POWER IN PRAISE

The first time that I experienced the power in praise was in 1972.  I was a very young Christian. Since then, the Lord has allowed several  opportunities for me to witness His power in praise.
  
It was a rainy night and I was on my way to a prayer meeting.  Roger was out of town on business and our fourteen year old daughter was at home baby sitting. As I turned to go up a hill, a big tractor trailer was coming down. Suddenly without any warning, a car shot out from behind the trailer.  I had no place to go. We collided head on. 

Amazingly I felt a very strong arm come across my chest and literally push me  back. It was not normal.  I should have gone forward and hit my head. After the crash, my right leg was trapped under the dashboard as I sat in the front seat. I was in pain. 

Then, I heard an almost audible voice say to me, "Praise the Lord".  I immediately started to praise Him for everything I could think of. Finally,I just repeated "Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, praise the Lord." As I kept praising the Lord I slowly was able to bring my foot out from under the dashboard and the pain was gone.  

The ambulance arrived and they wanted to take me to the hospital.  I told them that I was fine, but they insisted that I was in shock and needed to go.

 I was more concerned about the driver in the other car  He was a young driver (16 years) who had just obtained his license. I felt so sorry for him. One of his knees was critically crushed and needed immediate attention. We were both taken to the hospital.  I was soon released. 

The young boy  wasn't too happy to see his father. Just a few months before his father had spent some serious money repairing the same crushed knee after an ATV accident. I just continued to pray for him.

Roger came home from his business trip early to take care of all the details.  Our car was totaled. The insurance company loaned us a car until we could buy another.

Truly, God does inhabit the praises of his people.  I believe it was an angel that held me back and reminded me to praise the Lord in all circumstances and as I did the pain left. What an amazing presence of our God.  He is always with us. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.