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Refiners Fire

GUEST BLOG: Larry Eddings

These lyrics bring the worshipper into a place of relinquishment, humbly offering oneself to God.

Troubling Lyrics

driftwood and rough seas

We sing to Him out of gratitude for Who He is and what He has done. In creating the world and all that is in it, the universe and the laws we will never understand, He demonstrated His supremacy and glory.

Great Are You, Lord

From the breath of God, man breathed. In the breath from God, man lives. And with the breath of God, shall we not praise Him?

1000 Names

“I am lost in wonder at all You do,” sings Phil Wickham in today’s addition to our practice of praise.

Are You OK?

Lone seagrass frond sticking out of sand.

Her voice, thin and far away, brought me back to consciousness.

He Is Risen!

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

For believers in Jesus, we fear death no more. He is risen! So we, too, will rise.

Thy Will Be Done

To pray for God’s will to be done, means that I will no longer delude myself into believing that the locus of control is mine. To pray for God’s will to be done, means that I will demonstrate that I trust Him. To pray for God’s will to be done, shows that I am committed to Him first, and that I am indeed His child–a trusting, humble, yielded son or daughter of the King.

Keep on Counting!

Smiling Ripley.

The song is a prayer, where the singer tells the Lord that he can’t even count high enough to name all the blessings from above.

Count Your Blessings

White flowers as picture for post, "Gratitude".

We decide to be thankful. On our own, in the quietness of a moment alone, we make the change. We close our eyes and exhale. We let the hard thing alone for a minute, and we decide, when we open our eyes again, to pay attention to what else is in the room.

Time for Some GRATITUDE!

Puget Sound

How can we praise Him enough? One glorious day, all of creation will burst forth in worship and praise to our God, who is love. Will we ever stop singing?

Psalm 23

Hydrangea close-up, pink and purple.

And yet, for many of us today, our lives might feel anything but safe, secure, or quiet. So what does Psalm 23 really mean, when our path forward throws us into rough seas, thorny patches, or terrifying terrain?

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

the battle belongs to you night sky

Wickham’s lyrics invite us to join in the fray. Swords out, shields up! We join God, fighting the battles we face. And here is how we fight the good fight… we pray, we have faith, and we worship. “So when I fight, I fight on my knees…”

Forgive You

Forgive You photo of starling eating a bug.

The starling in this photo is awfully fierce. That poor wasp!

Jesus, I am Resting

Jesus, I am Resting

This old hymn is a prayer reflecting faithful trust in the Lord Jesus. When the author, Jean Pigott, penned the words “Jesus, I am Resting, Resting”, she little knew how valuable this prayer would be to missionary James Hudson Taylor, nor how beloved it would still be over 100 years later. Take a listen…

Worthy of it All

Hood Canal, WA State, early summer.

Who is the One who worthy of all worship, honor, and praise? Yes, Christ Jesus, the mighty Lamb of God is the One worthy of it all. And what a joy to sound it out! Sound it forth, this day, while it is still called “today”! Use your voice to bring to God your worship!

The Jesus Way

Jesus way

Phil Wickham’s new song, The Jesus Way is (I think) one of his best. And that is saying a lot! The lyrics to this song challenge, encourage, and beckon us ever onward, inviting us to state with conviction that we choose the Jesus way! Have a listen!

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Railroad track to bright light.

Turning. Sometimes it takes an effort almost superhuman. Especially when anxiety and or depressive feelings pervade. Sometimes we are too anxious, too watchful–we don’t think that we can take our eyes off of this thing even for a minute. How can we give it over to Someone else?

God’s Grace

God's Grace

God’s grace: that enduring, sacrificial, unearned love that our Creator God bestows upon His children. Can we ever extol Him enough? Probably not. But let’s try, anyway!

Be Still

Still waters.

Trust Him to be the King over your life, Sovereign over what you are facing today.

Recalled to Life

Recalled to Life

It was so weird, waiting for someone else to die, so that he could live.

I Had a Big Sister

little girls, sisters, black and white photograph

I had a big sister. I have her still, though she walks this earth no…

Is He Worthy?

Is He Worthy

Is He worthy? And that’s the question for the ages. Is His worthy of our praise? Mine? Yours? Even in this difficult situation, even in this? Yes! Sing it! Raise your sights to Him, scripture invites us. Lift up your voice and proclaim the truth, in the easy times, and especially in the hard. Today’s addition to our practice of praise is a timely reminder: our Lord Christ is worthy, indeed.

