Embrace God's truth with our new book, The Lies that Bind

Donate
OUTREACH & PARNTERSHIPS
Return
Shop
Return
Seasonal sale

Spring’s promise begins here

See the new spring collection. Get 20% off all orders using code: SPRING.

Shop now
Spring’s promise begins here
Articles
Return
Featured Article

‘The Star Thrower’ and the Difference You Can Make

In 1978, author Loren Eiseley published an essay called “The Star Thrower.” It recounts a beach walk by a narrator...

Read More
Abide
Return
Featured Abide Article

Soundscapes for Restorative Sleep and Mindfulness 

In the hustle of daily life, finding moments of peace and tranquility can sometimes feel like an impossible dream...

Try Abide Free
Soundscapes for Restorative Sleep and Mindfulness 

3 Prayers to Help You Make a Fresh Start in the New Year

Posted on by Bob Hostetler

It’s here. A new year. To paraphrase an ancient writer, “the old year has gone; the new has come!”

There’s no better time to find ways to prayerfully wrap up the past year and face the new year with a clean slate. Won’t that be nice? You betcha. So, let me suggest three prayers that will help us start the year strong.

1) Reevaluate

Speaking to His people through the ancient prophet Haggai, God said, “Give careful thought to your ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7, NIV).

It’s a perfect prayer exercise for the threshold of a new year. Ask God, “Show me where I went wrong. Show me where I’m not pleasing you and help me to confess and repent. Show me where my priorities and practices need to change.”

If you’re sincere, you can count on God to answer. He told His people in Haggai’s day:

“You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it” (Haggai 1:6, NIV).

So, reevaluate. Look back at the past year, perhaps even writing down things you would like to change. While you’re at it, ask God to also show you things you did right, things you did well, things you might find satisfaction and blessing in doing more of. Write down those things too.

Then…

2) Recommit

Haggai’s prophecy records (in verse 12) that, once they examined their ways, “the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God” because “the people feared the LORD.”

In the Bible, “fear of the Lord” is an attitude of reverence toward God that leads to trust. Fear of the Lord is loving God with all our hearts, serving Him with all our passion, and obeying Him as best we can. This is the response God looks for from His people, both then and now. If Israel had reevaluated without recommitting, they could not have launched ahead with the Lord’s blessing. Their efforts would probably have been unproductive and disappointing, to both them and God.

So it will be with us. But we can make a new beginning in this new year by prayerfully recommitting ourselves to serving God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, renewing our allegiance to Jesus, and affirming our commitment to live under His Lordship. Then, when we’re fully submitted and open to the Lord, He can stir our hearts and bless our efforts to turn a corner in our lives.

Then, finally, like the Israelites of Haggai’s day…

3) Refocus

In Haggai’s day, their reevaluation and recommitment resulted in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem (see Haggai 1:14-15). What new focus will result from your reevaluation and recommitment?

Will it be rebuilding something? Reconnecting in some way? Reversing something? Reviving something?

Here again, ask God to show you. “Show me where I should focus in this new year—and where I shouldn’t focus. Show me what will please You. Show me when to say “no” and when to say “yes.” Show me where to invest my attention, my efforts and my resources. Show me what will make this year the best possible year.”

Turning those three prayer corners can bring to pass in this new year what the poet Robert Browning envisioned many years ago: “The best is yet to be.”

3 Church Prayers to Enrich Your Christmas Spirit

Posted on by Bob Hostetler

Christmas is a nostalgic time for many. We remember childhood celebrations. Family gatherings. Memorable gifts.

So it’s fitting at Christmas to pray nostalgically, too, in a manner of speaking. The following Christmas prayers are part of the collective memory of the church through the ages. So why not make one—or all—your prayer this Christmas?

1) Saint Ephraim the Syrian
The feast day of Your birth resembles You, Lord, because it brings joy to all humanity.
Old people and infants alike enjoy Your day.
Your day is celebrated from generation to generation.
Kings and emperors may pass away, and the festivals to commemorate them soon lapse, but Your festival will be remembered until the end of time.
Your day is a means and a pledge of peace.
At Your birth heaven and earth were reconciled, since You came from heaven to earth on that day.
You forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt.
You gave us so many gifts on the day of your birth:
A treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick;
Spiritual light for the blind;
The cup of salvation for the thirsty;
The bread of life for the hungry.
In the winter when trees are bare,
You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.
In the frost when the earth is barren,
You bring new hope to our souls.
In December when seeds are hidden in the soil,
The staff of life springs forth from the virgin womb.

