A Sacrifice of Praise

 "Through Him then,
let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that give
thanks to His name.
And do not neglect doing good and sharing,
for with such sacrifices
God is pleased."
(Hebrews 13:15-16)

Thirty-five days ago, when I began to write here, God gave me a place, a way, to "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to Him".  With each day, with each sacrifice, He draws me nearer and changes, blesses.

Thirty-five years ago, when I began to wander into captivity, God determined never to leave me or forsake me, never to quit calling me home, always to be ready to rescue, redeem, restore.

From the darkness of ivy-league depression desiring death, God saved and called me into His marvelous light.  Then He healed with familial love and unfailing love and made me a part of the family of God in a little town in south Georgia.  Here, He helped me to proclaim His excellencies through daily doing good and sharing and He was pleased and life was full.

God, sooner than I expected, surprised me with a husband and we began to build a household of faith together.  God gave us six miraculous gifts of love and we gave ourselves to giving them back to Him as we kept building this household of faith.  But the more we built for God, the more the enemy tried to tear down.  Our foundation shook, walls cracked and began to crumble under the weapons of fallenness, miscarriage, sin, unfaithfulness, disappointment, rebellion and defeat.

When all was crumbling and falling apart around me and I did not know what to do and could not hold my family together, I ran to God.  I held on to God.  I hoped in God.

And, again, God rescued.  And He is redeeming.  And He is restoring.

This is what God does.

The beautiful part, the part that fools the enemy every time, is that when we run to God when the battle is raging the fiercest and He rescues us and we give thanks to God among the ruins and offer up a sacrifice of praise in the ashes, the weapons the enemy used against us become wonders of God's great goodness and love.

And God is pleased.

And God is glorified.

And others see and come to know His great goodness and love.

And what the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good and His Kingdom comes.

Day 35 - gifts from God:
1.  confidence in God's faithfulness
2.  assurance of His unfailing love
3.  a heart to share His love with others
4.  the power of forgiveness
5.  the freedom of truth
6.  the beauty of light
7.  the medicine of mercy
8.  the reality of restoration
9.  the freshness of God doing a new thing
10.  the wonder of the Word

Day 35 note of thanks to a wounded wonderful writer.

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to share a sacrifice of praise.  Thank you for the privilege of serving You through She Speaks 2011 (www.proverbs 31.org).  May many hearts please you there by "doing good and sharing" and "continually offering up a sacrifice of praise".  The wonderful writer, Ann Voskamp, is offering a scholarship opportunity at www.a holyexperience.com.  Please visit both these sites.  You will be blessed.

With gratitude,
Sally