The Word on Wednesday...

"According to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20-21

Wow! Can you imagine the joy, peace, hope and confidence that we could have if we lived out this verse everyday in our own lives?! Paul wrote this to the Philippians when he was in prison for defending God's Word. Through every circumstance that he went through, Paul glorified God and did not question him. Some of the things that we go through are so petty, but we tend to complain and whine. How much more could we be blessed and, more importantly, bless God if we had Paul's attitude?

I want to walk in boldness and confidence, saying, "To live is Christ!" It is because of Him that I breath, love, live, have... In every season of my life, good or bad, easy or hard, relieving or stressful, in rejoicing or grieving, I want to give God the glory, praise Him, and trust in Him. His Word promises, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him... If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:28,31

I have gone through something recently where I thought I couldn't go on, I wasn't going to make it, all odds were against me, no good could possibly come from it..., but I cried out to my Father, relied on His strength, comfort and peace, and reminded Him (really myself) of His promise that He would bring good out of EVERY situation; and He once again proved His faithfulness. He took an extremely hurtful, seemingly hopeless situation, turned it around and brought good out of it. Now, I am giving Him the glory! I am stronger, my relationship with God is stronger, my faith is stronger, my marriage is stronger, and my life is better than before. I am so thankful for His promises and faithfulness! Aren't you?

My Awesome, Wonderful, Incredible Lord,
I praise you for every hardship I have been through, am going through and will encounter. Because I know that I will learn, grow and be stronger from them. I pray that, NO MATTER WHAT, I will always give You the glory, having the attitude that, "To live is Christ." I thank You that You are for me, so who can be against me. I love you so much!

I leave you with one of my favorite childhood songs: (Sing it with me, if you know it.:)

Rise and Shine
(Children of the Lord)
(The Arky Arky Song)

Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord

The Lord said to Noah:
There's gonna be a floody, floody
The Lord said to Noah:
There's gonna be a floody, floody
Get those children out of the muddy, muddy
Children of the Lord

So Noah
He built him, he built him an arky, arky
Noah
He built him, he built him an arky, arky
Built it out of gopher barky, barky
Children of the Lord

The animals, the animals,
They came in by twosie, twosies
The animals, the animals,
They came in by twosie, twosies
Elephants and kangaroosie, roosies
Children of the Lord

It rained and poured
For forty daysie, daysies
It rained and poured
For forty daysie, daysies
Nearly drove those animals crazy, crazies,
Children of the Lord

The sun came out and
dried up the landy, landy
The sun came out and
dried up the landy, landy
Everything was fine and dandy, dandy
Children of the Lord

Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord

The animals they came off
They came off by three-sies, three-sies
Animals they came off
They came off by three-sies, three-sies
Grizzly bears and chimpanzee-sies, zee-sies
Children of the Lord

Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord.

That is the end of,
The end of my story, story
That is the end of,
The end of my story, story
Everything is hunky dory, dory
Children of the Lord

Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord