Yesterday was a big day…it was the last day that I could visit with my daughter in law Misty and my little grandson Blake, before they left to go back home to Texas. My son Daniel just got home from Iraq and they were excited to head home to see him. I was so happy for them.

Recently I was invited to be a guest on a local talk show here in Northern California, called “On Call” I am an Independent Living Instructor, or a Life Coach for people with disabilities. While I was at the studio, recording the show, which by the way, was a really awesome experience, I also met a man who was a Marine who was there to appear on a second show that they were taping that night.

This marine had spent a lot of time in the war in Iraq, and upon his return to the states his son, also a Marine, actually was being deployed to go to Iraq to serve.

The Marine, the elder, was in charge of a lot of men while he was serving his tour and I was curious about his faith. “I‘d heard that you were a Christian, Is that true? I asked him and he assured me that he was. “Did this experience make you closer with God? And that’s when the soldier told me that he kept a handkerchief in his pocket with Psalm 91 written on it…and that one scripture he’d held to and had faith in through all his hard times.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most high
Will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord,” He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust..”
Surely He will save you from the fowlers snare
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wing you will find refuge.
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night
Not the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
Nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
Ten thousand at your right hand,
But it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment
Of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling-
Even the lord, who is my
Refuge-then no harm will befall you,
No disaster will come near our tent.
For he will command his angels
Concerning you
To guard you in all your ways;
So that you will not strike your foot
Against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
You will trample the great lion and the serpent.

Because he loves me,”
I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him, with long life
will I satisfy him and show him
my salvation.

A few weeks ago I was talking to my son Daniel, before he left for Iraq and I’d told him that story…”Man that’s cool, I want one” he said…so I told him I would be happy to make him one. On this day, yesterday, I was determined to take my permanent sharp tipped laundry marker and as nicely and clearly as I was able, to record Psalm 91 on the kerchief for my son Daniel, to have with him when he goes back to Iraq and then to Afghanistan after Christmas.

I sat on the floor with my pen and carefully worked on the project until it was finished and I read it out loud. Again I marveled at how powerful and loving this Psalm is.

I held the kerchief in my hand and prayed that God would honor my prayers and protect my son. I prayed my prayer in this order. I pray Father God always for salvation for my son. I pray father that you will protect my son, but moreover Lord I pray for your divine will in my son Daniel’s life.

Then I folded it neatly in half and got in my car to meet Misty and Blake at my daughters home, to pick them up and say our good-byes and head back to her sisters home where she could get a ride to the airport to head home.

My destination was about two miles away and just a few blocks from my daughters home a car came out of no where and crashed into me. I could feel myself shaking all over when it was over. I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t talk at first. but I knew God was with me and I decided to stay where I was at until the police came. Then I realized maybe I should call the police to make sure that they come so I reached for my phone and I dialed 911.

I was three quarters of the way through the middle of the intersection. My car was blocking traffic. The other people (driving the other vehicle) quickly got out and the woman started screaming obscenities to me with a baby on her hip. She continued to scream about how her car was ruined and she was angry that there was little damage to my car. I stayed in my car, I could hear multiple sirens in the distance. A man came up to my window…he was trimming his lawn but he came over to me to ask if I was ok and to tell me not to worry, I asked him if he would stay with me until the Police came and he said yes. Another younger man came to the passenger window and told me not to be afraid of the people out there and to stay in the car, he said that I would be all right, and he winked kindly at me. The first man, He stayed at my window as I waited for the police. Someone called for an ambulance but I said that I felt all right and I asked how the other family was, was their little boy all right? I was told that there were no injuries.

The Community Officer who had been directing traffic had shared with me that I did not need to worry as I was clearly not at fault and no one was injured.

There was a lot of policemen, a lot of measuring interviewing and still the other driver yelled obscenities…an officer finally addressed her and told her not to talk like that with her little boy present.

Finally it was all over. The last police car had left, and I was free to go, I could still drive my car and I got back in and continued my trek to pick up my daughter in law and my grandson. I thought about Psalm 91 and how God had actively protected me through this whole ordeal. Keeping me safe from injury, any major damage as well as providing two nice men to come and stand guard with me against an aggressive and verbally abusive person. God also provided a community Service man to comfort me with words to assure there was no trouble.
The other driver had much damage to their car, had their car towed away, possibly from lack of insurance (as no insurance company was listed the report ). Also during this whole thing, a young man came up and told the officer that the woman needed to be tested as she was under the influence of marijuana.

I arrived at my destination and brought the handkerchief out of the car with with me…I told my daughter and daughter in law about what I’d just been through….and then I unfolded the handkerchief and told them I wanted to read them something. I read Psalm 91 to them as we stood together on this beautiful sunny cool fall day, standing together in a pile of fall leaves in the front yard. I will always remember reading gods words to them…I will always remember this story, and before I went home that night I prayed for salvation for the driver of the car and her family. I pray that they come to the Lord in a powerful way and that they too can experience the peace that passes all understanding. amen

Wow, Linda what a story! Praise the Lord that He is our everpresent help in times of trouble and that He is always faithful to keep His promises as He did those promises of Psalm 91. Thanks be to Him that you were not hurt and provided with protection in the form of the men that came to your assistance. Thanks so much for sharing!

Amen, thank you, Linda.

Glory to God!
The only thing certain in this universe is the Word of God
all that exist is because he spoke...
I am glad you did the handkerchief for your son..there is power in the name of the Lord
What a history!
Blessed be the name of our God..in leviticus God commanded the children's of Israel to write their words on the walls of their dwelling..now those words are written inside us as well
Give to your son a prayer shawl..as well
in the psalm says He will cover you and under His wings you will find refuge..
That is the secret place of the the Most High..
Thanks Linda.
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.

Hallelujah!!!!!!! God gave me Psalms 91 in a dream a couple of months ago. I've been seeing it EVERYWHERE since then. Praise God for His word!!!!!!!!!!!

Now a year later my son is in the Middle East for a 2nd tour...please remember him in your prayers~ the hardest thing for him, he says ~ is being away from his son. Being in war torn territory cant be easy for any of our people. God bless them.

Linda,

What an awesome testimony of God's love and mercy toward us. I love the 91st Psalm. One of my favorites in fact. There is so much power in God's word! We are praying for your son and all of our soldiers to come home.

Love in Jesus,

Connie

thank you and bless you.

I wanted you all to know that my son came home from serving in the Middle East, safe and sound!!!! Praise God~~ thank you all for your prayers.

Praise God, He is SO GOOD!!!

my home group is doing a study on this psalm, its a study given out by the wounded warrior ministry, there are some great real life testimonies from soldiers who used this psalm in times of distress.
good idea you got there

He carried it in his pocket and I know it meant a lot that I wrote this Psalm on a handkerchief for him~ I was so happy to have hime here...I was baking a pie for him while he was cutting the lawn and I havent felt that happy in such a long time. Praise God!!!