Several times throughout the day yesterday I heard this passage:
Isaiah 40:27-31 (The Message)
27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, "God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me"? Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, He gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.
The last part of that passage has been one of my favorite verses of encouragement for a long time, but for some reason the passage, as a whole, really spoke to me yesterday.
I felt like God was saying, "Stop complaining and whining Marla....I haven't lost track of you or your situation." Sometimes life is hard and we forget that even though our circumstances are dark, God is still in charge. He has the final say in every event that we encounter...isn't that amazing? NOTHING comes our way without passing through His hands first!
I would love to hear your thoughts on that. And in the meantime, don't get discouraged, for even young people grow weary but God gives "fresh strength"
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Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Motherly Advice
I wrote this article some time ago (back when I only had 4 kids) I thought it would be good to share since Mother's Day is coming up, hope you enjoy:
As the mother of four I have learned much about parenting but I think it can all be summed up in one sentence. “Just when you think you know what you are doing, you have realized that you have no idea!” My children are pretty close together in age (at one time I had three kids under the age of 3) and so we have done our parenting in nice, neat (???) chunks. Pregnancy came first. Oh, I remember waiting impatiently for that beautiful baby to come so I could hold him or rock her! Do you know how long a pregnancy lasts??? Nine very l-o-n-g months. Nine! When I was feeling weary of being pregnant and eager to hold my precious baby I would seek the counsel of an older, wiser friend. “They are a whole lot easier to take care of now than when they arrive,” she would counsel.
“You call puking at the very thought of food, not sleeping on your stomach for as long as you can remember, and going to the bathroom a million times a day easy!” I would think to myself.
Inevitably the day would arrive for the glorious birth of this precious bundle. With his/her arrival came the beginning of the “Diaper Years.” What fun these years were. Just when you had them all dressed and presentable they would surprise you with a little present! Also during these years they would eat everything they weren’t suppose to and nothing they were. Pulling hair, biting, and spitting-up were favorite past times. When I had reached the end of my rope I would call for the counsel of one of my older, wiser friends. She would listen awhile, laugh a lot and always end with this advice, “Enjoy this time, it gets harder as they get older.”
“Harder then messy diapers, piles of laundry, and no sleep? I doubt it!” I would think to myself.
Then we moved to the “Toddler Years,” which just so happens to overlap the Diaper Years. You have probably heard the Toddler’s Creed before but it does so well to sum up what these years are like. It goes like this:
If I want it – it’s mine!
If I give it to you and change my mind later – it’s mine!
If I can take it away from you – it’s mine!
If I had it a little while ago – it’s mine!
If it’s mine it will never belong to anyone else- no matter what!
If we are building something together, all of the pieces are mine!
If it looks just like mine – It is mine!
Anonymous
Problem is I had three toddlers at one time so everything, everywhere, was everyone’s…ugh! Now when we were struggling through these years I again sought the counsel of older, wiser friends who would offer advice and insight like, “Enjoy this time, they are only little once.”
“Yeah but that once is never ending,” I would mutter under my breath. They would smile and laugh when I would tell them that one of my kids got a drink all by themselves- out of the toilet! Now to me there is nothing funny about having to brush a two year old's teeth twelve times to be sure you have removed every germ he could have possibly gotten from half a swallow of toilet water. (Okay so maybe my sense of humor was dulled by not sleeping for the past three years??)
From the Toddler Years we moved to the “Preschool Years.” Now we were having fun! Playdough, finger painting and oh, the brutal honesty of preschoolers. None of my older, wiser friends had cautioned me about this. Nowhere in any of the parenting books or magazines had there been a warning label: “WARNING: Do not listen to or seek advice from preschool children, especially your own!!!” I wish someone had told me before I learned the hard way. “How do you like Mommy’s new dress?”
“You look like grandma,” was the joyful reply. Now don’t get me wrong, I love grandma. I am just in no hurry to look like her!
One of my favorite stories from this chunk of time is when I was pregnant with my fourth child. I was in the bathroom doing my hair when my oldest preschooler came in to watch. “Mommy you are so pretty,” he said.
“Thank you Bubba!” I replied with great enthusiasm, mixed with a small amount of surprise at getting a compliment.