2) Saint Augustine of Hippo
Let the just rejoice, for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice, for their Savior is born.
Let the captives rejoice, for their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice, for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice, for their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice, for Jesus Christ is born.

3) Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Let Your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we, made in Your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength we cannot imitate Your majesty, power and wonder, nor is it fitting for us to try. But Your mercy reaches from the heavens through the clouds to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but You have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. Caress us with Your tiny hands, embrace us with Your tiny arms, and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries.

20 Christmas Prayer Prompts

Posted on by Bob Hostetler

What will make this Christmas season more meaningful for you? A visit from family? A favorite Christmas song? A children’s program at church? Something else?

Whatever your answer(s) may be, a sure-fire way to make the countdown to Christmas more meaningful is prayer. There is no better time to turn your heart to prayer than this season leading up to the celebration of the Incarnation. So here is a list of 20 Christmas prayer prompts to follow, one each day perhaps, to point your heart to the Bethlehem manger:

1. Give thanks for the joys of family and friends this season.

2. Ask God to “close the doors of hate and open the doors of love” this Christmas (from a prayer by Henry Van Dyke).

3. Give thanks for your favorite Christmas carol.

4. Pray for Salvation Army bell ringers and others who help the needy during this special season.

5. Pray for gifts you give to be well chosen and well received.

6. Give thanks for your favorite fragrances of the season.

7. Pray for those who are lonely this holiday season—widows, widowers, invalids, etc.

8. Give thanks for the Gospel writers—Matthew and Luke—who recorded the story of Jesus’ birth.

9. Pray for those who will be working over the holidays—police, firefighters, hospital and nursing home staff, etc.

10. Give thanks to Jesus, who though He was rich, for your sake became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9).

11. Pray to be shielded from the noise, turmoil and empty promises of the season.

12. Ask God to protect and deliver those who must celebrate Christmas amid persecution and oppression.

13. Give thanks for your favorite Christmas movie.

14. Pray for the children you know and love to grasp the true meaning and blessing of Christmas.

15. Pray for health and strength to meet the demands of Christmas week.

16. Pray for refugees, immigrants and other travelers who will be far from home at Christmas.

17. Give thanks for the obedience of Mary, who submitted to the privilege and challenge of giving birth to God’s Son.

18. Give thanks for the faith of Joseph, who believed the angelic message and provided and cared for Mary and Jesus amid bewildering circumstances.

19. Give thanks for your favorite holiday foods.

20. Ask God to make your Christmas celebration reflect the beauty and wonder of the first Christmas and for the miracle of the Incarnation—“God with us”—to be a reality in you and those you love.

Feel free to adjust or add to the list above. You may even want to print it and post it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror to prompt a different prayer each day between now and Christmas. Or you may come up with a list that is all your own. Whatever you do, let it move your mind and heart closer to Jesus.

10 Ways to Pray on Black Friday

Posted on by Bob Hostetler

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when millions of Americans (who the day before gave thanks for their many blessings) race to stores, wait in lines and spend money to acquire more. This is not a post to make you feel guilty about taking advantage of Black Friday “deals and steals” but just a few words to suggest ways to make Black Friday not only a shopping extravaganza but also a prayer experience.

Do you have your Black Friday shopping list? Let me suggest adding to it—not more stuff to buy but a few things to pray. You might write or print this list on the flip side of your shopping list. Or staple the two lists together. Or cut and paste these prayer prompts as reminders in your smart phone, to notify you every so often during the day.

1. Give thanks that you have money to spend and loved ones to buy for.

2. Pray for other shoppers (instead of mowing them down in the parking lot to get a better shot at the limited supplies inside).

3. Pray for the store clerks and others who are working–perhaps under stressful circumstances–to meet the needs of Black Friday shoppers. Do so even as you approach them, pass them, are served by them or walk away from them.

