10 Ways to Bring JOY Back To Your Life

10 Ways to Bring JOY Back to Your Life

Ask for God's help

God wants to hear from you. He longs to be in communion with you. Talk to Him. Tell Him how you are feeling. Make known your disappointments and frustrations to Him and let Him guide you and direct your steps. Pray to Him, asking that He be the strength for your day. We can do nothing apart from Him, yet God tells us in His Word, “...with God all things are possible.” {Matt 19:26}

Get into Scripture

God's Word is FILLED with richness. The Bible is our road map for life. By reading His Word daily, even if it's a few passages, will help strengthen your relationship with God, thus filling you with joy. Keep a journal when you read so you can write down thoughts as you go. Start small. Don't attempt to complete large sections of scripture. Two to six verses per day should be doable. As you read, ask for God to guide your thoughts and to speak to you through His Word. “For the word of God is alive and powerful.” {Hebrews 4:12a}

Smile Often

It is amazing what a smile can do. It not only lifts your spirits, but it lifts the spirits of others. You never know when YOU could be the only Jesus someone sees in their day. Smile big and smile often. And don't get discouraged when you don't receive one in return. People are hurting, and we don't know what battles they are facing. Like my friend says, “If you see someone without a smile – give 'em yours!”

Be A Daily Encourager

Find ways daily to encourage other people. It get the focus off of us and our problems. Write a hand-written letter, send an encouraging text, share a scripture, give a compliment. Live your life as an encourager and watch how God will multiply your joy! “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” {Hebrews 10:25}

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Being thankful daily is the only way to a full life. 1 Thess 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances...” When we name the things we are thankful for daily... the gifts... they enlarge our lives. They allow us to focus on the beauty and not the ugly. And when you are listing the things you are thankful for, be as specific as possible. God is everywhere. Beauty is everywhere. Living the full life is living with eyes wide open to the gifts that are right in front of us!

Forgive Often...Let People Off the Hook for Not Being Perfect

People are going to mess up. People are going to hurt us and disappoint us but we have to choose to forgive them and lay our burden at the cross of Jesus Christ. Holding onto bitterness and anger robs us of the full life and the joy Christ died to give us. Because of the countless ways in which you have been radically, extravagantly shown mercy, let people off the hook for not being perfect. “When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified Him {Jesus}, along with the criminals – one on His right, the other on His left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” {Luke 23:33-34}

Laugh Often

Did you know that Laughter relaxes the whole body? A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. So it really does do the body good! Learn to laugh at life and yourself! We can get so caught up with the seriousness of life, and laughter offers us a good excuse to let go!

Don't Worry About What Others Think of You

The quickest way to forget what God says about you is to worry about what other people think of you. Galatians 1:10 say, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” God is crazy about us and as Christ followers, we have to focus only on what He says about us.

Listen To Encouraging Music

Listening to some good, upbeat, energetic music is a good way to give you a boost when life is stressful. Turn it up! Sing Along! Dance like nobody's watching! See how it reverses your mood and changes the course of your day! “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” {Psalm 66:4}

Ask for Forgiveness Whenever Possible

We all make mistakes. And it's true that we often hurt the ones we love the most. Admitting our mistakes and asking for forgiveness isn't a sign of weakness, it's quite the opposite. It is a sign of strength. It communicates value in our relationships and provides freedom from pain and regret. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” {1 John 1:9}

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

 

The Words We Say

Words.

Oh there are moments in my life I am not proud of.  Weak moments.  Painful reminders that I am recklessly flawed and dangerously imperfect.  And more times than I care to admit, I have been the one who has caused pain... with my words.

Words are more powerful than we give them credit for! We have a choice, daily, to speak life or to speak death to others and even to ourselves!

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and erase some of the words you said to someone else? I sure do!

When I was about 8 years old I remember being at the dinner table with my family. For some reason on this particular night we were in a hurry... all of us were pretty tired and pretty cranky. I remember looking up at my dad and saying to him, "Gosh - you're eating like a pig!" NOT the best thing to say and certainly not my heart. I didn't think he actually RESEMBLED a pig... but it came out as such. I wish I could take that back.

When I was in high school I got mixed up with the wrong crowd for a season. They were bullies and I craved so desperately to belong that I accompanied their bullying of a particular girl who was new to our school that year. She had braces and her family was struggling financially and I remember making fun of her. Over 22 years later even though I can't recall the exact words I said that most likely destroyed her confidence, I am sick with guilt when I consider my actions. It wasn't my heart. It wasn't who I wanted to be. I wish I could take that back.