“Well, I know you want me to say you’re pretty…..” came his hesitant retort. Oh how I wish he had stopped there! “but you have a boy’s haircut so I guess you are handsome!” Of course by this time I had already begun to learn all about the words of a preschool child and as any mother would I treasured this as a compliment….after all I am handsome!
When I would cry to one of my older, wiser friends about the joys and trials of raising a houseful of preschoolers she would smile and laugh. Then she would say, “Enjoy this time, you will miss it someday.”
“Miss being told you look like grandma and have bad hair?” I would question doubtfully.
Admittedly I have only made it to the “School Years” at this point in our journey. Though I have homeschooled up until this year, all but one of my precious bundles entered the public school this September. I thought the “Empty Nest” was something parents of college age kids suffered through but it seems to have hit here this fall. Not one of my older, wiser friends warned me about how much I would miss their giggles during the day. Not one of them told me that I really wouldn’t enjoy going to the bathroom all by myself as much as I thought I would. No one mentioned that macaroni and cheese with a roomful of children tastes ten times better than a nice lunch to yourself. Not one of them told me that I would miss being pregnant, or that diaper changing was easier than making them go to school when they want to stay home with mommy. Or that sibling rivalry was easy compared to dealing with school bullies. I know if my younger friends come to me for advice I’ll be sure to tell them how much easier babies are to take care of when they are in the womb. That they should enjoy the time they have with their children when they are little. I will remind them that it only gets harder as their children get older and that they will miss them someday. Then I will hug them, offer to take their kids for the afternoon and smile knowing that in reality they will have to figure it out for themselves.
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:20
Marla Graham
January 4, 2002
As the mother of four I have learned much about parenting but I think it can all be summed up in one sentence. “Just when you think you know what you are doing, you have realized that you have no idea!” My children are pretty close together in age (at one time I had three kids under the age of 3) and so we have done our parenting in nice, neat (???) chunks. Pregnancy came first. Oh, I remember waiting impatiently for that beautiful baby to come so I could hold him or rock her! Do you know how long a pregnancy lasts??? Nine very l-o-n-g months. Nine! When I was feeling weary of being pregnant and eager to hold my precious baby I would seek the counsel of an older, wiser friend. “They are a whole lot easier to take care of now than when they arrive,” she would counsel.
“You call puking at the very thought of food, not sleeping on your stomach for as long as you can remember, and going to the bathroom a million times a day easy!” I would think to myself.
Inevitably the day would arrive for the glorious birth of this precious bundle. With his/her arrival came the beginning of the “Diaper Years.” What fun these years were. Just when you had them all dressed and presentable they would surprise you with a little present! Also during these years they would eat everything they weren’t suppose to and nothing they were. Pulling hair, biting, and spitting-up were favorite past times. When I had reached the end of my rope I would call for the counsel of one of my older, wiser friends. She would listen awhile, laugh a lot and always end with this advice, “Enjoy this time, it gets harder as they get older.”
“Harder then messy diapers, piles of laundry, and no sleep? I doubt it!” I would think to myself.
Then we moved to the “Toddler Years,” which just so happens to overlap the Diaper Years. You have probably heard the Toddler’s Creed before but it does so well to sum up what these years are like. It goes like this:
If I want it – it’s mine!
If I give it to you and change my mind later – it’s mine!
If I can take it away from you – it’s mine!
If I had it a little while ago – it’s mine!
If it’s mine it will never belong to anyone else- no matter what!
If we are building something together, all of the pieces are mine!
If it looks just like mine – It is mine!
Anonymous
Problem is I had three toddlers at one time so everything, everywhere, was everyone’s…ugh! Now when we were struggling through these years I again sought the counsel of older, wiser friends who would offer advice and insight like, “Enjoy this time, they are only little once.”
“Yeah but that once is never ending,” I would mutter under my breath. They would smile and laugh when I would tell them that one of my kids got a drink all by themselves- out of the toilet! Now to me there is nothing funny about having to brush a two year old's teeth twelve times to be sure you have removed every germ he could have possibly gotten from half a swallow of toilet water. (Okay so maybe my sense of humor was dulled by not sleeping for the past three years??)
