Offering Sacrifices of Praise is Sometimes All We’ve Got

A dear friend of mine, for over nine years has been relentless in the care of her sweet boy and his journey with Full Trisomy 13. I’ve never seen anything like what this sweet boy has endured and neither have I seen a mother more devoted to her boy in meeting his daily needs, but is even more devoted in audacious faith, believing always for a miracle. I saw her post a few days ago, after going through a tremendously traumatic Christmas break with her young son. She was simply wishing she could have had time with her other two sons, but she couldn’t. She was at the hospital with her youngest. She is brave and courageous beyond words, but deep inside warriors is that longing for normalcy. Yesterday, I read that she is still in the hospital with that precious little man. It was Epiphany Sunday and I prayed for God to reveal Himself strong to her.

Saying we’re praying for her/them, seems trite. The only words I could come up with during that Christmas time were to urge her, when it’s too hard to praise, to offer a sacrifice of praise. These were the only words I could think of to offer her. They still seem meager to offer some consolation to her, but, what better words could I give her than from God’s Word? I share them here today with you because there may be some of you who are also exhausted, spent, ready to throw in the towel and be done. But, DON’T QUIT! Praise, even if it's a sacrifice.

"Precious, loving, devoted "L". I pray for you today – you who are carrying such a heavy load – but also knowing you know our burden-removing Lord Who bears those burdens with you and for you. I pray you are able to cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you and your family so much. "K" is still in God's hands though it may not seem like it. His life and yours are a shining example of true love, compassion, and devotion. I pray you find your voice of praise and thanksgiving -- even though it may be a sacrifice to do so. Hebrews 13:15 says, '“Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips that acknowledge His name.”'

A sacrifice is a gift to God declaring that He is worthy. It is also, by definition, difficult. A sacrifice hurts, it’s costly, it takes effort—and the ultimate sacrifice cost Jesus His life. And, for us, a sacrifice of praise won’t always be easy, but difficult and costly. Because of Scripture, we know that we don’t just confess God’s name when it feels good, looks good, or benefits us in some way. We offer praise, as Hebrews 13:15 says, “continually.” This means without ceasing, in all circumstances. Like Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

And, as this verse says, we’re able to do all this “through Him.” Through Jesus, we’re able to see the great, great love of our great, great God Who holds everything in the palm of His hand and bends it to His will with a word. Through Jesus, our mediator, we’re able to access the Father in order to give Him due praise (1 Timothy 2:5).

Nehemiah says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (8:10). Through praise we enjoy God. Imagine that! Praise focuses us on where our joy comes from and where our gaze should be, and the result is our strength! Whether through prayer, meditating on God’s Word, thanksgiving, or praise, we can lift tired hands even when it’s hard -- especially when it’s hard -- and say, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord!” (Isaiah 6:3).

Here's what your devotion, love and suffering did for me today, dear "L". You gave me a blog that will surely be posted and shared for others to learn from your beautiful life of love for your little angel boy!" 🙏❤️🙏❤️

In my own experience, there were times when the last thing I wanted to do was praise God. In those times, the burden of offering such a sacrifice seemed impossible -- and I know I wasn’t alone in this. I know many who are in a fetal position right now from the weights they carry. Weariness has set in – and it seems tomorrow will never come. But, as I shared with my friend – when all else fails, when the night seems so, so long – we become “praisers” – in the middle of it all. The middle can be a hard place to be – but joy comes in the morning. I pray morning breaks for my sweet friend and for you today. Let us offer sacrifices of praise because God is there soaking those praises in. Will you please join me in praying and praising with me for my sweet friend and her precious boy today?

Don't Quit Till You Got Nothing Left!

More than likely, we've all taken an exam or test that we just made the grade that let us pass the course by the skin of our teeth. Or we finished that project but it certainly wasn't to the standard it should have been done because our heart just wasn't in it. It shows by our half-hearted attitude. It was just good enough. But "a just enough” attitude in anything in life “just isn’t enough”!

