God is Bigger

Last week I kept mentally repeating a sentence to myself.

God is bigger than this.

It wasn't a particularly hard week, but still it kept running through my mind. Perhaps it was just a reminder that no matter what I'm dealing with, it's no match for God.

God is bigger than whatever problems I'm facing. {Tweet this}

He's greater than the worry I keep trying to give to Him and the emotions that often get the best of me.

He's stronger than any strength I can muster up.

He's more powerful than anything I can plan and accomplish on my own.

It reminds me that my perspective is limited, but God's is not. I can only see what's around me, but God sees it all.

He knows our yesterdays, our todays, and our tomorrows, and there is nothing He can't accomplish if it's in His will to do so. {Tweet this}

No matter what you're facing today, might you pray this Scripture verse with me?

We confess—there is nothing greater than You, God, nothing mightier than Your awesome works. I will tell of Your greatness as long as I have breath.
Psalm 145:6 Voice

We confess all that is in us and praise Him for who He is.

We sit in His presence, rest in His assurance, and wait for His plans to unfold before us.

And all the while, we bask in His love, His grace, mercy, and peace that we'll find nowhere else.

God is indeed bigger than this.

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: #DreamTogether, Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, Trekking Thru, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, #porchstories, #RechargeWednesday, Sitting Among Friends, EncouragingWord Wednesday, #HeartEncouragement, #ChasingCommunity, Moments of Hope, #gracemoments, #DestinationInspiration, #FaithonFire, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, #FreshMarketFriday

Called to Praise

  

I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.

Psalm 145:2 NLT

Several years ago, my word for the year was Praise. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled about the word when the year started. Praise felt like a really big word for when really big things happened—which wasn’t every day. So, what was I supposed to do with the word the rest of the year?

What I learned first is that Praise isn’t supposed to be saved for only the really big events or even what is visible to others.

Praise is meant for every day—the little, the ordinary, and what others might not be able to see.
{Tweet this}

Praise is when we honor God by acknowledging Him in everything we do. It’s looking for Him and His work, no matter if it’s a good day or a rotten day. Praise is thanking God in all situations, even when we don’t feel thankful.

Praise when I don’t feel thankful? Yes, because sometimes we have to practice giving praise before it feels natural.

For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke.

Psalm 66:17 NLT

Our human nature doesn’t lead us to feel thankful when we’re walking in the valley, but that’s precisely when God can do His best work in us. The hard work of changing our hearts and bringing us closer to Him. And creating a desire in us to want to be closer to Him.

The next thing I learned about Praise is that it’s not just for after something happens.

Praise is also meant to be given before we see His work.

How do I know what to praise Him for if it hasn’t happened yet? Because God is always at work, even when we can’t see it or imagine what He might be working on.

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:2 NLT

Praise Him for being who He is—our God and Savior who doesn’t change on a whim. He doesn’t change the rules. And His love for us doesn’t change because He’s having a bad day.

Praise Him because no matter what we’re going through, we can be sure He’s walking beside us. He leads the way before us and watches over us. Sometimes He stays quiet, but we can trust that He’s there.

In those times I desperately need to feel His presence, I ask Him to let me see Him. And then I look for Him even in the slightest way. It might be in new flower buds, the lyrics of a song, an unexpected phone call or text from a friend, or in the way my day turns around through no power of my own.

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!

Psalm 57:7 NLT

That year, I learned to praise God for His presence, for His love and compassion, and because no matter what I regret doing today, tomorrow is a brand new start.

Praise Him because when we look for Him, we will see Him. And the more we see Him, the more we will look for Him.
{Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]

Linking up with: #Moments of Hope, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, From Messes to Messages, Coffee for Your Heart, Recharge Wednesday, Writer Wednesday, Porch Stories, Grace Moments, Rich Faith Rising, #ChasingCommunity, #FaithonFire, #HeartEncouragement, Faith 'n Friends, #FreshMarketFriday, Grace & Truth

Praise and Thanks

Praise the Lord!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1 NLT

Several years ago, my One Word for the year was Praise. It was a word I struggled with and had to grow into.

