Taking a Praise Pause

This is a culture of do more, work harder, and where success tends to be measured in earthly accomplishment more than anything.  It is so easy to get caught up in the rush.  The noise of the world telling you that your worth is in your schedule and checklists rather than The Creator of the universe.  Sometimes I think we need to stop and take a praise pause.  

Just stop moving.  Rushing.  Going.  And meet The Creator with praise and thanksgiving.  

This has been a summer of daily pouring in to pour it right back out.  I tell you that only because it is very clear to me that any fruit that comes from this summer is completely and totally the Spirit of God moving.  I am so weak, but He is the Almighty.  And I will boast in His strength, because He is good and He is moving and He is powerful.

So, I just want to pause a second and praise Him for some of the things He is visibly doing:

This summer the Lord has provided opportunities to pray over three different former students—all of them I have taught in public schools.  

Time and time again He placed scripture on my heart that needed to be poured into a brother or sister in Christ within the week of meditating on it.

He gifted me with sisters in Christ that at my breaking point let me cry it out, held my hand, and prayed with me.  Always helping to turn my focus back to Him and what He is doing.  

He gave me the outward expression of the inward transformation He has done in my life by my baptism at one of the most special places in my life.

And just this week He gave me the opportunity to counsel for a week.  His Spirit was evident and moved in the lives of these girls.  The things that I had been praying and asking for at the beginning of the week ended up becoming prayers of thanksgiving from the girls at the end of the week.  Exact words that came out of my mouth as a request to God came out of theirs as a praise.  Words that they said were: thank you God for moving this week in a big way, thank you God that we got to see a new side of you, thank you that we are your children, thank you God for drawing us together as a cabin and that we are a family.  One camper said that she had always thought of God as peaceful and gentle but that she had seen a completely different side of Him this week.  Girls that have been coming to camp for years said they learned more this week than they ever had.  And when we came together as a junior high girl's cabin to share testimonies it was a night of celebration.  Not dwelling on every tough thing or turning into a sob fest—but truly thanking God for every good thing He has done.

Notice that I said I wanted to share some things He is visibly doing.  These are just a few ways I have seen Him move this summer.  I didn't write all of them down—and I can guarantee there are far more things that can't be seen.  Seeds planted.  Lives changed.  Hearts turned.  Decisions made.  In the quiet secret places.  

Just like it says in John 21:25, "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.  Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."

God is powerful you guys.  He wants to move.  He wants to show himself.  He wants to teach us and stretch us and grow us.  That's the beauty of a relationship with Jesus.  It's not a one moment and done sort of encounter.  It's a journey where He continually asks us, "Do you love me?  No, really.  Do you love me?"  And He commands us, "follow me."  It's a constant journey of Him revealing more, empowering more, and loving more.  It's a relationship, guys, not just one encounter.  It's a lifetime of personal, intimate encounters.  A walk with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  A constant pouring out of His strength, compassion, love, mercy, and every other thing He has to offer.  

Can we stop a second and praise Him!  He is definitely worthy.  This summer has been hard and I'm not going to say otherwise.  But, God, you guys.  He is moving.  His Spirit is evident.  And I want you to hear of His wonders and the things He has done in one person's story over the past few months.  

"Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound; 

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!" 

Psalm 150