May 12, 2025

Through It All

July 10, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 34:1-3

Work…
Husband…
Home…
Soccer practice.    Dance practice.    Basketball practice.
My school…kid’s school…
Running here.   Running there.   Running everywhere.

This would make a great Dr. Seuss poem, now that I think of it, but in reality it is just part of my weekly to-do list. Constantly moving…and my brain constantly working. And I know that other women out there have this schedule and then some. We are a generation of women on the move. I say this to point out that when we are always moving we may, at times, forget to praise the Lord because the busyness takes over.

Last night I was folding laundry. I laid back, sighed, and was about to voice a complaint…as I often do when the piles are taller than my head! But this time I thanked God for the clothes I was folding and for the people who wore those clothes. The situation could be different—I could have no clothes to fold, no dishes to wash, no practices to taxi kids to, no life in me to live.

Life tends to entice us to complain, and other people motivate and model to us how to gripe and groan. But as children of the Most High we have the ability to move past this. We have the ability and the gift of being able to praise God continually—through good, bad, busy, and slow.  Through all of life.  So ladies, through life and all that it brings, let us exalt His name together, and let us praise Him for all He does in our daily comings and goings.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, through all we see in our day, we can forget to thank You for what You do. The word continually means all the time—driving, walking, drinking coffee, cheering our kids on…continually. Thank You for the gentle reminder through David. Lord, I pray that we practice intentional praise, and continual praise.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

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Knowing When…

July 9, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!
Psalms 34:1-3

Many Bible versions carry an introduction to Psalm 34, similar to this: “A psalm of DAvid when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.”  How many of us could act deranged, as David did? I would think it would be hard to carry out. But David had the forethought to act crazy and get out of his precarious situation. We may think that we would not be creative enough to get out of dangerous situations but we all are. We have lived life enough and have friends whom we have watched get themselves out of trouble.

David talks about blessing the Lord and praising Him. What does that look like to you? Do you think you can do it? It takes practice and conscious thought which will turn into unconscious actions. Speaking scripture, praying, especially when someone enters your thoughts, and relying on the Holy Spirit, our Helper, will enable us to pray and praise continually. If you are like me, you get started and then forget. Do not be discouraged. God understands and is waiting patiently for us. Practice, Practice, Practice.

“My soul makes its boast in the Lord” (verse 2). Have you had a miracle in your life? Each of us have circumstances in our lives that could have broken others. But because of our faith in our Lord, we have overcome. We have turned from victim to survivor! We can boast in our Lord, for He has been faithful to place people in our lives to lift us out of that pit. However, if you are currently in a time of testing or trial, keep your eyes fixed and focused on God. As Psalm 46:1 states: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  Know, feel God’s Presence, seek Him when you become desperate. The Bible records in several different books the words of God assuring us He will never leave us. In the Old Testament, when encouraging Moses, God assured him he would not be alone (Deuteronomy 31:5-7). When Joshua took over after Moses died, God assured him that He would be with Joshua just as he was with Moses. (Joshua 1:5). And in the New Testament, Paul reminds us to keep ourselves free from the love of money and to be content with what we have because of God’s promise in Deuteronomy (Hebrews 13:4-6).

Corporate worship. We can receive the joy of the Lord when we praise and worship Him by ourselves. But there are times when we are to share our joy and become encouraged by participating in worship as a group with like-minded people. Philippians 2:1-3 says:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

Coming together to worship and praise allows opportunities to fellowship with each other. Often we get stuck in our own world and tend to not see others who are suffering and who need a caring touch, an encouraging word, or just a smile. Today, find that person. Even one who appears odd. Show them God’s love a few times and see if their demeanor changes. They may be odd because of walls placed to shield them after years of hurt, disappointment, and resentment. Who knows, you may be their angel.

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Father, help us to be more like Your servant David. Allow the Holy Spirit to show us areas to shine in others lives and where we need to let Your light shine in us! Help us to leave our pain, resentment, disappointment, any negative thought at the foot of the Cross where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may be free. Thank You for loving us and grafting us into Your family. We love You and praise Your name today and forever more!  In Jesus’ name, Amen!!!!

