The Frozen Chosen

Okay, so again I have been compelled to write a post about the verses that jumped out at me during my morning prayer and Bible reading. This time it began with reading Psalm 100. I  remember as a young girl memorizing it in KJV (King James Version) during a Vacation Bible School class. The language has changed a little with my NIV Bible but it's still a beautiful psalm for giving grateful praise!

PSALM 100 

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 

Worship the LORD with gladness; 

Come before Him with joyful songs. 

Know that the LORD is God. 

It is He who made us, and we are His,

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving 

And His courts with praise; 

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; 

His faithfulness continues through all generations."

So of course, looking for encouragement and refreshment from the word of God, I always read Scripture aloud so His word will be preached back to me and my thirsty soul can drink it up! Yep. This girl loves to worship Jesus! This girl loves to enthusiastically engage in worship music. This girl loves to dance and adore my Savior with song! Whew. YES! YES! YES!

Why? I have an easy answer for you and here it is:  I know God. I mean, I KNOW Him. I am His child. He called my name and made me His child. And I know what He has done and continues to do for me. Wow. So much. So good. Wow. And I know I don't deserve what He does for me; like loving me and taking tender care of me. And the amazing thing about His love for me is that He knows every single thing there is to know about me: the good, bad, and bad ugly. Everything. And He still cares for me as only He can!

So, yes, I'm going to worship Him. Joyfully. Enthusiastically. Gratefully. With tears in my eyes and a smile on my face I'm going to worship my loving Father, God.

After reading Psalm 100 aloud to myself a few times I looked back at 

PSALM 99: 

"The LORD reigns

Let the nations tremble;

He sits enthroned between the cherubim

Let the earth shake.

Great is the LORD in Zion;

He is exalted over all the nations..."

Okay, now I was "having church!"  I looked back one more Psalm to glance at 

PSALM 98

"Sing to the LORD a new song

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm

Have worked salvation for Him.

The LORD has made His salvation known

And revealed His righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered His love 

And His faithfulness to Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen 

The salvation of our God...."

I was weeping with joy and thankfulness and  sensed such a loving closeness to my Savior. Oh, the magnificent benefits that come from wholeheartedly worshiping God!!!! Look at David's loving, worshipful praise in these psalms!!!!

When you open your heart and freely worship God like that, not everyone will like it. For example:

 1 Chronicles 15:29

"As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal, daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart." 

Just sayin'. 

All I know is the refreshment of my soul from my private time of prayer and Bible reading continued  when I read a young woman's journal that beautifully painted a picture of her first mission trip. It was with a group of her peers, through SERV International.  Abby Paul, my friend and next door neighbor, just returned from Kenya, Africa!

Abby's wearing her fundraiser t-shirt that said, 

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders."

My eyes were filling with tears when I read that they have tremendous joy and love of worshiping Jesus in spite of their devastating poverty! 

I have Abby's permission to share  a little bit from her journal.  

Copyright 2017 by Abby Paul

Chapter 13

Today we went back to the House of Hope to get some boxes of food to hand out to the villages in Lodwar. The first village we went to was called Kakiring. They taught us their dances, and to the beat of a handmade drum, we danced, sang, and worshiped with them. It was such a blessing to be a part...I was dancing with Turkana villagers in Kenya, Africa! We handed out food, watching the way their faces would light up was incredible! That is where I saw God today.

The second village was called Louloupe. They took us inside their church meeting area so they could sing and dance for us. They had us sit at the front of the room and we introduced ourselves to the villager one by one. We had a translator with us, and after I said my name and Moses translated, the villagers repeated my name back to me in unison, "Ahhh-bee." When I finished saying my name, I said, "God bless," and the villagers went crazy! You could see the fire in their hearts for Jesus! We are separated by culture, language and thousands of miles, but we all love and worship the same God. How incredible!"

Chapter 14

The level of poverty in these villages breaks my heart. Some wear no clothes, and others wear torn and dirty shirts or shorts. They have little food, and they walk miles for dirty, unsafe water. Despite these challenges, they wholeheartedly adore God. They worship so fiercely, and it's so inspiring. They sing and dance for Him and they light up at the mention of His name. It's so beautiful. I'm so in love with God and I'm so in love with Kenya!

Abby and two precious little friends.

Chapter 18

Kenya did so much more than just save me. It taught me how to find happiness in the little things. It taught me how to skip and laugh again. It taught me to love. It taught me to love life. But most of all, it taught me how valuable life is...I no longer have a desire to just give up and end it all. I now have a desire to keep going, for I know it will be better. I trust in God and I know He is constantly beside me. 

Abby Paul has plans to return to Kenya, adopt children, serve in the orphanages...and freely, enthusiastically worship with her brothers and sisters there.

Beautiful Worshipers celebrating and dancing before the LORD.

God inhabits the praises of His people and He is enthroned on our praises! (Psalm 22:3) Why would we chose to be a Michal when God promises this?

"Through the praise of children and infants You have established a stronghold against Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." (Psalm 8:2) Our praises defeat our enemies! Why would we chose to be a Michal?

"From the lips of infants and children You have ordained praise!" (Matthew 21:16). 

Why aren't the churches in America filled to overflowing praise? Why are there so many people in Sunday services who don't even sing? I don't know. But I know I can't stop. God is too awesome to ignore. 

For HIS glory,
Polly
"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt HIS name together!"
Psalm 34:3

p.s.
Abby Paul's journal has recently become a book manuscript and has been sent to a publisher!  

"How Africa Saved My Life, 

A Story of Love, Loss, and Redemption"

by Abigail Paul

You can contact her @ abigail.paul1029@gmail.com