I am a Bo Peep. Yes, I grew up on a Suffolk sheep farm–

Pam Farrel and 4 – H lamb

so Psalm 23 is very personal to this Shepherdess’ heart.

Let’s just glimpse at the first few verses:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
 he refreshes my soul.

One of the common heart cries of the human race is for greener pastures- a life better, brighter, quieter or calmer. God knows this is dream is on our hearts.

Lie Down in Green Pastures

When I read, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul,” that is exactly the experience of my upbringing.  I would often walk barefoot through the deep, lush, green grass of the pasture, as the sheep serenely grazed. I would take a blanket and a Bible, and lie down and spend quiet hours communing with God.

I might walk over to the creek, and sit on the simple wooden plank that created a bridge, and sit and rest quietly dipping my toes into the cool stream. This was my place of solace and restoration, far away from the chaos my alcoholic, raging, earthly father might be creating in our small farm house.  To this day, resting in an open meadow, or the sound of gently tinkling chimes, remind me of the restorative rest the Good Shepherd can create even in the midst of chaos.

Take a blanket and your bible and find a green pasture, a meadow, a park with a shady tree and

Green pasture quiet time with God

take a short oasis with the Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— (John 10:14)

Pam Farrel is the author of 45 books, and international speaker who will always be a country girl at heart.

Her most recent book is Discovering Hope in the Psalms: A Creative Bible Study Experieince