Wait, weight? Freely living in the LIFE Jesus gave us!

Good Monday morning!

It is no secret that I struggle with my weight. It's been up. It's been down. I feel I have finally conquered that demon and it rears it's ugly head just a few months later. It's a constant battle of the wills, my will or His Will. 

 In my devotional time this morning I was reading in Ephesians and something caught my attention. (Let me state, I know this is NOT what this passage is talking about, but I was able to draw an analogy that I found helpful and encouraging.)

Ephesians 2: 3-5, 10

3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were DEAD because of our sins, he gave us LIFE when he raised Christ from the dead.

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

When I read these verses, all I could see was the sin of gluttony. God calls out gluttony as a sin. We all know gluttony for what it is - an over-indulgence in food (among other things.) Therefore, it is a sinful nature. But, there is HOPE. He gives us HOPE! Verse 4: God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much that though we were dead (this is where the analogy came into my head) - dead because gluttony and eating in a way that does not treat our bodies like the temples they are, leads to death. Death of life, whether that is through the inability to play with your children or grandchildren, missing out on family hikes, tennis or basketball games, etc. OR through literal death by scores of obesity related illnesses that potentially lead to death.

So when I read in verse 5 that He gave us LIFE when He raised Christ from the dead, I saw the LIFE we gain from obedience to Him. We gain a REAL earthly life again. We gain the ability to run, play, and jump with our kids. We gain the ability to exist in this earthly life in a glorious way instead of eating away, or inactively sitting away our lives unto death.

I was so struck by this. Jesus died FOR US. For EVERYTHING about us! He died so that we may have life here on earth and in heaven!

Fully Surrender this issue to Him.

Be blessed! There is, therefore, no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). No one is condemning us except ourselves. Seek God to move beyond that and then kick Satan to the curbside and grab a hold of the LIFE Jesus gave us through His.

God has a plan for you!

Does God still hear our prayers? Does He know the hearts of those who love Him?  Does He care?

YES!
 This is the story of my trip to NC two weeks ago:

It starts a year ago. A year ago I watched a documentary. While I was watching, I felt I heard God tell me to start something similar in NH. Time passed and it stayed in the back of my mind, but I had lost the paper where I wrote all the information about this lady and her ministry. Subsequently, I have been searching for this lady for nearly a year. I asked around to a lot of my contacts and no one knew what I was talking about. It was so weird; there was nothing at all. All I knew was that the lady was from NC. I had a possible contact, but that did not turn out to be the right lady either. Still I found myself empty handed after a year...

Fast forward to this past Christmas. Jason had given me a plane ticket to go visit anyone of my choosing. When pondering where I would go this year Jason recommended I ask my cousin in NC. I decided I would and when I called her she was excited about my possible trip down. We bounced around weekend after weekend, nailing a date down, then one of us would have to cancel. We did this several times. We finally settled on the weekend of May 2-6th.

 In the weeks leading up to the trip, I had sought the Lord on this mysterious lady and asked that He would help me connect with this her. I asked that if it is HIS will for me to start this ministry that he would have to find her for me. I prayed and asked Him to do that for me. I had tried for a year with no success. It would have to be all Him!

I arrived late Friday night in NC so the first day we really had together was Saturday. We hung out during the day but that evening we attended a function at their church for the church volunteers. As part of the function, they had hired in a nationally known comedian (Michael Jr.) to do a comedy show. At the end, Michael asked my cousin if she was coming to Sunday night's shows. (Sunday night the church was holding two shows where they sold tickets to get in. One hundred percent of the profits were going to a non-profit organization.) My cousin tells him she didn't have tickets. The couple standing next to her told her they had 2 extra tickets and proceeded to hand them to her. We decided we would go back again, the very next night because he was so funny and it was still a night out for the two of us. But, this was not our plan, you see, this was God's plan.

