365 Days of Praise

“and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.‘”

 Romans 4:21

Many of us may boast about what we think we can do. But God is ABLE to do what He promises.  As we read the Bible and His promises, we can have full confidence in Him and His Word. 

*This is one of God’s 365 attributes for which we can look up, praise, and trust Him. To learn about His other attributes and ways you can know God and praise Him, join us HERE. If you’re using Prayers of My Heart prayer journal to record God’s attributes each day, you can click here for prayer journaling tips.  

LIVE OUT LOUD “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts,” Isaiah 55:9 LANDMINE: THINKING I KNOW WHAT’S BEST

What I would give to know a few of the daily details of John the Baptist’s upbringing.

His saintly, elderly mom likely had her hands full. How many times did Elizabeth have to call John in from chasing lizards to sit down for his Scripture lessons?

Did she pull her hair out in frustration at his strong will and grow exasperated telling him to take off those animal skins and put on some normal clothes? When she saw him pick up and nibble his first locust, did she scream, “Get that out of your mouth!”? Did Elizabeth continually repeat to herself that God had a plan for her son’s life and that she’d just have to trust Him? I think the answer is probably yes.

John didn’t follow traditional religion in the sense of worship method and dress code. John didn’t follow traditional teaching of laws and rules either; he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Lk 3:2-3). And he suffered for his righteousness stand: Herod threw him in prison (Lk3:21).

Where was Elizabeth during all this? Was she already in her grave? Was she alive and fretting, wondering what had become of her son? Was she crying out to God, “What happened to the joy and gladness you promised?”

I imagine if we asked Elizabeth, “What did you think would be best for John to do?” she might say, “Come home, shave, put on some priestly clothes, and put yourself in a position to announce the Messiah.” The truth is, mothers don’t always know what’s best.

What was Jesus’ opinion of John? “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John…” Luke 7:28.

What does this mean for us? We don’t always know what’s best for our children or us. However, rather than holding to a land mine of MY WAY, we can walk in faith on THEE HIGHerway.

MOM2MOM, STONEBRIAR, COMMUNITY CHURCH, FRISCO, TX

MENTORING MOMS, OAK HILLS, SAN ANTONIO
INVITE DEBBIE TO YOUR MOM’S GROUP

MORE 2 HELP YOU

PLAN A MOM TIP

Defuse the land mine of thinking, “I know what’s best” by looking for God’s HIGHway and traveling it in faith.

PLAN A MOM TESTIMONY

Nicki Carlson testifies to God’s ways being higher than hers, p 124

LOVE OUT LOUD QUESTIONS

Discuss with a Friend/Group, pg 128 Forward to your friends!

PRAYER 

Father, thank You that You have a plan for my children’s lives. Thank You that Your plans are good and righteous and holy. Help me and my children follow in Your plans. In Jesus’ name, amen.

LAUGH OUT LOUD

I walked into the living room, where Jonathan was playing with his toy cell phone. He had a very serious look on his face and promptly told me ,”Mom, you need to call the doctor. The monkeys are jumping on the bed.” -Nicki Carlson

Where do kids come up with the things they say? lol

Copyright Debbie Taylor Williams, The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN B WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTER FREE

Don’t SKIP this week’s Plan A MOM.  Model Christ and teach your children about GOD, just as Jesus taught those around Him about His Heavenly Father.

LANDMINE:   PROCRASTINATION

Do you intend every day to teach your children about God?  BUT…something happens – the tub runs over.  The disposal breaks.  A sock lands in the fish tank.

You’re so busy managing one crisis after another, you don’t have time to sit down and teach your kids about Jesus.  So another day passes.  And another.  Procrastination is a land mine that will hurt your children.

GET OVER THE HUMP – START TODAY

Fill your heart with Jesus and His Words so they flow out of you.

Deut 6:6-7 says, “These words….shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently…and talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

In other words, you don’t have to schedule a 30 minute family devotional for 7 a.m. every morning and then feel like a failure if you don’t adhere to it.  Instead, wake to God each morning. Tell Him you love Him.  Praise Him, “Lord, You are faithful.  You are good.  You are the Guardian of my soul.” Read an encouraging verse or passage. Don’t feel that if you don’t have time to read a chapter, you can’t get to your Bible. Open it and think deeply on just one verse if that’s all you have time for.

