"Just Praise Me"

So glad you came by....pull up a chair!  I have been sharing with you the many times God has been encouraging and guiding me to praise Him over the span of several months.  When I felt led to study the word obedience this year, praising God seemed to be filed under that catagory too.  Recently I began to study the places in the Bible that speaks of "the sacrifice of praise".  I am still pondering this and all that it means, but I have put it into practice this past week when I went through a needle breast biopsy.  As a cancer survivor, the words "rule out cancer" from the doctor brought more than a little anxiety into my life.  Truth be told I was left with a fearful heart as Isaiah speaks about in Chapter 35. 

When I told my friend what was going on, she spent time praying for me and felt led to tell me that she had received what she felt were a few "words from God".  One sentence that jumped out at me was....."Just praise Me."  She had no idea that I had felt God telling me to praise Him for the past few months.  She had no clue that I had been given written words from others that just "happened" to speak about praising Him and the sacrifice of praise.  Those words "just praise me" began to melt my fearful heart.

I really felt more like pleading with God instead of praising Him, but I began to praise Him every time I started to worry, or think about the "what ifs".  As the days went by until the biopsy, also during the procedure and in the day following as we waited for the results, which were benign, God kept reminding me of how much He loves me and that I am not alone.  Not ever.  As I praised Him, my focus changed.  It was a struggle, but I believe that each time I praise our loving Lord, I come closer in my relationship with Him and peace and joy wash over me. God is amazing!   I am a work in progress, but now I have taken what I have known in my head and applied it to my inner most being, and I have experienced in this area of my life, God releasing His power that resides inside of me, melting my fearful heart.  What a difference that made for me this past week!

Isn't it wonderful the way God has made us~ Isn't it wonderful how much He loves us ~ He even provides the tools we need on our journey through life.  His precious love and the love of others, the written Word, intercessory prayer, and the gift of praising Him. 


Just praise me.  These words are forever tucked away in my heart. My heart that today is listening to the words in Isaiah 35: 4

"Say to those with fearful hearts,

Be strong and do not fear

For your God is coming to destroy your enemies 

He is coming to save you."

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