The next day was Sunday and after church, her and I went to get our nails done. While there, I felt led by God to talk to the guy doing my nails. God wanted me to ask him about his life. Turns out, he's a survivor of human trafficking. He and 2000 other people from his village in South Vietnam were captured and sent to a forced-labor camp in Cambodia. There they were raped, starved, and beaten. I spoke to this man about his time there and how he got out. I told him I believed it was a miracle God had performed for him. Someone came and purchased ALL 2000 people OUT OF the slave camp and brought them here to America as refugees. Over time, he's been able to bring his wife and daughter. As we talked, I felt God leading me to talk to him about faith and God. In the end, I invited him and his wife to the comedy show at the church with my cousin and I that night. Roughly 120 people gave their lives to Christ that night! I don't know if he was there because their church is huge, but I trust God did what He was going to do in that.

They ran two shows that night. Between the two shows, they raised $9000 for this non-profit… a non-profit fighting human trafficking in NC. I met one of the volunteers for the charity and thanked her for her service to the Lord and to those being trafficked. That was the end. I did not intend to walk back to the table at the end of the show because I felt I had already spoken with someone from that charity. As my cousin and I were walking out of the church, she said to me, "Maybe you should talk to the founder of the non-profit and see if she knows who this mysterious lady is you've been trying to find." I agreed. As I approached, I studied her. She looked vaguely familiar. I began talking to her, all the while thinking, "I think I know this lady. How?"

I told her I was looking for a lady in NC who did a documentary. I began telling her all about the documentary and she listened politely, nodding and smiling. When I was done she said, "That's me." Stumbling for words I asked, "You… as in, her in the documentary?" Yes indeed, it was her!!!

We spoke at length and I plan to train under her and and begin that same kind of ministry up in NH. 

You see, as my cousin and I left the church building we began discussing the events that led to that exact moment in time. A year ago, a volunteer from that non-profit came and spoke at their women's ministry. From that, my cousin knew a contact and knows what I do so she told me about it and introduced me to her that night. In November, Jason purposed in his heart to bless me with time away and a plane ticket to wherever I wanted to go. I ended up in NC spending a whole weekend away with a cousin I've never spent time with. God blocked all other previously planned weekends for me to go on and made this weekend the weekend I would travel to her house. God gave me an opportunity to meet a survivor of human trafficking and share the gospel with him and invite him to church. And God brought the VERY WOMAN I'd been searching for nearly a year to my "doorstep".  

As my cousin and I talked, I was so overwhelmed with the love of God. I was overwhelmed with the care He has for me. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. They just streamed down my face like a fountain had been turned on. It was as if I had been seated in the lap of God and held in His warm loving embrace and He was saying, "Good and faithful servant, in you I am proud! I have called you and you have listened." You see, I know the plans God has for me. God purposed ministry in my heart and He continues to show me and move me to exactly where He needs me to be. Even when I feel unworthy. Even when I feel too young, or too old, or too fat. Even when I feel like I'm just not "Christian" and righteous enough - God reveals Himself to me ad reveals that He doesn't need that. He's just looking for someone who is willing to listen and obey. I will continue to not be worthy of such a loving God. I will continue to fail…. but I will also continue to serve Him. 

Do you know the plan God has for your life? Listen to what God speaks to your heart. What fulfills you? What brings you joy? What area can you help others find who they are in Christ? God has birthed something in everyone. Just like the comedian, Michael Jr., learned. Find it, then trust the Lord to bring you to it. Pray into it and watch what He will do with it!

Cancer

In my lifetime, I've been fortunate enough to not have any family members in my immediate family diagnosed with cancer, but my life has not been untouched by cancer.

Cancer has touched me here: My close friend while we were in high school, my mom's best-friend, the husband of a newlywed couple in our church, a sweet little 9-month old boy, a husband to a family in town, another husband to a family in town, still another husband in town (and elder at our church), a young mom, another husband and father, a friend in church - who is a 5-time cancer survivor - and his wife. The list could go on. Cancer affects all of us, but tonight.... tonight, my heart feels burdened and heavy for those being touched firsthand by cancer.