Have a Bible by your bed and on your kitchen counter.  If you leap from the bed to fixing the baby bottle, read a verse while you’re mixing the formula. If you nurse, TURN OFF THE TV and read your Bible out loud to your little one.

TURN OFF YOUR IPAD and sing praise songs or hymns to your children at nap time.

MORE 2 HELP U – IDEAS for TEACHING YOUR KIDS about GOD

INFANT & TODDLER, p 94

PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN, p 95

SCHOOL AGE & TEENS, p 95

ADULT CHILDREN, p 95

LIVE OUT LOUD CHECK-UP, p 98

LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, p 98

TIP of the WEEK

Defuse the land mine of procrastination.  Teach your kids about God TODAY by letting Him flow from your heart. 

LAUGH OUT LOUD

Father, thank You for giving me the privilege of teaching my children about You. Help me be sensitive to Your leading and how to teach them. Help them to receive Your teachings with open, responsive hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE by EMAIL: Subscribe to this BLOG

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN B WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTER FREE

Let’s face it: we moms are so used to juggling all the pieces of our lives and our family’s lives—organizing, coordinating, making sure everyone’s taken care of—that it’s easy to slip over the line and control a little more than we should. But where, exactly, is that line? How do you know when you’ve gone over to the dark side—when you’ve become one of “those” moms? Sarai, who convinced Abraham to sleep with Hagar, is an example of an overly controlling mom and wife. She accomplished an immediate goal, but the result was devastating. Rather than follow her example, how better it would be for us to learn from it. You can model living your faith out loud by modeling not leaning on your own understanding, but rather trusting God and His higher ways.

LANDMINE:   BEING OVERLY CONTROLLING

CHARACTERISTICS OF OVERLY CONTROLLING MOMS

Shifting into “Make Things Happen” Mode

Treating People Like Objects

Using God’s Words to Justify Behavior

DANGERS of BEING CONTROLLING

Being Despised

Blaming Others

Becoming More Controlling

Burdening Others

BIBLICAL SOLUTIONS for the CONTROLLING NATURE

Proverbs 3:5-6

-Take Your Thoughts to God.

-Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

-In All Your Ways Acknowledge God

We do our kids a favor when we model going to God in prayer rather than reacting to life’s situations.

>Plans are disrupted. “Let’s pray about what we should do.”

>Austin doesn’t get into the class he wants.  “Let’s ask God to show us why the class you’re in is the right place for you.”

>Kerri doesn’t make the team. “Let’s pray and ask God what sport or activity you might do instead.”

MORE 2 HELP U

Factors that Contribute to Our Being Controlling p 78

READ THIS! An Interview with Thelma Wells about Her Daughter, p 81.  

LIVE OUT LOUD CHECK-UP, p 84

LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, p 85

TIP of the WEEK

Defuse the land mine of being overly controlling by trusting God with your child and practicing Proverbs 3:5-6.

LAUGH OUT LOUD

When Morgan was about three, I decided to try the disciplinary methold of lightly spanking with a wooden spoon when she needed correcting. One morning we were in the kitchen together and I said, “Morgan, this is a wooden spoon and when you need correcting for something, I’m going to lightly tap you on your hand with this spoon.” She said, “Oh, no, Mommy, that spoon isn’t for panking – it’s for ‘tirring!” Needelss to say, I found a different kind of discpline. – Jeri Sprouse”

PRAYER 

Father, thank You for the reminder that Your ways are higher than my ways. Help me to trust You rather than lean on my own understanding. Help me let go of the minor things and major in that which has eternal value. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me new opportunities with You and my children. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

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COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN B WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTER FREE

Plan A MOM – MODEL BEING MINDFUL that YOUR CHILD IS GOD’S CHILD

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at times. Perhaps your child is sick or having disciplinary problems. You may have a troubled teen or an adult child who can’t control their spending, drinking, or who lies. In those moments when we as moms feel desperate, we need to remember a very important truth: My child is not mine alone. My child is God’s child and He loves them very much. So much, God sent His only Son to die for our sons and daughters. You are not raising your child alone.

