“Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people. The King of glory is ready to enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory”!

Psalms 24:8-10 (NLT/MSG)

When I was in high school, (yes, that was 40 years ago), there was a movie being made right up the street from us in Fort Worth starring Rob Lowe and Wynona Ryder. I remember everyone, including me, was giddy and chasing the cameras with the hope of catching a glimpse of the famous heart throbs.

Looking back on that now, it seems kind of silly. I mean I have pictures somewhere that are lost and forgotten. I also had to look up the movie that had been filmed because it too, was lost and forgotten – by me anyway. And as it is really cool to have followed the two stars throughout their careers and know that I caught of glimpse of their glory early on, the reality is that my being there, meant nothing to them at all – or really to me. But it does make for a really good story!

I am thankful though, that there is someone else Who I have chased and still get giddy to see. He is the One who is the true King of Glory! He is the One who knows I’m there (and even knows my name)! He is the One who is intimately approachable, perpetually unchangeable, and eternally sovereign. And He’s a person who is hard to forget because His evidence is all around through His creation and His faithfulness.

My King of Glory is the One who displays His beauty and wisdom through nature, His grace and mercy through compassion, His power and righteousness through redemption, His justice and love through holiness, and His protection and provision through faithfulness. My King of Glory is the One who is worthy of praise!

We make choices every day to glorify someone or something. But who are we giddy and rushing to see? Who really makes our hearts throb? Is it entertainers, politicians, or even people in our lives who enchant us? Or is it the Living God!

Take time to reflect on the attributes that are worthy of your worship and praise. And give some thought to the character and roles that God plays in your life. Then thank Him! Give Him proper praise! And don’t forget to declare to the world that He is your King of Glory! The only King that is worthy of glory and praise.

Saturday Soul Search

“For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

Isaiah 45:18-19 NLT

Two parents. Three heart procedures. Two scheduled admissions for surgery. One unscheduled admission for unfinished surgery. Two unscheduled ER visits. One unscheduled admission for complications. One emergency visit to the surgeon’s office. Three unscheduled follow ups. All in nine days.

Ya’ll, it’s been chaos. But ya’ know what? I’m still standing. And fairly sane. WHY? First of all, the family unit that my parents created is amazing! My Dad’s four girls, including the one who was laid up with him, didn’t fail to stick together during the intensity of the moments. But mostly I made it by the grace of God.

You see, God didn’t create this world out of empty chaos. And he didn’t create it to be lived in empty chaos. He created us to find meaning and fulfillment even through our chaos. And even though these past few weeks are kind of a blur, they were filled with meaningful moments of seeing God show up. In our conversations. In our interventions. In our wisdom. In our tears. In those moments of pulling our hair out. God was in the midst and He never left us alone.

Our first order of business in any chaotic situation is to look at God and how He created the world! I can’t even imagine the chaos that was taking place as the light appeared in the darkness. As the seas were separated from the heavens and the earth. As the sun and the moon appeared. As the skies and earth were filled with life. As trees and plants popped up to bless all that He had created. He had a plan from the beginning to use chaos to bring blessings, purpose, and fulfillment.

And He is a God who shows up to bring us all of those good things. He isn’t a God who tells you to seek Him and then can’t be found. Oh no! He is a God who is right there! He boldly proclaims that He can be found in the darkness and confusion of life and He keeps His promise to show up.

In the middle of chaos or crisis lies the greatest of opportunities. The opportunity to seek God and allow Him the blessing of walking with you. The opportunity to be still allowing Him to infuse peace. The opportunity to give up control and trust Him to restore order. Admitting that it may not be in our timing or even the perfect way that we envision it, but if we pay attention and hang in there with Him …it’s an order that is magnificently designed to bring some kind of beauty to our battle.

One of the greatest mysteries of trusting God for me is the patience of not knowing what or when His outcomes will be. But I know that just as when He created the world and it was good, what He’s creating in me and for me through trusting Him will be just as good.