Praise felt like a big word for when really big things happen—those Oh Wow! times that remind me God is at work.

What I learned throughout the year, though, is that there is always something to praise and thank God for. Always.

It’s not just the extra special days that show me God is present. I learned to look for God in the ordinary moments as well.

That might look like

…a lower bill than expected.

…laughter in the midst of tears.

…an out-of-the-blue call or text that cheers me up.

…appreciation in a situation, despite setbacks.

…hanging out with loved ones.

…fresh raspberries growing in November.

I don’t know what your ordinary moment might be, but might you see in it a glimpse of God?

God’s love for us is unchanging and unending, generation after generation. He is strong and mighty, and His Word is trustworthy.

No matter what our day looks like, regardless of what we can see, or how we feel—God sees it all. He sees you and me, and He cares. More than we are able or can imagine, God cares.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
    Let the whole world know what he has done.

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given…

Psalm 105:1, 4-5 NLT (bold mine)

Lord God, thank You for letting us see You in our everyday moments—both the good ones and the difficult ones. Please forgive us for the times we fail to acknowledge You…for the times we forget to praise You…and for the times we neglect to thank You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: K. Rath 2016]

Linking up with: #SmallWonder, #DreamTogether, #RaRaLinkup, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Grace & Truth

Be Still

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 

Psalm 46:10 ESV

I woke up this morning with this verse going through my mind. Not a coincidence, I suppose, for the day after the election.

I wonder if sometimes we breeze over this verse. Be still, and know that I am God. In our world today, be still makes us think of doing nothing, but doing nothing hardly seems accurate here.

The Hebrew word raphah (raw-faw') means to release or let go; refrain from or let alone; to relax or wait for. Causing yourself to let go of something is hardly doing nothing. Letting go can be hard work.

Children often struggle against their parents, thinking they know what’s best and wanting to do everything themselves. As a parent, I remember all the times I wanted to cry out, “Stop struggling! Let me help you!” Or when I explained, “I know you don’t agree or understand, but you just have to trust me on this.”

Don’t we do the same as adults? We want what we want, and we want it now! We want to understand. We ask When? Why? and How?

I imagine if we stopped struggling and trying to comprehend everything, we might hear Him say, Stop striving and worrying. Let Me be God. I know you don’t understand why or how…you just have to trust Me with this.

It’s not easy, but it is freeing. God is on His throne, no matter what happens, personally or nationally. And for that, I am forever thankful. (Tweet this)

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness and delight;
Come before His presence with joyful singing.
Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His].
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting,His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.

Psalm 100 AMP

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for your everlasting love, truth, and mercy. Please help us to remember that no matter what happens, You are in control. You are on Your throne. May we learn to be still, let go of all we’re struggling to hold on to and worrying about, and let You be God. In Jesus’ sweet name we pray, Amen.

In Christ,

Laura

Linking up with: #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, #RaRaLinkup, Mondays @ Soul Survivor, Thought Provoking Thursday, #HeartEncouragement, #FreshMarketFriday, Faith Filled Friday, Grace & Truth

With the Faith of a Child

In the church where I work, spring break means it’s VBS time. (That’s Vacation Bible School, if you’re unfamiliar.) So, last week, the halls were buzzing with excited children. One morning, I decided to stop in for the opening worship.

I stood in the back with the sound guys and watched as over 100 children laughed and cheered, and sang their little hearts out.

With the faith of a child.

They danced and followed the motions to go with the words of the songs. They didn’t care if anyone was watching.

They sang and danced for Jesus without any inhibitions. They didn’t hold back and they weren’t embarrassed.

And it made me wonder…when do we lose that? Is it in grade school when we start feeling judged and worry about being made fun of? Or even before that?

As adults, aren’t we still like that? Worried about what someone else will think if we sing out loud. Looking around to see who might hear us praising Jesus at the top of our voices. And dancing? Certainly not.

I continued to take it all in as the sound guys and I sang along with the children. That’s when I noticed the teens helping the different aged groups of kids.

