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SAM IS EATING CHOCOLATE, IN THE MORNING…..

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Just last week, my kids and I were leaving for school and we had some leftover Easter candy on the kitchen counter. So, unbeknownst to me, Sam (who is 10) grabs a handful of solid milk-chocolate eggs as he heads to the car. I begin talking with the kids about their plans for the day and I notice that Sam is unusually quiet in the backseat.

Sam is very rarely quiet, so I knew something was up.

Before I could say anything, my daughter Ellie (who is 12, and was sitting in the front seat), whips her head around and notices the crime Sam has committed. She sees the empty Easter candy wrappers on the backseat and she has a look of complete disgust on her face as she sees Sam’s cheeks puffed up with chocolate from one side to the other.

She blows the whistle on Him and yells, “SAM IS EATING CHOCOLATE….IN THE MORNING….AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT!”

Now, siblings will be siblings.  Deep down, brothers and sisters love each other,  but they can be very quick to tell Mom and Dad when the other one is doing something wrong.  

Is it ok to sneak milk-chocolate Easter eggs for dessert after breakfast, in the car, all the while hiding it from Mom?  Of course not, but that’s not the point of today’s blog.  My purpose today is to share with you how God used this situation to remind me of His Truth.

I can relate to Ellie in this situation.  Ellie is a child who has a deep conviction in her spirit for what is right and wrong.   Most nights, she and I lay down in her bed and she talks about her day.  Often, she confesses her sins to me and wants me to pray with her.  Her heart is concerned for justice.   

I can also relate to Sam in this situation.  Sam was tempted to eat yummy milk-chocolate candy.  Those eggs were laying right there on the counter and he could not help himself.  He knew better than to sneak them in the car, but he did it anyway.  Temptation got the best of him. Haven’t we all fallen into temptation?

In the book of Micah, there is a question answered as to what God requires of us.  

Look at this verse in Chapter 6:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  ~Micah 6:8

We are instructed to act justly.  To be “just” is to do what is right and fair.  We should treat others fairly and we should be honest, (even when no one is watching). God has told us in His Word what is right and good.  We should do what is right and good.

We are instructed to “love mercy”.  This means we should show compassion and kindness toward one another.  We often see the definition of “mercy” as “tender mercy.”  It’s easy for us to extend this type of compassion when someone has an illness, or a tragedy has struck their life.  It can be harder for us to extend this type of mercy when someone has fallen into sin.  

Lastly, we should walk humbly with our God.  The word, “humble” is also translated, “lowly.”  It is the opposite of pride and arrogance. Being humble is understanding our right place with God.   He is God.  We are not.  He is always right.  We position ourselves in reverence to Him because He is worthy of our worship!  We should walk with Him in this way.

The church should be a place that is safe for people to share their struggles.  The church should be a safe place for people to fall.  Sometimes, it is not.  Instead of being a group of believers who come alongside hurting and broken people, we often throw stones at them with our words and with our actions.  

I am guilty of doing this.  What about you?

My friend, you and I need to be people who do what is fair and right, while showing tender mercy and compassion to others.  Let us not think too highly of ourselves. We did not save ourselves. We are saved by the tender grace, and loving mercy of God, through the blood of Jesus.

I hope you will take some time today and think on this verse in Micah.  Let it penetrate into your heart and ask God to speak to you.

We need to be careful how we respond when we find out about another person’s sin.  There is the temptation of tearing someone down with our words or actions, but God tells us to extend tender mercy and compassion, instead.  

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap,in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”   ~John 8:3-7

 

Do justly, love mercy….walk humbly with your God.

 

I am very grateful for you!

~Joy

 

It was that kind of night…

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Have you ever had one of those evenings when you had hopes to have a fun night with your family and it turned out to be a disaster?

That was my night recently.

We went out for pizza and then decided to go to watch a movie.  I checked online and found the movie we wanted to see and we headed out.  It was a 25 minute drive to the movie theater and we were on schedule to make it with no time to spare.