True story, when Trevor and I were just married I was a very jealous person. Oh, I'm not proud of it, but my insecurities were at an all-time high even in the midst of an overwhelmingly blissful wedding celebration. I remember feeling so confident that Trevor had made a mistake by taking me as his bride... I told him so. I was sure that one day he'd wake up and realize he'd married the wrong woman. That I was never going to be good enough for him and that he should not have wasted his time on me. All of my personal struggles with insignificance came flooding in and I made incredibly irresponsible word choices during what should have been the happiest time of our lives! It wasn't my heart. It's not what I wanted to say. I was so in love but so afraid to give myself completely to the man who'd just made a vow to love me 'till death do us part! I wish I could take that back.

But here's the thing. I can't take those things back. Words once spoken have been released. Forever. I can ask for and be granted forgiveness, but those words will always remain.

Ephesians 4:9 says,  

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

And in Proverbs 18:21a the Bible says,  

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."

We have a choice to make every day. We can choose to speak life or death. We can choose to love people by building them up and encouraging them. Or we can speak death and destruction to people by tearing them down and discouraging them.

God's Word is pretty clear that we were created to worship the Father. Isaiah 43:7 describes us as,  

"Whom I created for my glory."

We are here for God's glory. Not to make us famous - but to make Him famous. And part of glorifying Him... making Him famous... is choosing and using our words wisely.

James 3:10 puts it this way,

"Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."

How can we praise God and curse our neighbor at the same time? We can't. How can we say we honor God and worship Him on Sunday and then come Monday morning we're cursing the driver who pulls out in front of us? We can't.

We can't? We do it all the time. I know I do!

And what about the things we say to others about someone else? Gossiping? What about the things we say about even our own family members to other family members? Like, "Can you believe she did that!" Or, "What was he thinking marrying HER?" These things may be said in private, but they are as equally destructive, don't you think?

I read once that  

"Character is doing what is right when no one else is looking."

Ouch!

So is this just actions... or does this mean words too?

Proverbs 12:18 says,  

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

We have a choice. To bring healing with our words. To speak life into another life. To uplift. To encourage. To motivate. To bring joy and peace and freedom. Because the words that come from our lips are a mere reflection of our hearts. What is in our hearts... will eventually make it to our lips and out of our mouth. And for some of us - that evokes some fear.

You see - I want to live a life that is most pleasing to the Father.. but in order to do that I must examine my heart so that my motives are in check so that my words will reflect who I am on the inside.

I heard something recently that has stuck with me ever since. Joyce Meyer says this...

"You may be saved, but is your mouth saved?"

Wow!

We have to begin to think how God thinks, talk like God talks, and act like God acts. And it's not easy to do... but it's a conscious choice we need to make every single day if we want to be more like the Father.

Proverbs 13:3 says,

"Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything."

May ruin everything.

Words are pretty powerful!

Romans 12:21 says this,  

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 

So the next time someone pulls out in front of you, you can overcome by choosing to speak life instead of death. Chances are pretty darn good that Christ died for him just as much as He died for you and I! And he may never know the choice you're making to speak life and not death, but God will.

Is our mouth saved? Do we sound saved?

Less of me, Father, more of You!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

My Gratitude Journey

I remember when I started my Gratitude Journal.  It was 2011.

And I remember, too, that my daughter started her journal at the same time.

It's amazing to see the perspective of gratitude through the eyes of an 11-year-old.

And I remember those first few entries.  They seemed small and simple and meaningless:

• Skittles
• The Moon
• My Friends
• My Teachers

And then there was that one that stood out among the others:

• The way the sunlight shines on the gold door knob in my bedroom.

Perspective.

And I read it in a quote the other day... that made me pause long enough to remember back on this gratitude journey with fondness.

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."  - Henry David Thoreau

In my hunger for joy... in my thirst for the full life that I knew Jesus had died to provide me with... was the realization that it COULD be found... but only with this daily practice of gratitude.  Because if I couldn't be grateful for what God was providing NOW... no matter how small and seemingly insignificant... then true joy and peace in my life could not exist.

And some days are hard.  To find gratitude in sickness and disease and disappointment and failure.  This is hard.

It's the hard discipline.

But it's the hard discipline with the sweetest reward.

