Over the last few years, I have noticed the Lord gently nudging my heart to pause, look back, and remember His goodness. It’s so easy to get swept up in the noise of life — the hard moments, the unexpected challenges, the heaviness in the world around us. But something powerful happens when we make a choice to shift our attention to the blessings around us. Gratitude has a way of opening up heaven over our lives.
When we begin to praise Him, we pull His presence close. The Word reminds us in Psalm 22:3 (KJV), “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” When we begin to give thanks to the Lord, He comes and inhabits that praise. He dwells there. He abides right there with us. And when we choose to worship Him — even in the middle of chaos — something inside of us changes. He begins to lift us up. He begins to stir up the faith inside of us. Then that change begins to spill out into the world around us.
Scripture invites us to come fully into that place of praise: Psalm 100:2 (KJV) says, “Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” Praise is an open door. It moves us into His presence. It shifts our mood, lifts our eyes, and reminds our hearts that God is bigger than anything we face.
One of my favorite year-end practices is simple: I open the camera roll on my phone and scroll back to January. It never fails — I always end up in tears of gratitude. Moments I forgot about. Prayers God answered quietly. Victories I didn’t stop long enough to celebrate. Smiles. Milestones. Small blessings tucked into ordinary days. Every time, I see His fingerprints all over my year.
So I encourage you to do the same. Take the next few weeks to reflect on how good God has been. Praise Him for what He’s already done. Praise Him for what He’s working on right now. And praise Him for everything that’s waiting for you in the year ahead.
Let Psalm 34:1 (KJV) be your reminder: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Gratitude changes everything — not because our circumstances magically disappear, but because praise brings us back into alignment with the One who never fails us.
Lift your voice. Open your heart. Give Him glory. He’s been faithful every step of the way.
With love and encouragement,