4. Pray for wisdom and patience to spend wisely and be a good steward of the financial resources with which God has entrusted you. If you have a budget, pray to stay within it.

5. Give thanks for “things I can do without” as you pass them by.

6. Pray for those who cannot participate in Black Friday because they lack the resources even to put food on their table or gas in their car.

7. Give thanks for “things I can enjoy without acquiring or possessing them” (e.g., a sunrise, library books, etc.).

8. Pray for those throughout the world whose needs are just as acute on Black Friday as on the other days of the year. Pray for a way to remember their suffering and do or spend something to relieve it.

9. Pray to be delivered from greed, impatience and unkindness from others and toward others.

10. Pray for an opportunity to bless someone—a fellow shopper, a frazzled clerk, another driver—at least once today.

Decluttering as Part of Your Lenten Spiritual Practice

Posted on by The Digital Editors

The English word “lent” comes from a Dutch word referring to the season of spring. It’s the 40 days (not including Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter, traditionally associated with giving up food or, in more recent years, social media.

Some denominations refrain from meat on Fridays, while other people give up one food category, perhaps sugar or coffee, for the full 40 days.

But the “Great Fast,” as referred to by some church traditions, can also be a time to do a spiritual reset by decluttering and re-focusing on what really matters.

The purpose of Lent is to give up the things keeping you back from God. Decluttering can be a way to release physical and spiritual clutter and focus on developing your relationship with God.

Like any fast, this is a two-step process. It’s not only about giving something up, but connecting with a higher power. Here are three strategies to incorporate decluttering into your Lenten season:

1.Toss out one item every day for 40 days

Start small by committing to get rid of one item a day for the next 40 days. To help yourself remember, set a daily alarm—perhaps for first thing in the morning, during your normal prayer time or during an evening loll. It may feel small, but by Easter you’ll have removed 40 unnecessary items from your life.

2. 40 bags in 40 days

In 2011, Ann Marie Heasley, who blogs at White House Black Shutters pledged to l declutter during Lent—she called it the 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge. The challenge is simple: fill one bag with items to discard every day during Lent.

3. Clean out one area every day

Another way to approach decluttering is to make a list of areas in your home, office or life you want to declutter and then work on one space a day. These could be as small as a junk drawer or bathroom cabinet. If you declutter one small space every day, you’ll have made major progress at the end of 40 days.

Once you’ve decided how you want to declutter, it’s even more important to remember what Lent is truly about: connecting with God. Here are a few ways to keep your focus on God as you declutter:

1. Use cleaning time to pray

It might sound obvious, but the purpose of decluttering isn’t just to make more physical space—it’s to make spiritual room for God. Try practice this by praying as you clean, fill bags or tidy up spaces.

2. Don’t forget the non-tangibles

Just because you have a clean house doesn’t mean there aren’t spaces in your life that need a fresh look. Perhaps you’ve been feeling disconnected from God and need to take a hard look at your social calendar and find ways to free time. Or maybe you feel debt is holding you back and want to make a plan for decluttering your finances. Decluttering isn’t only tied to physical belongings. Use this season of penitence to re-assess your mental and spiritual health as well.

3. Set aside time for God

No matter what you decide to do for Lent—even if you do nothing at all—you can dedicate yourself to prayer and quiet time this season. Commit to a daily devotional or prayer practice, like Guideposts 40 Days of Prayer Program. Click here to sign up for the Lent prayer program.

How do you commemorate Lent? Comment below and let us know.

Bible Verses to Live By: ‘This Is the Day the Lord Has Made’

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

Some mornings I wake up and wonder, “How will I find time for You, today, God?” There’s a slew of emails and texts to respond to, not to mention checks to write, and the anxious, overwhelming feeling that we’re not going to have enough to get through the month, let alone the year. Where’s God in all of that?

Then I remember: this is exactly where God wants to meet us and where we can meet the Lord. In the very midst of our busyness. As the Psalmist said, “This is the day the Lord has made: we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Every day is worth celebrating, even ones when you get up on the wrong side of the bed. Here’s how to keep your day focused on God:

1)   Put God at the top of the list. Before you pick up the paper (or log on) and read fear-making headlines or before you send that text or email or become immersed in social media, FaceTime with God. With Jesus. Sit for a moment in silence (while the coffee’s brewing). “God,” you say, “I’m here.”

