We are continuing on with our theme of the power of praise. We have already looked at how the power of praise can work in our lives when things are going wrong, and how that when we don’t feel like praising Him, that is actually the time we should be doing exactly that and letting the power of praise break the devil’s hold on us. (See The Power of Praise #1). Last time we looked at how praise can help when our children are quarrelling. (See The Power of Praise #2).
Today we are going to see how the power of praise can affect our babies, and ultimately your life for the good.
Any mother will tell you that it can be very difficult to remain calm when your baby is screaming and you can’t seem to do anything to settle them. Then as you get upset because you can’t settle your baby, your baby gets more upset, and gradually you both get into a vicious cycle as you feed off each other’s distress.
How can you as a parent, grandparent, relative or carer stay calm when your baby won’t settle?
Sing songs of praise.
Does it really work? I hear you ask.
Yes.
My elder nephew was very colicky as a baby. It seemed that he forever had to be held and jiggled as he suffered with pains. One thing I did with him, which my sister and her husband then started doing too, was to sing songs, but instead of nursery rhymes I sang praise songs particularly associated with children. Jesus Loves Me This I Know, Jesus Love is Very Wonderful, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Jesus Bids Us Shine, Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam were my top favourites, but I just kept singing through the list of songs I remembered from Sunday School and The Maranatha Kids! tapes we would often listen to when my sisters and I were children. I would quite often repeat them.
Did it calm him?
Eventually. He would gradually calm down and drift off to sleep. But not always. 
Sometimes it took a while if the pains griping him were bad.
So what purpose did it serve?
The soothing voice of the adult would be comforting to him. He would also be having words of God’s love sung over him and instilled into him from a young age.
It also served a great purpose for the adult. Singing words of God’s love helped keep the adult calm and relaxed and not so stressed even when they were concerned for the baby.
There will be times when you are just too tired to sing, particularly if your sleep is being disturbed regularly…or you’re not even getting any! Other times you will be too
worried if your baby is very sick and you are having to take care of them, or maybe even making an emergency dash to the hospital. For those times I suggest you put on some praise music so that the words can comfort and help you to remain calm when you feel anything but calm and in control. If at home or in car you can put a CD on. However I do recommend that you have praise music loaded on your smartphone, tablet or iPod so you have the music with you ready wherever you go and whenever you need it.
Remember, when praise is being lifted to God, the devil can’t stand it and can’t be there! So even when you are so worried about your child, the praise lifted to God will help you keep calm and remember that He is with you both, He cares for both and He will guide you through.
~ Wendy Sparkes ~