LIVE OUT LOUD

Hannah is an example of a mom who was mindful that her child did not belong to her, but rather was God’s. In keeping with the vow she made to God, she entrusted Samuel into the care of Eli, the priest; to be raised to serve God. She lived her faith out loud; whereas many of us talk about our faith, but don’t demonstrate it when put to the test.

LANDMINE:  THINKING MY CHILD IS MINE ALONE

DESPERATATION dogs the heels of the mom who feels the sole responsiblity for her child. That is a burden too great to bear.  And, it is a land mine waiting to blow.  Blame for others not helping us more, accusations toward those who don’t “do it like we would” in caring for our child, and a host of other thoughts can trip this land mine. But, when we defuse the land mine by remembering we are not raising our child alone, that we have God’s help, we become a different mom.  We find rest for our worried minds by praying about our child.  We no longer “blow” when things don’t go as we wanted.

MORE 2 HELP U

Biblical Example: Hannah’s Plan B Marriage & How She Kept a Godly Perspective, p 66-67

Pam Kanaly Shares Her Story, p 69

LIVE OUT LOUD CHECK-UP, p 72

LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, p 72

TIP of the WEEK

Defuse the land mine of thinking that your child is only your child. Recognize that your child is God’s child whom He loves very much.

LAUGH OUT LOUD

 I had just returned from giving blood and still had a bandage wrapped around my arm.  Hailey asked, “Why did they take your blood? So you could lose weight?”

PRAYER 

Father, thank You that my children are ultimately Your children, whom You love very much. Help me to be mindful each day that they are Yours. Help me raise them to know, love, and serve You. Protect them when they’re away from me. Keep them in Your loving care. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE by EMAIL: Subscribe to this BLOG

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN BE WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTER FREE

Plan A MOM – MODEL TRUST in GOD & DOING THINGS HIS WAYS Rather than Manipulation

“My mother has been a manipulative, self-centered person for as long as I can remember. I was brought up to feel guilty about everything.”

Help! We don’t want our kids to say that about us, do we? However, when I asked Facebook friends to comment on their experiences with manipulative moms, I received a slew of responses. It wasn’t pretty. How can we guard against being manipulative and raising manipulative children?

LIVE OUT LOUD

Manipulation is a learned skill. So is trusting God.

Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.”

Every day is filled with Plan Bs.  What do you model to your child when things aren’t going well? Be aware:  How you respond is how they will learn to respond.

You can teach your children to go to God in prayer, ask for His perspective, and follow His direction in how to respond.

“LAND MINE” – MANIPULATION

Glance over the following manipulative behaviors and consider if you use any to get people to do what you want; thereby teaching your child to manipulate. *

– Withdrawal

– Silence

– Anger

– Pity Party

– Crying

*(More in the Plan A MOM Checkup, p 61)

If you practice manipulative behaviors, your children will grow up to think that is how to get what they want when they want it.  Moms, it is critically important that we teach them that God’s ways are higher than ours. Please take seriously the danger of taking things in our own hands. pg 56

MORE 2 help U in The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World. KINDLE

A Biblical Mom Example NOT to Follow, p 53

Paula Shares Her Story of Having A Manipulative Mom, p 59

LIVE OUT LOUD Manipulation Checkup, pg 61

LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, pg 62

PLAN A MOM WEEKLY TIP

Teach your children to defuse the land mine of manipulation. Model COMMITTING YOUR WAYS TO GOD and TRUSTING HIM.

PLAN A MOM PRAYER

Father, thank You for showing me the dangers of manipulaiton. Alert me to any manipulative behaviors my children and I have.  Help me to model trusting You rather than manipulating people and situations. Help me train my children to trust You and do things Your ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.

BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR!

When our children were babies, their pediatrician wrote out a prescription for their daddy: Name: Keith Williams RX: Ear muffs. 1 pair, extra large. Wear nightly.

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE in your MAILBOX

SUBSCRIBE to this Blog in the right hand sidebar OR EMAIL me at debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com with the message, “YES! I WANT TO MODEL CHRIST TO MY KIDS!” *PLEASE ADD debbie@debbietaylorwilliams to your contacts so it doesn’t get caught in your spam folder! See you next week! Til then, practice committing your ways to God and trusting Him.