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Glorify God

July 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will extol the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 34:1-3

Glorifying the Lord in our current age is becoming harder and harder. Technology, money, and other ways to keep up with the “Jones,’” is starting to take more and more time away from just about everybody. It feels like we need more time in the day to just accomplish three or four things on our daily to-do list. (This does not include the regular 9-5 job.)  Many of us are losing precious time with our families and our Lord because of everything that we are letting take us away from them.

However, we can find ways to glorify God during the day. We can pray anytime we want. It is part of the freedom of living in the U.S. This past weekend (Fourth of July) my family started what will hopefully become a new tradition for us of taking a week (maybe two weeks after talking with the reservation lady) to spend the holiday at Wind Creek State Park in Alabama. (If you ever need a nice place to go camping, we highly recommend Wind Creek State Park.) We caught up on some much needed family time. With my husband’s job, along with my work and school schedule, too, it is hard to fit in time as a family. It is hard to find time for God every day, but we pray every day and try to read a verse or two together. Life is hectic, but God can still be glorified in it.

Glorify God in your work. Glorify God in your family time. Admire His glorious work in you and around you. Be thankful for the blessings He gives you. In the blink of an eye, it could be over. Glorify the Lord at all times—through thankfulness, praise, prayer, and devotion.

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Dear Heavenly Father: Thank You for Your blessings. We praise You with each action. We will praise You through our lips and heart. In Jesus name, Amen.

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EXALTATION

July 7, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 34:1-3

The writer of this psalm praises the Lord for a miraculous deliverance from great trouble. His testimony encourages all afflicted believers to believe that they may also experience the goodness of the Lord.

As we exalt the Lord we express our gratitude to Him for all that He has done. Praise and thanksgiving are basic elements in the believers life.

We must thank the Lord through His Son Jesus morning and evening for salvation, for His love and grace, and for His faithful guidance and care. We should express our gratitude for the Word of God and for His spiritual gifts.

We need to exalt God despite the circumstances we are facing. Just thinking of His wonderful deeds…hey!!! A song of praise should start on our mouth. And it feels good even to us as worshippers…what more for the One being exalted? I guess it is time we make a decision to exalt God since it is supposed to be a believer’s lifestyle. Praising Him and giving thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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Lord, I thank You for all that You have done in our lives. We exalt You because You are a great God. We shall exalt You as long as we live. Be glorified Lord in Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen!!!

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No Matter What

July 6, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

No matter what…God deserves to be praised.  Regardless of what we are going through or how we feel, God deserves to be praised.  This makes me think of the U.S. Postal Service—rain, snow, sleet or shine they deliver the mail.  And, like them, in rain, snow, sleet or shine, we should speak our praises to the Lord.

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises.
I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord ’s greatness; let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 34: 1-3

Psalms 34:1-3 petitions the helpless to tell of the Lord’s greatness. The ‘helpless’ are the last people you would think of who would be speaking praises to God. You would  expect them to be shouting demands and asking for help, not speaking praises. I mean who really feels like praising anything when things are crumbling around them? I’ll be the first to say…’not me’. The thing is this—praise is more than just words. Our praise is evident in our actions and our attitudes.

Look at the widow in Mark 12:42, “Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins….” This poor widow came to the temple and gave (according to my Study Bible) the equivalent of a day’s wages. Talk about having the opportunity to not want to do something! I think that this widow was able to give as she did because she knew that God is a good God and that He would provide for her.

When our praises seem to be costing us much is when the true test begins. How hard is it to give 10 dollars when you have $1000.00? Would it not much more difficult to give 10 dollars when 20 dollars is all we had? And what of preaching the gospel? Some people face prison, exile, and even death to share the good news! And yet we, who have freedom of speech and no such impending doom to linger over our heads, why do we not share the gospel more?

Praise. God is worthy of our praise…all day, every day!

   *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord, I pray that I will praise You not only when doing so is easy or convenient but continuously…regardless of the circumstances.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Sing To The Lord (With All Your Heart)

July 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
    make melody to Him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to Him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

For the word of the Lord is upright,
    and all His work is done infaithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    and by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
    He puts the deeps in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!
For He spoke, and it came to be;
    He commanded, and it stood firm.

 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
    He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
    the plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!

 The Lord looks down from heaven;
    He sees all the children of man;
from where He sits enthroned He looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
He who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.

 The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
    on those who hope in His steadfast love,
that He may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
    He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart is glad in Him,
    because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in You.

