If you read about the “Praise Changes Things” contest that we are having here at this blog, then you know that I am excited about Ethel Herr’s book, Lord, Show Me Your Glory.
I want to try to share with you a bit about why this book has me so excited. God has been reminding me of some invaluable truths that he has poured into my life over the past ten years and, more specifically, since November of 2006 when I began this blog.
I have been reminded of a question I have been asked a lot over the past few years which is what flipped the switch for me in releasing weight. After all, that is what typically brings us to Thin Within in the first place–a desire to lose weight. People who know my story know that I struggled a lot and gave up for a long while before things changed in 2006. I will say, even now, good days, weeks, and months happen when I apply one transformational truth. It is this simple:
Praising God changes things.
It is true.It really does make a difference.
You see, when I praise God, I esteem him as Lord and assume my rightful place as his subject. He is King! He is the Potter and I am the clay. He is the Sovereign and I am the one asked to submit to and obey his directives. This is a place of humility. It is literally impossible to praise God and remain prideful. Or I sure don’t know how to do it that way!
When I am in a place of humility, esteeming God more highly than myself, I tend to grab at my food, my rights, my way a lot less often. (This translates into overeating a LOT less!) Impetuous, childish compulsions they don’t own me as they did previously.
But it is very hard to praise God if I don’t know him as he is. If I am not getting to know him the way he reveals himself in scripture and in the world around me, I end up with my God being much too small. As I draw near to him through his Word and begin to believe what he says about me and about himself, I find much to praise him for! It is all connected!
That is where this book and our contest comes in to the picture. Ethel Herr’s book, Lord, Show Me Your Glory, puts the reader face to face with the Lord Almighty and his character traits, enabling us to see our amazing God as he is. When you read this book, you will have not only a wonderful quiet time, but I believe God will use it to change your life! You will want to praise this God that you get to know more intimately! As you praise him, you will be transformed! Praise changes us!
Make a relevant comment here following any post from this one onward. Any time you do, I will write your name down on a slip of paper and put it into a “hat.” On May 10th, I will draw three names from the hat. I will post the results of the drawing on the blog on May 11th. Assuming I hear from you within 48 hours after making the announcement at the blog, Ethel Herr will autograph your copy of the book and it will be sent to you! Three people will win a copy.
It is that simple.
I believe in this book so much that I want you to have a chance to experience it. I use it during my quiet times each day. I really think you will love it. 🙂
In fact, I am willing to put my money where my mouth is! 🙂 And if you *don’t* win a copy, you will want to buy the book anyway! 🙂 (No, I don’t get any referral fee or commission or anything like that. :-))
NOTE: To make a comment, if you are on the primary blog page, find the link “COMMENTS” at the top right side of the post that you are reading. Click on that and follow the prompts. If you are on a single post page, POST A COMMENT will be at the bottom left beneath the blog post. Hope you are able to post! 🙂 If not, shoot me a message at cool horse woman at gmail dot com (all one word with @ instead of “at” and . instead of “dot”).
Praising God Changes Things. Wow. I braced myself as I was reading your blog and had to scroll down to see your answer to what it was that had finally transformed you. I definitely wasn't ready for it. Praising God Changes Things. Its amazing how sometimes the simplest things are the greatest things and often the most life changing things. Its interesting to think how often I am on my own mind. In many ways its a form of worship, SELF worship, and thats not how I want to live. I am excited to put God where I have always been in my mind. Instead of centering my thoughts around myself, I will turn my mind into a place to continuously praise God in all things I do. Praising God Changes Things.I love it!This is some advice I am truly excited about following because it rings so true in my heart and soul! Thank You Heidi!
Praising God Changes Things. Wow. I braced myself as I was reading your blog and had to scroll down to see your answer to what it was that had finally transformed you. I definitely wasn't ready for it. Praising God Changes Things. Its amazing how sometimes the simplest things are the greatest things and often the most life changing things. Its interesting to think how often I am on my own mind. In many ways its a form of worship, SELF worship, and thats not how I want to live. I am excited to put God where I have always been in my mind. Instead of centering my thoughts around myself, I will turn my mind into a place to continuously praise God in all things I do. Praising God Changes Things.I love it!This is some advice I am truly excited about following because it rings so true in my heart and soul! Thank You Heidi!
I have also found this to be true in my own life. When I focus on just Who God is I recognize He only wants the best for me and His best includes giving up some of the things that I really want. Thanks for encouraging us all on this journey.
I have also found this to be true in my own life. When I focus on just Who God is I recognize He only wants the best for me and His best includes giving up some of the things that I really want. Thanks for encouraging us all on this journey.
