I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

 Psalm 34:1

This verse makes perfect sense on a Sunday morning. But what about when life stinks?

Just a couple of years into his marriage, my friend Rick noticed his wife exhibiting signs of mental struggles. But she was too young for anything serious, right?

Walking alongside Rick the mile-and-a-[...] 

Praising God, giving Him glory—it’s optional, right?

It's something we do on Sunday mornings or when we hike up mountains or saunter down a beach at sunset. Praise is the thing you do when you feel especially close to God or grateful for something He's done— like a Thanksgiving family gathering, right?

Yes, but…

Psalm 29:2 says we are to “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name.” Nothing was mentioned there about ou[...] 

As a kindergartner in Romania during the Communist era, Cristina remembers her teacher asking, “How many of you kids go to church?” Brave Cristina stepped forward—alone. The teacher then reamed her out in front of the entire class. "Never, ever go to church again!" she demanded. Cristina protested, "But my parents go to church."

As often happens, word of Cristina’s brave classroom stand got around. A school caretaker named Natalie later ap[...]