Today I am not feeling great. Not really in the praising mode…feeling a bit sorry for myself and contemplating how long I can stay at my pity party for.

You see, we had some upsetting news last week and once again, we find ourselves in the valley of unknowing. It is one thing to trust Him when the going is good and the sun is shining. Well, we all know that story. I can’t really go into details of our situation at the moment, but it hurts and has got us into an uncomfortable place. That place of trusting in the hard times, when the going gets tough. Reaching out for an invisible God and feeling like I am only holding onto thin air.

But, I heard this wonderful line recenly – when you feel that you have not a lot to be thankful for, practice ‘Purposeful Thanksgiving’. Practice ‘Purposeful Praise’. It says that we enter into His courts with praise and thanksgiving, and when I look at my life and the lives of my family, there is just to much to be thankful for and my heart swells with His generosity towards us. I mean, how can I not be grateful? Wow, just writing this down makes me feel so much better and I can sort of feel Him smiling on me. What an awsome feeling, knowing that in all things, He is there and He works all things out for good, for those who put their trust in Him.

Oh yeah, bring it on! Or as Joyce Meyer would say, ‘Come on now!!”