A Sacrifice of Praise
I’m happy to share an excerpt from Wendy Speake’s new book, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving. Be sure to check out her invitation at the bottom, and leave a comment to be entered to win a copy!
An Excerpt from Wendy Speake
Can you recall a time when praise flowed effortlessly from your grateful heart? How happy you were in Jesus! Your Savior was near and dear; His presence your comfort and joy; His blessings abundant; and His salvation your chief delight!
Then, whether suddenly or slowly, seasons began to shift. Your seemingly ceaseless flow of blessings ceased, along with your understanding of God’s goodness.
Maybe you’re in a season of heartache right now. I know how hard it is to believe that God is good when life doesn’t feel good! A few short years ago I hit a breaking point. My mind was fractured, my heart frayed, and my faith oh-so fragile. I was at one of my lowest points. My marriage was falling apart, my children were all struggling various ways, and deep depression threatened to take my very life!
It was in that sad season that I went to see a Christian counselor. Slumped against a pile of cushions on her couch, I tearfully asked her to send me to a residential program for a few months. My heart was so broken, my nervous system so traumatized, that I couldn’t function. Sleepless and stuttering, I was desperate for help.
With compassion in her eyes and a sisterly tone in her voice, my counselor replied, “How about you plan a trip to visit some people who simply love you? Start there.” The next day I sent messages to a few friends and family members, scheduled time with those dear ones, and booked my ticket. A few short weeks later I boarded a plane going from Dallas, Texas to San Diego, California, and before we were off the ground I was asleep in my chair.
Despair is exhausting.
Two hours later, I awoke and looked out at the clouds. The gentle whir of the engines attempted to lull me back to sleep, but something gentler caused me to sit up and look to my nearest neighbor, who was smiling at me. I met her gaze with the sincerest upturned lips I could muster. With only twenty minutes left in our flight, she introduced herself as Cheryl and invited me into one of the most anointed and appointed conversations of my life.
“Are you headed home?” was her opening line.
“Home? . . . Well, sort of, yes. I live in Texas now. But California was my home for most of my life, and I’m headed back to visit friends.”
“That’s nice. Will you need to be working, or can this be a real vacation?” she continued.
“I’m an author, so I guess I can do that from anywhere . . . but, no, I don’t imagine I’ll be writing on this trip,” I replied.
Exhausted by this simple conversation, I was ready to turn away and lay my head back against the window again when Cheryl continued, “What type of books do you write?”
“I write . . .” I faltered for a moment then took a deep breath and tried again, “I write devotional-style books for Christian women, to encourage them in their faith.” When she asked for the titles of my books, I started with The 40-Day Sugar Fast, as I often do. Cheryl nodded, leaned in a bit closer, then shared a fasting story with me unlike any I had heard before.
She began, “Years ago God very clearly invited me to do an Ask Fast!”
“An ‘Ask Fast’?” I questioned.
“Yes, an Ask Fast,” she said, with a twinkle in her eye. “Instead of asking Him to do anything, God told me simply to praise Him for knowing, caring, and being capable to accomplish all that concerned me in that season. ‘Praise Me for being God—then watch Me be God. Praise Me for being Savior—then sit back and watch Me save.’”
As we started our descent over Mission Bay, with the Pacific Ocean spread out like a blue baptistery below, I knew the Lord was using my new friend Cheryl to invite me into a new thing. He was calling me to a season of fasting from asking. Though I was in agony, He was asking me to cease from asking that I might simply praise Him for being sovereign over every aspect of my life.
While I had been praying during my season of suffering, I’d never considered simply praising Him. While the corporate experience of Sunday morning praise and worship had been a balm to my broken heart, Monday through Saturday was spent . . . begging and pleading. I begged Him to rescue and restore. I pleaded with Him to hear and act. As the psalmists before me I cried, “Why, lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”; “How long, lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 10:1; 13:1).
On the plane that day, I was convicted by the kindness of God, extended through the kindness of a stranger, to fast from asking and instead simply praise Him for being God, for being good and able to accomplish more than I could ask or imagine.
During our last seated moments together, I asked, “Cheryl, if I were to memorize one passage of praise, where would you have me start?”
She gave me a wink and replied, “Psalm 100.”
That afternoon, when I arrived at my friend’s house in the hills of San Diego, I settled into her guest room and opened a brand new journal. On its opening page I wrote out Psalm 100 in its entirety. I did not know at the time that I would start my next book with that same passage.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4, NIV)
This November, I invite you to enter into our your Thanksgiving season giving God your thanks and praise… and continue all month long! Join me for a 30 Day Ask Fast as we read the daily devotional, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving together.
You do not need to be in a place of pain to join me — the practice of turning our petitions into proclamations of praise is a Spiritual discipline we could all use!
Sign up for this 30 Day Ask Fast at wendyspeake.com/praise
Whether on the stage or on the page, Wendy ministers to women’s hearts through storytelling and Biblical life application. With a background in Hollywood as a trained actress, she couples the power of God’s Word with personal testimony. Known for the uncanny way she meets women in their most common struggles, from sugar-addiction to mommy-anger to deep-depression, Wendy uses every opportunity to point readers to the transforming power of God’s Word and the faithful nearness of His Holy Spirit.