They were singing and motioning along with just as much energy as the kids. Teenagers. Not concerned with how they looked at that moment. Not focused on cell phones and selfies.

With the faith of a child.

There was an energy in the room that made me return the next two mornings.

I thought of David who danced for the Lord with no concern for what he looked like or what people thought. His wife, Michal, didn’t like it and told him so in no uncertain terms. (2 Samuel 6:14-22)

But David was undeterred.

David replied to Michal, “In God’s presence I’ll dance all I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me prince over God’s people, over Israel. Oh yes, I’ll dance to God’s glory—more recklessly even than this. And as far as I’m concerned . . . I’ll gladly look like a fool . . ..” 2 Samuel 6:21-22a The Message

David danced before the Lord and didn’t care if others thought he looked foolish. He danced and praised God, and others saw his example.

Michal judged David. Others will judge us.

But David danced for an audience of One. So do we.

Maybe it takes the faith of a child…before the concern is what others think.

Or maybe it takes faith like David’s…regardless of what others think.

Joining the children for worship was the best part of my work week. It reminded me that when I serve God, and offer Him what little I have to give, it doesn’t matter what others think.

It’s what God thinks that matters.

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with: Weekend Whispers, Give Me Grace, Faith 'n Friends, Grace & Truth, #SmallWonder, #RaRaLinkup, #TellHisStory

Today…I Will Smile. Yes, Today I Will...

Today...I will smile, even if it doesn't come naturally. I'll look past the trouble and annoyances and find reason to smile.

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 MSG

Today...I will pay attention to those around me. Family, friends, someone I happen to see once...I'll notice and see them. And I'll share kindness.

Today...I will find the positives in my life...the good in the midst of the trials. And I'll give thanks.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

Today...

Please join me at 5 Minutes for Faith to continue reading.

In Christ,
Laura 

(Thanks to KJ for her work on the picture.J )

Linking up with: The Weekend Brew, Sunday Stillness, Spiritual Sundays

Trust, Praise, Let go…Repeat

As I've started the year with Renew as my One Word, I've wavered between the feeling of comfort I first felt, and the feeling of needing something to do.

Let me explain. Three years ago, I spent the year learning to trust God. It felt like the word Trust was always in the air. When I struggled, it reminded me to trust Him. When I didn't understand why life was the way it was, trust was the action word I needed. Trust was something I could practice and improve on.

Praise was the same way. When things went well, I reminded myself to praise God. When life was far from going well, I made myself praise Him. Over the year, praise felt more natural. I learned not to wait for the big things or until the end of the day, but to praise Him in the small moments throughout the day.

Last year, I learned to let go of what I want and accept God's plan. To let go and know that He has everything under control, even when I don't—especially when I don't. When I let go, I stopped struggling against Him and rested with Him.

Renew feels different. Although it's a verb, I don't feel like it's something I'm supposed to do. At least not right now. When I knew Renew was my One Word, the comfort came in the possibilities of what God might renew in my life, not in something I was supposed to do.

So, I've been pondering how to live out Renew, and here's what I keep coming back to...

While I wait on God to see what He will renew, I'm not to sit idle, but rather, continue what I've learned.

Trust. Praise. Let go…Repeat.

Trust Him in everything. Praise Him continuously. Let go of what I'm clinging to so that I can embrace His plans for me.

And then repeat the process again.

Have you ever felt like it was time to put into practice what God had been teaching you?

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with Everyday Jesus, Faith Filled Friday, Blessing Counters, Spiritual Sundays, Faith 'N Friends, Sunday Stillness, The Weekend Brew, Give Me Grace, Grace & Truth, #TellHisStory

My One Word 2015

This is my fourth year of choosing a One Word for the year. Or I should say, God choosing a word for me.

My first year was Trust and I readily accepted it. Next was Praise. I pushed back on praise because I didn't really get it. (Which is why I suppose God gave it to me, right?) But by the end of the year, I got it.