From the Toddler Years we moved to the “Preschool Years.” Now we were having fun! Playdough, finger painting and oh, the brutal honesty of preschoolers. None of my older, wiser friends had cautioned me about this. Nowhere in any of the parenting books or magazines had there been a warning label: “WARNING: Do not listen to or seek advice from preschool children, especially your own!!!” I wish someone had told me before I learned the hard way. “How do you like Mommy’s new dress?”
“You look like grandma,” was the joyful reply. Now don’t get me wrong, I love grandma. I am just in no hurry to look like her!
One of my favorite stories from this chunk of time is when I was pregnant with my fourth child. I was in the bathroom doing my hair when my oldest preschooler came in to watch. “Mommy you are so pretty,” he said.
“Thank you Bubba!” I replied with great enthusiasm, mixed with a small amount of surprise at getting a compliment.
“Well, I know you want me to say you’re pretty…..” came his hesitant retort. Oh how I wish he had stopped there! “but you have a boy’s haircut so I guess you are handsome!” Of course by this time I had already begun to learn all about the words of a preschool child and as any mother would I treasured this as a compliment….after all I am handsome!
When I would cry to one of my older, wiser friends about the joys and trials of raising a houseful of preschoolers she would smile and laugh. Then she would say, “Enjoy this time, you will miss it someday.”
“Miss being told you look like grandma and have bad hair?” I would question doubtfully.
Admittedly I have only made it to the “School Years” at this point in our journey. Though I have homeschooled up until this year, all but one of my precious bundles entered the public school this September. I thought the “Empty Nest” was something parents of college age kids suffered through but it seems to have hit here this fall. Not one of my older, wiser friends warned me about how much I would miss their giggles during the day. Not one of them told me that I really wouldn’t enjoy going to the bathroom all by myself as much as I thought I would. No one mentioned that macaroni and cheese with a roomful of children tastes ten times better than a nice lunch to yourself. Not one of them told me that I would miss being pregnant, or that diaper changing was easier than making them go to school when they want to stay home with mommy. Or that sibling rivalry was easy compared to dealing with school bullies. I know if my younger friends come to me for advice I’ll be sure to tell them how much easier babies are to take care of when they are in the womb. That they should enjoy the time they have with their children when they are little. I will remind them that it only gets harder as their children get older and that they will miss them someday. Then I will hug them, offer to take their kids for the afternoon and smile knowing that in reality they will have to figure it out for themselves.
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:20
Marla Graham
January 4, 2002
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Hope has risen!
I was reminded at the Good Friday service that by sometimes we just don't get it.
Take the disciples for example, Jesus told them multiple times that He was going to be crucified, that He was not here the long haul, that He was not here to be the type of king they were expecting. Yet as the events of that dark day unfolded, they were shocked, saddened, and full of despair.
When the earth trembled and the curtain was torn, they were filled with terror because of their lack of understanding.
Makes me wonder how often that is true of me. Actually, it makes me think of our current battle for my niece and nephew. It is dark from where I am standing, the earth is trembling under my feet, I just don't get it! But that doesn't mean that God isn't working.
In fact, just a few days later the disciples visited with the Resurrected Jesus. A hopeless situation was suddenly filled with new hope.
So what situation are you having that is filled with despair? Don't give up, remember we serve a God that brings life where there was death, who brings hope where there was despair. Halleluiah!
Take the disciples for example, Jesus told them multiple times that He was going to be crucified, that He was not here the long haul, that He was not here to be the type of king they were expecting. Yet as the events of that dark day unfolded, they were shocked, saddened, and full of despair.
When the earth trembled and the curtain was torn, they were filled with terror because of their lack of understanding.
Makes me wonder how often that is true of me. Actually, it makes me think of our current battle for my niece and nephew. It is dark from where I am standing, the earth is trembling under my feet, I just don't get it! But that doesn't mean that God isn't working.
In fact, just a few days later the disciples visited with the Resurrected Jesus. A hopeless situation was suddenly filled with new hope.
So what situation are you having that is filled with despair? Don't give up, remember we serve a God that brings life where there was death, who brings hope where there was despair. Halleluiah!
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Monday, April 18, 2011
Easter is...
I wrote this poem back in high school but I think it is still relevant:
Easter Is....
