“Af-tare-NOON, mum Brenda!”

While on a brief trip to a small Christian college in the Philippines several years ago, this greeting would warm my heart each afternoon. {If only I could write the accent for you as clearly as I can recall it in my memory…!} The Filipino girls I met and worked with those few days taught me lifelong lessons about my walk with God – contentment (in the midst of loneliness), gratitude (in the midst of poverty), joy (in the midst of great struggle), and perhaps most importantly, true praise.

My new friends “Bing-Bing” and Josie took me on a walk one afternoon, and introduced me to something that was not original with them, but that was brand new to me. “Mum Brenda, would you like to make this a praise walk?” I confessed that I did not know what one was, but that it sounded like a great thing. So, in the midst of a city boasting of beautiful palatial hotels on one side of the street, contrasted on the other side by literal shanties that were held up by wooden poles in the muddy waters of the South China Sea, I learned to take a praise walk!

It’s simple. Using the first letter of the alphabet, the first walker gives a name, attribute, or character quality of God. “‘A’ – God is ALMIGHTY!” The next walker responds with “‘B’ – He is my Beloved!” “‘C’ – He is the Creator!” . . . and so on! You’ll find that the first few times you do this, you will be working very hard just to come up with great words, but the more you do it, the more the significance of those names and descriptions will work its way into your heart!

Don’t limit yourself to thinking you can only do this on a walk. My sister Karen and her children used to do this together in the car. I recently discovered that I can make it through the entire alphabet from my house to Costco! And, best of all, in the “night watches,” when my watch is not moving fast enough as my mind is plodding its way through the memory of yesterday or jumping ahead to the cares of tomorrow, I can find a peaceful rest in reminding myself of the incredible attributes of my amazing God!

So feel free to take a praise walk, a praise rest, a praise sit, or even a praise ride. How much more peaceful the ride to school would be each morning if cars were filled with children and parents not squabbling, but instead, taking a “praise ride” together!

Let’s give it a try right now – and then, you’re on your own! (Try to come up with new ones each time!)

God is: my All-in-All; my Blessed Hope; Compassionate; my Deliverer; Emmanuel; the Fountain of Living Waters; my Guide; my Helper; the Image of the Invisible God; Jehovah-Jireh; my Keeper; the Lamb of God; Merciful; Near; the Only Wise God; the Potter; the Quietness within my Soul; my Rock; my Strength; my Teacher; Upright; the Vine; Wise; eXcellent in all He Does(!); Yesterday, Today, and Forever the Same; and therefore, He is the Zeal of my Heart!

On those afternoon walks near the South China Sea, I would hear those dear girls speak these words almost reverently, in true wonder at how awesome God really is – and then it made sense why they (and we) can experience contentment in the midst of loneliness, gratitude in the midst of poverty, and joy in the midst of great struggle! He is GOD!

If you get a minute, leave me a comment to let me know how, with whom, and where you chose to praise Him in this way! I’m always up for new ideas!