Cancer is often times treatable and curable, but the simple word itself resonates such fear within us. I don't believe it's the fear OF death, but the fear that surrounds the unknown - What's going to happen to me? Will I be a survivor? What will my family have to go through? Will my children be left with just one parent? How will we get through this? How can we afford this? Will I be okay? What will I tell my children? How do I tell my family and friends?

I want to encourage you, if you're dealing with caner firsthand to hold on! Not for the ride your life is about to take or is taking, but hold on to the Word of God.

When I had my 7 miscarriages, I remember people always telling me, "God won't give you more than you can handle." I remember it would make me angry. When you've been trying to get pregnant for 2-3 years without ever getting pregnant, then you finally do and lose that baby at 11 weeks along - that's MORE than I could handle (especially as the number of miscarriages increased.) It was more than I wanted to handle. It was more than my emotions could handle!

The verse, the one so frequently misquoted, it actually says this, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13

We will not be TEMPTED beyond what we can handle, NOT "God will not give us more than we can handle." The truth is, sometimes life gives us more than we can handle. Well-intended people will say all sorts of things they think are helpful, which often times are not. But there is one place we can turn to for perfect love - God's Word. There is one place we can turn to for perfect advice - God's Word. There is one place we can turn to for perfect wisdom - God's Word!

Verses on healing:

Proverbs 4:20-22, " My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body."

Psalm 107:19-21, "Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men."

Exodus 23:25, "Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you,"

Psalm 30:2, "O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me." 

There are many many more. I encourage you to seek out God in this time. Seek out His healing promises to you. During Jesus' days here on earth he healed many purely based on their faith that he COULD heal them (the woman with bleeding, the Centurion,  the Samaritan). 

" Faith is not simply believing that something will happen before it does. Faith is knowing that the provisions have been made for that healing, then trusting God to manifest it on your behalf."

 

"Biblical faith in a nutshell

If we could wrap Biblical faith up in 3 simple requirements, these would be them:

1. You must know the Word of God, the promises of God, His will, and so forth. This is why spending time daily in the Word is so important!

2. You need to know that the Word of God applies to you. You must accept the truth in the Word concerning your position with Christ, and who you really are. You must accept the truth about being washed clean from your sins, and feel a clean conscience because of what Christ has done for you. This is important because you stand against Satan when he tries to remind you of your past failures and say, "You aren't worthy to receive those promises and provisions of God!" Friend, if the Blood has made you worthy, then let no demon in hell tell you otherwise!

3. You must accept the Word of God as truth. If it tells you that Jesus paid the price for your healing, then you need to accept it as truth with childlike faith. Simply believe what God has said is true. This is true Christian faith. It's merely believing what God says is true."
 

I do not have a clue what my friends with cancer (or those that have had cancer) are going through. But what I do know from my time trying to have my four precious miracles and going through 10 years of infertility and 7 miscarriages is that God is always faithful. His Word is always truth. His promises never fail. Fully Surrender your healing to Him.

*References: GreatBibleStudy.com

Little People and Your Perfect Life

{"Having a two-year old is like having a blender that you don't have the top for." } 
~ Jerry Seinfeld

Last night, at the end of a long day, at 10:30pm, I began folding the last load of laundry for the day. It was my littlest one's. She's 5 and her clothes are still so small. It was taking me a long time to get through her basket of clean clothing (especially compared to folding adult laundry all day) when I piped up and stated to my husband, "I hate folding little kid clothing. It takes forever because everything is so tiny." 

