It was another beautiful Saturday morning waking up in the small village of Mukono, Uganda.
Perfect running weather-low 60’s with a cool breeze.
7am sharp I lace up my shoes, unlock the gate and my teammate Ben and I hit the dusty, dirt roads.
I smile and wave as I hear the sweet children screaming, “Aye mazunguuuu byeeeee!”
I thank the Lord for waking me up this morning and for giving me this beautiful day in Uganda.
We turn the corner and the brilliant orange sunrise captivates me. It gets me every time. It’s been seven days and I stare at in awe and amazement as if it’s the first time I’ve seen it. It takes me to the glory of the Lord, who truly captivates and radiates in ALL power and glory. Who defines BEAUTY and gives light and brilliance. I thank the Lord for his all-consuming glory- that if I can get a grasp of Him- I too can shine with His radiance… MORE than the face of Moses whose face shinned with glory after beholding the face of God on Mt Sinai.
I’m smiling & singing, thanking the Lord for my health- and to my suprise I turn another corner and roll my ankle and instantly fall on the ground. I lay my head in the dust and start crying. I’m soooo frustrated!!!!
“Ben, I’m sorry for crying… I’m just sooo mad!”
He runs and catches me a moto.
Still on the ground- I'm recalling all the time times I’ve fallen in the last couple months. This is my 3rd time rolling my right ankle and if that isn’t enough just 2 weeks ago I was walking down the sidewalk and tripped over a piece of metal and sliced my right big toe. So now you can kinda understand why I’m crying. I’m not a huge crier- so when I do it’s like I let out all the tears that I’ve held in..I hop on the moto and tears are streaming down my face.
Still frustrated, I hobble inside my room, wrap my foot and elevate it.
Taryn comes in my room and tells me that we will be worshipping with Momma Frieda on the porch practicing songs that we will sing for church in the morning.
And it’s in that moment I realize I have a choice.
I can choose to still me mad, pout in my room, and let it ruin my day OR I can choose to worship & praise and make it a good day. It was in that minute I decided I’m gonna have a really fun day regardless of my ankle.
And you better believe I hobbled outside and sang my heart out on that porch with Momma Frieda!
The one song that was stuck in my head all day goes a lil something like this..
“Worship the Lord ALWAYS…. Worship the Lord Always.. Worship the Lord with ALL my heart.. Worship the Lord with all my heart, ALWAYS.”
All day I couldn’t stop singing it even if I tried… it was to the point my teammates were getting annoyed with me.
I couldn’t stop worshiping and praising the Lord. And I thanked Him. I thanked Him that He’s teaching me to worship Him ALWAYS… no matter what. I thanked Him my foot wasn’t broken.. like my sister always tells me.. “meesh, it could always be worse.”
It was in that moment I realized that my negative situation can either take advantage of me OR I can take advantage of my negativity and see the other side of it. I can either be swept up by the waves of frustration or swept up in worship and praise. I’m learning to learn to take advantage of opposition and rejoice in them. And look for the provision and blessing, and truly embrace problems and grow from them. Because it’s times like these where I can choose to live from heaven on earth.
My silly rolled ankle inspired my sermon I preached on Sunday. I was reminded of..
Paul and Silas– innocent men that were stripped, beaten and thrown into prison after freeing a slave girl from demons. How do they respond? By worshiping with chains around their ankles- singing praises to the Lord. And what happened? The jailor and his family were saved and baptized and then Paul and Silas were released from prison. (Acts 16)
Job– a blameless and upright man who feared God and shunned evil who lost everything he had. How did he respond after losing his family and possessions? He fell on the ground and worshiped God saying the “Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1)
Jehosephat– a king of Judah who was of great wealth and honor and always sought the council of the Lord. He finds out a vast army is going to attack him and how does he respond? He falls down in worship and proclaims, “Lord, we don’t know what to do but our eyes are on you.” He appointed worshippers to go before the army and proclaim praises to the Lord. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against their enemy.” (2 Chronicles 20)
The Lord challenged me to never compromise my WORSHIP to Him. For there is incredible breakthroughs available through worship and praise. And it is when I’m in His presence- my mind and spirit will be in the heavens and I won’t be thinking negative, earthly thoughts.
I want to be known for my worship.
The more rejoicing and praising we do- the more it becomes who we are. That’s when worship becomes our lifestyle and becomes who we are.
God is looking for true worshippers. Who worship Him at all times in spirit and in truth. John 4:23
So I pray today- no matter your circumstance- that you will choose to sing praises and thanksgiving. To lay aside the old and take on the new- the new life & new way of thinking. I pray you live a life of PROCLAMATION. Where you grab hold of the blessings, promises, and prophesies that are given to you through His Word. To go after everything the Lord wants to give you- as if your life depended on it… well, because IT does.
and here's a lil sneak peak of the "International Christ Ambassador Choir" singing "Praising the Lord Always!" i kinda hope it gets stuck in your head like it did for me 🙂
