Turning Panic into Praise

Many people are panicked right now and worried about how Russia invading Ukraine might affect them personally. Are we going to see WWIII? It’s understandable also to be concerned with the rising costs at the gas pumps and the grocery stores. This is especially disconcerting for people like us on a fixed income or those who find themselves living paycheck to paycheck with rising inflation.

But imagine those families in Ukraine living a normal life one day and the next hovering in a cold basement or bomb shelter because a crazed dictator has decided he wants their country for himself! Just like that, the Ukrainian people are thrown into panic yet we still see many video clips of them singing hymns and praying to God as they await their fate. No doubt, there will be many testimonies of God’s protection, provision, and intervention.

CBN News reports “Ukrainians are setting up bomb shelters and turning to God. They continue to pray Psalm 31 amid deadly uncertainty.”

O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
² Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
³ You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
⁴ Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.
⁵ I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. -Psalm 31:1-5

How My Own Panic Turned to Praise

My husband Dave is having his second knee replacement surgery on March 9^th and there are so many things to do to get ready for him being in a recovery mode for a few months. If you follow me regularly, you know his first knee replacement surgery in May 2021 was difficult and we’re praying that this one will go much smoother, while also trying to be prepared if it doesn’t.

So a couple weeks ago, I woke up at 4 am in a panic thinking of our long to-do list. We live over an hour away from “civilization” in a small rural mountain community so there are many things we need to stock up on and many preparations to make in advance. After about an hour of mind reeling panic, tossing and turning, I was praying for God to quiet my mind when I sensed the Lord saying gently, “I will be with you, right beside you through it all.”

In relief, I said, “Oh, Lord, of course you will. Thank you for reminding me.”

Back to sleep I went as my panic turned to praise.

God was preparing me for the next week’s events that I could’ve never predicted. As if the Lord wanted to make turning panic into praise personal to us, a habit if you will, Dave and I had two back-to-back “panic” causing experiences. The first one was last Monday when we were at the VA Hospital for Dave’s Pre-op for his upcoming surgery. While in the X-ray department, Dave’s phone rang and I could hear the person on the other end describing our car, which was in the parking garage. As Dave was called to go in for his X-ray, he gave his phone to me and said, “Here, you get the information.”

Police Officer Joe proceeded to tell me that our car had been involved in a “minor accident” and could we come out to meet a police officer at our car. We agreed I would call when we had finished all our appointments. Of course, my mind started panicking again while praying, “Lord, how are we going to fit this in with all the things we have to do before Dave’s surgery? Will our one and only car be drivable? Am I going to be driving a wrecked car while Dave recovers for the next few months? Will we need an estimate and when do we have time for that?” You get the idea of what you’d be thinking too.

When officer TJ met us at our car, he proceeded to tell us how a little old man in a small car backed into us and the officer happened to be driving by as the accident happened. We breathed a sigh of relief as we could barely see the scratch on the back fender. Something about the officer’s gentle and kind way told me he was a Christian, so I asked him, and yes, he was!

Dave and I immediately started praising God for protecting our car, it could’ve been so much worse.

We went from panic to praise!

The very next day, we were back in the car headed to Boise again, but when we backed out of our garage, our driveway was a sheet of ice from the night’s rain. As Dave went to turn and navigate down the driveway, our car lost traction and spun out wedging us between two snow embankments. We were stuck! When we tried to step outside the car it was like being on a skating rink, even though we both had boots on we couldn’t walk on it.

We began frantically calling everyone we could think of to come help us, but all we got were voice mails. We were both panicking, but I kept a continual prayer going for the Lord to send someone to rescue us. After almost an hour, a neighbor drove by and stopped to help dig us out enough to free the car as we slid on down the driveway to the street below. We thanked God for sending Bob to our rescue, our calming guardian angel sent from the Lord!

We went from panic to praise!

Someone reading this week’s blog needs to go from panic to praise. I don’t know who or how many of you need to hear a word from the Lord, but I felt He wanted me to share with you the message learned from our experiences. We’re living in a time of what seems like one crisis after another, and yet, as Christians God wants us to still display the joy of the Lord and believe the words He told me when He said in the dark of night, “I will be with you!” Which He declares over 300 times in the Bible, yet still we forget and panic.

God is with all the Christians in Ukraine and in Russia. He was with those in Canada a few weeks ago, and He is with you and me every day, even when we panic. Yes, there will be trouble in this world but remember . . .

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
² When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
³ For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Is. 43:1-3 NLT

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will be glad because he rescues me.
¹⁰ With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
    Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?” Psalm 35:9-11 NLT

A Brief Sabbatical

I’ll be taking a sabbatical from writing for a few weeks. As I wrote in the above blog, my husband Dave is having his second knee replacement surgery on March 9 and I’ll be devoting my time and energy to his recovery. Many people want to comfort us with, “Well, it will be easier now that you know what to expect.” But Dave and I each look at each other knowingly and gently reply that because we know what to expect it’s definitely not easier!

We both covet your prayers as we go through this journey together yet again. We each know we’ll need to rely solely on God to turn any times of panic into praise.

You might enjoy reading an article I wrote for Crosswalk that just posted 23 Uplifting Bible Verses About Loving Each Other

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