Love, Debbie

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN BE WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTER FREE

Plan A MOM – MODEL CHRIST’s GRATITUDE to Your Kids

“Live like today was your last day on earth.”

I have no idea who came up with that saying, but no doubt he or she was an optimist. I wonder if it was a woman whose day consisted of dragging herself out of bed to the sound of a crying infant; prodding kids to eat, or perhaps worrying over adult children.

We may ask, if this were my last day on earth, what would I do differently? Would I perhaps have a different attitude?

LIVE OUT LOUD One word can change your attitude as you go through your day. I know. You’re not easily buying that one word can change your life. But it can. Think with me for a minute. Jesus said the things that come out of our mouths come from the heart (Matthew 15:18). Jesus demonstrated thankfulness to God, even when He stood before Lazarus’ tomb: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Since what’s in our hearts spills out of our mouths, it’s worthwhile to consider what’s in our hearts. Is it “I have to” or “I get to”? Is it a bad attitude or Christ’s attitude of thankfulness even in the midst of seemingly impossible situations?

“LAND MINE” – DRUDGERY

Try it on for size. How would you fill in the blank? “I have to …? .”

Now, using the same sentence, change “have to” to “get to”: “I get to … .” By replacing “have” with “get,” you defuse a land mine of negativity. You choose a perspective that propels you from drudgery to living in the optimism of your God-given day. I speak from experience. Many times I have thought, “I have to . . . ” Then God reminds me that it’s a privilege to fulfill that which He’s given me to do; and remembering that changes my attitude from “have to” to “get to.”

Try it. I challenge you to switch from “have to” to “get to.” When you make it a practice, you’ll discover you have more than a word switch. You’ll also see a change in your attitude, from drudgery to hope-filled purpose—an attitude that is contagious with your children.

MORE 2 help U in The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World. Also vailable on KINDLE – 1ST CHAPTER FREE

A  BIBLICAL “GET TO” MOM, p 44

LAUREN (my daughter) SHARES Her Story, p 44

LIVE OUT LOUD Attitude/Gratitude Checkup, pg 48

LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, pg 49

PLAN A MOM WEEKLY TIP

Teach your children to defuse the land mine of a bad attitude by adopting an attitude of gratitude. Model GRATITUDE to your children.

PLAN A MOM PRAYER

Father, help me practice a “get to” rather than a “have to” attitude—one that honors You and models a thankful spirit to my children. Help them develop a thankful attitude, one filled with gratitude for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR! 

One day, as we returned home not long after Taylor had first started school, he couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. He rushed right into the bathroom. When he reemerged, I asked him why he hadn’t gone to the bathroom before he left school. “I don’t like to go at school because the toilets are dirty,” he replied. “But I’ve figured out a way to do it if I have to go. I sit on my hands.”

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE in your MAILBOX

SUBSCRIBE to this Blog in the right hand sidebar OR EMAIL me at debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com with the message, “YES! I WANT TO MODEL CHRIST TO MY KIDS!” *PLEASE ADD debbie@debbietaylorwilliams to your contacts so it doesn’t get caught in your spam folder! See you next week! Til then, practice gratitude.

Love, Debbie

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN BE WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTERFREE    

Plan A MOM – MODEL CHRIST’s GRACE to Your Kids

“The only trip I go on is a guilt trip.” Have you ever heard that saying?  Have you ever felt that way?

Parenting can bring out the worst in us.  Kids often try our patience and we quickly find out we’re not as patient as we thought.  Or, as we watch our teens or adult children make poor choices, our thoughts may race as we question, “What could I have done differently?”  As quickly as the thought occurs, it’s chased by a million things we could have done differently that would have perhaps benefitted our kids.  

Guilt can haunt us, and there’s only one thing that can chase that demon away – God’s grace. 

LIVE OUT LOUD

The Bible teaches that we all sin.  However, God not only forgives our sin when we come to Him and repent. Psalm 35:2 teaches us that He forgives the guilt of our sin.  In other words, moms, we’re not to go around hanging our heads as if “Condemned” was stamped on our foreheads.  We get it. We’ve all messed up. But God is the forgiver and forgetter.  He moves on with us in grace. We need to exercise the same grace to our kids. 

