I was amazed by God to see the stop sign when I drove out of Mercy Hospital a few years ago when my husband faced a life and death situation. God made Himself known at every turn. 

No matter what you are facing, there is power in praise that raises you up to a higher level of faith. No matter if you are in the middle of a storm—that’s where the eye is—the place of calm. God is the I AM in the middle of every storm. Choose to rest and praise in the place of “calm”—smack dab in the middle of the storm. 

Instead of focusing on or talking about how big the storm is, tell the storm how BIG GOD IS… Choose to praise God right in the midst of everyday life. Stop worrying and begin to praise God for His divine turnaround. The stop sign you see is a real stop sign that I saw driving out of Mercy Hospital while trusting God for His divine intervention in my husband’s life. The full account is in my second book: A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat). 

We can make it through life together with God–when we turn to Him and activate praise on our lips that radiates from our heart. Praise not only changes our outlook, it often changes the course of events. There is a powerful example of what happened in Acts 2-4 when the early church wielded the mighty weapon of praise. We have the same opportunity to make the choice they did.

The Bible says, “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble” (Psalm 59:16).

Choose to live in New Testament Christianity—where the power of God is manifested in your life. Walk the Word by staying in agreement with what our Heavenly Father says, trust Him in the waiting, and don’t budge off of God’s Word to you.  You might be thinking, “But you don’t know the particulars of my situation,” but God does. He sees all. We gain wisdom from history if we will step back for a minute and reflect. 

Throughout the life of King David, you can see a powerful truth that works for us today—if we will choose it. David praised God as a weapon that repeatedly secured victory and lifted his downcast spirit. He didn’t praise because he felt like it, nor because his situation warranted it. He didn’t praise because of desperation—he praised because he knew that regardless of the circumstances or situation, God would triumph. 

David had a relationship with God. He knew God loved him passionately and eternally. 

God sits on His throne and loves you with an everlasting love. Regardless of how crazy the fiery darts against your mind, or distorted thoughts, God is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

You may be screaming internally, living with grief over the death of a loved one, to being on vacation in the islands with family—no matter where you are, you are safe in God. The peace of being in His Presence—a sanctuary of rest and trust—is only a prayer and praise away.

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe” (Psalm 61:2-3). 

Choose to praise God through your storm–and expect God to intervene. 

RESOURCES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT

__________________________________________________________________________

***Books by Deborah Starczewski:

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, and Know Your Purpose ——learn how to move from drama to destiny, and overcome real life tragedies, separation, divorce, loss, extreme pain and hurt. Don’ waste your pain, turn it into purpose.

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat) —an up-to-date resurrection story, God’s divine intervention on display that will keep you turning the pages. 

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?) —-a must read for all. 

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. 

The love of God—our Heavenly Father—when we experience it for ourselves, changes everything. 

No matter if our natural fathers were a good portrait of our Heavenly Father’s love, our Heavenly Father’s love for us never changes. The Bible says that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Scripture also tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that God knits us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). 

God cares about us so very much that He knows the very number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7). No matter what kind of hair cut or hair style you have, God still knows.

It is important that we look to our Heavenly Father for our identity in Him and our self-worth—not to people. We each have value because He created us and He is our pattern of what love should look like. 

You are to honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land that the Lord God is giving you (See Exodus 20:12). This verse doesn’t just apply to small kids—it goes onward for our entire lives. Honor is something you and I give freely. 

Even if your earthly father let you down, your Heavenly Father never will. You can run to Him and embrace His love—finding the greatest love you will ever experience. 

I am eternally thankful to my dad (and mom) for showing our family the path to a godly life. Take time to express love and thankfulness. 

There is great power in a father’s love. His guidance is essential. We all know it is important to follow a quality guide. Think about the huge life decisions you have made. Who was guiding you? What was their experience, wisdom, skill, and knowledge in leading you where you wanted to go?

NOTE TO MEN: If you are searching and desiring to be a better father—ask God to show you. Allow Him to teach you how to be a godly father. 

Perhaps, you have taken a wrong path along your journey in life. As long as you have breath in your lungs, it is not too late to repent and turn back to God. Life is short—eternity is forever. It is always the right time to make things right. 

Run to God and allow Him to refresh, redeem, and bring about restoration. He paid the ultimate price of His Son to redeem all mankind. 

Have a wonderful Father’s Day! 

BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI:  God’s Priceless Treasure (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, and Know Your Purpose);  A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat); and THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?) ….available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. 

David was a man after God’s own heart who lived his life with emotions rising and times of difficulty like we all face. He faced opposition in extreme measures but was God’s chosen King—being trained in the fields as a shepherd. It was in the pastures where David learned to practice the Presence of God and to worship. 

The devil likes to create drama and is racing after your assignment in life. Don’t bow to the pressure–trust in God. If you will read the Psalms and see David’s real life pressures and how he responded, it will help bring encouragement and hope for today. It is easy to assume that problems in biblical days looked totally different than what we face today, but that is not true. 

While Paul’s culture revealed in the New Testament was quite different from ours, some things remain the same—such as temptation, hardship, persecution, and sin. Satan never changes either. When the Apostle Paul wrote of being burdened beyond his own strength, he had experience to back up his words.

Paul “despaired even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8), but trusted in God—the One who raises the dead.  He believed the Lord would sustain him during that season of conflict. He learned to trust God during affliction in the same any of us do: He was thrown into high-pressure situations with impossible odds, and he saw the Lord triumph—and so will we, if we keep our trust in God. 

We come to understand divine power when we reach the limits of our own strength and recognize God’s supernatural power within. Divine strength is more than sufficient to sustain us, and to overcome hardships, demonic onslaughts, satanic temptations, and even consequences of sin—whether it be someone else’s or our own.

Living with a passion to advance the kingdom of God and in relationship with Jesus Christ is awesome but it doesn’t cause us to avoid pain and sorrow. We have the promise that God will meet our needs in every heartache and trial (Philippians 4:19). It is in the times of affliction and onslaught that our faith grows stronger and God reveals our true friends and family. 

God’s supernatural strength is available to all. Our part is to confess our weakness and inadequacy to Him. There are times in every believers life where the soul is pressed on every side to the point of physical exhaustion to admit, “Father, I don’t have anymore strength. I need You and Your help if I am going to make it.” 

This is where we throw ourselves at the feet of a loving God and wait for Him to keep His promises. He always honors His Word..You can trust God with whatever you are facing….keep standing upon His Word!

His love and mine,

Deborah Starczewski

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat) ….a resurrection story and full account of God’s divine intervention

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose)

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: Will America Turn Back To God? (A must read for every leader, pastor, and all who want to see our nation turn back to God) 

Books by Deborah Starczewski: All available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.