Last year was harder. He whispered Let Go...and it scared me. A lot. I asked Him to reconsider. Maybe I heard wrong. But no, 2014 was a year of letting go of so much of what was normal.

My One Word for this year?

Renew.

The word kept coming to mind around Christmas, and even though I had been asking God what my word would be, I didn't make the connection until He whispered it to me during worship one evening.

Renew. I was reminded that God can renew anything. And it felt comforting…especially after a year of letting go.

Maybe you could use the reminder too. God can renew anything—so much more than what we can even think to ask for.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 The Message

What do you need God to renew in your life?

Your faith? He will.

Your health? He can.

Your marriage or family? He is able.

Renew...to bring back to life...to make new again.

In His time and in His way. Nothing is impossible for Him, no matter how impossible it looks to us.

Will you join me in waiting on God and watching for all the ways He will bring about renewal?

If you’ve chosen a One Word for 2015, consider sharing it with us in the comments. If you’re looking for more information on the One Word movement, go to #OneWord365.

In Christ,
Laura

Linking up with The Weekend Brew, Recommendation Saturday, Blessing Counters, Sunday Stillness, Spiritual Sundays, Give Me Grace, Sharing His Beauty, Unforced Rhythms, Playdates with God, Soli Deo Gloria, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Everyday Jesus

When Our Best Efforts Are Not Good Enough

As a wife and mother, I really don’t like the times I have to admit that my best isn’t good enough. In fact, I wonder how often I really do admit it because as I think about it, it seems like I keep trying an awful lot. That’s our reality though, isn’t it? Don’t quit. Keep trying. Work harder.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not for giving up after one half-hearted attempt. I believe that we can’t succeed if we don’t bother to try. And we definitely learn a lot from the mistakes we make.

But sometimes…our best efforts are simply not good enough.

We can live in guilt and regret over this fact, or we can accept it. I accept it for others without smothering them with a guilt trip. I suspect you do to. We extend grace.

But grace for ourselves seems to be so much harder. So, we keep trying. We work harder. We keep beating ourselves up.

And yet, our best efforts still will not be good enough.

It sounds depressing, but it’s not—it’s freeing.

Because God extends to us His grace—His free and unearned favor proffered to us.

Where we are not enough, He is more than enough. Always. (<==Click to tweet.)

Our determination, strength, energy, and hard work will never be enough to restore our relationship with God—and we don’t have to—because God already has.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

God offered the sacrifice we could never offer. He did the work we cannot possibly do.

He gives us grace.

And through God’s grace, we are able to extend grace to others—and ourselves.

Grace is freedom.

Freedom to no longer live in guilt and shame.

Freedom to accept that while our efforts are not enough, God’s grace is more than enough.

Freedom to stop trying to do—and live in what’s already been done.

Freedom to breathe a sigh of thankful relief and live in His grace.

In Christ,

Laura

[This post also be read in its entirety at Gloria Dei / Photo credit: Stock photo: Alone by lake]

Linking up with The Weekend Brew, Give Me Grace, Everyday Jesus, #TellHisStory, Winsome Wednesday, Thought Provoking Thursday, Coffee for Your Heart

Praising Him in the Midst

All too often, I have trouble praising God in the midst of unpleasant situations. I’m full of praise when I see His work in my life, and I praise Him for the beauty He creates around me. But it’s those times of trials where I struggle.

Praise was my One Word for 2013. So, you’d think I’d have this praise thing worked out. But, I’m still working on it. I think I’ll always be working on it...

Please join me at 5 Minutes for Faith to continue reading.

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with Everyday Jesus, Recommendation Saturday, The Weekend Brew

Praise and Worship

By this time last year, I knew Praise would be my One Word for 2013. I didn’t exactly choose it for myself, but God seemed insistent that my One Word should be Praise. Obviously, God was trying to show me something.

Over the year, I’ve thought about what it means to praise God—in the good times and in the difficult times. And as I’ve read through Scripture, I’ve noticed and pondered how often praise and worship are written about.