Because I don't want to merely survive this life... I want to LIVE in the abundant life.
I want to run the race marked out for me with passion.
I want to feel joy from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes.
Real joy.  Pure joy.  Jesus joy.

And this daily discipline of gratitude reminds me of building a house made a stone on a concrete foundation.  Each stone placed represents an act of gratitude.  With each stone laid, I am practicing the art of being grateful.  Grateful for the small things, the large things, and everything in between.

And I practice laying the stones, a worshipful response to the gifts and blessings of God, so that I can find shelter when the storms of life hit.

And they will hit.

And I will wake one day to find gratitude nearly impossible.

The daily discipline of naming the gifts... counting the endless ways that God loves me by the blessings He has abundantly provided me... is indeed building a strong place for me to reside in when the gifts are hard to see.

And I look back on my gratitude journal... this journey that has become a daily practice.  A practical way to worship God in seeing with a whole new perspective.

Joy is here!  It's been here all along.  I just had to pay attention.

Perspective.

• Homemade bread
• Dark, raining, accomplished mornings
• Baptism Sunday
• A growling belly
• A smile from Chloe at the end of a school day
• White Christmas lights
• Spinning windmill
• Living second
• Memorizing scripture
• Reading a good book
• Snuggles
• Praying friends
• Lazy Sundays

Philippians 4:11-12 says:

"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

This was Paul.  And what is notably remarkable about this... Paul was in prison when he wrote these very words.

He might have known a little something about the "living on almost nothing", "empty" and "little" remarks made.  He was no stranger to pain and suffering, but because of his relationship with Jesus... because of the cross and because he had learned true joy in Christ... He was able to be content even when his circumstances seemed grim.

I want to live like that!

Lord - teach me this kind of joy and peace... so that I might have it for myself.

I will practice daily, this discipline of gratitude because it is the only way to living full!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Guest Contributor: Joann Moore: Get Back Up and Press On

 
It was one of those mornings. I got up, got dressed, but the morning somehow got away from me. I remember looking at the clock when I finally sat down to write and spend some time with Jesus and it was almost eleven o’clock. My heart sank. The day was moving fast and I couldn’t help but think of all the things that I needed to still get done that day. As I sat in front of my computer, I felt defeated and said these words out loud, 

 “Lord, I have so much to do.”

And then it happened. I literally felt this big “ugh” in my spirit and in my heart, like having all the air sucked out of me. Unfortunately, I got up and started to go about my business, doing those things that I thought were important. 

Not till several days later did I realize that the “big ugh” was not only my spirit grieving, but I grieved the Lord as well. In others words, I basically told God that I didn’t have time for Him, because I was too busy. Too busy doing “things”. Things that in the big scheme of life and my spiritual walk with the Lord, were ultimately unimportant. When we get to heaven, God isn’t going to ask us if on that day we took the trash out or cleaned the kitchen, but He will ask us if we did what He asked. Did we seek Him with all our heart, all our souls and all our minds? “Did you spend time with me today like I desired for you or did you think getting those things crossed off your to-do list was more important? Couldn’t you have spent ten minutes seeking My face that day and let the dishes wait“? 

See up until that day, I had been carving out time in my day for Him. I made it a priority to sit down for ten minutes, half an hour, or longer to spend time with Him. To pray, write and to listen and then be obedient to what He told me to do. I had started this after the first of this year, because I had realized that my busyness had taken over all aspects of my life and I had pushed Him to the back burner, like I had many other things. I was re-prioritizing. And I knew that I desperately needed Him back in the forefront of my life. But I grieved Him that day and I grieved my spirit as well. I had put more value in my time doing things, than in my relationship with Him. 

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about this very same thing. She told me she needed to do some soul searching and really needed to get her relationship with the Lord back on track. “I've been talking to God today to see how to start again. I keep trying to start that relationship with Him, but I keep failing,” she told me. She needed to start her relationship with God again, because she had put Him on the back burner as I did. He wasn’t a priority in her life. She had allowed things, time and being busy to get in the way of her relationship with Him. She got distracted, thinking other things were more important. We all have done this at one time or other. In Romans 3:23, Paul tells us that we 

“...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

We are not perfect. We are sinners, saved by grace. At times we put other things first before we do God. Even Paul struggled with doing the right thing. He tells us in Romans 7:15, 

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”  

We say to God some days that our to-do list, our time, this and that, our busyness, is more important than spending time with Him. We may not say that out loud or even want to admit it, but we do. We make time for everything else, but no time for God.

