Joy

Let’s face it—-Sometimes the truth hurts.

When we ask someone the question, “Do I look fat in this”, we are usually fishing for some conformation that we do NOT look fat.   If someone responds with “why yes, you do look fat in that”….well….we may just have to throw something at them!

We really like it when people affirm who we are.  Even if it’s the truth, most of us do not like it when people provide “helpful” suggestions on how we can do better.

We live in a world where there is very little distinction between right and wrong.  Things that used to be universally considered as “wrong” have now become “ok”.  Most things are in the gray zone and it’s a scary place to live.

Our world has lost its moral compass and we are spinning out of control!

Ephesians 4:15 says:

^“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

You and I should seek to know God as fully as possible on this side of eternity. We should not be satisfied with the current state of our spiritual lives. No matter how close we feel to God, we should chase after Him more in an effort to know and experience Him more.

As we walk our life’s journey, we need to know Truth and then we are called to speak Truth to those around us. We should not shy away from speaking what is true and right.

This world will lie to you. Continue Reading

It’s been quite a while since I checked in with you!  The Greene family has moved and it has been a whirlwind.  If you have ever moved to a new state, you know what I am talking about.  Even if you have just moved down the street, you know how it feels to be displaced for a while.

When you move to a new place, everything is new.  You have to settle in to a new community.  You meet new friends and neighbors.  You begin a new chapter of your life.  There is a sense of adventure to moving, but there are also some pitfalls you can experience.  If you’re not careful, you can focus too much on the life you left behind.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is for us to live our lives looking back.  I wrote the below Joytime segment a few weeks ago when we were taking a bike ride.  Take a listen:

STOP LOOKING BACK!  Isn’t that just like us, though?  We have a tendency to keep our eyes and minds focused on what happened in our past instead of focusing on the life we are living right now.

Sometimes our past hold painful memories and we cannot forgive someone for what they did to us long ago.  Other times, we cannot forgive ourselves.  Sometimes our lives were so much better in the past than they are right now that it causes us to wish we could go back.  For whatever reason, we can get stuck.

Sometimes we cannot get over it and we miss what God has for us right now!

In the book of Philippians, we learn that the Christians are being exposed to false teachings and Paul reminds them about what it means to live for Christ.  Paul writes:

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

Paul encourages the Philippians to keep straining ahead towards righteousness.  He reminds them that there is a heavenly prize he is aiming for and that prize is absolutely worth pursuing.

You and I are here to fulfill our God-given calling.   He never promised us easy!

It is through the circumstances of your life that God is making you more like Himself!

My friend, you and I are not on a quest to be more comfortable or more content here on Earth.  We are on a quest for Christ!

So, stop looking back!

Press on with your eyes ahead!  God is not finished with you yet!!

So glad you stopped by today!

~Joy

In the summer of 2011, Bryan and I sold our dream house in NC and moved 600 miles to Jackson, TN.  God had called us to a new place and out of obedience to Him, we packed up and moved.  In March of 2012, my new friend Marcie called me telling me that her Daddy (Tom Mapes), who was a radio talk show host, needed a guest for his radio show the next morning.  His scheduled guest had the flu.  Marcie suggested to her Dad that I fill in as his guest.  She knew about my and Bryan’s move to Jackson, TN and she thought listeners would be encouraged by hearing our story.  Although I had never been on the radio before, I agreed to be on Tom’s show.  I shuffled some responsibilities around at work and showed up at the radio station with my Bible in hand.  I was ready to share my “God story.”

After the show, I needed to get back to Union University to teach my class so I quickly left and returned to work.  By the time my class was over, Tom had left me two voice mails asking me to call him.  When he and I talked, he asked me if I would be interested in doing a daily radio segment aimed at encouraging the women in West Tennessee.  He told me I had a great voice for radio.  I was shocked!  Me?  Radio?  Seriously?   The longer we talked the more excited I became.  He said we could find a sponsor, and I could record the daily segments ahead of time, as my schedule allowed.  He asked me to pray about it.  So I did.   As I prayed, I felt God urging me to pursue this path.  But how?  I did not know a thing about radio, or having a formalized ministry.  It scared me, but inside my spirit, God was whispering that this was His plan, so….I took steps of faith to begin this radio ministry.

