The mapping software on our phones is nothing short of amazing. I put in a destination and the map app gets me there, no matter how many wrong turns I take. If only we had the same app for midlife! I could put in my midlife destination--happy family, lots of grandkids, successful career, robust health--and day by day the app could tell me the shortest route to my dreams come true.

You see, God hasn't called us to seek comfort in the here and now, but to live courageously in these midlife years so that we can make a difference for Him! If that's our goal, we need to fix our eyes--and our praise--firmly on God rather than on our temporal circumstances.

No matter where I go or what happens around me, God is with me, God is helping me, and God is strengthening me. Therefore, I do not need to fear. Better yet, I resolve that I will not fear!

Did you think midlife would be those golden years where you reaped the bountiful harvest of all your hard work and faithfulness in years past? If you are experiencing that right now, praise God! If you are not, praise God anyway, but read on.

Ah, midlife! That season where we mark the years by the appearance of new wrinkles around our eyes and lines across our foreheads. In Psalm 42 & 43 we find that the experience of being face-to-face with God can uplift not only our hearts, but also our faces. No creams, needles, or surgical interventions required!

As I've moved through the seasons of life, I have come to deeply appreciate the blessings of midlife. There's wisdom that only comes with years, and two of the important lessons have been these: time can be more valuable than money and rest is good for the body and soul. Psalm 62 brings these lessons into focus with clarity and grace.

In the last 26 installments of our studies in the Psalms, we have journeyed together through Book One of the Psalms (made up of Psalms 1-41) and we are now ready to embark on Book Two of Psalms. According to scholars, Book Two, containing Psalms 42 through 72, parallels the book of Exodus and the journey of the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt to the establishment of the tabernacle.

A quick, God-focused response to any crisis is the key to preventing longterm despair and bitterness. But once we've struggled through the initial shock and have fixed our eyes firmly on our Savior for guidance, we soon find ourselves wondering, "How do I recover from this?" Great question! God wants to bring you through the valley of shadow and into rejoicing on the far side of each crisis we face, and Psalm 40 gives us some guidelines for getting there.

Have you ever felt surrounded? Thankfully, few of us have been physically surrounded by enemies on all sides with no chance of escape. But what if I change the question a bit, and ask if you have ever felt spiritually surrounded, backed into a corner, or under attack? Psalm 36 reminds us that God has provided a safe haven for his people right here on earth, right in the middle of the struggle. That haven is His lovingkindness.

If you have ever climbed a steep trail to a mountaintop vista or hiked deep into the woods in search of a hidden waterfall, then you know the feeling of awe at the first sighting of your objective. There is a sudden hush of reverence that descends as you take in the beauty of God's creation. No words are needed because no words are adequate: silence is the only appropriate response.