But thank goodness for God’s grace and forgiveness! Thankfully the Lord isn’t so cruel as to say, “Hey you messed up, you haven’t been spending time with Me. I’m done with you. And forget about starting over, because you have failed once again.” No, thank goodness! We all fall short, but we get back up and keep pursuing Him. The key is getting back up, knowing you were wrong, ask for forgiveness for not

putting Him first and start to move forward again. Please don’t skip the part about asking God for forgiveness, because if we don’t ask for forgiveness, we can’t move forward. We need to uncomplicate our lives and realize that He is more important than any “thing” in this world. Is spending time with Him really less important than what you think you need to accomplish today? 

Carve out time in your day. Make the time to spend with Him. Some days we’ll have bad days and get off track. Sometimes those days may turn in to several days or longer, but get back up, “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” {Philippians 3:13}. We have the choice to put Him first in our life and make Him our priority. When we fail, which we will, get back up and press on. James reminds us, that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us {James 4:8}. He will always be faithful in that. Will you be faithful to do your part and draw near to Him? Are you willing to set aside some time and make Him your priority? It’s really just that simple. 

Get back up my friend, and press on. Keep pursuing Him! 

- Joann 

Thanks for sharing your heart today, Joann!  

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

When Your Reaction Surprises Even You!

I was exceptionally happy yesterday.
No particular reason why... I was just happy.

Maybe it was because the sun was shining.  Maybe it was because I had the satisfying accomplishment of crossing items off my to-do list in a very orderly fashion (I am, after all THAT woman!).  But whatever it was - I found myself in a state of glee most all of the afternoon.

And I remember reading the words... SAYING the words... We must fight for joy.  Every day is a fight for joy.  And I must choose the way of joy in an ugly world.

But this day seemed different somehow.  Joy was pouring in as sunlight through the clouds.  It didn't take much effort.

And in the way it sometimes happens, the robber of life slithers in to take away the joy.  He comes to threaten my happiness with the stark realization that the world can be ugly and the people that live in it can be equally distorted.  Because there is a truth that we live with this side of eternity and although Jesus comes to give life... full life... "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy."

The other driver didn't think she was in the wrong.  In a car filled with friends, and consumed with entitlement that convinced her that she had the right of way, I was her punching bag that afternoon.

And maybe she hadn't been able to find her own joy that day.  Perhaps the sun had missed her that afternoon.  Either way, I was a recipient of hate and I could feel the darkness begin to envelope me as I drove away.

And in that moment, I had a choice.
My choice was this... Do I let darkness win?  Do I surrender to a life of bitterness and resentment or do I fight to keep my joy instead?  Because every day is a battle between good and evil and by allowing this stranger to steal my happiness, I was allowing the darkness to win.

But I could choose to forgive and press forward.

Because wasn't it Jesus who went to the cross.... not as a criminal deserving of punishment, but as an innocent man of God who came to bring hope and grace to the very people who would later betray and beat Him to death?

And as Jesus hangs on the cross, we hear Him - almost unbelievably say - "Father, forgive them..."  {Luke 23:34}

And I want that kind of forgiveness.  I want that kind of grace.

Hanging in my office is a cross designed with nails that reads Amazing Grace.  And I am reminded once again of the countless ways that I have been shown grace and mercy.  I am reminded of the enormous gift of forgiveness that I have been offered and I am humbled.

And so with a reaction that surprised even myself, I made a choice that afternoon to fight for joy.  In a defining moment and with God's graciousness and strength, I chose the way of forgiveness.  And with my 13-year-old's watchful eyes (always the watchful eyes), I made the decision to extend grace not because it was easy, but because it's the only way we change the world.

I read it in our study for this week...

"We turn the other cheek because Jesus prayed from the cross, 'Father, forgive them.'  And the forgiven THEM turns out to be us.  Jesus only calls us to give what we have received - unbounded forgiveness."  {Brian Zahnd, Unconditional}

And not just for the big things.  But also for the small ways that threaten to rob us from the full life Christ died for us to have.  For the drivers filled with anger and rage who aren't fortunate yet to know what I know about God's love.  And by rejecting my "right" to retaliate, perhaps I am displaying Jesus in a new light to those who are living desperate without Him.

And hadn't I read that backwards?

Indeed I had...

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  {John 10:10}  {emphasis mine} 

I want the full life.  And in my desire is the understanding that there is price to pay for it.  And it's hard work.  But I am willing to do the hard work if it means returning to joy and bringing Jesus to an ugly world by BEING Jesus to the world.

