Oh, come, oh, call me, Matthew.

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I can remember it like it was yesterday. We were slowly walking down this trail.

It was blazing hot in the middle of the summer, right here in the heat of Oklahoma.

Hot, humid, the sun was fully bearing down on us.

I remember my nose hairs being cinched because it was so hot.

I noticed my son matching my steps as we walked down closely,

side by side, down this narrow trail.

His little legs were stretching out as far as they possibly could to keep up with my stride,

to match step by step with me.

He smiled and looked up at me and said, look, dad, look, I'm walking in your shade.

He found the shadow, the safe place to walk. I love that my side was my son's shield, giving him protection from the blazing heat.

We may not always see it or fill it.

We might forget that it's even there at times or even wonder if God has left us

to fend for ourselves in the heat of hard situations

in our lives. But his protection is real. He can't forget us or ignore us. If we belong to him,

his love is too great, far too great to leave us on our own.

Someone needs this word today.

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