2)   Pick a word. Give yourself an inspiring word you can call on throughout the day: hope, love, compassion, courage, understanding, forgiveness, faith, goodness. It’ll be your message to yourself. It’s a reminder that as you cross off the little things on your to-do list, big things have not been forgotten.

3)   Stay in the present. Circle back to what you are doing now. Emptying the dishwasher, pouring yourself some coffee, reading a message from a friend. Feel the joy of now. After all, this is the day the Lord has made.

4)   Forget about multi-tasking. We like to think we’re being efficient, doing two things at once. The risk is that we do neither of them well as our mind wanders in a million different directions. Don’t try to read that article (or this one!) while listening to your friend on the phone. Your friend needs and deserves all your attention, one hundred percent of it. So does that dish you need to wash.

5)   Find joy in little things. Like washing that dirty dish. Feel the splash of the water under your fingers, watch the soap bubble up from the sponge, note the smudges that disappear, watch the clear water circle into the drain. You might put it in a drying rack, letting the air breathe through it, or wipe it with a towel. Either way, think what you have accomplished. What was dirty is clean.

6)   Give thanks. To give thanks to God, even for the smallest things, is to remind ourselves of the primary relationship in our lives. What we have comes from God. What we share belongs to God. What we fear, what overwhelms us, can be given to God.

7)   “Make each day your masterpiece.” Those words aren’t mine. They come from legendary basketball coach John Wooden. All the elements are at your fingertips. No need for buckets of silver and gold. Paint with the joy from your heart. Today, this will be your masterpiece. This is the day the Lord has made.

3 Biblical Prayers for Gratitude

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

How can we be more grateful in our every day lives? Use these 3 powerful Biblical prayers for gratitude throughout your day to focus on the positives in your life and remember what is most important.

READ MORE: 5 Easy Ways to Make Gratitude a Habit

Woman petting her dog in the morning and saying a prayer of gratitude

1. Morning Prayer of Gratitude

Pray this: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! (Psalm 95:2)

Thankfulness is a great way to establish a relationship. When you thank God for something, you’re giving credit where credit is due. Start your day by going around the breakfast table and having each person talk about something they’re grateful for.

Woman outside with her arms raised saying a short prayer for gratitude

2. Short Prayer of Gratitude

Pray this: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)

Sometimes I want to call the apostle Paul “Impossible Paul.” He gives us one short sentence with three commands that seem impossible. Until I try them. Rejoicing, praying, giving thanks. Could prayers for gratitude really work?

I have found it helpful at times not only to “give thanks” but to write down what I am grateful for. Make a list. Be specific. One time, when I feared I was sinking into a bottomless pit of depression, I took out a pen and paper and wrote. And wrote. By the time I looked up, I had almost filled the page. I was going to be okay.

Woman saying an evening prayer of gratitude before bed

3. Evening Prayer of Gratitude

Pray this: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

How can we give up worrying? It never works to tell myself, “Don’t worry, Rick, don’t worry.” Instead, I need to move my mind and spirit into a more positive realm, as this verse reminds me. I let God know where and what my needs are, praying with the assurance that I am heard and my prayers for gratitude will be answered.

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Guideposts magazine.

READ MORE ABOUT FEELING GRATITUDE:

Bible Verses to Live By: Lent Is a Time for Renewal

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

Lent is here, those 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays). It has traditionally been a time of fasting, of giving up something mundane to focus on something bigger. I’ll never forget when my wife gave up worrying for Lent—just as our two college-aged sons set out on a trip through some dangerous areas. Now that was challenging. And humbling.

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free…? Isaiah 58:6

A Lenten fast, as this verse reminds us, doesn’t have to be about forgoing chocolate and sweets. You can reach deeper. I have friends who don’t “give up” for Lent but instead “take on”: dedicating themselves to a charitable cause or praying for a specific need in the world—working to make positive change happen. Whether their goal is achieved or not, they have changed and grown, and are ready to greet Easter.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

Putting God first in our lives can be a challenge. There are so many distractions around us. I’m grateful for Lent and the opportunity to recharge and refocus spiritually. Some might ask, “Shouldn’t you be doing all those good things anyway?” Perhaps, but it’s so much easier when you have it prioritized on your calendar and know that others are doing the same. Thanks, God, I can pray, for this chance to grow closer to you, as I share a greeting to one and all: “Happy Lent.”