I choose life!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

 

My Gratitude Journey

My gratitude journey began in 2011.  Inspired by this book that was based on a dare to live fully right where you are... I began a journey that has indeed changed my life.

-----------------------

It's all beauty. All around us. And it's when we choose to SEE these things with eyes wide open that we can truly give thanks to the God who created this vast universe with all it's pleasures.

But what do you do when you're counting gifts and the joy doesn't come because all you hear is noise? When the reality of your world is doubting doctors and grim prognosis's and you can't see past today because today is littered with uncertainty and pain and sadness and tears? What then?

And I dig deep into the Word to find it and I desperately call on God for help because this journey - it's not easy. And the road is sometimes curvy and the valleys sometimes run too deep and too wide. And we get tired and we loose sight of why we're here.

This... this is reality.

It's reality for cancer patients.
It's reality for parent's who've lost a child.
It's reality for victims of rape.
It's reality for those who've been imprisoned or impoverished.

It's reality... we all hurt sometimes. And I search for what to call it... maybe it's this "fight for joy" that's so hard sometimes.

But we have a word that we can hold tightly too. A word from The Word. The word is Eucharisteo.

The Greek word, Eucharisteo can be found in Luke 22:19...

"And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..."

Gave thanks reads as Eucharisteo.

And isn't that a beautiful word?

Eucharisteo.

The root word for eucharisteo is 'charis', meaning, "grace". Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and grave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be a gift and He gave thanks.

But there's more!

Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, 'charis'. But it also holds it's derivative, the Greek word 'chara', meaning "joy".

So consider this word... Eucharisteo... like a braid of three cords...

Grace - that which God gives us.
Thanksgiving - that which we can offer back to Him.
Joy - that which can be found in the midst of thankfulness.

And isn't that PRECISELY what Jesus did before He endured the cross?

He "took the bread and gave THANKS."

He gave thanks.

And still... even still... knowing what sort of pain and suffering He would endure... He shared a meal with his beloved disciples and gave thanks.

I find these words breathtaking.

But it's what Jesus came to do. He came to save mankind from their own sin and suffering. He endured the pain that should have been for you and for me. He erased the debt. He went to the cross doing what? Giving thanks.

It was in pure gratitude that He became the least to become the greatest story ever told.

And doesn't God expect the same from me?

Jesus offered thanksgiving for even that which would break Him and crush Him and wound Him and yet yield a bounty of Joy. So that you and I can experience the life filled with joy which is found on the mountain of gratitude.

Gratitude, I believe, can save us from all the pain this world has to offer. And we have REAL pains. REAL problems. REAL sickness and disease and suffering.

Gratitude, according to Psalm 50:23 is directly linked to our salvation...  

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

And isn't that it? Isn't expressing gratitude often times a sacrifice?

It has at times been for me.

You see - God doesn't promise us days without rain. He doesn't promise us a life without pain. But when we can take the pain, the suffering, the ugly in this world and turn it in to praise before a Father who's grace is freely given, He can use it and make it something beautiful.

Phil 4:11-12,  

"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

It was Martin Luther King Jr. that said, "If you want to change the world, you've got to pick up a pen."


"Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

"God wants our questioning of Him to be smaller and or desire for Him to be bigger."

We were created by God - for God. To bring honor and glory to Him. Period. That's it. Why are we so trying to complicate it? Everything we do should bring honor and glory to Him. And how can we do that when we're questioning His goodness? I am reminded of a song that really got me through some rough days a coupe years ago. Maybe you've heard it - it's called Blessings by Laura Story. Here's a portion of those lyrics...

"We pray for blessings. We pray for peace. Comfort for families, protection while we sleep. We pray for healing, for prosperity. We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering. We pray for wisdom, your voice to hear. We cry in anger when we cannot feel you near. We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love. As if every promise from your word was not enough. But what if your blessings come through raindrops, what if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know your here? And what if trials of this life - are your mercies in disguise?"

When we fail to give thanks... when we fail to extend gratitude - we are basically saying we doubt God's goodness and we don't believe in His sovereignty.

You see I have been abundantly blessed in this life.

I've been blessed by parents who adore me.
Blessed by a wonderful husband whom I don't deserve.
Blessed by a daughter who is smart and respectable and who loves the Lord.
I have a nice house, have had some wonderful jobs, great friends, wise mentors, good health, reliable transportation, and a deep relationship with my Heavenly Father.

Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives.

Whatever He chooses to give.

Eucharisteo... the Greek word with the hard meaning.

I don't want to live in the darkness. I long to live in the light. I long to find the joy that Christ died on a cross for me to have. And so I must learn to accept every gift He gives and receive it with gratitude in my heart and thanksgiving on my lips.

And so my gratitude project continues. And I realize it's not just about keeping a list. It's about making thanksgiving a habit in my daily living. In order to honor Him I must learn how to be thankful with everything and in everything. And so I press forward in my fight for joy. Because pleasing the Father is what is most important... to me! It's the discipline this weary soul needs because though the world is ugly, it is beautiful. And I can slow and I can trust and I can receive each moment as a gift. Eucharisteo. Eucharisteo. Eucharisteo.

And again I read... "Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

My list continues. Those things I am thankful for? I'm past 1,000 now in my journaling. Still practicing. Still building the discipline that will draw me closer to my Creator.

# 604 Smiles from strangers
# 618 Wind through my hair
# 638 Early morning quiet times with God
# 692 A full tank of gas
# 699 Lazy Sunday afternoons
# 711 A cracked pitcher
# 723 Good... no great doctors
# 740 A husband's restoration of health
# 749 God's mercy
# 754 Second chances
# 805 Good friends

I choose gratitude. Habakkuk 3:18 says, "I will take joy." And I believe it starts with a heart of gratitude.

I choose gratitude. Will you?

JOIN me back here every Monday as I continue the Gratitude Journey.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

How I Want To Be Found

The story makes my heart hurt every time I read it.

The Garden in Gathsemane.

And I read it again this morning.  Mark, chapter 14, verses 32-38.

Jesus was facing the very thing He had been born into human flesh to accomplish.

Death.

And He knew it was coming.  And He knew they were coming.  For Him.
The perfect One.  The Lamb of God.  The Chosen Messiah.  Teacher, preacher, son, brother, friend.

And as He prepared His heart I can only imagine the fear.  And dread.  And anxiety.  I can only mildly consider for a fleeting moment the panic and dismay that He felt in the hours leading up to His arrest. 

With His beloved disciples... His friends, Peter, James, and John, He entered the lonely garden to pray.

And I have been the one who is praying for a miracle.  The one who is praying for the pain to go away and the hurt to stop.  The one who is praying for the burden to be lifted and for His mighty grace to overshadow the worry and doubt.

But this... this kind of prayer was even different than that.  Because this kind of prayer included a caviot that is missed if not looked at with eyes that long to see the bigger story.  The story of insurmountable love and commitment to the very work He was called to do.

And He never surrendered to His fear.  He could have.
He never forgot what He was created by God to fulfill.  He could have.

He could have chosen an easier road.
The one without stone and blood and whips and suffering.
He could have.
But He didn't.

And we see His human suffering in verse 34.  Standing with His friends He says,

"My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with Me."

What Jesus was telling them here was, "agonize and pray with Me."

It was a cry out to his closest confidants.  It was a request He was making of the very ones He had only hours before shared a meal with.  The very ones who had just had their feet washed by a Servant who knew only love, grace and mercy as His mission.

And for all He had taught and for all He had given He had one request:

"Stay here and keep watch with Me."

Just stay here.  Keep alert.  Watch out for Me.

And yet in verse 37 we find that He had returned only to find His three friends asleep.

Asleep?

Jesus responds in verses 37 and 38 this way:

"Simon, are you asleep?  Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?  Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.  For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Indeed, asleep!

And I feel as though Jesus was teaching here, "You know, good intentions mean nothing.  Your spirit may be willing, but the body... this human body... it is weak and vulnerable to temptation.  You must pray for the strength to keep going.  To fight."

Because our road is rough too.

We face death every day.  And every day is a choice between death and life.  What we choose depends on this one question... Will we keep watch and stay awake?

I don't want to be found sleeping.
I want to be found praying with eyes wide open.
I want to be found worshipping Jesus with every fiber of my being.
I don't want to be all talk and no action.
I want to be found on my knees, surrendered to the One who could have chose for Himself another way out but didn't.
I want to be found whispering the same words our Savior cried out on the very night He willingly accepted the full weight of His life's calling:

"Abba, Father, everything is possible for You.  Please take this cup of suffering away from Me.  Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine."  {emphasis mine}

And with that was the realization that there was no other way.
No other way than Gods will.

