Praising God, come what may

As the days to my birthday draw nearer, I feel this is an important time to submit this reminder: getting older is not a burden to be dreaded; it is a blessing to be celebrated!  Every day is a gift.  I have been on the brink of death several times in my life; most recently, it was in August into September of 2023, when I was sicker than I even knew.  Ultimately, I ended up in the hospital emergency room.  After a few days there, I was well enough to finally return to my home and gradually to my everyday routine.  To go through this kind of health crisis reminds you to treasure every day as it comes.

That’s not to say that I don’t endure bad days.  Of course I do.  For example, this past weekend was Father’s Day.  And it was a bittersweet day for me.  When talk of the value of fathers is in the air, it can be difficult for me to hear.  You see, God molded my dad into a wonderful man; a man of virtue and integrity, and a man who was devoted to his family.  But he is in Heaven, enjoying the glories of Heaven.  Even 9 years after his unexpected passing, I miss him.  

There are other examples of bad days occurring, even in the midst of gratitude for life.  For instance, just today, as I was putting the final touches of this content together, I faced a bad day that left my stomach in knots.  The details of the ordeal aren’t relevant, but when I was finally able to catch my breath and process everything, I knew I needed to rework today’s blog a bit.  I also knew that I needed to bring up Brandon Lake’s song – that was released last year – titled “Praise You anywhere”.  It captures how God is worthy to be praised, both in the good days, and the bad.  Here’s a sampling:

“Sometimes you gotta praise in the prison; cry out to Heaven, shout it ‘til the doors swing wide.  Sometimes you’ve gotta stand on your shackles, brave in the battle, worship with your hands held high.  [Chorus] I’ll praise You anywhere.  Praise, give Him praise, give Him praise, in the highest.  Praise, give Him praise, give Him praise in the highest.  He is worthy, yes, He is worthy of all of the praise.”  This line also caught my attention: “On mountain or valley, I know that You’re with me there.  I’ll praise You anywhere.”  Amen and amen!

In conclusion, I just wanted you to understand that when I speak of gratitude for life, it’s not that I am blind to the pain, agony, and heartache that can befall a person in life.  In fact, maybe that’s where you are right now as you read this.  The bottom has dropped out of your life, and you don’t even know what end is up.  I’ve been there too.  I feel your pain.  With empathy and love, I submit to you that even in the most intense storm, God is faithful.  Look to Him.  Cling to Him.    

God bless,

Kevin