Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

5 Things to Know About God’s Plan for Your Life

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May has arrived! I feel like it kind of snuck in the back door – I’m still back around Easter somewhere! However, I’m excited about what’s ahead in the next few weeks. There are some fun milestones for our high school senior and our college daughter will be coming home for the summer. What a blessing that she got a full spring semester at college this year after having it cut short in 2020.

Do you have any life changes ahead? Obviously, mine is an eminent empty nest! I don’t know exactly what September 2021 is going to look like. Lord willing, both of our daughters will be off at college. I’ll definitely be starting a new chapter, one where I don’t need to be on call to rescue anyone during the school day or make a last-minute run to the grocery store for lunchbox supplies or be at the ball field by 4pm for a game.

When it comes to all the time I think I’ll have on my hands, my guess is that it will be like when we sent our girls off to kindergarten. Beforehand, I thought, “Wow I’m going to have so much time to get all the things done!” Yet somehow, when it happened, I didn’t seem to have much more time at all! And I’m guessing that this transition may be similar.

But I know God has a plan for the days ahead. Perhaps you have a different kind of transition coming your way. Maybe it’s a move or a job change or a new ministry opportunity. As we look to move forward into God’s plan for us, here are five things we can know for sure.

In times of change and uncertainty, we can know that these five things are true about God's plan for our lives.

1. God’s plan is good for us.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” ~Romans 8:28

This often-quoted verse is often quoted because the truth of it is so grounding and reassuring. God works all things together for good. It may not always feel good to us in the moment. Yet as part of His orchestrated plan, each thing we encounter will turn out for our ultimate good.

I like that Paul says, “we know.” That defines our part of the plan clearly – it’s to trust God. He is good and only does what is best for us. [You may want to revisit ten things we can know about God’s goodness.]

2. God’s plan will bring glory to Him.

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” ~1 Peter 4:11

The God we love and serve deserves all glory. Therefore, any plan that He unfolds in our lives will be one that brings glory to Him. If we find ourselves stepping out in any direction that goes against that, we can know it’s not part of God’s plan for us.

3. God will direct us into His plan.

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” ~Proverbs 16:9

It’s wonderful if we have hopes and dreams for our lives. And we can make plans and decisions that move ourselves toward those goals. But we need to hold them with a loose hand. We must always be willing to turn them over to God if we sense that He is leading us in another direction.

As this verse says, ultimately God directs our steps. It’s not easy to give up what we see as our sense of control. But as we trust Him, recognize His leadership, and don’t depend on our own understanding, He will make our way clear. [Proverbs 3:5-6]

4. God’s plan will unfold in His time.

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” ~Lamentations 3:25

I’m so thankful that I can count on God’s timing to be perfect. Otherwise, I’m sure I’d have messed up a lot of things in my life, arranging them to fit into my timetable. Let’s rest in the truth that, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” [Ecclesiastes 3:1]

5. God will equip us to fulfill His plan.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;” ~Ephesians 3:14,16

As God reveals our next step in His plan, we may be overwhelmed. Our first thought might be, “I don’t have the ability to do that!”

And you would be right. But remember this. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” [1 Thessalonians 5:24] He’s not asking you to do it on your own. God, who has all strength and power, will do it through you.

In fact, that’s the best way for it to happen. Otherwise, we’d be tempted to take credit ourselves, to be proud of our efforts. But we are just the tool He can use here to accomplish His purpose. Let’s ask Him for the ability to perform His plan.

Whatever season we’re in, whatever change may be on the horizon, may we trust God to equip us as He directs us into His good plan in His own time and for His glory.

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A Heartfelt Letter from My Senior-Mom Self to My Kindergarten-Mom Self

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Dear nervous-to-send-her-child-to-school-for-the-first-time mom,

I love how much you love your daughter. How you made sure that everything was just right for her first day of school. The bookbag and matching lunch box are adorable, as are the hairbow and cute socks.

I’ll go ahead and give you a heads up that the first day of school is going to take on a lot of different looks over the years. The outfit she chooses for that special day may or may not be your favorite. And that sweet way she poses for a first-day-of-school picture on the front porch? Enjoy that while you can.

And while you think this first day of saying goodbye is hard – and it is – just wait until she’s the one getting into the driver’s seat and backing out of the driveway on that first day. You’ll pray the whole time she’s driving, until you get that text letting you know she made it there safely. Just like she made it through that first day of school, she’ll make it through this. She’s going to be just fine.