Colored eggs and candy
The Easter bunny too,
Are all a part of Easter
And what it means to you
But these aren't important
when you think about it all,
Christ up on the cross
To save us when we fall.
Imagine how it must have felt
To see that empty tomb,
The doubts they must have had
But what else could they assume?
Putting the pieces together
Seeing their mistakes,
The guilt they must have felt
Knowing Christ had died for all their sakes.
But now Easter is a happy time
To rejoice and for all to sing,
For Jesus Christ has risen
Our Eternal Lord and King!
Easter Is....
Colored eggs and candy
The Easter bunny too,
Are all a part of Easter
And what it means to you
But these aren't important
when you think about it all,
Christ up on the cross
To save us when we fall.
Imagine how it must have felt
To see that empty tomb,
The doubts they must have had
But what else could they assume?
Putting the pieces together
Seeing their mistakes,
The guilt they must have felt
Knowing Christ had died for all their sakes.
But now Easter is a happy time
To rejoice and for all to sing,
For Jesus Christ has risen
Our Eternal Lord and King!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Sacrifice
With all of this going on, God and I have had quite a few conversations. Well in the mist of my latest fit, God reminded me that He has been where I stand. In fact, He had to send his son, Jesus, away from home too. He had to send him to a cruel, unsafe place. A place where He knew that his son would not be well taken care of. He had to hug and kiss Him goodbye and then go to work. I bet He wanted to grab Him and run the other way.
Instead, God sent his son to live amongst imperfect people. And not just to live amongst them, but to die a cruel and painful death FOR them. This Easter season, like never before, I understand the depth of that sacrifice, how hard it must have been for God to knowingly let go of Jesus.
My heart is breaking, but how much more did God's heart break? But in the well known words of John 3:16, "God so loved the world" (that is you and me, that is my niece and nephew....that is even my brother), "that He gave his only son" (an amazing sacrifice) "that who ever believes in him (Jesus) will have everlasting life." So God endured this heartbreaking pain so that you and I could live forever in Heaven with Him. This Easter season, don't miss that truth of that, don't let Jesus death be for nothing.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Splinters and Wounds
“Ouch!” Kate exclaimed out loud grabbing her forearm. “How many times have I told you not to climb that nasty old fence?” pointed out Kate’s mother who was trying to clean the wound on Kate’s arm in between having her daughter pull away.
“Would you stay still please?!” exclaimed Kate’s mom, but Kate didn’t think she could take her mother touching the sore spot one more time. “Okay mom that’s enough!” shrieked Kate exclaimed pulling away for the last time. “I don’t even have it all the way cleaned. I need to see it better than that, you need to let me see if there’s anything in there,” Kate’s mother objected. But Kate would have none of it. “It’s fine just leave it alone mom.” Kate’s mother threw up her hands. “Fine. You’re a big girl, but don’t come crying to me when it’s all infected.”
After a few days the wound healed up but the area still remained sore. She tried to put it out of her mind. After a week and a half the wound was still very sore. As Kate walked through the kitchen one day her mom stopped her surprised, “Your arm looks terrible. Does it still hurt?” Kate, reluctant to answer sheepishly replied, “I was hoping you wouldn’t see that.” “We need to get the Doctor to look at that,” her mother said picking up the phone.
Soon Kate was sitting in the doctor’s office. “That looks horribly painful, Dr. Harrison stated, What have you been doing to take care of it?” Doctor Harrison was well aware of Kate’s refusal to have her mom take care of the wound. He turned Kate’s arm over to see it. “It’s terribly infected Kate.” Dr. Harrison moved his face closer to the wound inspecting it thoroughly. “Kate, I think something’s in there.” He poked at the wound and Kate let out a yelp. “There sure is” said her mother looking over the family doctor’s shoulder. “We’re going to have to get that out of there.” said Dr. Harrison turning around to his cabinet. He began getting out some of the tools needed to take care of the wound. Then Kate saw a surgical knife. “What are you going to do with that!!” she said almost in a scream. “Well Kate, I’m going to have to cut that wound back open to get whatever’s in there out.” Kate was not happy with that at all. “Can’t you just leave it in there?” she objected. “Not if you want that to heal without your arm falling off first we can’t.” Kate knew the look in Dr. Harrison’s eye was serious.