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Guideposts magazine.

Bible Verses to Live By: ‘In All Things, Give Thanks’

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

It was the Apostle Paul who wrote in his letter to the Thessalonians, “Give thanks in all circumstances,” or as it’s put in other translations, “In all things, give thanks.”

Every time I hear or read it, I want to say, “Really, Paul? In ALL things?” How to give thanks after that scary diagnosis? Why am I supposed to give thanks when I’m scrounging around for money to pay taxes or the rent or even the food for dinner? Is it even possible to give thanks after the death of a loved one or the dissolution of a marriage?

The part of that verse that’s easy to forget is the end. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Thessalonians 5:18). What on earth is Paul saying?

Is it that thankfulness—in all things—is a way to stay close to God?

On Saturday mornings, whenever possible, I like to volunteer at our church’s soup kitchen. It’s a grab-and-go meal with an added bag of food. No questions asked. We give food to whoever shows up. Last Saturday we served 350 people.

When I come home afterwards, I’m always exhausted. I want to just lie down on the couch with my legs up. All those needy souls. From near and far, including some of those Venezuelan refugees that have been in the news recently.

My favorite task is pouring them hot cups of coffee, a blessing on a cool day. “Cream?” we ask. “Sugar? Sweet’N Low?” We hand out the packets of sugar and the Sweet’N Low and point to the stirrers. Also point out the juice and water if they want them.

I love talking to the guests, going around and chatting with them as they wait patiently in line, and sometimes the line stretches around the block. “How are you today?” “Is there anything you need?” “Can we pray for you?”

In addition to the offer of prayers, there’s a table where clothes are handed out, warm jackets and sweaters for the approach of winter. Last Saturday there was a table of volunteers, offering them help for housing and other needs.

But in all of this I don’t want us to sound like smug do-gooders. Although we might feed them, they always feed my soul. Why is that?

It is their sense of gratitude, their attitudes of thanks in all circumstances. I can hear stories of struggle, continuous struggle, but in the midst of it I will hear of thankfulness. “I am blessed,” many will say. Blessed by God,

The stories they tell, the things that have happened to them dwarf any misfortunes I might have endured. And so often, so does their spirit. Perhaps it is for this very reason that Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor.” “Poor in spirit” in one version, just “the poor” in another version. But the message feels the same.

It can be a lot of work to give thanks in all circumstances. “Even in this, Paul?” Yes, in this. Because that thankfulness will always bring you closer to God, and what greater blessing could there be?

Bible Verses to Live By: ‘Be Still and Know That I Am God’

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

“Be still and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. Such a popular passage, it’s easy enough to take for granted. But how do we live it? How do we get really still?

I think of something my mom used to say to us kids. “Listen to me. You’ve got to get quiet to listen to me.”

There it is. We’ve got to get quiet to listen to God. And that’s a precious practice I make every day. Here are some simple steps as you, too, get still and know that God is God.

Take time out of your day, every day. If it was hard in biblical times to get quiet and listen to God, think how much harder it is these days. We’ve got emails screaming at us, not to mention our phones buzzing in our pockets. Whenever I stand waiting for the subway, I notice how nobody is looking around. Everybody’s staring at their phones. And I’m just as guilty.

Give yourself some time every day where you’re not going to pay any attention to those texts or emails. Be quiet. Sit still to listen to God.

I said, “every day.” You want to make it a habit—a good habit—and habits are things you do every day. I stay connected to my wife by making sure we have time together, listening to her. If we get too distracted, we lose touch. We use that phrase “a comfortable silence” in a marriage. Why not seek it with the Lord?

Find a time for being still. Stick with it and discover the joy it will bring. 

Make a place for it. My time of stillness is first thing in the morning. I go into what we still call the TV room (although that old TV disappeared years ago) and sit on the lumpy sofa, closing my eyes. Twenty minutes is okay. Half an hour is better.