Dear K-5 Mom, it's really all going to be okay...but these school years will go by faster than you can ever believe.

Enjoy all of the firsts this year! Exclaim over all the papers she brings home at the end of the day…because you know what you won’t see in high school? Papers sent home from school. Not unless you’re willing to brave the depths of her bookbag for yourself.

Every morning pack those snacks and lunches with care and sweet notes. Know that lunch will take many forms as the years progress, but never give up on writing those notes.

Drink in the after-school chatter in the car. Learn the names of her friends and classmates. And keep on being interested in those friends and classmates because come middle school and high school, they become a huge part of her world – and yours, if you’re lucky.

In the long run, you’ll never regret a minute you spend at the ball field or the gym watching her play a sport or in the auditorium listening to her perform. Be there and support her whether she’s on the bench the whole game or is a silent tree in the school play. These will turn into some of the best memories you’ll relive together.

I can’t say you’ll ever fully embrace field trips. But just hold on and be grateful when you can follow the bus in your own car. Bouncing along on a bus full of second graders where the volume level matches that of a roaring jet engine reminds you that you’re not so young anymore. And know that once she’s out of elementary school, you’re basically excluded from field trips and class parties. Celebrate quietly.

And another thing to celebrate? That point when you sense that you’re no longer required to stay up half the night finishing a science project. Hopefully, that hits around middle school, too, and that one you’re actually allowed to celebrate loudly.

And one more thing…those cute cupcakes you once lovingly decorated for the fundraiser bake sales? By senior year, you’ll be grabbing a plastic carton of whatever-holiday-is-next iced sugar cookies at the grocery store the night before and calling it good.

There will be teachers throughout the years who are true heroes. They will love your girl and educate her well and teach her important life lessons along with academic ones. And there are teachers who will help your child learn that some personalities aren’t our favorites, but we can still make the best of the situation and respect their authority while we’re in their classroom.

While school and homework and extracurricular activities will take up lots of time, keep your family a priority. Eat meals together. Play games. Take walks. Read books. Give your girl a sense of belonging. Right now, you’re pretty much the only option. But at that point in life when you’re not, you still want her to choose (at least some of the time) to be with you.

Make time for God. Keep going to church. It’s good to have family devotions. But also make conversation about spiritual things a natural part of your day. Pray with her consistently. Keep reading those Bible storybooks at bedtime for as many years as you can get away with it.

Pray for her. Every day. You aren’t there in that locker room with her when she’s tempted to do wrong, but God is. Teach her that character is more important than good grades…but do your best in your classes, too.

And finally, don’t be stingy with your heart. Give, and give, then give some more. Some days – those middle school and high school days when she’s trying to figure out who she is and she’s not sure that she likes herself or you – give even more. And when the drama flies through those high school years, be the adult. Start practicing now discerning when something needs to be said and when you should just keep quiet. And when it needs to be said? Timing is everything.

Before you know it she’ll be rolling out of bed – either early so she can see her friends before school or just in time to beat the tardy bell, depending on her personality – and it will be her very. last. day. of. school. Ever. And you’ll wonder where the time has gone.

And yet you’ll know. You’ll see that the ponytailed, bright-eyed smiling five-year-old girl has become a confident eighteen-year-old young woman. And when that last morning comes, you’ll paste on a smile for her though inside it’s hitting you that things will never be the same. And you want to be able to say you’ve loved her well through it all. You’ll be feeling proud and sad and that emotion that can only be labeled as bittersweet.

So take on the challenge, much-younger version of me. Some days will be really hard. But the good ones will far outweigh the bad. Cheer your sweet girl on and, when she needs it, cheer her up. Tell her you love her every day. Be grateful for all the memories you’re making together. And when these school years are all over, know that even better days are ahead.

At least that’s what I’m told. I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Love,

Mom-who’s-now-nervous-about-sending-her-baby-to-college

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5 Powerful Promises from God’s Word for You

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Welcome back! Last week I was out of town visiting family, so there wasn’t a new post here on Wednesday. But today we’re getting back to our theme for April, which is God’s Word.

In my family growing up, making a promise was a big deal. We were always expected to keep our word, and making a promise was something we didn’t do lightly. That’s carried over to my adult life, and we’ve tried to teach our children that same principle.