I begin talking with some folks about this idea and wouldn’t you know it?  God had already been working behind the scenes.  We had just bought a house the month before and my new neighbor just “happened” to own his own web-hosting company.   He told me he would host my website for me, for free.  A young lady in my Sunday school class just “happened” to be a graphic artist.  She told me she would design my logo for me, for free.  A friend at Union also just “happened” to do photography on the side.  He told me he would take photos for my website, for free.

After much prayer, I finally settled on the name, Joytime Ministries and Tom and I approached Jon Ewing of The Woman’s Clinic of Jackson about sponsorship.  Jon heard the demo of Joytime and said it was just what he was looking for regarding sponsorship!  Ever since that day, The Woman’s Clinic has been the sponsor of Joytime.

Along with airing Joytime daily segments, The Dove also implemented a morning show with Tom called, “Morning Praise with Tom Mapes and the Sisters of Grace.”  From 9-11 a.m. Monday-Friday, Tom and a female co-host would play Christian music and encourage listeners through Bible teaching and personal testimonies.  I have been privileged to be the Friday Sister of Grace for over two years.   Each Friday, with my Bible and sweet tea in hand, Tom and I go on the air to share with our listeners.  We have had shows where we laughed until our stomachs ached.  We have also had shows where we cried so much that we needed to replace the tissue box.   Week after week, we have left the studio feeling encouraged as we sought to glorify God through radio.

Today was my last radio show with Tom.  My days as a Sister of Grace have come to an end.  As I close this chapter in my life, and my family moves to NC this summer, I am forever grateful for Tom Mapes and Grace Broadcasting.  From time to time, God sends special people into your life to sharpen you and make you better.  Tom is one of those people in my life.   He has been a cheerleader for Joytime Ministries from the beginning.  He has been a mentor and friend.  Thank you Tom and the great folks at Grace Broadcasting for believing in me!  What an amazing journey it has been!

-Joy

I was born in Chicago Illinois to a loving mother and father, our family grew with the addition of my brother Robert and my adopted sister, Tina. I had a caring family but I often felt misplace because my dad was closer to my baby brother and never really showed me much affection. I lacked any social life, had no real friends and was bullied on almost daily basis. I was never done any harm by my parents, but I do remember my dad violently beating and raping my mother. I became withdrawn and the bullying I suffered ultimately led my parents to place me in a facility for emotionally disturbed children at 12 years old. She then filed for divorce and a protection order.

My dad was  allowed to visit the house for two hours a day to run his business. It was suggested to my mom from one of my doctors that I be told that the monster that beat and raped her and the man who was incapable of showing me love was not my father. My mom contacted my real dad in California and we met a week later. He told me how much he missed me and how he regretted giving me away every day since then. He showed me the affection I had been longing for my entire life and we made plans to see each other again the following week.The next week came and when I saw my dad he was crying uncontrollably. He then held me and told me that my step father came home, murdered my mom, shot my sister and then turned the gun on himself.

My doctors felt like the move to California would be too much to soon, they sent me to another mental hospital and then to another one once I got to California I became withdrawn, quiet and an emotional wreck. I didn’t fit in and started doing drugs, drinking, fighting and isolating myself from everyone. I was heavy into the punk rock scene, pierced my face with safety pins and spiked my jet black hair a mile high. My drug use escalated, one day my younger brother accidentally drank a soda that I had put some LSD into and that was it, my dad had enough.He took the money I had inherited and placed me into a long term drug treatment program, I spent a year there and while there I cut off the jet black hair, removed the earrings and took off the makeup.I hit the gym hard and  lifted weights every day. My body transformed, I entered that program a 120 lb skinny kid, and when I left I was a 165 pound monster of a teenager. I started my freshman year of high school  and this once skinny, social outcast became popular, I had new friends and was suddenly noticed and desired by  girls. I spent my high school years at the top of  social cliques.