Check out Wendy’s other books and learn more about her here!
ENTER TO WIN!!!
Leave a comment below sharing a an attribute of God you are thankful for, a current praise, or a favorite Psalm! We will choose TWO of you to win a copy of Wendy’s new book next Wednesday (October 28th)!
(Giveaway for residents of the US only…thank you for understanding!)
I am intrigued by this concept and have recommended it to our church for a Sunday school study! Community, challenge and change, all in the love of Jesus. Love that this is a different direction and a fresh breathe of praising Him. Thanks!
Thankful for God’s continual pursuit of me even in my weaknesses. And thankful for his unending forgiveness. Thanks for sharing your heart!
After returning home from a wonderful yet exhausting vacation, I’m thankful for rest that only God provides, peace that passes all understanding, and strength to carry on.
I am thankful for the faithfulness of God. In this season of life, I have experienced answers to so many little things in our daily life, and I am grateful and encouraged with each one. Thankful He is faithful in the big and the small things!
Thank you for featuring this book! 🍁
I’m grateful for God, the wonderful counselor. I seek His wisdom and He helps to guide my steps, thoughts, and when I speak. His Holy Word speaks and He is always teaching me new things thru it.
I am thankful for Psalm 23 and the promises filled in each verse. I also love the beautiful song Leanna Crawford wrote on Psalm 23! My small Bible study girls and I are in the middle of The 40 Day Sugar Fast. I would love to read this book next!
I am thankful for the steadfast love of God. A favorite Psalm would be Psalm 103.
Hi, what a beautiful reminder that praise is a sacrifice we offer especially in hard seasons — the reflection on Psalm 100 and the 30-day Ask Fast really encouraged me. I’m Matias, creator of Música Cristiana (https://musicascristianas.online), a page with more than 11,000 Christian songs, Christian radio and Christian chat. Music has always been my way of praising God, so I loved how this post connects praise with everyday worship. Blessings!
I am thankful the Lord is my Helper and that He is my Guide! One of my favorite psalms is psalm 121. As I walk and see mountains in the distance I am reminded to lift my eyes up to our maker from whom our help comes from, the maker of Heaven and earth verses 1-2.
One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 46, specifically verse 1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” It is so comforting to know God will protect and care for us and is always with us!
Psalm 23:4 – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
I am thankful that God is ALWAYS with us.
I’m thankful God is ABLE to do more than I can ask or understand. I love that he hears me always and I can trust Him in whatever circumstance I’m in!
Psalm 40 The Lord is My Help and My Deliverer. A reminder of where the Lord found me and where I am today because of His grace.
I am thankful for the Lord’s goodness. Even through tough times, the Lord is still good and He is working in us for His glory and our good!
The attribute of God that has stood out to me recently is his faithfulness. I am reading through Joshua and seeing God‘s promises fulfilled over and over is such a good reminder for us to praise him for all he has done and will do. We can have full confidence that he will do it.
I am grateful that the Lord promises to be near to the brokenhearted.
💔❤️
God’s consistency (immutability) and compassion. He loves me even when I don’t _____ (fill in the blank with all the things I think I must do to earn his love, his favor, his grace, his mercy, his forgiveness… his everything.)
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8
I like the idea of praising God to wake me up from this spiritual coma I find myself in. It’s been a challenging year and God has been with me through it all giving me strength and steadfast love. So why now, when things have settled a little, am I ignoring my relationship with Him? Not falling away from Him, just not spending time with him. What better way to return to Yahweh than to begin praising His mighty name?
I write this just after ordering the book (Canadian here 🇨🇦). Your email came to me right after I finished time spent with God for the first time in quite awhile 🙌🩷
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Psalm 103:1
Psalm 73! Thank you for sharing your story Wendy.
I’m so thankful that he is a gentle shepherd! Especially as I shepherd my kid’s hearts!
I’m so thankful that he is a gentle shepherd! Especially as I shepherd my young kid’s hearts!
God’s faithfulness in all seasons of my life is what I stand on at all times. Looking forward to reading the book!
His Omnipresence (always with us through the Holy Spirit) and his Love for his people (his faithful love for us even at our worst)❤️
Psalm 103 vs 1&2:
Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
I memorized this chapter one year, since it was 2 verses per month to learn and since then it has been an encouragement in my life in many areas.
I am so thankful for his forgiveness. He is always there for me no matter how many times I trip or stumble .
I am thankful for His kindness that leads us to repentance. And for His complete forgiveness.
I am thankful for His steadfast love. Right now displayed in all the fall leaves, the crisp air, and a warm cup of coffee.
I am loving the weather change, even though I am a beach girl .
Psalm 23 is my favorite Psalm. Thank you for sharing this Monica and Wendy.
I love this! I have been intentionally making a point to praise Him more than just asking recently, so this is so fitting!
my favourite praises and favourite psalm is 119, praise after praise of His Word! I find it so beautiful and it always spurs me on to know Him through His Word more.