If you’ve ever had someone make you a promise, and then not follow through, you know that it can be hard to trust that person again. Yet we understand that sometimes things happen that are outside of a person’s control that cause a promise to be broken. What a blessing that we never have to worry about God keeping the promises He makes in the Bible!

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” ~Hebrews 10:23

I like this definition of the word promise that I found at Christianity.com. “A promise is a covenant or declaration that one will do exactly what they say or something will happen just as pledged.” When we find promises in God’s Word, we can have full assurance that God will do exactly what He says He will do.

Let’s look at five promises we find in the Bible to encourage us today!

The Bible is full of promises of God that we as His children can claim. God is faithful to always keep His Word!

1. God will never leave us nor forsake us.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” ~Hebrews 13:5

We will never be alone. God is with us in every trial we face. In the dark and messy places of life, He is there. It doesn’t matter if we feel His presence continually or not. We know He is there because He said He would be. What comfort we can find in this promise!

2. God will meet our needs.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:19

Our Heavenly Father knows exactly what our needs are. Even greater, He has the means to meet everyone of them. And doesn’t He give us so many of our wants as well?

While our first thought might be of material or physical needs, He also has the power to meet our spiritual needs. For example, the Holy Spirit brings an appropriate Bible verse to mind when we’re tempted or when we need comfort. God is able to provide peace and joy when our hearts are heavy. Every type of need we have can be met by God.

3. God gives us everything that is good for us.

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” ~Psalm 84:11

How many times have we thought we knew what was good for us, only to see in hindsight that if we’d gotten what we wanted, it would not have ended well? That’s what is so great about what God gives us. We can know that it’s always and truly for our benefit.

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” ~Proverbs 10:22

4. Through God, we can have victory over sin.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” ~1 John 4:4

The pull of sin and our flesh is strong. But the power of God is greater. We must learn not to rely on ourselves and our strength, but to claim God’s promise and act on it.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” ~Philippians 4:13

5. God gives us wisdom when we ask for it.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” ~James 1:5

Ask and He’ll give wisdom. That seems so simple…but we have to remember to ask. When we want to make that decision or correct that child or confront that boss in our own wisdom, it can take a wrong turn pretty quickly. But here we have an open invitation to ask for the wisdom we need for any situation – and we can have faith that we’ll receive it.

There are literally thousands of promises in God’s Word. Do you have a personal favorite? I think it would be encouraging if we wrote down the times we see a promise of God fulfilled in our own life. Maybe I need to add a page for that in my gratitude journal! What a blessing it would be to look back over that in years to come and remember God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises.

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5 Helpful Ways God’s Word Can Light Our Path

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It’s hard to believe that we’re already a week into April! These are some precious days, these last couple of months that I will have a child in school. So many “lasts” are on our horizon. As I wrote in my journal this weekend, I want to make a conscious effort to enjoy each one and not just let them slip by.

Our theme on the blog for April is going to be God’s Word. I may not be able to fit all that I want to talk about into a month, so we may revisit this theme later!

Have you ever been in total darkness? Some years ago, my husband and I visited Luray Caverns in Virginia. We went on a guided tour, and at one point, our guide turned off his light so that we could appreciate how dark it was down inside the cave. It was creepy! As the saying goes, you really couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. I could feel the darkness, and was very glad that he didn’t leave his light off for long!

We all appreciate a little light in the darkness. This familiar verse reminds us that, in life, God’s Word gives us light.

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” ~Psalm 119:105

So how can God’s Word be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path? Here are five ways.

Let's see five ways this well-known verse from Psalm 119 shows us the importance of allowing the light of God's Word to shine in our lives.

1. It gives us direction.

A light helps us know where we want to put our foot down next. We don’t want to step in a puddle or a hole or on top of a snake! If we’re walking along in the dark with no light to guide us, we can also easily get lost.

When we need direction in life, we can find it in God’s Word. “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” ~Psalm 119:133

Often, we get just enough light for the next step, not a spotlight on the whole road ahead. Sure, it would be nice to have everything mapped out, but following Christ one step at a time builds our faith.

2. It gets rid of darkness.

In this case, the darkness I’m referring to is sin. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” ~Psalm 119:11

When we’re tempted, we can run to Scripture and focus our minds on it. The more we memorize and meditate on God’s Word, the more ammunition we’ll have to fight our flesh and the Devil when they attack us.