A regular place helps you get connected to God in the silence. A chair, a corner of your room, sitting up in your bed. That familiar place—at that special time —will remind you: “I’m here getting silent, listening to the Lord.”

How do you quiet the noise inside your head? It’s noisy outside. It can even be noisier in our heads. I’ll start thinking of checks I need to write, meetings to attend, emails to send. “Wait, wait, didn’t I want to get silent with God?” I ask.

As great spiritual masters have taught us, notice the thought. Then let it go. Catch and release. All those worries and concerns you’re releasing back to God. They’re in good hands. That’s what the stillness has let you do.

Use a holy word. Take a word, a single word and use it to pull you back from distracting thoughts. As the anonymous writer of the 14th-century text The Cloud of Unknowing suggests, a single syllable word can work best, like “God,” “peace,” “love.”

Every morning in this time of stillness, in the midst of anxieties and worries, stillness comes to me. Even if it’s just a moment, that moment is precious. Soon enough I’ll get up from the sofa and face the day. But I won’t do it alone.

Don’t think you have enough time? Think again. Being still helps you prioritize what’s most important. God gives you the time.

Write Your Worries Away

Posted on by Elizabeth Peale Allen

What’s wrong with worry? Well…pretty much everything! But perhaps the worst thing about worry is that it can bring on failure, that it can draw the very things you wish to avoid.

The word “worry” comes from an ancient German word meaning strangle or choke, and that is what worry does: it applies a mental strangling that leads to desperation. Jesus tells us to “take no thought” for what we eat or wear (Matthew 6:25). The Greek word for “take thought” is merimnate, which means literally to have a divided mind or to be torn in different directions, stifling constructive action.

Like pessimism, worry can harm the body as well as the mind and will. It has been clinically documented that people who worry have more fractures than those who don’t. And doctors have acknowledged the role of worry in many of their patients’ problems. No wonder the Bible tells us again and again not to worry. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down.”

How can you overcome worry? Some people get help from a “worry diary.” Often the simple act of writing down your fears can help you begin to feel that you’re more in control—and that in turn can help you deal with what’s worrying you. After you have listed your worries, go back and—one by one—form a mental image picturing a positive solution or outcome. Make these pictures as detailed as possible. Then, pray with that image in your mind, claiming Jesus’ promise: “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).

Why Praising God Is a Gift for Us

Posted on by Rick Hamlin

As a kid I used to wonder why we praised God. Was God so insecure He needed to hear our words of praise all the time? Not at all.

What I’ve come to understand is that praising God is a gift for us. A golden opportunity to be reminded of God’s power, magnificence and all the blessings we have received and often forget to acknowledge. Until we launch into praise.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6) It’s so easy to take the gift of breath for granted, but it came directly from God. At the beginning of time God breathed into us—and all living creatures—the breath of life. Wow. When you take a deep breath and praise God, you’re giving thanks for that.

Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2) Look at all those exclamation points. I loved typing them. It goes against all editorial conventions. You’re supposed to use exclamation marks sparingly.

Not when it comes to praising God. Verses like this give us a chance to access the enthusiastic part of our souls. Praise puts us in touch with the godly part of our being, buoyed by God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalm 100:4) When I’m feeling out of sorts, burdened and weary, I’ll take out a piece of paper or notebook and write down the things I’m grateful for.

There is healing in that simple exercise. I rediscover peace of mind. You think you’d run out of things to be thankful for. Not a chance. At last count, one notebook of mine lists 162 things I’m grateful for. And I’m only just starting.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (Acts 16:25-26)

Miracles come about through praise, even the simple act of singing hymns and praying. Of course, I’m drawn to this story because it involves Paul’s friend Silas. Silas is the name of our new grandson, born this summer. (Talk about an event worthy of praise!) I expect to be singing hymns with him very soon.

Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! (Psalm 149:3) Praise isn’t something you just do with your voice. You can get your whole body involved. Raise your arms, clap your hands. Dance!

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. (Psalm 145:1) I was feeling kind of glum when I started writing this blog. Not anymore. Praise put me back in good spirits. Back in touch with our Maker.

—Need a Lift? Try Our Gratitude Challenge

—Learn More About Our Thanksgiving Day of Prayer