Are our kids going to mess up and mess up and mess up again? Yes. The question is, are we going to explain to them, “You should not have…. , but I accept your apology and forgive you.  I know what it is to do wrong and be forgiven.  God forgives me when I tell Him that I’m sorry.  And I forgive and love you.”  

LIVE OUT LOUD Verse of the Week – Psalm 32:5  “I acknowledged my sin to You; and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin.”

“LAND MINE” – GUILT

DEFUSE the landmine of guilt by genuinely confessing and repenting of your sin.  Then, focus on and delight in the sweetness and joy of God’s grace. 

MORE 2 help U in The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World. Available on KINDLE – 1ST CHAPTER  FREE

• LIVE OUT LOUD Checkup, pg 39
  
• LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, pg 40
  

PLAN A MOM MONDAY TIP

Teach your children to sincerely confess their sins to God.

7 “Grace Tips from a Plan A MOM in a Plan B World,” page 37. 

PLAN A MOM PRAYER

Father, thank You for the sweetness, delight, and joy of grace. Thank You for removing the guilt of my sin. I love You and praise You!  Help me not to hold things over my children’s heads, but to extend grace to them as You’ve extended it to me. 

BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR! (Send me your kid funny story to share!)

When Sean was almost four, he was entertaining himself so well in his room that I, his naive and unsuspecting mom, decided to enjoy a cup of tea and a few pages of the novel of the month.  I say novel of the month because as any mother of two preschoolers knows there are about thrity seconds in each day when you can actually put together enough brain cells to understand anything written above a three-year old comprehension level. 

Anyway, things had been perhaps a little too quiet, so when Sean came into the kitchen beaming with pride and led me to his room, I have to admit feeling a little fear and trepidiation. When we reached the threshold of his sanctuary, my precious little artist threw his hands in the air and said, “Look Mommy!” He had used a screw to etch his name into the headboard of his bunk. 

What could I say? He was filled with innocent joy at his masterpiece. While some might see what Sean had done as defacing a piece of furniture, to me it was his four-year-old way of trying to please his mom. 

Don’t you know God must get a good laugh out of our peculiar attempts to please Him? Aren’t you grateful that He knows exactly where we are in our spiritual growth process?” – Kellie Kendrick

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE in your MAILBOX SUBSCRIBE to this Blog in the right hand sidebar OR EMAIL me at debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com with the message, “YES! I WANT TO MODEL CHRIST TO MY KIDS!”

*PLEASE ADD debbie@debbietaylorwilliams to your contacts so it doesn’t get caught in your spam folder!

See you next week! Til then, practice grace.

Love, 

Debbie

COPYRIGHT “THE PLAN A MOM IN A PLAN BE WORLD, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS KINDLE READ THE 1ST CHAPTERFREE  

Plan A MOM – MODEL CHRIST’s KINDNESS to Your Kids

Have you ever thought, “I’m the worst mother in the world!”?  Maybe you lost your temper, dished out a little too much discipline. Or, maybe you just thought, “I don’t like being a mom. I’m not cut out for this.”   

LIVE OUT LOUD

Well, you’re not alone and you’re not the worst mother in the world. However, remember, while we’re raising our kids, God is raising us – to be conformed to the image of Christ. That conformation process often happens in the midst of parenting challenges.

Each Monday, we’re focusing on an aspect of Christ’s character to model to our children. In the process, we’ll note some “land mines” in our minds that need “defusing.” Our goal is to “Live our faith Out Loud” in front of our children. Let’s get started!

LIVE OUT LOUD Verse of the Week – Ephesians 4:32  “BE KIND to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

“LAND MINE” – UNKINDNESS

In the midst of washing dishes, folding clothes, and paying bills, it’s easy to let unkindness settle into our hearts. However, like a land mine, it can blow. And often, it blows right when hubby walks in the door. Or, it might blow with our child. As always, explosive land mines hurt. They hurt us and those in our path.

That’s why it’s so important for us to DEFUSE the landmine of unkindness by practicing Christ’s kindness through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit.

MORE 2 help U in The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World. Available on KINDLE – 1ST CHAPTER  FREE

• LIVE OUT LOUD Checkup, pg 28
  
• LOVE OUT LOUD Questions to Discuss with a Friend/Group, pg 29
  

PLAN A MOM MONDAY TIP

What we model has a lasting effect on our children. We can raise our children to be kind by bringing them up in the instruction of the Lord and modeling kindness to them.