We’re a lot less likely to trip and fall when we have light to walk by. Not only does the Bible help us fight sin, it also gives us discernment so that we can avoid temptation in the first place.

3. It brings comfort.

“I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.” ~Psalm 119:52

In Friday’s e-mail post, I mentioned how the Holy Spirit brought to mind a specific Bible verse when I was struggling with disappointment. Likely many of us have run to the Psalms when we need encouragement or just to hear from someone we feel like empathizes with our hurt or pain. On our dark and down days, we can find comfort in God’s Word.

4. It reveals the path to eternal life.

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” ~2 Timothy 3:15

The Bible tells us how to be saved. From John 3:16 to the “Romans Road” verses, anyone can come to know Jesus as their Savior. Each of us can make the decision to turn from the darkness of sin to the light of the gospel.

5. It shows us that we need God’s help in every area of our lives.

As Christians, we may have a tendency to think that we can handle marriage, parenting, and just generally living a Godly life in our own strength. But the light of God’s Word reminds us that we need Jesus to help us in everything we do.

If we lack wisdom, we ask Him for it. [James 1:5] Have a particular weakness? God can show His strength through it. [2 Corinthians 12:9-10] Struggle with worry? He can handle that, too if we’ll take it to Him in prayer. [Philippians 4:6-7]

These are fundamental truths from Psalm 119:105, but they can so easily be applied to the exact situations we find ourselves in today. May we allow God’s Word to guide our steps and light our way as we seek to follow Him.

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How to Praise God When Life Is Difficult

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It’s hard to believe we’re closing out March today! We’ve definitely had some spring-like weather here lately. I walk outside in our neighborhood most days, and it’s been fun to see which trees and plants are newly blooming and budding each week.

Our focus on the blog this month has been praising God. We’ll close out this series today by focusing on how we can praise God when life is difficult.

There’s a long list of things that can make certain seasons of life hard. Let’s list some of them.

  • sickness – your own or a family member’s
  • death of someone you love
  • job loss
  • financial troubles
  • discouragement
  • disappointment
  • frustration with a current situation
  • marriage problems
  • parenting struggles
  • difficult co-workers
  • uncertainty about a medical issue
  • feeling lost spiritually
  • unmet expectations

And sometimes we have more than one of these happening at the same time!

So how do we praise God on those days…days when we feel overwhelmed, helpless, or hopeless? Here are five ideas.

Here are five ways we can continue to praise God when we're in a hard season of life.

1. Focus on God’s character.

What we face from one life season to another will change, but God never does. Get into His Word. Write down and meditate on Bible verses that tell you Who God is.

2. Recount His faithfulness in your life.

I think almost every post this month has included this point, but it’s so true. Think back to past trials, times when you hit a rough patch and God came through for you. Remind yourself that God has been steadfast and constant in His deliverance and provision.

3. Make a conscious decision to trust Him.

Now, when it’s hard, is the time to prove your faith. We can’t see behind the scenes to how He is working. We don’t know how or when our difficult circumstances will end. So just decide right there in the middle of it to have faith and trust God.

4. Be grateful.

As the hymn writer says, count your blessings. Are there days when the silver lining is so thin you can barely see it? You bet. But you’ll never see it if you’re not looking. Before you get out of bed each morning, mentally give thanks for something. Do like I do and keep a gratitude journal. Every day write down at least three things for which you’re thankful.

5. Reach out to others.

This one is two-pronged. First of all, ask someone you love and trust to pray for you or with you about what you’re facing. Pray for a proper perspective on the problem. If they’ve been through something similar, they can empathize. They can come alongside you and help you offer praise.

Secondly, see who there is around you who could use your help. Give someone else a reason to praise God because you’ve been a blessing to them!

When life is difficult, we can still worship our Lord and praise our God. I like how Habakkuk sums it up.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” [3:17-18]

(In Friday’s subscriber e-mail I’ll be talking about a verse I’ve read many times that came to mean something new and personal to me in light of a recent disappointment. If you’re not already subscribed, you can do so here.)

