More From Gael Stuart Phaneuf

Good or bad, some memories stay with us for a lifetime. When I remember the fear I felt as a child running amidst the smoke, flames, and chaos of a large apartment fire, it is no wonder those anxious long-ago images come back to my mind so easily. Fortunately, I know that despite growing in my prayer life through the years, I can still receive comfort and peace today by whispering the simple words of my childhood prayer from that terrible night, “I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”

When I wrote this devotion, it surprised me to recall that at the tender age of six I had already established a prayer life (of sorts). I was very aware of God, the Lord Jesus, and the presence of a Spirit, who was my Companion. I have my grandmother to thank for imparting that life-giving knowledge to me. She saw to it that as soon as I learned to talk, I learned to pray and sing God’s praises. Now I write meditations and poetry as an expression of praise and my continued dependence on God.

Over and over in my life experiences, I have called on the presence of God to stabilize me in times of fear or pain, or to dispel the discouragement of big changes I didn’t want to face. I also try to remain open to the nudge of God through the Holy Spirit by making it a point to read the Bible in various translations to give me a more meaningful perspective on his direction for my life.

I feel more focused and calm when I pray the words from Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (NIV). I am reminded to look for good and be grateful every day when I pray, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22, KJV).

These are the two life verses that I claim as my own; they have eased me through many challenging situations. Despite grappling with some of the difficulties, grief, temptations, and illnesses we all face, I feel the Spirit upholding me when I intentionally keep my heart and mind focused on our faithful Creator and Savior. It truly brings me joy to know that I can call on the Lord at any time and have total assurance that this Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom God has sent to accompany me through the seasons of my life, is indeed keeping my soul every single day.