First Corinthians 2:9 reminds us that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him”. And I imagine that in the midst of our chaos and confusion, we can’t even begin to imagine what He is preparing for us.

I am still processing all that He has done in these past few weeks, but what I do already know, is that as I wept in confusion and slept in exhaustion, I also shouted for joy because I know my God was there. When I sought Him, He showed up. And for that, I am thankful.

I encourage you today, whether you are in the midst of chaos or resting in confidence, to take some time to seek and get to know God. Don’t wait until you are in dire need! His mercies are new and His promises hold true every day! They will not return empty as He invites you into a personal relationship that can be found right now! A relationship that will bring order in and out of chaos, now and forevermore.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence, into your many sanctuaries of holiness. Then I will come closer to your very altar until I come before you, the God of my ecstatic joy! I will praise you with the harp that plays in my heart to you, my God, my magnificent God! Then I will say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged; don’t be disturbed, for I fully expect my Savior-God to break through for me. Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.” Yes, he is my saving grace!”

Psalm 43:3-5 (TPT)

New beginnings, significant crossroads, and life changing events and opportunities! All of these landmarks dot the maps of our lives! But unfortunately for most of us, we must also leave dots in the wilderness. And the wilderness isn’t the place we normally look for excitement, expectation, and hope. But as we leave our dots in the barren sand, we discover the hidden goodness of the badlands. 


Sometimes we are keenly aware of what is happening, and other times we just feel stuck. The anxiety, the confusion, the pain, the feeling of lost purpose and direction, the impatience. None of these are pleasant and can leave us feeling distant from God and each other.

But God always has something good in store for us, even if we can’t see it. God uses our wilderness experiences to elevate our dependence on Him, to deepen our trust in Him, to refine our character and strength, and to lead us into unchartered territory.

There are many Biblical examples of the wilderness. Some were self-imposed and some were imposed by others, but all of them resulted in great moves of God because, in the wilderness, people always encountered God!

Visions were given. Missions were issued. Transformations were witnessed. New life was birthed. And in the midst of the desert, their sufferings could be considered all joy.

And our sufferings can too. Not that our wilderness is a happy place. But joy can be found because we know that God is still in the business of refining us, restoring us, and rescuing us right where we’re at. He is the God who has the power to bring water out of a rock (Exodus 17:6) and new life to dead trees (Ezekiel 17:24). And He is the God who will show up to save us! He is the reason that in our wilderness we CAN look for excitement, expectation, and hope.

God’s compass leads to truth and light, and when our battered and worn-out boots are dotting the wilderness with tears and fears, our good and hope filled future is guided from the heart of our Creator as He pours His heart into ours.

You may not all be in a wilderness season right now, but you all know someone who is. So, whether it’s for you or for a friend, let this be your prayer today – “Lord, pour into us the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into us your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead us onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence”. And then let us praise Him for more new beginnings, for more significant crossroads, and more life changing events. And yes, let’s even praise Him for the dot that is being left behind as a landmark in the wilderness.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Isaiah 35:1-4 NIV

When we think about the wilderness, we often think of a starry night by the campfire, or a peaceful day by a beautiful stream filled with Trout. But the wilderness can also be a place that is barren with bugs and no water in sight. A place where we wander around in the unknown, lost and with no direction.

And each of us, no matter how strong we are in our faith, will face the trials of wandering.

Our wandering exposes our vulnerabilities, our defenselessness, and our complete lack of control in this big world of ours. But we have a God who is bigger than our wilderness. We have God who knows exactly where we are. And we have God who stands with us to help us find our way.

If you are wandering in blooming and beautiful plains today – praise God! Give. Him. Thanks! But if you are wandering in the barrenness of the unknown, know this – He will not let you stay lost or be forgotten. You can give Him praise too! Because He is strengthening your hands and steadying your feet with every step you take. So do not give up! Your wandering is not in vain. God loves you, has a plan for you, and is on His way to save you!

“Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.”