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5 Valuable Ways to Worship God Like David Did

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I’m a little bit excited today! Our younger daughter’s on spring break at her high school this week, and she and I are flying to Florida to visit the college her older sister attends. We’re knocking out a college visit and time with my older daughter in one trip! I am praying that the weather will be nicer than predicted, but we’ll have a great time either way.

As we continue our focus on praising God this month, I thought we’d see what we could learn about worship from the man who wrote many of the Psalms. Last week we pulled some simple verses from Psalms to inspire our praise life, and there are so many more passages in that book that express praise to God.

David is a well-known Bible character. We know that he’s called a “man after God’s own heart.” [Acts 13:22] We also know that, just like us, he had times when he struggled with sin. I think there’s a lot to learn from the way he offered praise and worship to God.

From the great Psalmist of the Bible we can learn helpful ways to shape our worship of God.

1.David worshiped with a right view of himself and a right view of God.

Let me set the stage. King David goes to prophet Nathan and says that he wants to build a house for the Lord. That night, the Lord speaks to Nathan. His message for David is that David’s seed will build God a house and God will establish David’s kingdom and throne forever.

Here’s David’s response when he gets the message from Nathan in 2 Samuel 7:18-22. [I know this is a long passage, but it’s so good!]

“Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come.

And is this the manner of man, O Lord God? And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant. For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.“

In humility, David acknowledged that he’d done nothing to be worthy of this great honor that God was bestowing on him. He saw God as He is, the great and only true God.

May we come to worship God in true humility. It is only because of God’s love and grace that we are even able to come into His presence. Our God is worthy of all our worship and praise.

2. David worshiped by recounting God’s faithfulness.

Here’s where we find David at the beginning of 2 Samuel 22.

“And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:“

The next fifty verses of this chapter are David recalling different times when he’s been in a hard place, but God always delivered him. Here are a couple of examples.

“When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;” [Verses 5-6]

In verses 17-18, he says that God “…sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.“

In verse 50, David proclaims, “Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.“

We’ve all seen God’s deliverance in our lives many times. Not only do we offer our praise to God when we recount His past goodness and faithfulness, but we also encourage our own hearts.

3. David worshiped with a desire for God to direct his life.

“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” ~Psalm 25:4-5

In Psalm 143:8, he says, “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.“

David wanted God’s guidance and direction. I’m afraid at times that my perspective is, “God, here’s what I want to do, so please bless it.” Instead, let’s worship with an attitude of openness to how God might direct us.

4. David worshiped God by forsaking known sin in his life.

David wanted a heart that was pure before God.

“For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.” ~Psalm 25:11

We’re probably all familiar with Psalm 51, written after his sin with Bathsheeba.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” [Verses 1-2]

If we want our worship to be acceptable to God, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us any sin in our lives. As He does, we have to be willing to take the next step and repent.

5. David worshiped God by honestly expressing his feelings.

“How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” ~Psalm 13:1-2

God already knows how we’re feeling. It’s okay to pour our hearts out to Him, to let Him know that we’re hurting or sad or angry. And, it may take time, but if we’ll let Him, He can fill our hearts with hope. That’s where David got to when he ended that Psalm. He found hope.

“But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” [Verses 5-6]

May we learn to worship God in these and other ways as we grow in our walk with Him!

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10 Simple Verses from Psalms to Inspire Your Praise Life

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We’re halfway through the week and I’m wondering how you’re doing post-daylight-saving time! I REALLY miss the light in the mornings. It just seemed to make getting up and starting the day easier. However, I know I’ll come to appreciate having more light at the end of the day.

So how’s your praise life right now? This month we’re talking about praising God here on the blog. Deciding to write about this subject each week is helping me to focus on it more – which is a good thing!

Last week we studied three Bible women to see what we could learn from them about praising God. Today we’re looking to the Psalms for simple verses we can use to inspire us when we want to praise God. Whether it’s praising Him or praying to Him, it’s always helpful to go directly to His Word for guidance.

Here are ten short verses from Psalms to give us inspiration as we seek to praise God.

1.Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. ~Psalm 103:1

What if we made a list of the names of God and praised Him for one of them each day? From Genesis 1 where we see Him as Creator to Revelation 22 where He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, we could spend weeks praising His names.

2. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. ~Psalm 9:1

Let’s not hold back any part of ourselves from praising God! What a blessing if we have no sin affecting our fellowship with Him, but are wholly intent on giving Him glory.

3. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. ~Psalm 145:1

This relates to the one above, because the word “extol” means to praise enthusiastically! We can be enthusiastic about a lot of things – our favorite sports team, a fabulous restaurant, or a new sofa. How wonderful if we can show that same energy and excitement about praising God.

4. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. ~Psalm 119:164

I love that David is so specific in this verse! He praises God seven times a day. Why? Because of God’s righteous judgments. In our current world, laws aren’t always enforced fairly and morally, so praise God that He always judges rightly!

And don’t miss that “seven times a day.” More than a number, let’s just remember to cultivate praise throughout our day. Remember – it helps us have a better attitude!

5. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. ~Psalm 145:3

Even though, with our finite minds, we can’t truly understand how great our God is, we can praise Him for His immeasurable power, majesty, and glory.

6. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. ~Psalm 150:2

Praise God for His miracles. There are many that we read about in the Bible; we can praise Him for the encouragement we find there for our own lives. And then as He shows Himself mighty in situations we face, we can offer thanks and glory to Him for how He worked.

7. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. ~Psalm 69:30

Praise and gratitude go hand in hand. Say out loud to God three things you’re thankful for every day.

8. I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. ~Psalm 71:22

Sing your praise! You can do it all by yourself in the car or on your couch. Or do it as you sing hymns in church with fellow Christians or at home with your family. And if you play a musical instrument, use that as a way to praise God.

9. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. ~Psalm 119:171

Praise God for the truth of His Word. Thank God that we can get to know Him through what He reveals to us in the Bible. We can always count on it to give us wisdom, guidance and comfort. His Word never fails!

10. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. ~Psalm 71:14

We can praise God for the future because we see how He’s been faithful in the past. Our God can always be trusted to do what’s right, so we can praise Him for the outcome – no matter the situation – even before we know what it will be.

I hope these verses help you begin to praise God in some different ways. Let me know if you have other Bible verses that inspire you to praise Him!

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3 Women in the Bible Teach Us How to Praise God

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Well, here it is Wednesday again! How’s your week going so far? With some really beautiful weather here lately and the official start of spring just around the corner, I’m feeling quite hopeful.

We’ll be attending our younger daughter’s fine arts concert at her high school tomorrow night. I’ve also been finalizing some plans for a summer vacation. Admittedly we’ll likely be masked for these events – and there are definitely some senior-year moments that aren’t happening – but I feel like perhaps a more normal, post-covid lifestyle is at least closer than it has been.

Our theme this month on the blog is praising God. Last week we talked about how praising God can change our attitude.

So what exactly might praising God involve? I thought we could find a few tips from women in the Bible. Here are three of them that give us a good example to follow.

Reading our Bibles to see how Deborah, Hannah, and Mary praised God gives us valuable ways to worship Him.

Deborah

She may not be as well known as some other women in the Bible, but there’s a whole chapter devoted to her praising God.

We find her story in Judges chapters four and five. She was a judge in Israel who went with Barak to fight against Sisera and his army. After God gave the Israelites a great victory in chapter four, chapter five is Deborah and Barak giving praise.

How did Deborah praise God?

1. She praised God publicly.

“Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.” [Verse 3]

Deborah wanted the kings and princes to hear what she had to say! It’s certainly appropriate for us to praise God when we’re alone. But there are also times we need to let others know how great our God is.

2. She acknowledged God’s power.

“Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.” [Verses 4-5]

The things Deborah’s mentioning in these verses are things that only God could do.

3. She thanked God for how He orchestrated specific events.

“They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon.” [Verses 20-21]

In verses 24-27, Deborah also describes how Jael killed Sisera. Her praise wasn’t just in a general sense. She was very definitive in noting how God helped them win the battle. When God answers a specific prayer or accomplishes something that can only be a “God-thing,” we should praise Him for that.

Hannah

We find Hannah’s prayer of praise in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. For years, Hannah wasn’t able to have children. In this passage, she is thanking God for answering her prayer for a son by giving her Samuel.

So how did Hannah offer praise?

1.She rejoiced in what God had done.

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” [Verse 1]

Hannah had received the desire of her heart and her joy overflowed as praise to the Lord.

2. She reverenced God as the only God.

“There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” [Verse 2]

Hannah knew there was no other way her prayer could have been answered but through an all-powerful God working in her life.

