darkest valley. And it was in that valley that God proved to me that He really is who He says He is.

The imagery in Psalm 23 is so deep and meaningful. The Lord is my Shepherd. It could say, "The Lord is my cattle herder!" Can you imagine serving a God who drives you, whips you and brands you? No! You serve a God who leads you, loves you, carries you, runs after you, shelters you, and never leaves you.

Johnny and I talk through this beloved scripture on the heels of some major events in our lives lately that have made it even sweeter. And, to be fully transparent, I even needed to be reminded of this as I type these words to you. Life can be so hard at times. But God is always so good. And so near. And so perfect in all His ways.

We pray you leave this episode encouraged and inspired to go on and allow God to teach you more about Himself in your valleys.

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore in Baton Rouge, LA, for your continued sponsorship!

I'm so excited to bring you this episode! My oldest son, Sam Furlow, joins me on the podcast for a conversation about his life, his path to Christ, his struggles after losing his dad, and his battle with sin. He is now 26 years old and is working in full-time ministry, but the road to get here was long and winding.

If you have a prodigal child, I strongly encourage you to listen to this episode. I pray it will encourage you to continue believing for God to work through the struggles of this life to bring them to their knees. And in the end, it is only God who will call them home.

Let this testimony encourage you!

Thank you to The Vine Christian Bookstore for their sponsorship of these episodes!

Pastor Lee Shipp, of First New Testament Church, joins me again in this episode. Episode 9 was so good that we stayed right where we were and just kept talking to bring you another episode that is incredibly rich. We discuss how brokenness gives God the ability to conform us into the image of Christ.

My favorite part is toward the end where Pastor Lee encourages our listeners to let go of failures and guilt so you can allow God to have His perfect work. He is gracious and kind. He wants you to see His love for you.

We pray these episodes are a resource for you that compliments your own study of the Word. We pray that God is helping you and challenging you as you listen.

Please go see Tessa, Kayla and Haley at The Vine Christian Bookstore and tell them you are listening to the podcast!