As we got in the car….it started.  The bickering in the back seat!

Ellie and Sam were not happy with each other at all!  Just the slightest thing set them both off.  They were arguing back and forth and Bryan and I had had enough.  So then we started fussing at them and how they could not get along and the conversation escalated.  Before I knew it, we were all arguing with each other and I had no idea how it all even happened.

There was heavy traffic and we hit every light on red.  By the time we arrived to the theater, we were all in a terrible mood.  I was just ready to get into the theater, sit down with my popcorn and enjoy a good movie.

THAT…DID…NOT…HAPPEN

I think all of the greater Triad area decided to go to this same movie theater on this particular night at this specific time.  There were at least 50 people in line to buy a ticket and by the time we pulled into the parking lot, we were already 10 minutes late.

There was no way we were watching this movie.  We could never get through the line in time, so we got back in the car to drive 25 minutes home.

I wish I could say that we all had a positive attitude, ended up doing something super fun and made a beautiful memory with the kids!  Nope!  We didn’t.

We were frustrated and in a bad mood.

As we drove home, the complaining began about all the time we had wasted, and how this night had turned out to be a terrible night, and we didn’t get to have any fun and now we wouldn’t get any movie popcorn, and we should have never came to see a movie, and how we should have stayed home. etc. etc. etc.

So I sat there, in the passenger seat feeling sorry for myself over something so ridiculous, but when you’re in the moment, you do not have good sense.

I was discouraged that my kids were not getting along.  I was discouraged that we missed the movie.  I was discouraged that we wasted so much time driving to see a movie we couldn’t even see because half of America was there to watch the same movie.  I was disappointed.

As we were nearing our neighborhood, it was quiet in the car and we had our radio on the local Christian station.  I heard Bryan start to sing along with the radio.  This song was playing:

As Bryan continued to sing along, Ellie began to quietly sing too and then Sam joined in.  They were singing, “Lord I need you, Oh I need you”.  Eventually, they all three were singing to the top of their lungs this beautiful song about our dependence on God.  I sat there with a smile on my face because God was using this evening to remind me how desperate we are for Him.

We need Jesus.  Without Him, we have no hope.  We need Him every minute of everyday.

Life isn’t what we see on Facebook.  No one has a perfect life.  People have troubles.   People argue.  People get on each other’s nerves.

You and I should strive to love each other the best way possible, but we will have moments of failure.  We will fail as a friend, spouse, parent etc and when we do, it’s a good reminder on just how much we need Jesus.

When people and circumstances disappoint you my friend, I encourage you to remember this beautiful song sung by Matt Maher.  Listen to the lyrics and sing out loud, “Lord, I need you, oh I need you”, because….you do.

Hoping your next trip to the movie theater is better than mine was!

~Joy

Do we want our daughters to grow up to be Hoochie Mamas?

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shortie short

 

I took my preteen daughter shopping for shorts yesterday and after visiting four different clothing stores I left with only two pairs of shorts!  There were plenty of shorts to choose from at each of the stores I visited, but I am not interested in buying my 12 year old shorts that barely cover her rear end.

We found shorts  called “shortie shorts”, “boyfriend shorts”, “super short”, “skinny shortie shorts” and the list goes on.

I have underwear that covers more than some of the shorts I saw in the stores!

Maybe I sound old fashioned to you, but as a Mom I am so appalled at what we as a society are doing to our daughters.  I think we need a reality check.  I think we need to take a step back from what Hollywood tells us is ok.  We need to take a stand for our daughters and teach them what is good and pleasing in God’s eyes.

Do we want our daughters to grow up to be hoochie mamas?

Do we want them to expose their bodies in a dishonorable way?

Is there no sense of modesty that we want them to embrace?

Are we inadvertently teaching them that beauty comes from showing more and more skin?

Listen my friend, as a Christian Mom, we have a real struggle on our hands when it comes to our girls.  They are bombarded with media showing them how to dress and because they see it on TV and in magazines, they think it is ok.

