Sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring about incredible blessings.

I enjoyed watching God at work the other day after a light shower. To see the intricacy of water droplets on the flowers was a study of God’s creation and attention to minute details.  If God can so beautifully decorate these flowers with drops of rain, how much more can He pay attention to our needs and desires?

I have recently been enjoying a simple book, The 30-Day Praise Challenge by Becky Harling.  The author was diagnosed with cancer and begged God for healing. A friend challenged her to spend 20 minutes a day in praise. Becky wasn’t feeling all that thankful, but as she intentionally praised God, she began to experience new joy – and her relationship with God has never been the same.

Recently I have found myself struggling with seeing the negative more than the positive. That’s not usually me, so when I found myself falling deeper into the “poor me” thinking, I decided it was time to put Becky’s 30-Day Praise Challenge to a test.  The first ten days were okay, good thoughts to consider, but nothing earth-shattering, or majorly life changing. I found I was struggling even more with negative self-talk.  But by days 11 through 15 I realized God was meeting me and speaking to me right where I was wallowing in the pit of my own despair.  And I knew I didn’t want to stay there.

So I began to earnestly dig deeper into myself. When thoughts of being excluded, rejected, abandoned, burdened crept in, instead of dwelling on them – I thanked and praised God for the fact that He loved me for who I am. I focused on God’s qualities and characteristics. God loved me enough to send His only Son to die so that I might have eternal life. Even though I didn’t always feel like it, I sang songs of joy and praise to God. I look forward to my time of praise to start off the day with God. I usually take away one or two words that help me refocus throughout the day.  These words have been:  Chosen, Beloved, Cherished, Valued, Prized, Saved, Forgiven, Provider, Precious and the one I go to most – simply “Jesus”.

Once I say, think, and/or dwell on the word “Jesus”, or any of these other words, they intentionally redirect me back to all that I have been blessed with through God the Father/Creator, God the Son/Jesus/Savior, and God the Holy Spirit/Counselor/Comforter/Guide.

God desires and encourages us to praise Him because He knows that our word declarations can be powerful in the spiritual realm. Declaring God’s praise is more than positive thinking. As we choose to rejoice in who God is and thankfully place our circumstances in His care, something happens.

• His amazing peace comes in and shields our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:4-7).
  •  Comfort comes as we recall His promise to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5b).
  •  He strengthens and helps us right where we are (Isaiah 41:10).

God’s Word has the power to change broken hearts and lives when we take the time to listen to what God is telling us and to spend time praising Him.  In the past week I have seen God blow away black clouds of negative thinking and fill me with praise and joy in Him.

I pray you will be filled with hearts full of praise today ~ Faye