My Jesus

Fort Warden Lighthouse

Today’s Practice of Praise brings back an old favorite from yesteryear. This lovely worship ballad found its way into many churches in the 1990’s. Perhaps you are familiar with it already. If not, I hope you find it enriching in your moment’s with Him.

A Thousand Hallelujah’s

Ominous Clouds

A Thousand Hallelujah’s? Are you kidding me? Today, I can’t generate even one! Heavy sighs just kept escaping from my weary, worn-out soul. Is there a way out of my grumpiness, and into His presence?

He is Risen Indeed

He is risen indeed

Today marks one of the highest and holiest days of the Christian Calendar. It is a day for jubilant rejoicing, as we celebrate our great King’s triumph over death, sin, and the grave.
Do you know this Savior? Have you met this Risen Lord?

Amazing Love

Pretty poppy

Charles Wesley wrote today’s much-loved hymn over 250 years ago. “And, can it be, that I should gain and interest in the Savior’s love?”
Wesley was overcome with the reality of God’s Amazing Love.

Good Friday

Good Friday

Today is “Good Friday”, the day we pause, remember, worship.

Worship His Majesty

Worship His Majesty

The song that we are adding to our practice of praise today Jack Hayford’s most popular. In fact, for over 15 years, it was consistently among the top 10 songs among Christians. Perhaps you have enjoyed praising God with this gem.

Hosanna in the Highest

Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!”

Palm Sunday

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

When Jesus returns, He will not ride in on a donkey.

We All Bow Down

We All Bow Down

King Jesus is Lord of the Cross, Lord of the Resurrection, and Lord of Life. Our King, All Powerful and Eternal, is worthy of our adoration!

10,000 Reasons

pink clouds over evergreen trees

Indeed, with each new day, the sun comes up, and it’s a new day just dawning. There’s never been this particular sunrise, you know, that one that occurred today. There’s never been this new day, the one in front of you, right now. Yesterday is past, and is now consigned to the memory bin. But today! Brand spanking new–full of possibility, full of promise, full of hope. Like the words to this song suggest, may we bless Him all day with our worship, and may we still be singing, when the evening comes.

Lover of Your Presence

Hammock suspended from tree in background, with red leaves in foreground.

And we look to Him, at the head of the banquet table, as He breaks the bread in celebration of our reunion. We raise our glasses, all around, and toast the Giver of the feast. Then the music, and the dancing, and the singing, as all of us unite our beings as one in our worship of His Majesty.

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Single white flower in focus, with others blurred in background.

The authors worship the Triune God: Jesus the Son, the Spirit, and lastly, the Father. The chorus then states: “You are the One that we praise, You are the One we adore, demonstrating that though three Persons, our God is One.

Echo Holy

Sunset at Pt. No Pt., Hansville, WA.

In John’s Revelation, he includes these words, words that bear continuous repeating, over and over, throughout every age, forever and ever.

God I Look to You

Large sky over wheat field in Eastern Washington.

The song states that we will love God with everything we can, with everything we are. Both in the Old Testament Law, as well as the words of Jesus in the New Testament, we are instructed to direct our full self to loving God.

You’re Beautiful

Beautiful lake, with it's reflections of trees and foothills creating a soothing image.

Today’s song to add to our Practice of Praise is a modern-day classic: Phil Wickham’s song “You’re Beautiful. “ This song is truly a gem. It does what Wickham intended–it helps bring God’s children right into the throne room of our beautiful God. First Song This song has become a real favorite for me as […]

Run to the Father

Sailboat grounded on Pacific Ocean Coast

Shipwrecked by the storms? It’s easy to wobble, and times we just tip over. But we are invited to run back to Him! He is waiting.

The Light of the World

Christmas Tree reflected off of wall

Iron skies cast their meaningless light upon the endless supply of dreary grey brambles, which in turn carelessly encircle ugly tree after ugly tree.

Bare, stark alder limbs jut into the tomb-stone sky with an almost craven pleasure. A lone crow stares at me from one branch. He makes a rattling noise, low and ominous, like the twilight itself.

I Will Sing

Seagull sitting boldly on a Keep Off sign

The sign is clear: “Keep Off”. The rule is plain to see. And the seagull? He doesn’t care. Watch him stare at us, daring us to change his mind. Notice his exquisite placement; of all the spots to plunk down, he has chosen defiance. He’ll land where he does. Take that.

Build My Life

Sunrise over the Puget Sound with flock of geese.

Our God is pure love, and that, we can take to the bank. As we proclaim it, we remind our own wavering souls of this higher truth, the one that can co-exist with the struggles of life.