A Pause of Praise

A beating heart

The breath of life

Rhythms both in one accord

The flow pumps strong and the breath goes in and out

but in between is

the pause of life...

Love for her child surpasses all her dreams. When she thinks she 

couldn't possibly feel more than at this exact moment, she 

catches a glimpse of His deep unmeasured love and experiences

a pause of wonder...

  

Despair comes knocking.

Hope flees.

Faith falters.

But a

pause of grace

brings joy buried deep to the surface

and trust grabs hold of hope and doesn't let go.

A nationwide observance of thanks

no respecter of persons

for the grateful and the ones blessing blind

a pause of reflection

for the bounty of God’s goodness

Miracles of the heart instead of material wealth of the eye...

Moments of pause

Chances to remember

Countless reasons to give thanks

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“Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”

Guillaume Apollinaire

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Pause Reflect Praise

a

Pause of Praise

In the midst of worry...

As anger raises its fist to bruise...

As grief lays residence in a heart...

a

Pause of Praise

In times of joy and laughter...

When wonder and awe alight eyes and spirits...

During the flurry of turkeys and cranberries...

Between the roar of the game and the smell of tailgating...

Pause

Reflect

Praise

Let’s share

a

Pause of Praise

Selah

In God we have made our boast all the day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 44:8 AMP

Linked with:

Reflections of His Grace - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Falling Fire

The challenge is set

Contenders:

450 pretenders and 1 authentic

Venue:

Mt Carmel

Provisions:

Two bulls, two altars

The objective:

An answer by fire

The many pray and shout, dance and scream...all day...for nothing...no response...not a sound

no fire...

The one rebuilds the altar with 12 stones...douses the lot with 12 jugs of water until it overflows

He prays...

and the troublemaker

believes strong on the God of

Abraham, Isaac, and Israel... 

And fire falls on wet and

consumes everything

Thank you, Lord, for your falling fire

We offer ourselves as sacrifices to You

saturated with the Living Water

Standing on the Rock that doesn't fail

Our eyes look up in adoration

Our hands raise up in honor

Our voices lift up in praise

Let Your fire fall

Consume us!

At the time of the evening offering, the prophet Elijah drew near and prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. I have done all these things at your instructions. Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that you, LORD, are the real God and that you can change their hearts.” Then the LORD’s fire fell; it consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up the water in the trench!

All the people saw this and fell on their faces. “The LORD is the real God! The LORD is the real God!” they exclaimed.

1 Kings 18:36-39 CEB

Linked with:

Reflections of His Grace - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Soothing the Savage Beast

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. ~Victor Hugo

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music” ~Aldous Huxley

You know the ones...

Your ear hears the first few bars and either your toe starts tapping...or your lips starts humming...

Low spirits rise higher

Troubled ones are calmed

A precious memory from days gone by scrolls by

or perhaps it seems as if your soul immediately enters into the presence of the Lord

Praise rises as the melody courses through your veins

Words burst forth to bring glory and honor to the Lamb of God

Does anyone not love music?

Different styles...contrasting rhythms...all types of lyrics...

Another wonderful gift from our Creator

Thank you, Lord!

For the Lord your God is living among you.
      He is a mighty savior.
   He will take delight in you with gladness.
      With his love, he will calm all your fears.
      He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

This song has been playing on my heartstrings all week, so maybe it is meant to bless someone besides me this weekend...

Linked with:

30 Days of Thanksgiving at Reflections of Grace


and Then Sings My Soul Saturday

The 6th Day of Christmas – Two Things I Need

with Carrie @ Thoughts, Ponderings, Musings

It’s so easy for the trappings of the Christmas season to overwhelm us with things we think we need to do...

There are many ways to help us stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas, and one thing I love to do is listen to my two favorite Christmas songs at least once a day...or more!

“Oh Holy Night” has become dearer to me with the passing years. Every verse seems to take on a deeper meaning with each new Christmas season.

“Glorious Impossible” is a relatively new song for me, but for the past two years I have grown to love the words and meaning of this song. God reminds me that when He gave me the gift of the “Glorious Impossible”... each impossibility I seem to face, is turned into an Entirely Possible through Him...

Are you trusting Him with your impossibilities this season?

He is the only One that can turn hopelessness

into a promise conceived...

Better Than Life – TSMSS

with Amy @ Signs, Miracles, and Wonders

Your love is everlasting
It's an everlasting love
Your mercy is as new
As every rising of the sun
And Your loving kindness
Loving kindness
Is better than life

Your grace is all-sufficient
It's an all-sufficient grace
Your power and Your glory
Are forever on display
And Your loving kindness
Loving kindness
Is better than life

Chorus
Oh, it's better
Oh, better than life
Oh, so much better
Jesus, Your loving kindness
Is better than life

Fairest of ten thousand
Of ten thousand You are fair
And nothing in this world
Could ever measure or compare
To Your loving kindness
Loving kindness
Is better than life

All your ways are just Oh Lord
You're just in all Your ways
And I will lift my hands Oh Lord
With gratitude and praise
For Your loving kindness
Loving kindness
Is better than life

Jesus, Your loving kindness
Is better than life itself
Better than life itself
Jesus, Your loving kindness
Is better than life itself
Better than life

Sweet P’s – Life

with Tiffany @ Tea with Tiffany

Heavenly Father, thank you today for another week of life. Thank you for the good things that happened and thank you for the things that were not so good. You taught me lessons with the those not so good things, and I know You do that because You love me so.