3. She recognized God’s sovereignty.

“The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.” [Verses 6-7]

Whatever happened to Hannah, she realized that God was in control of it all.

Mary

We all know this story well! In Luke 1:46-55, Mary praises God after finding out that she is to be the mother of the Messiah.

How did Mary offer praise?

1.She gave all glory to God.

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” [Verse 46-47]

Mary’s heart was full of wonder and amazement at this blessing from God.

2. She had a humble view of herself.

“For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden…” [Verse 48]

Mary saw herself simply as a servant of God. She knew there was nothing in her to make her worthy of the honor of giving birth to the Son of God.

3. She recalled God’s promises.

“He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever.” [Verses 54-55]

What a blessing it is to our own souls when we can praise God for keeping His promises! It reminds us of His faithfulness and that He will always do what He says He will in His Word.

Choose one or two of these ways to praise God today. Maybe we praise God to a friend in encouragement or praise Him for His supreme power or find a promise in the Bible to praise Him for.

I hope seeing how these women praised God will encourage us as we make praising Him a priority in our own lives!

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How to Improve Your Attitude in One Step

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Happy March, friends! I would say we’re well on our way to spring now. We still have some chilly days ahead, but I’m definitely ready to pack up the boots and heavy sweaters.

Sunday was a fairly warm day here, and my daughter had a new dress she wanted to wear to church. She’d just bought it on Friday, and it needed a small alteration. [Insert fact about me: I don’t like to sew. Buttons, I can handle. Outside of that, I have little patience for it.]

My daughter said she would sew it – and I probably should have let her since she’s fairly handy with a needle. But I knew it would take some finagling for the dress to come out looking right. I’ve done this alteration before, and she hasn’t. Since I had a good twenty minutes before I needed to get ready for church, I figured it shouldn’t be a problem.

Well. The first try looked awful. On the second and third tries, I messed up a stitch near the beginning and didn’t realize it till I was almost done. Time was running out, and my daughter said she would just wear something else to church. But at this point, I was frustrated with myself and determined to get the job done.

I will spare you the rest of the details and just say that she wore the dress to church Sunday morning. But part of it was held together by clear shipping tape. (Yes, it’s true! And it survived the service!) I did sew the dress up properly on Sunday afternoon.

As you might imagine, my attitude in that moment was not the best – and it was my own fault. I was mad at myself for not being able to do it right. It should have taken me five minutes to complete, but I kept messing it up.

Many different things affect our attitude. We go through big, hard trials. We or someone we love is sick. A family member won’t communicate with us. Our every day emotions rise up and we feel mad or sad or hurt or helpless or discouraged. Some days we just get up on the wrong side of the bed!

All it takes is one adjustment to turn your attitude around.

So how can we change our attitude? I believe it boils down to one word.

Praise.

Most of the time I have an attitude problem because my focus is wrong. It’s on my circumstances or my feelings. I wrap myself up in self-pity or self-righteousness or self-condemnation.

Getting my focus off of myself and onto God can change my attitude. But I have to make the choice. It’s not easy because sometimes, as weird as it sounds, we like to indulge ourselves in our feelings. But nurturing that wrong attitude isn’t good.

So what does praising God mean? It’s us expressing our admiration of Him to Him. It can also involve expressing thanks and love to Him and showing our reverence for Him as Lord.

What better way to praise God than by saying His Word back to Him!

I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.  Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  ~Psalm 145:1-3

In a post later this month, we’ll talk more about Bible verses that praise God. Another way to praise God is through song. Here are five of my favorite classic hymns of praise.

It could be helpful for us to create a list of “praise” Bible verses to pull out when we sense that we need an attitude adjustment. A playlist of praise hymns would also be a great tool for directing our focus to God.

Occasionally I will skip my daily scheduled Bible reading and prayer and use that time to simply praise God.  After singing hymns of praise, I read praise passages in the Bible. 

What a difference the right attitude makes! Our homes and our relationships are better when we have a grateful heart that’s saturated in praise for our God.
  
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.  The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.  My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.  ~Psalm 145:17-18, 21

This month let’s make praising God a priority. Share a favorite praise passage or hymn if you have one!

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5 Important Lessons to Teach Our Children Before They Leave Home

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Welcome, friends! Here we are on the last Wednesday in February. It seems like the first two months of 2021 have flown by. I’ve mentioned that our younger daughter is a high school senior. I feel like the next three months until she graduates are going to go by even faster.