Psalm 33

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Sing to the Lord with all of your heart,
Sing to Him a new song. Sing to Him a new song.
Sing to the Lord with all of your heart.
Sing to Him a new song.
Sing to Him a new song.

Lift your voice, let your praises ring.
Let every tongue glorify our King.
Let’s become the generation Who will passionately praise Him,
Trusting in the greatness of our God.

Sing to the Lord with all of your heart,
Sing to Him a new song,
Sing to Him a new song.

Singer/Songwriters: Paul and Rita Baloche
along with The Maranatha Singers

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One Nation Under God

July 3, 2014 by

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Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance.
Psalm 33:12

Over two hundred years ago, the Pilgrims came to this land looking for religious freedom from a government that was persecuting them and trying to get them to worship in an “official” way. Battered by storms and the Atlantic Ocean, they survived the perilous journey to what is now Massachusetts. Then, they survived the new climate and seasons over here. They were even helped by natives who would become known as Native Americans. Eventually the people who settled here would fight the American Revolution, and they would win their freedom from England. This land would become known as the United States of America. Through the centuries, people from many different nations would come to this land seeking the same freedoms and rights that the Pilgrims had been seeking.

Our forefathers were God-fearing people. They prayed to Him daily. They read the Bible. Prayer was allowed in school. Prayer was allowed anytime and anywhere. Our nation prospered. We as a people were blessed. God was with us then, and He is still with us now. He is still our Rock and Protector. He is our Savior and Father. However, there are those out there who want to see God and His blessings leave our nation.

Prayer is no longer allowed in our schools. Groups are fighting to keep baby Jesus and the nativity scene out of town squares at Christmas. Schools are being sued if God is mentioned at graduation. City governments are being sued because they pray before a meeting begins. Political groups are wanting to remove the words “In God We Trust” from our money. We can’t even post monuments to the Ten Commandments without someone raising a stink about the separation of church and state. God eventually punishes the areas of the world that think and act like He does not exist or start to turn away from Him.

As long as we are silent, things will get worse before they get better. There are people out there who are starting to fight back. Parents are starting to cry out for prayer to be reinstated in schools. States are passing bills to allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in state buildings. ‘One nation under God’ is starting to rise again, and it will continue to rise as long as we do not keep silent. Our forefathers were not silent…nor should we be.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for letting us be citizens of the land of the free. We pray that You continue to lead this nation through the coming years and through turbulent times. Lead us to Your blessings and protect us from hard times. Protect our troops as they protect our freedoms, and protect those here at home who protect us on our shores. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Handcrafted

July 2, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.
No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
Psalms 33:11-18

How often do we see commercials advertising products that will make our appearance stand out?  We seek out hairstyles, makeup, and clothes that will make us unique and that will define our own “look.” I think about individuality in our appearance, the car we drive, our performance at work—we want to be unique.  In a quest for uniqueness, and in being our own person, this verse paints a picture:

He fashions their hearts individually…
Verse 15

Our Heavenly Father values our individuality. He values that we are all different and because of this He created our hearts differently. He is not concerned with our outside appearance, but rather with what is inside. He gave us different passions and desires, different strengths and weaknesses, different characteristics—all which make us the unique creation that we are.

They call America the melting pot, where we respect and admire others for their differences, and our differences make us who we are. It is a gift to have the ability to impact others and the world in only a way we can. It is a gift to have been handmade, crafted, and designed individually. We have had God’s hands forming who we are now and who we will continue to grow to be.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making us one-of-a-kind. Thank You for making each of us who we are—individually and in Your image. Please give us the courage and strength we need to use our individual skills to make a difference for You. And to impact others how only we can. Thank You for the freedom to do these things as well. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

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Godly Fear

June 30, 2014 by

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Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him,
upon them that hope in His mercy;
Psalm 33:18

Our hope in God leads to a manifestation of godly fear in us.  With His offer of hope, God only asks us to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  When we make a decision to choose Christ, godly fear then begins to manifest in us as we mature in Christ.

Godly fear is the outward evidence of a Christian’s hope in God’s mercy.  When we truly place all of our hope in God, it becomes a fervent emotion filled with godly fear.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.
Psalm 111:10

King David said that God’s watchful eye is on you even when you can’t see the path He has you on or the direction He wants you to take. This thought is repeated in 2 Chronicles 16:9:

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

God’s eyes are constantly looking to protect, sustain, and bring us through the difficulties we encounter every day. Our heavenly Father desires to bless our lives, so He watches for that moment when we are particularly needy.