PLAN A MOM PRAYER

Father, thank You for extending kindness to me when I didn’t deserve it. Help me model that same kindness to my children.

BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR! (Send me your kid funny story to share!)

When Donnie was little, his grandmother tried to teach him to speak correctly. One day Grandma Bunny said, “Donnie, eat your food,” to which he replied, “I don’t wike it.” She immediately corrected him: “I don’t like it.” Donnie looked up at her with big eyes and said, “You don’t wike it either?” – Linda McConnico

GET the PLAN A MOM UPDATE in your MAILBOX SUBSCRIBE to this Blog in the right hand sidebar OR EMAIL me at debbie@debbietaylorwilliams.com with the message, “YES! I WANT TO MODEL CHRIST TO MY KIDS!”

*PLEASE ADD debbie@debbietaylorwilliams to your contacts so it doesn’t get caught in your spam folder!

See you next week! Til then, practice kindness.

Love, 

Debbie

In Revelation 19:5, we read “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Dr. Gleason Archer explains that the verb tense in this verse is the present imperative verb, a command to keep on doing an action as one’s general habit or lifestyle. It is a commitment to a long-term way of doing something.

Have you ever considered if you’re being obedient to this command? In other words, is your general habit one of praising God? Or, do you tend to mentally complain, feel sorry for yourself, and be sullen?

God instructs us to praise Him; but not because He’s an egomaniac. Rather, managing our thoughts is one of the most important acts we can do. Psychiatrists know this. That is why studies on depression point to the value of cognitive therapy and correcting negative thought patterns with positive ones.

In Genesis 4:6-7, God spoke to Cain about his countenance. He then told Cain, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and it’s desire is for you, but you must master it.” At that time, Cain had not yet murdered Abel. But, he obviously ignored God’s advise. He continued to mull on how much he hated and resented his brother. His thoughts solidified and consumed him. His thoughts took hold of him instead of him taking hold of his thoughts.

No! Don’t Do It!

You don’t have to go the way of Cain. You can control your thoughts. David shows us how in the Psalms.

“I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever.”

Did you notice David repeated himself?

We need the same resolve. Why? His first statement, “I will bless Your name forever” is a nice, long term vision for how to live. But, “Every day I will bless You,” is a specific commitment that makes the vision a practical reality: I will bless You TODAY.

Then, David demonstrates how to bless God and how to extol Him.

“Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised. And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty. And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.”

Try It. It Works.

I woke up a few mornings ago in a less than cheerful mood. Okay…I was downcast. That’s a nice Biblical sounding word; but bottom line, I wasn’t happy, upbeat, or thinking great thoughts. BUT, I know what God teaches me about managing my thoughts. So I went to my Bible to reset my mind from my grumpy state to an uplifted state. This is what God teaches us to do. We correct negative thought patterns with positive ones, with the truth. Our day isn’t bad. It’s good because we have Jesus. Our sullenness fades and is replaced with a peaceful cheerful state of mind as we meditate on God’s wonderful works. “Thank You, Lord, for…my husband, children, health, home, rain, friends, work, church, green trees, flowers, beauty of the clouds, and sky that reflect Your majesty. Thank You for Jesus, for saving us from our sins. Thank You for our eternal home in heaven. Thank You for taking care of the details of life, of helping me accomplish what You’ve placed in my hands and days to do. Thank You for being with me yesterday and today. Thank You for being with me tomorrow. Thank You for…

Will You Choose to Obey God’s Command to Praise

God’s looking out for you. He has your back and He has your future. We can be like Cain and ignore God’s counsel. We can let our negative thoughts control us. Or, we can be like David and make the choice to meditate on God’s wonderful works and praise Him. I’m making the choice to join David, not Cain. What about you?

“On the glorious splendor of Your majesty. And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.” Psalm 145:5.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are Abba Father. I have an inheritance in You. I have a future and a hope. I am not alone. You are a present help in my time of need. You give grace and joy as I turn my eyes heavenward. I love You and thank You. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

I’d love to hear from you. What is one of your favorite Psalms or praise Scriptures? You can share it below where it says, “Post A Comment.”