Episode 128

Did you know that God gives us a reason to sing with joy all day, every day, no matter what transpires? Declaring that truth helps redirect my focus toward what is good—namely our Heavenly Father—and away from what is bad—like those situations that scream, “Look at me instead.” No thank you. I will intentionally look to God and stand on the promises in His Word. I started this podcast because I believe the verse in Proverbs that says the tongue has the power of life and death. I’ve seen words wound deeply and I’ve seen words heal and restore. I’m determined to follow Paul’s example in 2 Corinthians 4:13, which says, “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak.” I have the faith to declare “I have a reason to sing with joy” even when circumstances strangle my singing voice. I believe that when my enemies intend to harm me, God intends it for good. I believe that I can walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. I believe that God works all things together for good. I sincerely believe that nothing is impossible for God, so if my situation seems impossible, I can expect God to show up in all His glory. I love how verse 5 of Psalm 145 says, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” When fear or negativity try to steal my focus and rob me of joy, I cannot surrender hope. I must intentionally meditate on God’s majesty and tell the next generation about God’s miracles. You may know that I send out regular emails with my blog posts called “Mid-Week Miracle” that testify to God’s miracle-working power demonstrated in my everyday life. I love testifying about God’s mighty acts and proclaiming His awesome power. Partly because my stories build my own faith. I’m reminded of the raw prayer in Psalm 42—a prayer I often pray into desperate times. Psalm 42:3-4 says, “My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.” Recalling the times I’ve had an obvious reason to sing with joy helps me sing when the reasons aren’t so obvious. No matter what happens to us or what people say all day long, we can choose to speak life and remember that God is always worthy of our praise. To subscribe to my newsletter and read Mid-Week Miracle, visit shawnamariebryant.com This week's scripture: Psalm 145:1-7