Generally, fear and hope are thought to be in conflict with each other; but in the Presence and worship of God they are found side by side in perfect and beautiful harmony. And this is because in God Himself all apparent contradictions are reconciled. Righteousness and peace, judgment and mercy, holiness and love, infinite power and infinite gentleness, a majesty that is exalted above all heaven, and a condescension that bows very low, meet and kiss each other.

There is indeed a fear that has torment, but it is cast out entirely by perfect love. But there is a fear that is found in the very heavens. Let us in our waiting ever seek “to fear the glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD” (Deuteronomy 28:58).

The deeper we bow before His holiness in holy fear and adoring awe—in deep reverence and humble self-abasement, even as the angels veil their faces before the throne—the more His Holiness will rest upon us, and the soul will be filled to have God reveal Himself.

The deeper we enter into the truth “that no flesh glory in His presence” (1st Corinthians 1:29) will it be given us to see His glory. “The eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him, on them that hope in His mercy” (Psalm 33:18).

The true fear of God will be so far from keeping us back from hope!  Rather it will stimulate and strengthen it.  The lower we bow, the deeper we feel we have nothing to hope in but His mercy.  The lower we bow, the nearer God will come and make our hearts bold to trust Him.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

LORD, we trust in You today, even when we cannot discern Your Presence to direct our path. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Looking In The Right Place

June 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I cry to you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
Psalms 142:5-7

I can just hear and feel the anguish of the psalmist here.  Sometimes we can feel so bullied, so utterly defeated that we do not know where to look.  Feeling desperate…with nowhere to go, it seems that our last resort is to call upon God for deliverance.  But then, the psalmist motivates himself and suddenly knows that God will deliver him from his dilemma.

There is such trust in David’s words.  Can you feel it?   Can you almost feel God’s loving care ready to assist David through his trial?  Often times, David found himself in difficult circumstances, either of his own making or by another’s jealousy.  David could have blamed God for his situation, but when he cries out passionately to God for His divine intervention, we know that God will be there to rescue him.

Think of Peter, he was another passionate man that often spoke or reacted without thinking of consequences, but Jesus knew Peter’s heart and knew Peter would lead the disciples once He was gone. Jesus saw beyond the rash actions, the quickness to judge and this speaks to me! The Holy Spirit reveals different aspects of God in people to us when we are ready to accept them, when the revelation will have the most impact on our life. This is discernment, this is trusting in the gifts God has bestowed upon us.

To some of us He gives us faith.  To others hospitality, teaching, encouragement, praise. We are not to have every one of them, nor are we to be jealous of  other people’s gifts.  Get rid of jealousy.  It takes too much time away from us and from God.  God is jealous for us to have a relationship with Him, not with social media, with our computers, with our televisions or whatever would take us away from time that is spent with Him.  We are to use these things as tools to reach the lost and to reach those who have become lost along the way. We all have done this. We all have strayed away, and then we come back. Just as David had. God loved him no less, maybe even more, when he strayed, then came back.

David was not perfect in his life as a man, husband, father, son. But his love, faith, and trust in God was absolute.  He knew when he could bargain with God and when God’s word was final.  There is no denying the bond these two had.  God loved His son, Solomon, as well.  Before Solomon allowed his wives to corrupt him, he had a great relationship with God.  Oh, for Solomon’s wisdom in our day!  I am sure someone would find a way to interfere with his words.

My prayer for those who read this today is that no matter where you are in your walk—if you have not strayed recently or have strayed so far away—know that God loves YOU.  God is standing at the door and knocking.  He wants to keep His children safe and with Him.  Are you one of His?  If not, please pray this prayer with me…

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Heavenly Father, I choose Jesus as Lord of my life.  I humble myself in repentance and turn away from ungodliness.  I choose to forgive those who have wronged me.  I offer myself as a servant of the living God.  I rejoice that through the blood of Jesus all my sins are forgiven; through the blood of Jesus I am redeemed out of the hand of the devil; through the blood of Jesus I am sanctified, set a part to God.  I rejoice in my Lord and my Redeemer, amen.

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