Tag: praise

Start the New Year with Praise

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Yesterday, the calendar flipped a page and the year became new, a clean slate, ready for you to write on it your plans for each day. But, as you contemplate what those plans will be, I urge you to first spend time with God, praising Him for a new year and a new beginning. Maybe last year was particularly hard for you or perhaps it was a great year for you and you have no idea how you would ever top it. God doesn’t want to change your plans. He wants to change you so that you will know His heart and follow His pathway for you. I think it all begins with praise.

We go to sporting events and wear strange colors and shout for a team that will entertain us for the next couple of hours. Why don’t we spend more time exalting the one who holds us in the palm of His hand and who loves us with an everlasting love?

When we lived in Maine, I was always happy to get behind the snow plow because I knew that he was clearing the road for me to drive on so that I didn’t wander off the road into a ditch or slide off into the surrounding landscape. I think of God as my snow plow, going before me and clearing the way. But it’s not just any path that He is clearing; it is the path that He has prepared for me to take, if I just trust Him to lead. First praise, then trust, then step out into the new year filled with endless possibilities. Mostly, it is filled with God’s promises that we can claim as we get closer to our Maker.

May your New Year be blessed with praise, thanksgiving, and trust.

By the way, I don’t do resolutions. But I do a word for each year. Last year’s word was “trust.” This year’s word is “listen.” I want to be attuned to listen to the voice of the Lord and to actively listen to those around me instead of being absorbed in my own life. Do you have a word for the year. Feel free to share it in the comments.

Night Watches

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

Are you a morning lark or a night owl? I have always been a morning person, no matter how late I stay up. I awaken at about dawn and get up to start my day. However, there are many nights when I cannot sleep, tossing and turning, going to the bathroom, drinking water, etc. I discovered years ago when I am unable to sleep that it is a perfect time to talk to God. During the late night or early morning hours, with my husband sleeping next to me, I just tell God all that is troubling me and then I listen for Him to speak His loving reassurance into my heart. Sometimes though, my night watch becomes a praise session, thankfulness for all that has gone right recently in my life. I have found that these nighttime prayers, although rare for me, invigorate me for the new day when I awaken to face it.

God’s promises are many and I have found that as I speak them back to Him, I am not reminding Him of His promises, but rather, I am reminding myself of what is already in His Word and there for me. Psalm 91 is a favorite of mine to recite in the night when I cannot sleep. Hiding under His wings gives me comfort and often I fall asleep meditating on those verses or on a chorus that encourages me.

The night watch is a good time to intercede for loved ones as well as for strangers that I have encountered during the day. God knows their needs and I think He leads me to pray for those who need it most. Pouring out my heart before God is good for me; it allows my heart to be emptied and ready to be filled by His sweet presence again.

If the Son of God spent the night praying to God, it should not be hard to imagine that God may at times call each of us to spend time in a night watch. Perhaps a few minutes, an hour or more, or all night. That is between you and God. I just encourage you to be open to God’s speaking to you at night when you are having difficulty sleeping. Perhaps a better use of your time than tossing about is to just talk to our Heavenly Father and release any burdens you have left from the previous day, knowing that He is there listening no matter how late it is.

In Jesus’ Name by Katy Nichole

The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli

Promises, Warnings and Praise

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments
Can you imagine anything better than knowing that you have a ticket to Heaven and don’t have to worry about dying and what will happen afterwards? This is a promise we can count on!
A reason to desire to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I want to be counted as righteous and to be remembered as righteous. Remember all of the bad kings listed in Chronicles? I remember a few, but I am more likely to remember those to whom God ascribed righteousness and favor, like King David. He was not perfect, but he was in right standing before God. Be a David, not an Amon.
What a promise! Read it again and let it sink in! God, the Creator of the Universe cares about Y-O-U!

Blessing and honor and glory to God and may He bless you with the truth of His Word today and every day!

Praise During Chaos

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture13 Comments

Life is happening again and we could use prayers, but we are not forgetting how good God has always been to us. We are in Maryland and supposed to celebrate our youngest grandson’s first birthday today. Instead, we are packing and getting ready to travel home because our oldest granddaughter, eighteen year old Iris, is in the hospital in ICU after suffering a seizure in the swimming pool last night. Please pray for traveling mercies for me and my husband and for her father Scott who is flying back from a teacher conference in Kansas and will arrive tonight. And, of course, the biggest prayer request is for Iris. She is autistic and nonverbal and has been on seizure medication for years, hospitalized various times but this is the first time in the pool and she aspirated water. She has been taken off of oxygen this morning and the doctor says she is doing well but wants to keep her a few days for observation to make sure she doesn’t develop pneumonia. Thank you all for your friendship and prayers. God is in control! Praise His Name even in chaos and when plans have to change!

Have a blessed and safe day.

Praise God

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

bible.com/bible/113/psa.66.20.NIVUK

I think all of us can relate to times when our faith was low and we thought we had failed God. Last week was such a time for me, but I clung tightly to the One in whom I believe and He is restoring me. I’m still struggling in some areas, but God knows and He is meeting me right where I am, just as He will do for you.

God bless you and your day with Him and His presence, reminding you of His love and faithfulness.

Trust In God’s Love

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Notice what comes after the action verbs. Trust in your unfailing love. Rejoice in your salvation. Sing the Lord’s praise. Why do we trust, rejoice and sing? Because the Lord has been good to us. Every day that we live is a gift. Every breath that we take is from Him. Instead of bemoaning circumstances that we cannot change, let’s choose to trust, rejoice and sing!

Have a blessed and awesome day as you look to the Lord for His salvation and His love and as you praise His name throughout the day.