While in high school I started taking a kickboxing class and I loved it.  I went to the gym every day and fought whenever possible.Within six months I became the Amateur California State kickboxing champion.  During one of my fights I was noticed by the producer of Baywatch and they asked me to be on their show. The short lived fame really went to my head and my ego exploded, shortly after filming I met my first wife, Lisa .We married and had two beautiful daughters, I was doing fairly well and fantasized about more upcoming fame and fortune. My ego was out of control, I was conceited,self centered and cheated on her every chance I got. Ultimately, after years of unfaithfulness, she left me .When this happened..then I loved her ..then I needed her, I begged her not to leave. All my childhood hurt resurfaced, I experienced the emptiness of losing my mother and being abandoned all over again. I lost my mind began using drugs again,I took the cowards way out and  abandoned my  family.

I drove to Astoria, Oregon and took a job as a bartender at a strip club. It was there that I was introduced to the needle. The second I felt the drugs hit my heart, in that very moment, it was like Satan wrapped his arms around me, almost as if he was embracing me and saying,”I have you now, you belong to me” I spent the next four years of my life homeless. I robbed people, I became a thief and did unspeakable things to get  drugs. I was lost, broken and at my bottom. I had overdosed several times and only by the grace of God survived. One day while on my way into a shooting gallery a pastor stopped me, this young man was passing out packages of Starburst and with a rubber band was a piece of paper attached to the candy. That paper was a bible track, he told me he could help me and begged me to stay with him and get help but I couldn’t fight the desire to get high. I left, and again God stepped in and saw to it that I got arrested. I spent just enough time in jail to realize that this wasn’t what i wanted. I had abandoned my precious little girls…I hadn’t seen or spoke to them in years. I got out of jail and got into rehab, I found A.A and N.A meetings and stayed clean and sober.

I was disowned by my wife and daughters but embraced by my AA family and the recovery church I was attending. I know God was with me every time I overdosed, that he was there when I was homeless and that he put that pastor in my life. Life started to get good again, I was sober for years and had a great job traveling all over the country for a large roofing company. I finally had my daughters back in my life and I flew to see them every chance I had,and I gave all the credit to God and to the twelve step programs I attended. I met my wife Charlene while attending a meeting in Vancouver,Washington. We had a instant connection,we got married and started a family. I gave her everything I thought she wanted, money ,cars and a beautiful home when what she really wanted was her husband home.

After all that time, her unsuccessful pleads for me to quit that job and find one closer to home and a traumatic miscarriage..she felt that the pain we were enduring was too great , I was unable to comfort her and she left me. That hole I felt my entire life came back that void got bigger and bigger. I thought I had done everything right this time, I loved her with every ounce of me, I was faithful, I provided her with every material thing she asked for.  In my despair, and after seven years clean, I put that needle back into my arm to kill the pain and attempt to fill that hole. My wife and I went through an ugly, very public separation. I became lost and confused and on the verge of being strung out on drugs again. However, this relapse was short lived and I found myself in church on my knees crying out to God..”Why? Lord, help me! Don’t let me do this again, whatever you need of me I am willing to do. YOUR will be done.” God delivered me from my desire to hide behind that needle, that  obsession was gone. I attended church, I prayed often, and after a long separation my wife called me. “Can we talk? I miss you, I’ve been thinking about us”

I drove straight to where she was living and we began to talk , my wife agreed to let me take her on our first date since our separation. That night God showed up big! On that first date as my wife got into the car, our wedding song played on the radio and my wife lost it, tears ran down her face. Then towards the end of our date another song that was played at our wedding came on the radio. We both knew God was working in our relationship, he was speaking right to us.

He spoke to her and asked her to leave everything behind and to trust in him. She told me she wanted to leave and start a new life far away from Washington. We gave everything we had away and loaded up both our cars with our children and just a few personal belongings and drove from Washington to Milan, Tennessee. We didn’t even have a place to live yet so we stayed with my brother. I quit working for that roofing company because as soon as I transferred to their Tennessee office they wanted me to go to New Jersey for three months and  I wasn’t willing to leave my wife again. I took a lower paying job working with my brother and the Lord led us to Temple Baptist Church. While there I rose my hand during a alter call, I was a sinner on my way to hell I needed a personal relationship with Jesus and asked him into my heart. I felt this overwhelming euphoria ,the hole that I had felt throughout the trials in my life was suddenly gone! I had never felt more complete, I was no longer a sinner condemned to hell, I had been redeemed by the saving blood of Jesus Christ and on my way to a eternity with God. My wife and I jumped into service, we became willing to be used for his glory,we taught a Sunday school class and prayed together . We strive to raise our children in a Godly home.. We aren’t perfect, and we often fail, but we try to honor God with the way we live our lives. Thank you Lord for saving me.