In that instant, the last 13 years flashed through my mind.  I thought of when I was nursing a baby, and had 2 toddlers. I thought of the long cold winters and how I needed to bundle them all up in 3 layers, just to have them come in crying 10 minutes later because they fell in the snow and were cold. I thought of when I had my fourth and had four kids at home alone all day and night while my husband worked out-of-state. I thought of how after my third was born all three kids needed their nails cut, so dutifully and lovingly, I sat down on the floor and placed one child at a time on my lap. I began cutting nail after nail, tiny little fingers and toes. Nearing the end, in my postpartum blues stage, I just began to cry. Sixty.... yes, sixty little tiny pieces of nails lay all over my lap and the floor around me. Tears streamed down my face and I just lifted my face toward God and cried. 

The tears were not tears of sadness, but tears of a very worn out mama. Tears of a mama who wanted just a little time alone and a little bit of "normalcy" back in her life.  

{"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep."} 
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am nearing the end of these days. My youngest is 5 now. The big kids, they do their own laundry. They cut their own nails and dress themselves for snowboarding and ice skating. They clean up after themselves (although still not without being asked most of the time - let's be real!) and they take their own showers. 

Then, this morning happened. Awake at 5:50am and finally crawling out of bed at 6:20 to have some quiet time with the Lord, I got all snuggled up on the couch with a warm blanket and my Bible. I had read through all of Psalm 75, which starts out with, "We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." Yes, this morning I was giving thanks. I was warm and spending time with my heavenly Father.

Then I turned over to Romans. I love the book of Romans. In my Bible, it's completely written in, highlighted everywhere. It's worn and tattered. I love it. And, as I made my way to Romans chapters 13-16 I pondered how much I love Romans and how it brought comfort to me to see my relationship with God poured out on the pages of His Word. But as I was reflecting on my love for God and my relationship with him I heard the pitter-patter of little tiny feet. A tiny face pops around the corner and says, "Good morning mommy." in a sweet little voice.

{"In America, there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children."}
~ Robert Benchly 

In that moment folding laundry and in that moment of interrupted quiet time with my Father, God's love for my children was so perfectly known to me. My love for my children was so perfectly known. I love these little people. My "perfect" life - that "always clean house", those "long uninterrupted quiet times with God", and that desire to want my life in "order" at all times will never (or at least not for a long time to come in some of those cases) exist, and that's okay! God has a much bigger plan and that plan involves those four little beings. That plan includes my life to be "interrupted" so that His will be done, not mine. My way is imperfect but His ways are always perfect. 

Psalm 18:30, "As for God, His ways are perfect." 

So to all you worn out mamas, take note: Those early days are hard, but they pass quickly. We were realizing our "baby" will be driving in 2 years! Where did that time go? Although the tasks in front of you may feel overwhelming and although your house may not be as it once was pre-kids, it will someday be empty and God gave me a glimpse of that reality while folding tiny socks and undies and meeting with Him the next morning.

These little people, they are God's gift to us! Children teach us to live spontaneously, worry less, when things go awry to laugh and move on. They teach us to love - unconditionally. Children teach us about our Creator, how He perfectly formed their tiny little bodies into miraculously working beings with capabilities far greater than anything else on earth!

So, my "perfect" life is messy and hard sometimes - I'm so thankful to Jesus for that!

What does all of this have to do with being Fully Surrendered? God was showing me when we fully surrender to the plan and will He has for us - being "messy" and loving on our little ones, even when it's hard and we're Oh. So. Tired. He will sustain us. He will give us a Word right when we need to hear it. He will have a friend call to ask how they can help - just when the time is right.

Be blessed and know, God has you right where He wants you!

{"A rose can say, "I love you",
Orchids can enthrall, 
But a weed bouquet in a chubby fist, 
Yes, that says it all."}
~ Author unknown


(To those struggling with infertility, please do not be offended. We walked that long hard road. It was awful and hard and horrible. 10 years, 7 miscarriages - I get it! I treasure my children - to pieces! Nonetheless, days can be tiresome and difficult. Think stomach bug times 4, 5, and 6!) ;-)

Strippers, Pimps, Johns, and You

Strippers, Pimps, Johns, and You - what do those four have in common?

