I must say I have been a bit of a grump in the last few months. With all that goes on in ones life it's hard to stay on a joyful path and not get sucked into the world's view of how we should react when trials occur. I have persevered through these times of ups and mostly downs with my faith not waivering at all but depression on the other side of the door knocking and diguising itself as a pizza delivery boy knowing I just might answer for that. Ha! Maybe a cheesecake delivery person! Regardless, I have remained a melancholy droopy but ever so faithful one. God just laughs at me and pats me on the back while holding his hand over my mouth as not to offend anyone around me. Ok, enough background on my whining!
Then joy....how do I get it? How much is it going to cost (Ramsey question)? Will it hurt? Will I be inconvenienced? Will I need to give it away once I have it? Will I be able to find it if I lose it again? Then joy came to me. The oddest delivery via the cell towers of verizon and sprint bouncing its way to me from my beautiful and loving sister-in-law, Neesey! You see she had listened to our pastor's sermon on telling someone how they have impacted your life, drop 'em a note, give 'em a call, yadda, yadda. She chose to call me up and tell me how much she loved me and how glad she was that we were in each other's lives. I must say being sister's in Christ is the best family ever! She and I were not born of the same mothers but we were born of the same spirit and I am ever so grateful that she is in my life. I love her so dearly!
I decided that the phone call I received brought so much love and joy to my heart that I was going to pass it on to some of those people in my life. I didn't have a set group of people I was targeting, just chose a few of the many that I hope to pass it on to soon. Anyway, it brought my life to a certain perspective to pass on to those leaders and friends in my life the kudos that I have been holding back and watching God work his magic. People need to know that you love them, appreciate them, need them, are praying for them, believing in them, blah, blah, blah. And there it was, the joy I had been mourning over, it was back or revived or jump started. It was back with a vengence and it feels sooooo good to have it there. I could remember what it looked like, smelled like, tasted like, felt like and I missed it and didn't know how to rekindle it. Reaching out and taking the focus off of me seemed to do the trick. God has a great sense of humour......NOT! Ok, yea he does. Thank you, God for letting me feel that joy again in spite of myself!
I watched an 8 year old girl talk in church today about how she misses her dad that passed away this past week and asked us all to pray for her and her family. She stood by the pastor and as he prayed for her she just kept repeating "thank you, thank you Jesus" over and over. She will always tell those around her what they need to hear. She knows how precious time is and how we should never let a minute go by with frivolous worry and melancholiness (word?) and wasted time.
I urge you, if you are reading this to the end. Just pick a few of those people in your life that you can call, email, write and tell them how they have impacted your life or how much you love them or both! God wants to bless you today in your heart. He wants you to choose the joy He has for you. It's a beautiful gift that is better unwrapped than hiding behind that wrapping paper we choose to keep it in. Open the gift don't expect the gift to be opened for you. Take it. Enjoy it. Pass it on.
B-E-L-I-E-V-E
Because
Emmanuel
Lives
I
Expect
Victory
Everytime
God Bless your EVERY breath! May your Joy be unbelievably, unexpectedly amazing!
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