Joy
Yesterday, I turned 36. A few weeks ago I started processing the fact that another year was coming to an end and I was getting “OLDER!!!” (imagine a doom and gloom voice). Right as I began to process it enough that my spirit could have started to take hold of it, I felt the Lord say" Look at the 'older' women in your family." Two of my great-grandmas lived into their late 90's. My dad’s mom lived into her 80’s and my mom’s mom will be 90 this year. Instantly, I said to myself, "Yes, 36 years is a big deal, but I’m just getting started and not even halfway there.”
From that moment on, I began looking toward my future with expectation. In my expectation, I have noticed changes in my attitude and my circumstances, and I’m experiencing something in abundance that I haven’t experienced in a while.
Yesterday, I started my day as I normally would during a Shiloh Place encounter. I arrived early and started on my work and then went to join the team for worship. Chip was already on stage and I jumped up. We started with “I Choose You,” which I wrote last year during the flood. As soon as we started, I felt like the morning was going to be different. When I wrote that song, I was declaring that despite my circumstances I would rest in and praise our Father. Each time I lead it, I claim and believe it a little more. We sang another song and then went into “Break Every Chain.” I felt I was to change some of the lyrics to “break off the shame, break off the shame, break off the shame.” As that happened, there was a shift in the atmosphere. We sang some more, the song began to come to a close, and we rested in His presence that was clearly in the room. In the quietness of the moment, I felt these lyrics stir up within me; “He’s Restoring your Joy, Restoring your Joy, Restoring your Joy.” The sound of singing built, and built, and something broke through. Worship came to an end, I went on to work and walked in an extremely peaceful state, knowing that He was with me.
Throughout the day, I received little nuggets of His love as others had cards, gifts, words, hugs, and time for me. I was coming to the end of my work day and I thought, “Man, it’s been a great day.” Then a dear friend gave me the book “Jesus Today.” It had a bookmark ribbon in it and I read what was on the bookmarked page. I don’t even know if my friend marked that page on purpose, but I believe it was for me. In the middle of the page it said, “A joyful heart will improve your health - spiritually, emotionally, and physically. So fill your mind with thankful thoughts till your heart overflows with joy.” Instantly, the Father brought me back to the worship moment earlier that morning. While I am certain it was for those in the room I was leading, I am also certain it was for me!
He is doing a new thing! Joy is springing up. Why now?!? I believe that I have been pressing into His promises over the past six months. As we went through the pain of job loss and flood loss and relationship loss that comes with change, I have worked to press into His promises. Life can truly suck, but pressing into Who He is and Whose you are instead of the brokenness changes everything.
Chip planned a party for me last night and our “tribe” [Family and Framily (friends that are as strongly tied as family)] joined us at the house and showed even more love than I could have ever imagined. Before the end of the evening, I received tender love and hugs, sweet thoughts and words, and thoughtful gifts and cards. In one of those cards were the words, “You are an absolute Joy!”
I want to go back quickly to the fact that I’m a year older, and I believe this is going to be a marker year. Needless to say, yesterday was awesome! I truly believe He is restoring my joy, and I believe that as He fills me up, I will be able to pour out over others that joy, thus making me “an absolute Joy.” The beauty of all this is that I’m just getting started. Even if I live only to 86, I’ve still got a good 50 years left in me. Remember that I mentioned my mom’s mother will be 90 this year. Last year was probably one of the hardest in her life but her focus has remained on her Father and the mission He still has for her here. In fact, she just finished a month of daily prayer for individuals in her city to experience God’s love in their lives. There is always time left to step into your call. One last thing: Guess what my grandma’s name is. . . JOY!
From that moment on, I began looking toward my future with expectation. In my expectation, I have noticed changes in my attitude and my circumstances, and I’m experiencing something in abundance that I haven’t experienced in a while.
Yesterday, I started my day as I normally would during a Shiloh Place encounter. I arrived early and started on my work and then went to join the team for worship. Chip was already on stage and I jumped up. We started with “I Choose You,” which I wrote last year during the flood. As soon as we started, I felt like the morning was going to be different. When I wrote that song, I was declaring that despite my circumstances I would rest in and praise our Father. Each time I lead it, I claim and believe it a little more. We sang another song and then went into “Break Every Chain.” I felt I was to change some of the lyrics to “break off the shame, break off the shame, break off the shame.” As that happened, there was a shift in the atmosphere. We sang some more, the song began to come to a close, and we rested in His presence that was clearly in the room. In the quietness of the moment, I felt these lyrics stir up within me; “He’s Restoring your Joy, Restoring your Joy, Restoring your Joy.” The sound of singing built, and built, and something broke through. Worship came to an end, I went on to work and walked in an extremely peaceful state, knowing that He was with me.
Throughout the day, I received little nuggets of His love as others had cards, gifts, words, hugs, and time for me. I was coming to the end of my work day and I thought, “Man, it’s been a great day.” Then a dear friend gave me the book “Jesus Today.” It had a bookmark ribbon in it and I read what was on the bookmarked page. I don’t even know if my friend marked that page on purpose, but I believe it was for me. In the middle of the page it said, “A joyful heart will improve your health - spiritually, emotionally, and physically. So fill your mind with thankful thoughts till your heart overflows with joy.” Instantly, the Father brought me back to the worship moment earlier that morning. While I am certain it was for those in the room I was leading, I am also certain it was for me!
He is doing a new thing! Joy is springing up. Why now?!? I believe that I have been pressing into His promises over the past six months. As we went through the pain of job loss and flood loss and relationship loss that comes with change, I have worked to press into His promises. Life can truly suck, but pressing into Who He is and Whose you are instead of the brokenness changes everything.
Chip planned a party for me last night and our “tribe” [Family and Framily (friends that are as strongly tied as family)] joined us at the house and showed even more love than I could have ever imagined. Before the end of the evening, I received tender love and hugs, sweet thoughts and words, and thoughtful gifts and cards. In one of those cards were the words, “You are an absolute Joy!”
I want to go back quickly to the fact that I’m a year older, and I believe this is going to be a marker year. Needless to say, yesterday was awesome! I truly believe He is restoring my joy, and I believe that as He fills me up, I will be able to pour out over others that joy, thus making me “an absolute Joy.” The beauty of all this is that I’m just getting started. Even if I live only to 86, I’ve still got a good 50 years left in me. Remember that I mentioned my mom’s mother will be 90 this year. Last year was probably one of the hardest in her life but her focus has remained on her Father and the mission He still has for her here. In fact, she just finished a month of daily prayer for individuals in her city to experience God’s love in their lives. There is always time left to step into your call. One last thing: Guess what my grandma’s name is. . . JOY!
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