IT SHOULD NOT BE OK!

It is our responsibility to set a higher standard for our daughters.

It is our job to teach them how to be Godly.

It is our job to teach them and to demonstrate for them what real beauty looks like.

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.  1 Peter 3:3-4

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised Proverbs 31:30

We need our girls to know what God says about how they display themselves and what message they send to others by how they dress.

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 1 Timothy 2:9-10

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

When it comes to the clothes our daughters wear, we need to remember that God’s Word is clear about the sin of lust.  Lust is a strong craving or desire.  It is most commonly used in the context of a sexual nature.  Lust occurs in the life of the mind and can lead to destructive behavior.  Girls dressed in provocative clothes are at risk for leading young men to lust.

Think about it.

If a girl’s shirt exposes her cleavage, then what do you think a young man is thinking about when he talks to her?  If her shorts barely cover her rear end, what is he focused on when he walks behind her?  Is he thinking Godly, gentlemanly thoughts?  Doubtful!

Do not underestimate the power of a man’s (or young man’s) testosterone.

We should desire that our girls NOT be a stumbling block to the young men they are friends with.

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.  Romans 14:21

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Matthew 5:28

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.  1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

As a Christian Mom, you and I need to take the higher road on how we parent.  We need to think differently than the world.  We need to be careful that we do not fall into Satan’s trap.  He is crafty.  He is the father of lies.  He is full of trickery.  He wants us to accept the things of the world and he wants us to conform to them.

Let us be wiser!

Look at what Paul tells us in the book of Colossians:

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Colossians 3:5

Put it to DEATH!

I am responsible for what my daughter wears.  She is 12.  She does not have a job.  She cannot drive herself to the store.  She is not the authority.

It is my job to make sure she is dressing in a way that pleases God.  Even when she complains, gets mad, or kicks and screams about it, it is my responsibility to stand firm on what I know is right.  I am responsible for teaching her how to be a Godly young woman.

I was frustrated yesterday while I was shopping.  I looked through tons of shorts in stores that I love to shop in.  I only found two pairs in my daughter’s size that were decent for her to wear.

So what are you and I to do?

Well, I came home and went online to see what I could find.   I was pleasantly surprised to find shorts online (from the same stores I shopped in) that were appropriate (mid-length and bermuda shorts). Even though it was not as convenient as finding them in the store, and I had to pay some shipping expenses,  I could not buy those shortie shorts for my daughter.

I have regrets.  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and I make a lot of mistakes as a Mom.  There are days I wonder why God even entrusted me to be a Mom, but yesterday I felt good about the lesson I taught my daughter.  We had a good conversation about our bodies and how God wants us to glorify Him with our bodies.  We had a good conversation about boys and how their hormones are different than ours.  We even talked (again) about God’s plan for sex and marriage and how our bodies are a gift we give to our husbands.

I encourage you my sister to stand firm in what you know is right for your daughter.  Let the Bible be your guide.  Do not fall into the trap of Satan.

We are not called to be conformed to this world.  We are called to be transformed by the living God.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

For Moms of preteen and teen girls, here are a few things you and I can remember:

  • Try to see your daughter as God sees her.
  • Show her how to be pure.
  • Teach her God’s Word.
  • Tackle the tough topics (like boys and sex) and don’t shy away from things that you may think are embarrassing.
  • Let her know how much you love her.
  • Let her know you are FOR her!
  • Remind her of how much God loves her.
  • Go to great lengths to help her be a virtuous young woman.

We are at war with the enemy over our daughters.  Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy your daughter’s life.  Fight for her!  Show her God’s plan and stay true to what you know is right!

Much love,

~Joy

What’s the Deal with Dirty Socks?

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Dirty socks

 

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

~1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

Ok all the Moms out there…what is the deal with dirty socks?  Do your kids do this too?  I find dirty socks everywhere!  They frequently lay on my living room floor, on our back deck and in my kids’ bathroom, but the other day I found them on top of the kitchen counter—seriously???  How does that happen?