If you saw the movie “Facing the Giants”, you'll remember the tough time that the Shiloh Eagles football team had in winning a game in over six years. They were a half-hearted and stinking- thinking team. Now it was a new season and they lost their first three games. Coach Grant Taylor, who was half-hearted in his coaching and in his marriage, had a personal encounter with God after staying up one night praying and studying scripture that gave him a new coaching and life philosophy. He influenced his players to give far greater effort and told them that they could win with a whole-hearted attitude in the game and with God's help. Everything turned around when they went from half-hearted to wholehearted commitment in their attitudes and in their determination. My favorite scene was when Coach Taylor pushed Brock, the team captain, further than what the captain would have ever pushed himself. In the death crawl scene, Coach blindfolded Brock because he didn't want him to give up before he gave it is his "very best". Brock crawled the distance to the end zone (though he thought it was the 50-yard line) with Jeremy on his back. You'll enjoy watching the death crawl scene again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=-sUKoKQlEC4

Yesterday I was singing an old chorus that went like this… “With all of my heart, with all of my heart, I will love you, Lord, with all my heart!” I googled it and found that it was written and sung by Morris Chapman who was at my daughter’s church a few weeks ago. He didn’t sing that song, but played the piano and sung many others he had written. He is 85 years young and after illnesses that almost took his life, he is spry and still going strong and is wholeheartedly singing and playing (beautifully, I might add) and serving God with all his heart. That impressed me so much – with WHOLEHEARTEDNESS!

God gave us His whole heart when He gave us His Son. His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His all when He gave His life for us. Shouldn’t we take on a new attitude of “giving our all” in everything we do in life – in our homes, our jobs, our love for God and others? Fully devoted followers of Christ don't know "just enough" or “making it by the skin of our teeth”.

“Wholehearted” means complete commitment, dedication, fully devoted, loyal, unlimited, unconditional. “Lord, I want to serve you wholeheartedly. Please forgive me for not having an “all-in” attitude in anything you assign for me to do. I don’t want to be a half-hearted servant. I don’t want to make it to heaven “by the skin of my teeth”! I want to be fully devoted, locked and loaded as your follower and your ambassador.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with ALL YOUR HEART and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Jeremiah 29:13 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”

Psalm 138:1 “I will give You thanks WITH ALL MY HEART.”

Seed Time and Harvest Time

Yesterday morning, I was on the road again! Willie Nelson, thanks for the song to accompany my travels to here and there and back again. I made my way back to Frisco from Austin and what a joy it was to arrive just in time for the performances of my Wallace grandchildren (and their Mama) as they performed at the Createvations Showcase last night. Lots of practice and hard work merited outstanding performances. It was another sweet night of celebrating these kids AND recalling to how we got here.

Here comes another blast from the past. From a very early age, we knew our daughter had a God-given talent to sing. She was always known as the little girl with the big voice. But that little girl needed vocal training -- proper technique and breathing, stage presence and lots and lots of practice to mature the gift. Who knew better how to develop those giftings than her daddy who had likewise been given incredible vocal abilities. It didn't take long for him to realize that God's giftings in her required an investment of his time to help cultivate her talents. Soon, his goal was to pour himself into our girl. He knew his investment of time could have the potential of yielding a huge harvest. Seed time and harvest time.

They spent hours and hours of time in our basement in Canada..... practicing and practicing. Staci would often be in tears when her daddy said “Sing it again, but this time..........” Today, Staci would be the first to tell you how grateful she is for her Dad’s relentless persistence and diligence in training her.

The icing on the cake is that those often miserable times of rehearsals and practices (the seed time) resulted in the opening of many doors of opportunity. Her musical abilities have served her well (the harvest time).

My husband was also a gifted and talented pianist. I can't begin to tell you the joy he had when Payton, Staci's son, wanted to follow in Papa’s footprints….er....rather, Papa’s fingerprints on the piano keys. Since four years old, Payton has been honing his love for playing the piano. Last night, what a joy it was to see, for the first time, Staci singing, with her son, Payton – Papa’s protégé, accompanying her on the piano. Papa must have been leaning over the rails of heaven cheering them on.

I shared this with my FB family today to emphasize the importance of seed time and harvest – what we plant, will eventually yield a fruitful harvest if we don’t quit. I’m so grateful to be a part of the harvest today as I repetitively see the fruits of our labors in our children and grandchildren

I encourage you to consider the seeds you plant each day into those you influence -- your children and maybe you don’t have children, but you have friends, loved ones, and neighbors that you could be planting seeds of faith, hope, confidence, and encouragement into them. Not only does your influence represent seed time into their lives -- but just maybe, you’ll get to be there when their harvest comes in AND when you watch them plant seeds into others, too.