Yay! Arose is the first official entrant! 🙂 I am so glad that this "answer" resonates for you, Arose. Yesterday, as I was working on the manuscript for my new book project, I focused on gratitude and praise afresh. Oh! How I needed that refresher course! God is good. He showed me once again that when I practice praising him and giving him gratitude, an extra piece of pizza just doesn't draw me like previously. But more, it causes me to do that for which I was created. I sense that as I do it. I was made to worship the Lord, plain and simple. Not food, not myself. I believe that focusing OFF of me and ON to him can heal me of any and all addictions. I will walk free of a critical spirit, of sloth and of a million more things (using food inappropriately among them) when I let God and praise of God and giving gratitude to God be the hub around which my life turns.Thanks for commenting, Arose! I have put your name in the hat! 🙂
Yay! Arose is the first official entrant! 🙂 I am so glad that this "answer" resonates for you, Arose. Yesterday, as I was working on the manuscript for my new book project, I focused on gratitude and praise afresh. Oh! How I needed that refresher course! God is good. He showed me once again that when I practice praising him and giving him gratitude, an extra piece of pizza just doesn't draw me like previously. But more, it causes me to do that for which I was created. I sense that as I do it. I was made to worship the Lord, plain and simple. Not food, not myself. I believe that focusing OFF of me and ON to him can heal me of any and all addictions. I will walk free of a critical spirit, of sloth and of a million more things (using food inappropriately among them) when I let God and praise of God and giving gratitude to God be the hub around which my life turns.Thanks for commenting, Arose! I have put your name in the hat! 🙂
247mama, Got your entry. WHOO HOO! Thank you for your affirmation of this truth! Let's all make today a day of intentional praise. Let's walk the path of praise, not the path of self-pity! 🙂
247mama, Got your entry. WHOO HOO! Thank you for your affirmation of this truth! Let's all make today a day of intentional praise. Let's walk the path of praise, not the path of self-pity! 🙂
I couldn't agree with you more. I find this especially when my inner Spoiled Brat starts taking over – "But I want it & I want it NOW!!"If I turn my focus to all the things God has already done for me, my entire outlook (& resulting behavior) changes. Rather than pouting over what I don't have, I am praising God for what He has provided. And whatever is missing becomes so much less important….
I couldn't agree with you more. I find this especially when my inner Spoiled Brat starts taking over – "But I want it & I want it NOW!!"If I turn my focus to all the things God has already done for me, my entire outlook (& resulting behavior) changes. Rather than pouting over what I don't have, I am praising God for what He has provided. And whatever is missing becomes so much less important….
Mel! Yay! Another entry in our contest! 🙂 You said:If I turn my focus to all the things God has already done for me, my entire outlook (& resulting behavior) changes. Rather than pouting over what I don't have, I am praising God for what He has provided. And whatever is missing becomes so much less important….I had to quote it again…wish I said that! You are so right! Can I quote you in the book? 🙂 (Yes, I am serious!)
Mel! Yay! Another entry in our contest! 🙂 You said:If I turn my focus to all the things God has already done for me, my entire outlook (& resulting behavior) changes. Rather than pouting over what I don't have, I am praising God for what He has provided. And whatever is missing becomes so much less important….I had to quote it again…wish I said that! You are so right! Can I quote you in the book? 🙂 (Yes, I am serious!)
Thank you for this post. I've been doing some reading and studying on Psalm 51 and this goes so well with it. David is broken over his sin and asks God to change him and then he says, "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise." When we see God as He is, then we see ourselves as we really are and we can't help but praise Him for what He has done for us and is doing in us! I also know from experience that the more I sit at His feet beholding Him,the more He changes me. I can't do it myself. Why do I keep trying??? Thanks for turning our attention towards praise of our great God!
Thank you for this post. I've been doing some reading and studying on Psalm 51 and this goes so well with it. David is broken over his sin and asks God to change him and then he says, "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise." When we see God as He is, then we see ourselves as we really are and we can't help but praise Him for what He has done for us and is doing in us! I also know from experience that the more I sit at His feet beholding Him,the more He changes me. I can't do it myself. Why do I keep trying??? Thanks for turning our attention towards praise of our great God!
Kim Said: When we see God as He is, then we see ourselves as we really are and we can't help but praise Him for what He has done for us and is doing in us! I also know from experience that the more I sit at His feet beholding Him,the more He changes me. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!!!! May I quote you in the book manuscript? I want you all to help me with writing about this! LOL! I hadn't *planned* it that way, but you and others of you have had wonderful things to say. Would you mind helping me with this? 🙂
Kim Said: When we see God as He is, then we see ourselves as we really are and we can't help but praise Him for what He has done for us and is doing in us! I also know from experience that the more I sit at His feet beholding Him,the more He changes me. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!!!! May I quote you in the book manuscript? I want you all to help me with writing about this! LOL! I hadn't *planned* it that way, but you and others of you have had wonderful things to say. Would you mind helping me with this? 🙂
Each morning I try to lay down prostrate before the LORD, helping me to claim Who HE is and keeping who I am in relationship to HIM–but this blog reminder certainly is what I needed this morning–how distracted I become trying to do anything in my strength–HE is able!!!mrauga
Each morning I try to lay down prostrate before the LORD, helping me to claim Who HE is and keeping who I am in relationship to HIM–but this blog reminder certainly is what I needed this morning–how distracted I become trying to do anything in my strength–HE is able!!!mrauga
Hi, Marcia. Me, too. I know I need to do it throughout the day, too. It makes a world of difference when I do. I set the timer on my watch to remind me specifically so I won't forget to keep my focus on praising HIM throughout the day instead of pitying me…poor baby me! LOL!
Hi, Marcia. Me, too. I know I need to do it throughout the day, too. It makes a world of difference when I do. I set the timer on my watch to remind me specifically so I won't forget to keep my focus on praising HIM throughout the day instead of pitying me…poor baby me! LOL!