As Dr. Harrison finished he carried a tray over to Kate’s mom. “That’s a pretty big chunk of that old fence that was in Kate’s arm.” He said holding the piece of wood with a pair of tweezers. Kate’s mother stared at her and said, “Next time you’ll listen to me won’t you?” Kate only nodded her head in embarrassment.
So many times in life we go through circumstances receiving wounds from people we love. Too many times we tend to brush off these wounds as not needing much attention or as being too painful to deal with. Maybe it is the splinters of anger or hurt? Maybe it is frustration, jealousy, or bitterness? Maybe it is resentment or some other splinter? When we leave these splinters in the wound that is created without properly dealing with them they leave us wounded. Then when we get “bumped into” by other circumstances or people the pain returns. Over time the “splinters” cause festering and infection until the pain is so great we begin to lash out because of our wounds. There are times in our lives where we need to “go to Dr. Harrison’s.” We need to, as painful as it is, get that splinter out of the wound so it can properly heal. Do you have this kind of wound? Have you had it properly taken care of? Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24 and 18:15-17 that we need to deal with the problems between us. There are so many reasons for this. But first and foremost is the promotion of love that God desires. Are you nursing a wound with a splinter? Have you tried to reconcile it? Get help. You’ll be glad you did
- Jerry Graham (my hubbie)
Truth is we all have splinters. Maybe they are new and just need some quiet time and prayer to get them out? Or maybe they have been there for quite some time and will require a bit more attention before they can heal. Sometimes we don’t even realize we have a splinter until it gets bumped into by someone or something else. Whatever the case may be those splinters have to go. God’s word is filled with answers and healing ointment for these wounds. If you are struggling to find specific verses or have more questions please contact me. Another great source is a book entitled, Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldredge. Chapter six is particularly helpful!
“Would you stay still please?!” exclaimed Kate’s mom, but Kate didn’t think she could take her mother touching the sore spot one more time. “Okay mom that’s enough!” shrieked Kate exclaimed pulling away for the last time. “I don’t even have it all the way cleaned. I need to see it better than that, you need to let me see if there’s anything in there,” Kate’s mother objected. But Kate would have none of it. “It’s fine just leave it alone mom.” Kate’s mother threw up her hands. “Fine. You’re a big girl, but don’t come crying to me when it’s all infected.”
After a few days the wound healed up but the area still remained sore. She tried to put it out of her mind. After a week and a half the wound was still very sore. As Kate walked through the kitchen one day her mom stopped her surprised, “Your arm looks terrible. Does it still hurt?” Kate, reluctant to answer sheepishly replied, “I was hoping you wouldn’t see that.” “We need to get the Doctor to look at that,” her mother said picking up the phone.
Soon Kate was sitting in the doctor’s office. “That looks horribly painful, Dr. Harrison stated, What have you been doing to take care of it?” Doctor Harrison was well aware of Kate’s refusal to have her mom take care of the wound. He turned Kate’s arm over to see it. “It’s terribly infected Kate.” Dr. Harrison moved his face closer to the wound inspecting it thoroughly. “Kate, I think something’s in there.” He poked at the wound and Kate let out a yelp. “There sure is” said her mother looking over the family doctor’s shoulder. “We’re going to have to get that out of there.” said Dr. Harrison turning around to his cabinet. He began getting out some of the tools needed to take care of the wound. Then Kate saw a surgical knife. “What are you going to do with that!!” she said almost in a scream. “Well Kate, I’m going to have to cut that wound back open to get whatever’s in there out.” Kate was not happy with that at all. “Can’t you just leave it in there?” she objected. “Not if you want that to heal without your arm falling off first we can’t.” Kate knew the look in Dr. Harrison’s eye was serious.
As Dr. Harrison finished he carried a tray over to Kate’s mom. “That’s a pretty big chunk of that old fence that was in Kate’s arm.” He said holding the piece of wood with a pair of tweezers. Kate’s mother stared at her and said, “Next time you’ll listen to me won’t you?” Kate only nodded her head in embarrassment.