FORGIVENESS

Psalm 130:4a , "But with you there is forgiveness."

Acts 10:43, "All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."

Colossians 1:13-14,  "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Psalm 32:5, "I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin."

God awoke me from my sleep this morning and I was immediately drawn to His Word. I feel this is a word from God to someone who needs to hear this today. Whatever you're dealing with, God wants you to know, today, that He is a God of forgiveness. He is the one and only God who can and will forgive the guilt of your sins.

The more I fight to abolish slavery and the sexual exploitation of children and women, the more I am reminded of God's unfailing forgiveness and love. I am reminded to pray for the Johns who purchase sex, at a very high price to those being exploited. I am reminded to pray for the pimps who are selling human beings like merchandise, to be sexually abused in horrific ways. And, I'm reminded to pray for the women and children who are caught up in this - feeling unforgivable and unloved.

To them, all three categories, and to you - I tell you this; God is a God of LOVE and of FORGIVENESS.

There is nothing you have done that makes you "too far gone". There is nothing you can do to separate the love of God from you. He loves you. God loves you. God forgives you. Just ask him. Be it little or big, He will forgive you. All you have to do is ask.... then receive it freely from him. He will give it to you.

Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

So, whatever demon you're battling today - food addictions, drug addictions, alcohol addictions, pornography addictions, anger issues, an affair, an eating disorder, lying,  cheating, stealing, or anything else - whatever it is, God will forgive you, freely, if you will only ask. Then accept it. Ask God into your heart and ask Him for forgiveness.

Jeremiah 15:19, "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me."

Finally, in closing, I want to share this verse with you:

1 John 2:12, "I am writing to you dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of HIS name." (emphasis added)

If you need prayer, message me. If you want to accept Jesus and the fullness of his forgiveness, message me. God is waiting for you.

Do everything in love.
 
Our church has just wrapped up a series on "occupying" with what you've been given. "Occupying" where you're at. This idea comes from Jesus himself in The Parable of the Ten Minas from Luke 19:11-13 (KJV). 

At the end of verse 13 in the KJV, Jesus says, "Occupy until I come" He had given ten servants 1 pound of money and was telling them to "put this money to work until I come back." (NIV)

During this sermon series, one of our pastors got up and spoke of a tremendous story. A story of a hero, a story of bravery. It encapsulates what Jesus has called us to do. 

Listen from minute 4:30 through to minute 11:20. Trust me, it's well worth your time.

God sent us to rescue people! God sent us to GO make disciples of all men. (Matt 28:19) This was a command. This is a job he gave us to do. This is a job we must do.

Shortly after hearing this sermon, I read this article. Below is a quote from the article.

"It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church. Hundreds packed in for an hour of rousing music, an inspirational sermon, a reading and some quiet reflection. The only thing missing was God."

If you didn't read the article (I would really encourage you to) it goes on to say how thousands of people around the country are flocking to these atheist mega-churches. They want the community of churches, they want the music and quiet reflection that a church has to offer, but they don't want God. 

What they really don't want is religion. They are hungry for God. They are hungry for the hope and joy and peace that can ONLY come from God. They will continue to search and long for something that looks like God because we were all created with a a God-shaped hole. What they are missing is a RELATIONSHIP with their Creator. A relationship that is NOT religious. A relationship that will bring them peace, joy, and hope. 

We are all God's hall monitors. He is calling us to love others so much that we are willing to get messy and bruised, running into the rubble to rescue those who are longing for a relationship that will bring them the peace they are longing for, found nowhere else other than in Jesus Christ.

Are we willing to do that? I would say most are willing. The real question is, will we GO (that's a verb.... showing action!) and do it? 

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men (and women) of courage; be strong. 

Do everything in love."

1 Corinthians 16:13

What has God done for you?