From my Tyndale NLT Study Bible dictionary…

Praise—to worship, commend, or give honor to

Worship—to regard with great respect, honor, or devotion

To praise God is to honor Him and to give Him the glory, no matter what I may have done or not done. 

In worshipping God, we stay devoted to Him even in the midst of circumstances we don’t understand or that are unwelcome and unpleasant.

We certainly see this with Elizabeth and Zechariah. For so long, their prayers for a child went unanswered. I have to think this led to disappointment and discouragement. And yet, they never turned away from God.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes… Luke 1:6a

Righteous not because of what they had done, but because of their faith in God.

Praise and worship may have been easier after their son was born, but obviously, praise and worship were not absent in their lives during all the years of unanswered prayers. 

Praising and worshipping God strengthens our faith…and they were righteous because of their faith.

Is our reaction to unanswered prayers the same as when our prayers are answered—to praise and worship God?

I like Psalm 71:14-15 NLT…

But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words.

The Psalmist praised God and proclaimed his saving power—even while going through difficult times and waiting for God’s help. He praised God first, before receiving God’s help.

Maybe Elizabeth and Zechariah believed like King David did…

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Psalm 108:1

They didn’t need proof that God was with them. They knew and they praised Him.

I want that confidence—to know without a doubt that God walks with me through every day in my life—the good, the bad, and the days that seem boring. I want my eyes open so I can see Him there.

And I want to praise God first—even before I see my prayers answered.

When do you find yourself praising God? Do you need to start praising Him before you see your prayers answered?

If you are reading The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs, we are in Chapter 5 this week, “With Heart and Soul and Voice.”

In Christ,

Laura  

Photo credit: Stock photo: worship the living god 

Linking up with Sharing His Beauty, #TellHisStory, Soli Deo Gloria, Winsome Wednesday, WholeHearted Wednesday

God Can Do Anything {Ephesians 3:20}

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Ephesians 3:20
(The Message)

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with Jumping Tandem - The Sunday Community, The Weekend Brew, and Spiritual Sundays.

God's Love Surrounds Us {Psalm 33:22}

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone.
Psalm 33:22 NLT

In Christ,

Laura

Linking up with Spiritual Sundays, The Weekend Brew, and Jumping Tandem - The Sunday Community.

Praising God Moment by Moment

Photo by Kelsey Rath

On January 1, 2013, I wrote about how the word Praise came to be my One Word for 2013. Knowing that God chose that word for me, I was all gung-ho to start the year. (To read that post, please click here: My One Word 2013—Praise)

But as you’ve probably experienced at one time or another, life sometimes gets in the way of good intentions. I haven’t written about my One Word since that first day of January, but I have thought about it every single day.

And I’ve had some very honest conversations with God.

“God, I know you gave me the word Praise, but I’m just not getting it! I don’t know what you want me to learn—what you’re trying to show me. Could you be more obvious? Please?”    

I don’t remember exactly what was going on the day of this particular conversation a few months ago, but I started to realize that I look at time in large chunks—the morning, the day, the week, etc. So, if I was having a rough day, I would remember it as a bad day, regardless of whether or not it was all bad.

I felt God moving me to look at shorter periods of time—moment by moment. And I began to see how He blesses my day, even on what seems like a really bad day.

Moment by moment, I find something to praise God for.

…a smooth morning while rushing to get out of the house on time.

…an unexpected opportunity for a heart-to-heart conversation with my daughter, no matter how busy the day is.

…the way God shows me grace when I know I’ve just disappointed Him.

…safe travel, even when bad weather tripled my commute time.

…an opportunity to stand up for what’s right, even when my knees were shaking.

It’s an ongoing journey—learning what it means to praise God…one that I know will never end.

But that’s okay.

I’m praising God for His patience with me.

And for repeating the same lessons over and over.

And over again.

How about you? If you have a One Word for 2013, how is it going?

In Christ,

Laura

Linking up with Winsome Wednesday, Thought Provoking Thursday, Faith Filled Friday, Spiritual Sundays, The Weekend Brew, and Melanie's One Word Linkup.