Full surrender through deep grief.

Palms up, prepared to accept whatever He gave.

And that... that is how I want to be found.
Palms up, prepared to accept whatever He gives.

Even if it doesn't make sense.
Even if it isn't my plan.
Even if I stand alone.
Even if... it hurts.

Father God, may I always be found in full devotion to You.  Keep my eyes open and my heart surrendered to Your call on my life.  Less of me, more of You.  Amen.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

 

The Shepherd And His Sheep

In John 10, Jesus taught about being the Good Shepherd. John 10:11 says,

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep."

I heard something a while back that has kept me thinking for some time. Bestselling Author, speaker, singer and Bible teacher, Sheila Walsh, was a guest on Life Today and she said something that was, in my humble opinion, pretty profound. She said this...  

"God is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. It's not the sheep's job to get home, it's the Shepherd's job to lead us there. God always goes BEFORE us. Our full dependency needs to rest in Him."

This is MORE than good news friends! This means that God is taking care of us. It means that He is our teacher, He is our protector, He is the one who is guiding and steering our paths.

In the book, They Smell Like Sheep Dr. Lynn Anderson says this,  

"Think of it. Jesus left the comforts of heaven and came into our universe, our pasture, to smell like sheep!"

 He goes on to say,

"Jesus sweated like we do. He walked our pathways, braved our wolves, faced our temptations, and shared our struggles. The Holy One of Israel came in Jesus Christ to be our good shepherd."

I did some studying on shepherds and have noted some characteristics of those who hold this humble job title....

• They live with the lambs their entire life

• They protect their flocks

• They caress their sheep

• They feed and water their sheep

• They lead their sheep

• They protect their sheep from dangerous situations

Notice that in all of the above references, I have referred to the sheep as "theirs". Meaning that the shepherd takes personal responsibility for each animal. They BELONG to the shepherd... just as we belong to our Heavenly Father. He takes ownership of us... we belong to Him. We are His precious ones.

The model we see between Shepherd and Sheep revolves around one word and that's relationship.  

"When a tiny lamb was born into the wilderness world", says Anderson, "the shepherd took the trembling newborn into his hands, warming it and caressing it. Among the first sensations felt by the shivering lamb was the tender hands of the shepherd. The gentle voice of the shepherd was the first sounds to awaken the lamb's delicate eardrums."

The shepherd is not a dictator. He is not one who sits in the comforts of his cozy couch forming teams of controlling, power-hungry shepherd wanna-be's to do the work for him. He doesn't leave his sheep alone in the wilderness to fend for themselves. In fact the opposite is true. He loves them. He protects them from the dangers of other animals and harsh weather elements. He guides them onto the right path... sometimes gently correcting along the way... but always gently. Always loving. It's his job to get them home safely... but often times it's a job that requires getting a little dirty.

He smells like sheep.

"With the whole flock examined and bedded down, finally the shepherd himself would lie down, stretching his body across the opening. So, the shepherd literally became the door! His body kept the sheep in and the dangers of the night out. No sheep could wander into danger because the shepherd's body held them in. Wolves and robbers could enter to harm the flock only over the dead body of the shepherd. Some claim that even in modern times, morning will occasionally find sheep, without a shepherd. Upon investigation, a bleeding, battle-worn shepherd will often be found somewhere nearby - sometimes even a dead one. The shepherd would literally lay "down his life for the sheep."

I love this.

When we are in relationship with Jesus, He is our shepherd and we are His sheep. I love the message version of Isaiah 53:6...  

"We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on Him, on Him."

He is taking care of that financial mess you're in.
He can erase the doubt you have.
He is handling your marital crisis.
He is taking care of your wayward child.

He's gone before us and yet walks beside us.

That doesn't give us permission to sit by passively and do nothing. Instead we must listen to the Shepherd's voice and go where He's directing us to go. We must yield to His calling. We must obey His commands. But, friends, it's His job to get us home safely, and if we allow Him full control of our lives, He will do it for us.

Jesus says in John 10:14,  

"I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me."

He knows us. Intimately. And the more time we spend cultivating our relationship with Him, the easier it becomes to know His voice and trust His leadership.

1 Peter 2:25 calls the Shepherd,

"... the Overseer of your souls."