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations 

what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:8

During my devotional time today God gave me that verse. Moments later God gave me Mark 5:19 which reads,

"Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

So, I wanted to Fully Surrender to what I believe God was asking me to do today.

Here you have it:

"Making known to others what He has done for me."

* While still in my mothers womb, God had a very special lady praying for me - my mother-in-law.

* My mother-in-law prayed for "the wife her son would some day marry" for all my childhood and teen years.

* At just 6-7 years old God drew me to His Word and His Truth. I tried reading the King James Version Bible on and off for most of my childhood, trying to understand what it was I was supposed to know.

* At age 12 God brought this amazing gift into my life, my dear friend, Macalla. She began introducing me to Scripture through verses written on the bottoms of "illegally" passed notes in middle school. {Sorry teachers...}

By age 13 and 14, I had become "friends" with a bad crowd of kids and had been sexually assaulted three times. I did not know up from down and was so lost I didn't know what to think or do.

* But my Abba Father brought me another sweet sweet gift at age 14. A gift that would rebuild my confidence in people and in myself once again. A gift that told me, "You are beautiful. You can do whatever you set your mind to." A gift that coached me on how to cheer and get on the cheer squad. This gift's name is Carmen. She was the truest of true friends and together we made the cheer squad.

* At age 15, the most pure love I have ever known occurred. My mother, knowing I had been searching for "god", entered into my bedroom on a Sunday morning. She told me a man at work had been talking to her about God and she was going to go to church that day. She invited me and told me I had 10 minutes to get ready. I hurried and put a pink dress on with black shoes.

That morning, my mother and I headed off to church for the first time.

That morning, July 8th, 1992, I gave my life to God.

That morning, I found God and... as the saying would go, "God found me."

My all-time favorite Scripture passage comes from this life-long search for God,

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord."

~ Jeremiah 29:12-14

* Graduating from high school, I was supposed to attend Evangel Bible College in Springfield, MO, but God had other plans for my life and moved me, along with my family, up to Maine.

There, God made himself quickly known. My family and I found a church and began attending there regularly. Another family was also attending there - my future in-laws and their children.

Three months prior to ever meeting my husband, my quiet and humble future father-in-law made this proclamation to his family,

"Do you see that girl up there with the blonde hair? She is going to be Jason's wife some day."

Never before, or since then (that we know of), has he ever made such a bold proclamation.

* Three months later, December 24th, 1995, God led me to the man I now call my husband.

On this day, God gave me another amazing gift. A man who had saved himself for me. A man who loves and cherishes his Creator. A man who is gentle, humble, intelligent, kind, and honors me in so many ways.

* August 2, 1996 - Jason asked me to marry him.

* January 4, 1997, at the age of 19, I married my best-friend. I married the man God created for me. On this day, Jason married the woman his mother had prayed for all of his life.

* After infertility issues and 2 miscarriages,

God blessed me with my first miracle in December of 2000.

* My second miracle and gift from God came just a short 15 months later in April of 2002.

* After more (3.5 years to be exact) years of infertility and three more heart-breaking miscarriages, my third miracle came in September of 2005.

* And finally, after another 3 years of infertility and 2 more heart-breaking miscarriages, I was blessed with my fourth miracle (thus my handle, 4Miracles. :-)) in July of 2008.

* Along the way, God has also given me the desires of my heart. He has allowed me to stay-at-home with my children, to home school them, and to do public speaking engagements throughout New England teaching and bringing awareness to others about the atrocities of human trafficking.

* I've been married for nearly 17 years and still going strong!

My life is richly blessed. Not because life has been a walk in the park, but because I know God has done great things in and through me; because I know God has been with me since before my conception.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your

book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:13,16

So, here, at this moment, I want to praise God for all He has done for me. I want to proclaim His great name, the great name of Jesus Christ!

So, what about you? If you inventoried your life, what great things has God done in you and for you that you want to praise Him for, proclaim His name for, and make known to "all the nations"?