I believe that God has performed an amazing act of grace in my life and it is my personal ministry to tell others about it. Through everything I can look back and see Gods mighty hand of grace applied at just the right time in my life. He sustained me for HIS purpose. It was only when I met Jesus that I truly felt loved and fulfilled. He has shown me how to forgive myself and others, he has taught me how to become a loving father and husband by his example. Now Christ Jesus is my joy !

Disappointed is defined as feeling sad, unhappy, or displeased because something was not as good as expected or because something you hoped for or expected did not happen.

Disappointment:  we have all been there.  Things do not always turn out the way we want them.  We feel rejected and hurt and we wonder what the future holds.

Just like you, I have faced disappointments over and over again in my life.  Here are a few things I have learned by walking through disappointment.

1.  Life is hard and unfair.

God showers us with His blessings and He gives us good things, but life is not a Hollywood movie.  God is clear in His word that life on earth will be difficult.  Some of the most esteemed people of the Bible lived the hardest lives.  We do not get a free pass from pain, tribulation or disappointment.  We cannot “earn” an easy life.  Sometimes…life hurts.

But—God is good all the time and He gives us what we need to endure the pain of this life.  When life hurts, we must lean on Him, trust Him and walk by faith.  He is our strength.  He is our shield.  He is near to the brokenhearted and His eye is on those who are crushed in spirit.  Allow your disappointments to drive you to the foot of the cross.

2.   We get ahead of God.

Sometimes disappointment comes because I have made my own plans and set my own dreams before seeking out God’s will for my life.  I get disappointed with an outcome because my plans and dreams were never aligned with God’s purpose in the first place.

But—when I get my life back in order by allowing God to lead me, He shows me His plan and I begin to see Him at work in my life.   He is the creator and I am the created.  The created cannot tell the creator what he/she was made to do and be on this earth.  I did not create myself.  It is His plan I need to seek after, not my own!  I must die to my own selfish flesh and submit to Him.

3.  Closed doors are important.

When we really want something to happen yet the door to that opportunity is closed, we feel disappointed and rejected.  We allow it to get us down and then the enemy can have a hay day with us as we wallow in self-pity.  We will knock on many doors of opportunity—not every door will open.

But—I have learned that a closed door is just as important as an open door because it is leading me towards God’s will for my life.  When a door closes, you and I should not sit around and dwell on it.  We cannot allow it to dampen our spirits.  Instead, we need to remember God is using that closed door to guide us to the next open door.

4.  Things take time.

Most of us like instant gratification, but God requires us to wait.  We do not like to wait.  Waiting is hard.

But– waiting is necessary.  Refinement, sanctification, and fulfilling one’s purpose in life are not quick processes.  We are on a journey to find our place in God’s story and that takes time.  A friend of mine once said, “God is rarely early, but He is never late.”  We need to have patience as we wait on God to move in our lives.

5. When He calls you to it—He will do it!

God will call you and me to do things that seem impossible.  When you and I are seeking after Him, He makes His calling clear.  Fulfilling your calling will take pain-staking effort on your part.

But— When He calls you, He will make it happen.  One of my favorite verses is 1 Thessalonians 5:24 which says “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”  This verse hangs on my refrigerator as encouragement for my journey in life.  You and I must stand firm on what we are called to do. We cannot be quitters just because we hit a road block from time to time.  There are times you will feel so defeated, you will want to quit….don’t quit!  Persevere and cling to His Word.  He will take you where He wants you to go…but He will test you along the way and He will force you out of your comfort zone.

6.  Get up and start again.

We get off course from time to time.  We lose our way.  We make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes are big.  We fall down.

But—nothing is too big for God to restore.  He can take our broken, messed-up lives and turn them into something beautiful…but we have to turn back to Him.  When you mess up and you are disappointed in yourself, get back up and with His grace….start again.

Life usually does not end up the way we planned, but as a child of God, we can trust Him during times of disappointment.  He really does have a plan for your life.  He really is working it all together for your good and His glory.

When disappointments come into your life, instead of asking Him “why?”….ask Him, “what’s next?”

Thanks for stopping by!

~Joy