What makes a person think, “Oh—I think I will take off the socks I’ve been wearing all day and put them over here next to the toaster!”

Sometimes you and I get overwhelmed with all we need to do.  The daily tasks before us make us feel covered up and it seems there is no getting caught up!  If you are a wife or Mom, I want you to feel encouraged today about your role in the family.

God has been reminding me that I need to have a heart of gratefulness in all things.  When I begin to complain about all the things I need to do at home, He gently whispers into my spirit for me to turn my thoughts towards thankfulness for the responsibilities I have at home.  God reminds me of the blessings they are in my life and to also remember they are kids….they are going to do things I do not want them to do.

He also reminds me to have patience with them as Bryan and I seek to teach them how to be responsible adults.

If you are tired today and there is too much work you need to do, instead of being frustrated, stop and thank God for the blessings in your life.  Count your blessings one by one and imagine how sad you would be without those blessings in your life.

Do not allow the enemy to steal your joy as a wife and Mom.  Fill up with God’s Word and ask Him to pour out over you a spirit of thankfulness!

A heart of gratefulness is just what you and I need.

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Joy

Stuff and Fluff!

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messy room

 

When I was a little girl, I was…well….let’s just say that I was not the most organized child on the planet. Now this picture is not an actual photo of my bedroom as a child, but I can remember days when it looked similar to this!  I did not keep my room as nice and neat as my Mom preferred, but I did have a cleaning method that I used when I needed to clean my room in a hurry— “stuff and fluff.”  Yes, I was really good at it too!  I would take everything that was on the floor and shove it under my bed.  Dirty clothes would end up in my drawers, or stuffed in my closet.  My room could go from disaster to spotless in under 10 minutes.  

There was one major problem though—my Mom was a lot smarter than me and she knew exactly what I was up to. She always found my mess.  She would help me drag everything out from under my bed and in my closet and she would declare it “Clean Joy’s Room Day”.  Once all the items were exposed in the middle of my floor, boy was it really a mess!  Mom would help me throw away the junk and organize the things I needed to keep.  Three hours later….voilà…things were back in their right place.  I remember once my room was nice and neat, Mom would leave my room for a few minutes and walk back in like she was seeing it for the first time.  She would act so surprised to see such a beautiful room.  She would go on and on about how wonderful it looked and I remember feeling so happy. 

Sometimes in our walk with the Lord, we act as if He does not know about all of the mess in our lives.  We are sinners.  We do things that are wrong and against His will.  We have thoughts that are displeasing to Him.  We often go days, weeks or even longer without confessing our sins to Him.   On the outside, we look pretty good, but on the inside, we are a dirty mess.  My friend, you and I can be assured that even though we do a pretty good job at hiding our sins from others…..God sees it all.

“My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes”.

 ~Jeremiah 16:7

Do you have sin in your life that you are trying to hide? Is there a bad habit you know you need to confess to God and seek His help with? Remember my friend, just like My Mom knew I was shoving all of my mess under my bed, God knows each and every sin you and I commit. We cannot hide it from Him.

God urges us to get right with Him. Over and over again in His Word, he tells us to confess our sins and turn back to Him.  He desires for us to live righteous lives. The best thing you and I can do is to confess each and every sin, ask Him to help us turn away from it and ask Him to help us get things in order.

If you have sin you need to deal with, ask God to help you get rid of the mess so you can get busy living out His will.  He’s got a plan for you!  Don’t miss it!

Grateful for you!

~Joy

 

You’re a Survivor!

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My Mom and I have a phrase we frequently say to one another when life seems unbearable.  We started this phrase back in 2011 when my family moved from NC to TN.  Selling your dream home on your family’s farm and moving 600 miles away is no easy feat, especially when you had a wonderful life to begin with.  Bryan and I had great jobs, a sweet church family, and all of our relatives lived within 10 miles of our house.  Our kids had all of their grandparents and cousins just minutes away and we have always been a tight-knit family.  We had no reason to ever leave NC, expect that God was calling us to Jackson, TN.  People did not understand it and some could not believe we would leave it all.  Leaving everyone you know and love to come to a place where you do not know anyone on an intimate level is painful, but when God is the one leading you….you go!  So, we did.  It was hard.  It was very hard.  There were days I wondered how in the world I would ever survive.