With her, all the “lasts” are the actual “lasts.” With our older daughter, I knew I’d get to do most of the things again with our younger daughter. I think it’s going to take some getting used to, my husband and I not planning our calendar around school or extracurricular activities. But I’m also excited about what this next season of life will look like!

As we finish up this month talking about our homes and families, I thought we could look into some of the lessons we want to teach our children before they leave our homes. I’m at one end of that spectrum, but you may be at the other! Perhaps you still have young children at home, and, Lord willing, a number of years to shepherd them before they leave.

I’ll go ahead and let you know that the first two lessons on the list are directly from my dad. He and my mom taught us four children many valuable lessons, but these are two of the ones I remember the most.

Five lessons parents can teach their children at home that will help them be successful in life.

1. Life’s not fair.

I recently got to share this lesson with a six-year-old in the children’s ministry I work at in our church on Wednesday nights. She complained that it wasn’t fair that she hadn’t yet gotten a turn to be the line leader. She loudly proclaimed to me and some of the other kids that “it’s not fair!” I don’t think my little talk about how life’s not fair impressed her very much, but maybe more stuck with her than I think! 🙂

Solomon has an interesting take on this in Ecclesiastes 9:11. “I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.“

We’re not to go around with a defeatist attitude or channeling our inner pessimist. We work hard and we do our best. But our children need to know that life’s not always fair. You’re going to get a bad call in a game. The part you want in the school play goes to someone else when you feel you were just as good. (That’s one from my own life experience.) The job promotion you believe you deserved goes to your co-worker.

Regardless of the situation, there will be times when life doesn’t seem fair…because it isn’t. And if we can help our children understand that fact ahead of time, they can hopefully be more prepared to deal with it.

2. Attitude is everything.

The earlier we learn this lesson, the happier we will be. We control very little in our lives, but our attitude we control 100%.

Every day we get to decide. Will we be grateful or discontent? Are we going to give that task we hate our best effort or just skim by? Do we sulk or pout when our feelings get hurt?

We also need to help our children see that the attitude we choose doesn’t just affect us. It affects others around us. Their day can be better or worse depending on the attitude we display.

It reminds me of Colossians 3:23. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” The work that we do and the attitude with which we do it should be a testimony to others that we’re seeking to serve the Lord.

3. It’s not all about me.

Goodness don’t we all know someone who’s self-centered? Children can naturally focus on having their needs and wants met. What a blessing if we can help them learn early on that they will have more joy and contentment if they put others first.

This covers a lot of ground – learning to share, taking turns, getting along with siblings. Just being part of a family and responsible for certain chores helps our kids learn that other people are important and the world doesn’t revolve around them.

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” ~Romans 12:10

4. Work is good for you.

This can be a hard one because honestly, it’s often easier as a parent to just do the work yourself rather than battle with getting your child to do it – or making them do it over when it’s not done right the first time.

One of our girls was fairly self-motivated. She understood that if she’d jump in and get her work done, she could move on. The other one was more motivated to work if I worked alongside her. Regardless, we want them to know the feeling of completing a job and doing it well.

The fight against entitlement is real. We don’t want children who feel entitled to things just because they breathe air or live in our house. They don’t need everything handed to them. A good work ethic will take them a long way in life.

“In all labor there is profit, but the talk of the lips tendeth only to poverty.” ~Proverbs 14:23

5. Honesty is the only policy.

Not just when it’s convenient, but always tell the truth.

Do all children lie? Maybe not, but both of ours did at some point. Sometimes when they’re really young it’s almost funny because it’s so obvious. But there have been other times when I believe the Lord has revealed to us in some different ways that they weren’t telling the truth. And that’s a blessing! We want them to get caught when they’re dishonest so that we can deal with the issue.

Honesty’s always been a big deal in our home because without it, there’s no foundation for trust. If our girls do something wrong – and they will – we want them to come to us and confess it. There may still be consequences, but if we find out they lied about it – or we discover it through other sources – the consequences will likely be worse.

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are His delight.” ~Proverbs 12:22

These five lessons can be good reminders for all of us. I know we haven’t done a perfect job teaching these to our girls. But I do hope the time we spent instilling truths in their lives will benefit them as they leave our home and step out on their own.

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