Psalms 136:13 NIV

#SaturdaySoulSearch

”With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God! Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me? You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease. You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy. You satisfy my every desire with goodness. You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again like a flying eagle in the sky!“

Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We all like to make lists, right? Things we need to do. Things we need to fix or pay more attention to (goals). Places we need to go. Books we want to read. People we need to see. Oh so many lists! Today, let’s make a list of all the ways that you are blessed by God! 

It’s so easy to look at others and make a list of how they are blessed.  But how often do we reflect on our own blessings? We all have blessings to be thankful for, even though some days they are harder to see than others. But when we praise Him for what He’s done in the past, we can trust Him with what He is doing now. And when we praise Him for what He is doing right now – whether it feels good or not – we will find strength and endurance to get through it. 

Read through and reflect on the passage above and make that list of praise beginning with how God has actively partcipated in, redirected, and refreshed your life in the past? Then reflect on your perspective of how He is blessing you now. And lastly, reflect on how well you respond by “letting all that you are and all that you do praise the Lord”.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.

Isaiah 45:8

What a wonderful rain we are having today! God’s blessings abound! Some may see it as spoiled plans. Others may see it as unexpected rest. For me, it means pausing a house training routine for a puppy! But however we see it, God sees it as refreshement; for the earth and for our souls. He sees it as opportunity to grow and bear fruit! 

Whatever you are having to do to re-direct your plans for the day, take a moment and pray. Give thanks for a day to slow down. Take hold of the joy of His goodness. Embrace the peace that can only come from Him. And pray for your family, your friends, and your enemies! Pray that as God rains down the living water from heaven, His grace, mercy and love absorbs deep inside our hearts. 

Be safe out there today and rejoice in the beauty of Creation! 

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does”.

Psalm 33:3-4

For as long as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. With my parents and grandparents all being professional musicians, I began early in life to appreciate the joyful sounds and the passionate songs that surrounded me daily.

Though I had also learned to recognize the restful peace that music brought when my heart and soul was unsettled, there was one song that brought reason for concern. It was the familiar song called the Mom Hum. The most significant Mom Hum I remember was on a family vacation when the power steering went out as we topped a mountain pass. I remember the intensity of the Mom Hum increasing as we prayed our way down. But by the grace of God, we made it! Somehow, I think God knows that even an intense hum is a cry for help, but also a praise, that we can trust him to see us through.

King David too, had learned early in life about the peaceful and merciful powers of song. David, described as “the sweet psalmist of Israel”, would play his harp to comfort and heal Saul’s troubled soul.

The songs of the people of Judah defeated the army that stood before them. And the song that Jesus sang with his disciples brought strength and remembrance that the road to the cross is not easy, but the Hope of deliverance is secured.

Numerous references to music throughout the Bible reveal to me that music is a part of the essence of God. He sings His praise over us when we walk in His ways and delights when we joyfully sing to Him. He yearns to speak peace to our hearts as much as we yearn to receive it.

And just as David’s music brought a benefit to Saul, and the Mom Hum perceptively led us to safety, the sound of music is beneficial to us all. Research shows that music helps us rest better, reduces our stress, and lifts our mood. Faith shows us that music brings us into the presence of God! And when you are in the presence of God, there is no room for concern, because no bad thing can come from God.

Worry and anxiety robs us of praise because the enemy would like nothing more than to fill our hearts with songs of distress. He longs to bring us down from the throne of grace and separate us from the good things that God has for us. But Praise silences the enemy’s song, redirecting our minds, and changing our perspectives. Praise sets eternity in our hearts in exchange for our temporary concerns.

The battle is hard my friends, but it’s already won. God is in the business of making things new. So, grab a microphone or strum a guitar, sing in the shower or shout in the car, or maybe just whistle or hum, but silence your songs of distress and “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does”.

12 words

Praise silences the enemy’s song, redirecting our minds, and changing our perspectives.

God, thank you for your Word and for your examples of love, power, and peace. I ask you to silence the songs of distress that play in my mind, and place a new song of praise in my heart – a song of hope and joy – that settles my worries and calms my fears. Keep me focused on the truth that I can trust you to work all things out for good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.