What is praise?

Praise: the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something. Praising God is lifting of one’s soul towards God.

Live Fully Alive
With Hearts of Praise
Renewed and United
Under God

Anyone who has followed ‘The Road of Faith’ for any time knows that I love praise. I’m the Jesus freak on the side of the room with my hands in the air as the church sings. I’m the freak who, while listening to praise music through my earbuds, was singing and swaying the ‘Blessed be Your Name.” One of my favorites by the way. One of dozens haha. I realized I must have been singing out loud when a gentleman exiting the train tapped me and with a smile said, “love that song, too.” Ugh! Well, I’ll be a fool for Christ any day.

Attending a festival of praise for me is a high point of my expression of love of God. He has done so much in my life, I can’t help but sing His praises!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, you are very great.” Psalm 104:1

Being a part of the Praise Nation PGH team is such a highlight for me as well. Not only do I get to praise our Lord, but I get the privilege of bringing praise to so many others. Learn more about Praise Nation at www.praisenationpgh.org

Praise is not just an event. Praise is a lifestyle. For me, praise is my prayer. Whether I am at a Praise Nation festival of praise, attending Mass or Divine Liturgy, praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or playing my guitar, I am praising my God. For me, praise is born of Mercy. I have so much to praise God for in the Mercy He has shown to me.

Praise becomes a lifestyle when we are able to bring it into our daily lives. St. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.” This is when praise becomes life and life becomes praise.

I had never experienced praise in all my years as a Catholic. Never as a child or teen did I hear or witness a praise event within the church. Though, shortly after I was born, and not far from that hospital, the Charismatic Renewal occurred at the Ark and the Dove. It took 19 years for me to experience praise, not within the Catholic Church but in basic training. Nothing like a Sunday service full of singing and joy to escape the Drill Instructor.

My first witness of full blown, Catholic praise was at a men’s Emmaus retreat. To see a room full of men, arms raised to Heaven and voices resounding in joy and honor to our God….nothing can set a heart aflame like the sound. And, the Praise Nation band brings praise alive. They can set a room of worshipers on fire. You haven’t felt the exhilaration of praise until you’ve been at a Festival of Praise with this group of men and women. I dare you to not lift your hands and voice to the Lord when the music starts to play.

Praise Nation brings this joy even through Covid. They’ve done some live events and stream festivals of praise. I’ve featured some of their original music right here on The Road of Faith.

If you haven’t experienced praise, watch for events and videos coming on PraiseNationPGH.org. As a Praise Nation Core member said of her experience with praise, “it is like a full download of the Holy Spirit.”

Live Fully Alive
With Hearts of Praise
Renewed and United
Under God

The heart of Praise is captured in Philippians 4. Rejoice in the Lord always…the Lord is near…worry about nothing…let your praise and thanksgiving rise to the Lord…and the peace of God will guard your heart and mind.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7