The movers came on May 31, and because Bryan and the kids needed to stay behind to finish the school year, my Mom drove out to Jackson with me and our dog, Sandy.  We left our home (out in the country) with 250 acres of land attached to it and moved into a rental house located in a suburban neighborhood.  After the long drive, we finally pulled into the driveway of our rental house.  My Mom is a very positive person and was full of complements on how nice the neighborhood was and how nice the rental house was.  (As a side note, I’m really not sure how I would have ever made it through this process if it were not for my Mom.  She seemed to encourage me right when I needed it the most.)  As we sat in the driveway that day, I felt a whole array of emotions come over me.  I was sad, a little anxious, already a little lonely from leaving all of my friends and family, yet there was some excitement too.  My Mom looked at me and said, “Joy, you’re a survivor”.   And so, that phrase became our encouragement to one another as we unpacked tons of boxes and began setting up shop for a new life for the Greene family.  We worked all day and late into the night for three days getting the house just right.  We wanted it to be “home” when Bryan and the kids arrived.  My Mom and I were absolutely worn out and when we knew we were about to reach our breaking point, we would say to one another, “WE ARE SURVIVORS!”

What about you?  Are you a survivor?  Do you have inner strength that keeps you going even when you feel down for the count?    Maybe right now you feel like you are drowning in a sea of problems.  Maybe you wonder how in the world you are ever going to get through this trial in your life.  I want you to know, that if Christ lives in you, then you are a survivor!  Take a look at this powerful verse in Romans 8:37:

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

You see, this verse shows us that no matter what comes at us, through Christ, we are victorious!  God has prepared a crown and a kingdom for us and He will give us what we need to fulfill our purpose on this earth.  The Greek word used for “we are more than conquerors” is actually one single word, “hypernicōmen” and it means to prevail completely over.  I want you to let that soak in just a bit.  To prevail completely over—because of Jesus!

No matter what you are facing right now, with Christ, you have victory!  It does not mean that things on this side of eternity will go the way you want them to go.  It does not mean you will not experience failure along your life’s journey.  While you and I are here, we will have heartaches to endure, but while we are walking in those heartaches, our faith will not be shaken.  Our love will not be diminished.  Our hope will not be destroyed.  Instead, the joy of the Lord will BE our strength and through Him we will triumph!  We have victory!

So when life seems unbearable and your strength begins to fail you, stand firm on God’s Word.  Stand firm on who He is.  Fill your mind up with Truth and know that you, my friend, are a survivor!

Grateful for you!

~Joy

Want to give them a piece of your mind?

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Recently, I was talking with a friend about an issue she was having with someone she works with.  She was very upset about how her coworker was spreading gossip and how she did not want to go to work because of this situation.  She was beyond frustrated and she was ready to give her coworker a piece of her mind.  She was venting to me and I understood how she was feeling.  I have been there too.  What about you?  Do people ever get under your skin?  I think most of us can relate to this.  People talk about us behind our backs.  We know people who lie and cheat to get ahead.  Sometimes people will lie about us in order to make themselves look better.  We are not strangers to being mistreated and unfortunately, that’s just the way it goes.  It really should be no surprise to us, though.  Jesus told us it would be this way.

How do you respond when people mistreat you?  What do you do when others lie about you or skew the truth about something you said or did?  Do you get angry?  Do you call them up to give them a piece of your mind?  Do you talk about them behind their back, complaining about how awful they are?  Maybe you take the avoidance route and just try to stay away from them.  Whew!  This can be tough, because we want to defend ourselves and show those people a thing or two about how they should treat others.

