The Power of Praise...

As I was standing at the kitchen sink earlier this morning doing last night's supper & late night snack dishes, I took the opportunity to pray for some things that are heavy on my heart right now. It was quiet. Kyle was gone to work. MaKayla is away. Mal was still sleeping. It was just me & Jesus doing the dishes! ;) Our family has some things going on at the present time that are beyond our control. That never leave our mind. That only God can change, heal & restore. Some of those things fall into the physical realm... Some the spiritual... Some the emotional... Some the relational... All of which we cannot fix... Only God.

As I prayed & cried out to Him, interceding specifically for each burden, He reminded me of the power in PRAISE! And since PRAISE is my word for 2012, I have been disciplining myself to trade my worries, my sadness, my anger, my frustrations, my burdens, my anxiety, my uncertainty, my doubt, my fear...into PRAISE! I am learning to recognize when these thoughts, feelings & emotions are taking up residency in my heart, mind & spirit & immediately counteract them with PRAISE! I would humbly admit that it isn't always easy...

Yet as I stood there this morning, looking out at the newly fallen snow, seeing the shadows being formed by the rising sun, I was reminded to PRAISE & as I surrendered those heavy burdens over to the Lord & began to focus on PRAISING Him, my heart, mind & spirit were filled with instant & unexplainable peace.

As I finished washing the last dish, waited for my kettle to get hot & listened to Jim Brickman's hymns playing on my CD player, through an intent of PRAISE, I was reminded of how good & faithful & trustworthy God is. How amazing it is to serve an awesome & wonderful Creator....

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The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang:

“He is good;
his love endures forever.”

Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.

2 Chronicles 5:13~14