(2019)

This was one of the earlier things that I posted on my site and, not knowing better I made it a page instead of a post. As I am updating my site I feel like it needs to be a post instead. So I am moving it here. I hope that it is beneficial to you in some way. 

This journal was from a Wednesday night class my church had on praise. The first class focused on text from Psalm 145:1-7, which reads:

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; but His greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another, they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will medicate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. (NIV version)

My fellow classmates and I have been challenged to keep a praise journal. After some reflection on this I realized that my praise life needs improvement. I take my blessings that I have for granted and often I forget, until much after receiving a new blessing, to say “thank you” and to reflect on and appreciate the blessing. I need to mentally and verbally praise God more. I will pray on this and make a goal, a praise goal, to have daily.

My praise song for the week: To God Be The Glory by Fanny Crosby

My praise scripture for the week: Isaiah 12:1-6

Until next week….

There are five parts to our weekly praise journal. We are instructed to write about one thing that “wowed” us during the week. We also pick a praise hymn, a praise scripture, the personal reflection (like I posted last week), and our own psalm. I am going to share my psalm for this week.

The sickness of someone close to you is very stressful and when you have other family members that struggle with their faith in these instances, that really increases the stress. Negativity breeds negativity and all that. Anyway, this is how I cope.

My Psalm for week 2:

Strengthen us Lord when we are weak. Help us to be strong for each other.

Sickness comes into our lives and it tries to tear us down.

Help us to know that there is always hope in you.

Bless us with peace of mind.

Bless us with faith in you.

Bless us with wisdom to know that no matter the outcome,

all will be right if we put you first.

Selah.

My praise hymn for the week: “There’s Within My Heart a Melody” by Luther B. Bridges

My praise scripture for the week: Jeremiah 20:13

With a family member in the hospital, another in rehab, and starting a new job, there has been some stress the past couple of weeks. Therefore, I have been fighting off one of those evil migraines. Don’t they always seem to creep in at the worst times? My weekly psalm was born from it so at least that’s a good thing.

Rest.

God will give me rest.

Rest for my body.

Rest for my mind.

Rest for my spirit.

Lord, comfort me and let me know that tomorrow truly is another day.

A day closer to Heaven.

Praise scripture: Psalm 42:11- Why, my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. (NIV)

My Psalm for week 4:

Praise to God for improvements in health.

Praise to God for jobs we like.

Praise for blessings, trials that make us stronger and for the strength to continue when times are tough.

Praise God in all things.

My praise scripture for the week is Psalm 111:10. This verse speaks to me because I believe that wisdom comes not only with age but with the immersion of yourself in scripture. I know people who are much older than me who aren’t very wise in their life and I also know some younger people who are. When I began to really search the scriptures for myself I began to see a change. I became more peaceful and less quick to judge. I try to see things from other people’s perspectives now. I try not to assume things because we never really know what is going on in someone else’s life and in their mind that makes them behave the way they do. Instead of condemning them we should pray for them, and while we are at it, pray for ourselves, too.

Psalm 111:10:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.

This is the praise song that I am focusing on this week. It was written by James Rowe in 1912.

He’s my King

• All day long of Jesus I am singing,
• He my song of joy will every be;
• All the while He keeps my heart-bells ringing,
• For His love is everything to me.
• Streams of love around my soul are flowing,
• From His heart love’s everlasting spring;
• That is why my faith in Him I’m showing,
• That is why an endless song I sing.
• In His light, I’m going home to glory,
• With the souls who trust His saving grace;
• Going home to sing and tell loves story,
• In the blessed sunshine of His face.

Chorus:

• He’s my King, and O I dearly love Him,
• He’s my King, no other is above Him;
• All day long enraptured praise I sing,
• He’s my Savior, He’s my King.