So many times in life we go through circumstances receiving wounds from people we love. Too many times we tend to brush off these wounds as not needing much attention or as being too painful to deal with. Maybe it is the splinters of anger or hurt? Maybe it is frustration, jealousy, or bitterness? Maybe it is resentment or some other splinter? When we leave these splinters in the wound that is created without properly dealing with them they leave us wounded. Then when we get “bumped into” by other circumstances or people the pain returns. Over time the “splinters” cause festering and infection until the pain is so great we begin to lash out because of our wounds. There are times in our lives where we need to “go to Dr. Harrison’s.” We need to, as painful as it is, get that splinter out of the wound so it can properly heal. Do you have this kind of wound? Have you had it properly taken care of? Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24 and 18:15-17 that we need to deal with the problems between us. There are so many reasons for this. But first and foremost is the promotion of love that God desires. Are you nursing a wound with a splinter? Have you tried to reconcile it? Get help. You’ll be glad you did
- Jerry Graham (my hubbie)
Truth is we all have splinters. Maybe they are new and just need some quiet time and prayer to get them out? Or maybe they have been there for quite some time and will require a bit more attention before they can heal. Sometimes we don’t even realize we have a splinter until it gets bumped into by someone or something else. Whatever the case may be those splinters have to go. God’s word is filled with answers and healing ointment for these wounds. If you are struggling to find specific verses or have more questions please contact me. Another great source is a book entitled, Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldredge. Chapter six is particularly helpful!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Anxiety
Last time we took a look at hope and how sometimes life sends disappointments our way but that when we hope in the Lord we will never be disappointed. This month I thought we could take a look at what I think is the opposite of hope~ anxiety. You see if our hope is in the Lord and we remember to stay focused on that then nothing this world throws at us should shake us, right? That being said, I would like to confess that I am one of the world’s biggest worriers. I worry about school starting and sending my kids out into that lion’s den, I worry about teaching them healthy eating habits, about their teeth and health. I worry about parent’s health, our finances, my nieces and nephews, whether I have been a good example of Christ in my words and actions. Just in case that isn’t enough, I worry about my kid’s friends, my neighbor’s, hey I even worry about my neighbor’s cat, and as many of you know, I worry every time I drive across a bridge, so much so that I have actually practiced an escape drill with my kids, right here in central Illinois, miles away from any major bodies of water. Of course after the Minnesota collapse that fear doesn’t seem quite so far fetched.
Now some of you are probably guessing that I am going to refer to the passage in Matthew that warns us that worrying will not add one day to our lives, and indeed we know from Psalm 139 that God has already numbered our days. Or maybe you are thinking I will refer to the part of that passage that says not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worries of its own. And of course that is true as well. The verses that I want to look at though are found in Hebrews 10:35-36. The passage says, “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”
The reason I chose this passage is because if we are believers in Christ then we do have a confidence that comes from knowing we are in His hands. I love the strength of that word here. It makes me think back to when I first accepted Christ into my heart. The excitement and fervor of realizing what I had been seeking so desperately for was now clear to me. The hope that washed away all the worries, heartaches and struggles I had faced up to that point was mine to share with the world. Makes me think of the lyrics to a praise chorus, “Lord I feel like dancing, its foolishness I know…” Believing came easy for me then.
Oh but the next word is endurance. There is a different strength in that word. The image that pops in my mind is my grandpa sitting in his rocking chair sharing stories about his days as a coal miner. The things he endured were amazing and sometimes life threatening but it shaped him into who he became. You didn’t know my grandpa, but how about Corey ten Boom or Mother Theresa, now those ladies knew what it meant to endure. Several songs pop into my mind with this one. First an old praise chorus based on the Psalm, “We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord…” I once heard a worship leader scoff at this song and ask, “How can praise be a sacrifice?” However, sometimes when life is tough it is a sacrifice to praise God rather than question Him. A more recent song that points to endurance is from Casting Crowns, I Will Praise You In This Storm. The lyrics remind us to endure, “I will praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands…where does my help come from, my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth…” In the walk of a believer we have confidence in who we are and where we are headed but the road is pebbled with endurance.
No worries* though because next up is, promised. The verse finishes out by reminding us, “when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” So we can have confidence that we are in God’s hand, we can know that hard times will come but God is our deliverer, but we can hope for heaven, it is what he promised! Now I don’t know about you but that gets me excited! “Lord I feel like dancing, it’s foolishness I know…”
*Pun intended!
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