Sharing Your StoryExemplo

I’ve been trying to redecorate my house, but I’ve got a lot of skills to learn. Thankfully, I have family who can help me and teach me. When my friends come around and see some of the work I've done, I’m flattered and satisfied by a job well done. But I can only accept a small portion of the credit. When my friends comment on the patched-up walls or shiny new floors, I start praising my dad, my uncle, my father-in-law, and all the other friends and family who made the finished job so much better than anything I could’ve done.

Praising God can be like that too. We can praise someone to their face, or we can praise them to others. I make sure my family knows how grateful I am by thanking them to their face, but then I also tell everyone else their praises. As delight wells up in our hearts when we draw near to Him, we can praise God with songs and prayers of thanksgiving. We can praise God alone, behind closed doors, or together. We can also share God's praises with others.

We practice praise and worship when we share stories about what God has done in our lives. We can credit God for the good things in our lives and for the struggles He has brought us through.

When we do this, we are stepping into heaven and adding our voices to the praises of the choirs of angels. Whenever we remember His goodness and start praising Him, we begin the cycle of encountering God and having a wonderful story to tell all over again.

Psalm 103 talks about all of God’s works praising Him, everywhere. Let’s practice praising Him everywhere, whoever we are with, letting all creation hear of the goodness of God, of the kindness He has shown us, the love displayed for us on the cross, and the unique gifts and stories He gives to each of us.

Lord, teach our hearts to praise you everywhere and to everyone.

If you want help sharing your story, you can talk to someone or find resources here