My friend, as hard as it can be, we need to be givers of love and grace to the people who mistreat us.  We need to take the high road and respond in a way that pleases God.  On our own, this is not something we can accomplish, but God who is IN us can!  God’s ways are not the ways of the world.  His ways are not our ways….His ways are much higher than ours.  (Isaiah 55: 8-9)  If we are not careful, we can get caught up in our pride and say or do something we later regret, but when we allow Him to be Lord over the situation, we can respond His way!  These verses are so helpful to me when I am struggling with this issue:

  • “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:40)
  • “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:      3-4)
  • “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” (Proverbs 12:16)
  • “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-31).

Strive to live at peace with others and seek to emulate Christ in how you deal with people who mistreat you.  It would be so easy to “fly off the handle”, but Jesus told us not to do that.  He showed us to respond with prayer, humility, love, kindness and forgiveness towards others.

When you feel tempted to let loose and tell someone how you really feel…think twice before you speak, and remember this verse from Proverbs 15:1, “ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Joy

What do you worry about?

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As women, we worry.  We worry more than men.  We worry about…well…..almost everything.  We worry about how the house looks.  We worry about money.  We worry about our kids, our husbands, our bodies.   You know, we even pride ourselves on how we worry about other people.  Somewhere along our life’s journey, we have learned that worrying about a friend means you care about that friend.  We say, “Oh!  I have been so worried about you”.  And this makes us feel BETTER about ourselves?  When did we start believing these lies??

I am a high energy person and I think that makes me prone to worry.  I wonder if you are prone to worry too?  When we worry, people try to help.  They mean well.  They say, “Oh Joy….don’t worry”.   THAT DOES NOT HELP!  I have found there are almost no words a person can say to you to make you stop worrying.  People are so kind and they try to be helpful, but when you are dealing with a Type A Worrier, their only hope is Jesus.

Worrying is bad, but it is normal.  We feel scared from time to time.  We are unsure what the future holds and there are times that real fear sets in.  And let’s face it, sometimes big time, serious life circumstances invade our lives and we worry.  As a follower of Christ, we are not supposed to worry.  I know this and you know this.  God’s Word is very clear.  The issue for me is that I do not have a worry on/off switch.  I cannot turn off my worry switch so I can clear my mind before I go to bed.   The real issue for us is not that we do not understand that worry is bad.  We know worry is bad.  Our real issue is that we do not know HOW to stop worrying.  Oh, if only we had a worry switch that we could turn off…

on-off-switch

Over the years, God has taught me so much about overcoming worry and anxiety.  He has taught me some things about myself that I do not like.  He has shown me that my biggest issue with worry and anxiety is that I do not trust Him enough.  Whatever I worry about….well….that is the very thing I do not trust God with.  I can say with my lips that I trust Him, but if I worry over it, you can be sure I am not fully trusting God with it!  What lives deep within our hearts, makes itself known in the life of our minds.  When it all boils down to it, my worry stems from the area(s) of my life that I have not surrendered to God.  Why have I not surrendered those things to God?  Because surrender requires trust.  Sometimes I am afraid that the will of God may not match up with my desires.  Have you ever felt this way?  My friend, when we give our lives over to Jesus, it requires daily surrender.  It is a struggle, but if we are going to follow after Him, we must die to ourselves and surrender to Him—-FULLY!

This past week I began teaching my newest Bible study, “The Worrywart!”.  This study requires me to be as transparent as I have ever been in a teaching setting.  As we combed through God’s Word on the topic of worry and anxiety, God had a specific word for me.  He reminded me, once again, that trouble will come to all of us.  None of us get a free pass from pain in life.  The longer we live, the more heartache we experience.  He reminded me that my only hope is in Him.  He is my hope!   Because of Him, I have nothing to fear.  This week He spoke to me through Psalm 112:7 in a new and fresh way.  The Psalmist says…  

They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Do you ever fear bad news?  What will the results of my mammogram be this time?  How will my child do on their test this week?  What type of evaluation will I receive from my boss?  God tells us that when our hearts are grounded steadfastly in Him, we will not fear any bad news that comes our way.  Instead of worry and anxiety, our hearts are full of trust.  We trust that He knows what He is doing.  We trust that He really is working all things together for our good and His glory.  We trust that He has a plan and His plan is the best plan.  I desire to trust Him that way.  What about you?   