Without the Shepherd, we are helpless sheep. Wandering the wilderness. Tired, lost, hungry, alone and confused. But God has provided a Shepherd to care for His sheep. The battle is being fought for us... help has been provided. We have a Shepherd who is "willing and able to do accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope." (Eph 3:20)

Listen for His voice... He's calling us home!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

The Day Grace Found Me in My Imperfect Mess

It was a day, as a mama, I am not very proud of.

And some days... I just plain mess it up.

Some days... are just messy.  And I beg for a little more for Jesus.

My Chloe.  So beautiful here eating a fancy dinner with daddy in 2012. 

The annual Daddy Daughter Dance.  Something they both looked forward to every year.  This year, no exception.  The hunt for the perfect dress, the right shoes, the accessories.

And the hair.  We can't forget the hair.

What girl doesn't ache for this sort of outing with her first love... her dad?  What girl doesn't look forward to this sort of date where for one day all of the attention is on her? 

And she had been.

The make-up was done and the outfit was ironed.  The nylons were on and the jewelry had been delicately placed.  And so she was ready for the curlers. 

And I am not sure why I'm sometimes "that mom".  You know, the one who has to have everything my way and "perfect".  But sometimes I am.  And this was one of those days.

In an attempt to make her hair "perfect", I used what I thought might get her the look her... I wanted.  Long, puffy ringlet curls.

And for the most part, that's what happened, but because this mama was more interested in what she wanted more than what her daughter wanted... it was a complete failure.

And so came the disappointment in her eyes and the disgust from her lips.  And I could feel the tension mounting.  In her.  In me.

And when tension rises and disappointments come... words can sting and they did this day.  The words from my 11-year-old rang loud and clear and maybe because we taught her how to communicate her feelings... always how to tell the truth with her words.  And this truth might have been too much for an already stressful day...

"I HATE it, mom!"

Not sure I wanted to hear that.  After battling raging hot curlers and fumbling over clips and combs I was toast.  And I wasn't cut out for this sort of thing.  And how ungrateful do you have to be?  And now we're running late and I still need to get pictures to highlight this "happy" event.

I could feel the red hot anger swell and I didn't like it.  But as much as I tried to fight it, the feelings came and they took over.  And in a way I am most ashamed of, the curlers ended up... in the trash.  And with the ridiculous act of a 4-year-old temper tantrum I had said words that hurt too...

"FINE!  I give up!  I am DONE!"

------------------

I had said the very words I didn't mean to say.  But in the moment... in a weak moment of selfishness... I had said words and displayed actions to my only daughter that looked less like Jesus than almost anything I had done before that day.

And I was sad.

And so was she.

And in the ugly moments that followed, and through tears shed by both her and I, we felt the bitter pain of anger.

I had read it the other day... again...

"The JOY of the Lord is my strength, and ANGER leaves everyone weak."

And that day... we were weak.

That day I had let my emotions win. 
That day I had allowed Chloe to witness a less-than-perfect, messy mama, who doesn't always get it right.

Because every day is a fight for joy. 

Every day is a battle between good and evil.

And every day we have a choice to overcome evil with good.  To choose joy over anger.  Because joy comes from God and anger... it leaves everyone weak.

And after our weak moments in our anger and sadness, I was able to apologize for the way I had behaved.  And because of grace, Chloe accepted the apology and with a hug we were whole again.

And we took pictures.  Happy pictures that told a different story from a look behind the scenes.

You pray they won't have scars from the imperfect moments.  But maybe we do.
Because I am not perfect.  I am not without blemishes.  I am not superwoman and I don't have all the answers.

I am messy woman with flaws and imperfections and sin and emotions that trump wisdom.  I fail often and I forget the very things I preach more times than I would care to admit.

But I have Jesus.  And His grace found me that day.
In a heaping mess of broken hair clips and a rubble of curlers... grace found me.

And I want grace to find her too.
Because she will have those moments in her life as well.
She will be the mama who tries too hard and fails.
She will be the woman who craves for the better life only to realize it never left her.
Because grace never leaves us.
Grace finds us in the places we need it most.
And grace doesn't give up even when we want to.

Andy Stanley says it in his book, The Grace of God,

"Grace is slow to judge and quick to deliver."

And I had been delivered that day.

"His love covers a multitude of sin." {1 Peter 4:8}

I am still a messy mama who doesn't always get it right.  But through His grace, I am learning how to accept the faults and failures and how to embrace His strength to get me through the rough days.

Because there will be rough days.

And I will continue to fight for joy in the rough days because of His incredible grace.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,