Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow death.......I suppose the 23rd Psalm is the first scripture I memorized as a child. It has always been my go to for comfort. When I have actually walked in the shadow of death before each procedure to remove brain tumors or to fix aneurysms in my head, I would recite the "yea though I walk through the shadow of death....."

However this week the scripture has taken on a different meaning for me. Monday, January 27th makes one year since my niece Megan died at the age of 24. As I have pondered this I have thought to myself, death of one so young casts a long shadow. Without her it seems like a valley "in" the shadow of her death. Her parents live in the shadow of her death. Her brother lives in the shadow of her death. Her grandparents live in the shadow of her death. Sometimes we laugh at some memory of her. Sometimes we simply smile as we remember. But sometimes we sit in the valley of the shadow of her death and weep. At those times there are no words, only our sorrow.

But that is not the end of the scripture; "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." So I am not alone in my grief. We are not alone in our grief. God walks with me through this valley, in her shadow. We are not alone in our grief. God walks with us through this valley, in her shadow. And in spite of all the sorrow I am eternally grateful that I am the aunt of Megan Autry. I am grateful for how she enriched my life. And yes in a way I am grateful to sit in the shadow that she has cast. Because it means that she lived and that I loved her and I still love her.

"The Lord is my shepherd....."