My soul has sung many songs this week to You, and I can truly say, You are better than life...all the good things...all the wonders...are nothing when compared with Your glory...a life without You is no life at all...

Father God…..many are hurting this week...and You know that in our grief...we sometimes need reminders of the glorious life with You...

A sister said farewell to a life long friend...an old friend of mine is nearing the 1 year anniversary of losing her dad...and the almost 3000 lives that were lost 9 years ago on that tragic day in September...hearts still ache...and tears still flow...

Please comfort them, Lord, and pour out a healing rain of compassion that will soak through any despair...lift up their eyes so they may see Your love and mercy that will soothe their scars of bitterness...and fill them with hope for the future...in a life with You...

I praise You, God, today and every day, for Who You are...

My Saviour and Redeemer...

My Living Water and Bread of Life...

My Teacher and Strong Tower...

My Everything...

You are better than life...

I give You all the honor and all the glory...

In Jesus’ name...

Amen.

Thank You – TSMSS

with Amy @ Signs, Miracles, and Wonders

My little drummer boy informed me this is one of his favorite songs right now...

Thank You for Your kindness
Thank You for Your mercy
Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the price You paid

Thank You for salvation
Thank You for unending grace
Thank You for Your hope
Thank You for this life You gave

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
All my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus

Thank You for Your promise
Thank You for Your favor
And thank You for Your love
And everything You've done for me

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
All my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

To Your name
We give all the glory
To Your name
We give all the praise
You're alive
Our God everlasting
So let Your face shine on us

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
And all my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

Sweet P’s - Amazed

with Tiffany @ Tea with Tiffany

Precious Lord, today I just want to give You praise...

You amaze me...

With all the needs in this great world...mighty ones that effect an entire nation...the prayer list on the wall at a local church...to the sweet petitions of a 5 year old...You hear them all...

Where a mountain needs to be moved...You are there...or if a mighty hand is needed to help scale it...You are there...

I am filled with wonder at Your love...

My eyes brim with tears as I try to conceive the passion in Your sacrifice...all you went through...for me...the one that has ignored You...hurt You...and refused to listen to You...

Thank you for hearing my cry...whether it is one about a cat...a car...or a child...everything matters to You...

You amaze me...

In Jesus’ name...

Amen....

Who You Are - TSMSS

with Amy @ Signs, Miracles, and Wonders

	Desperation Band - Who You Are .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

I won’t be satisfied
I won’t be found alright til I find
Who You are

I’d climb every mountain
I’d travel the deepest valley to find
Who You are

You, You cause the lame to walk
You open lips to talk
You’re everything and that is who You are

You, You calm the storms at night
You turn the dark to light
You’re everything and that is who You are

My Savior, my Healer, Redeemer
That is who You are
Creator, my Maker, my Father
That is who You are

Sweet P’s – My Healer

with Tiffany @ Tea With Tiffany

Heavenly Father, in your precious Son’s name, I come seeking Jehovah Rapha...my Healer...

Thank you, Lord, for those touches of physical healing you have given this body...forgive me for not always taking the best care of Your temple...but You have always blessed me with good health and I thank you for that...

The healings of mind and spirit have been the greatest miracles, God...and I ask that You give this same healing to those with troubled thoughts and anxious hearts...You alone are peace...You alone are joy...

I praise You for soothing the wounds made by those chains that are unseen by the natural eye...but, oh, so real...You loosened them and then moved the prison bars we leaned against in anguish...crying out for freedom...

Our homes need healing, Lord...our churches...and our nation...forgive us when we seem to forget that You are the only One who can restore what was lost...

I thank You for answering prayer this week and healing THAT situation...Your mighty works were glorified and all the praise and honor goes to You...

I love You, Lord...I know Who You are...

my everything....

Jesus Paid It All – TSMSS

with Amy @ Signs, Miracles, and Wonders

I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find
Thy power and thine alone
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

Oh praise the One

who paid my debt

and raised this life

up from the dead!

Sweet P’s – The Storyteller’s Praise

with Tiffany @ Tea with Tiffany

Can we talk tonight , Lord?

Oh, no...I haven't forgotten...

You are always here...always listening...

It’s just...

I need to hear that story again...

You know the one I like...

The story You tell me late at night...when I crawl up in your lap...and You hold me in Your arms...and gently move the burdens that are piled on my shoulders.

What, Lord?

Oh, yes...I can’t wait to met them! Paul...Silas...I want to ask them what they sang that night...but,

You are the One I long to see most of all...face to face...

not just heart to heart.

Please tell me again how You loosened their chains...so they could share freedom with that prison guard...

Praise Your name....You are my deliverer...

Oh, El-Shaddai...

Lord...You never had me bear the weight of physical chains...but those other chains...

Fear...doubt...pride...regrets...

Without those fetters...freedom would not be so cherished.

One touch of Your hand...and...link by link...my self forged shackles...

Fall at Your feet...

I praise You for who You are...

My Lord and my Saviour

My Hope

My Peace

My soon coming King

and

The Best Storyteller....