If you are worried or anxious about a life circumstance, I encourage you to ask God to help you trust Him more.  What I mean is that you need to get into your closet, all alone, and cry out to Him about what is troubling you.   The antidote for worry and anxiety is trusting God.  When we genuinely trust Him with our hearts (and not just with our lips), our worry and anxiety will begin to subside.  My friend, get alone with God!  Allow Him to take care of your heart.  You can trust Him.  He is worthy!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Grateful for you!

~Joy

 

 

Not in the mood for Christmas?

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A friend of mine reminded me last week that Christmas is not a joyful time of year for everyone.  People who have lost loved ones, have health conditions, financial problems or family troubles often struggle finding happiness at Christmastime.   I wonder if this Christmas is a difficult time for you.  I wonder if you dread this upcoming holiday; not because you do not love Jesus, but because your life is not what you would like for it to be this year.

Christmas 2005:  my life was not what I wanted it to be.  I was facing an illness I was not sure I would ever recover from.  I was dreadfully sick and after seeing multiple doctors, I could not get better.  There were no answers.  There was little hope that I would fully recover.  Christmas was coming and I was not ready.   My kids were very little (9 months and 3 years).  I was supposed to be having the time of my life.  Instead, I spent most of my time in the bathroom because of this sickness and I was not feeling up to the holidays.  As people were decorating their trees and buying gifts for their family and friends, I was stuck on the couch, crying out to the Lord.  I was asking Him questions like, “Lord, what do you want me to learn from this?”  “How can anything good come from this situation?”  “God, please heal me so I can get my life back!”  I was depressed.  I was anxious.  I was not in the mood for Christmas.

No matter what has gone on in your life this year, there is a reason to celebrate Christmas.  Even if you do not feel up to all of the festivities, you can find something to be thankful for this season.  One thing that helped me get through Christmas of 2005 was by reminding myself that God loved me.  Combing through my Bible to find verses of God’s love was critical for me that year.  I needed to remember His great love for me.  I needed to remember that nothing could separate me from His love!  His love is constant.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.    -Romans 8:38-39

Christmas is all about love so as you begin to gear up for the holidays, I hope you will focus on God’s love for you!  God sent His son into this world to save you.  He sent Jesus as a tiny baby who would ultimately end up hanging on a wooden cross to suffer and die for you.  He took all of your sins and bore them for you.  He paid the penalty for your mistakes.  God made a way for you to spend eternity with Him.  Regardless of your current situation, isn’t that reason to celebrate?

Life is hard, but life is also temporary.  We will only suffer for a little while, and then we will be with Him.  When life gets you down, my friend, try to focus on how much God loves you.  Do not put your hope in other people.  Do not put your hope in the things of this world.  Do not put your hope in money, food, success or your job.  Put your hope in Christ.  He is your Savior.  He is your hope!   

Don’t miss Christmas this year.  Embrace Jesus.  Embrace thankfulness.  Embrace love.

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Joy

A CHRIST-centered Celebration!

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As Christmas is just around the corner, are you already double checking your list?  Are you already planning for your Christmas celebrations with family and friends?  What do your Christmas celebrations look like?  We do a lot of things just because that is the way things have always been done. Someone, somewhere started a Christmas tradition and we keep doing it that way year after year.  When I think of some of my family’s traditions, I remember certain foods we ate every Christmas Eve at my Grandma’s house.  There was never a question about what we would eat that night…it was always the same menu.  What are some of your family traditions?  Would you say that your traditions are focused on Jesus?

This year, why not start a new tradition in your home?  Why not seek out a way to make this Christmas more Christ-centered ? I want to share with you a new tradition we started in our family several years ago when our kids were little.  As a Mom who was striving to keep Christ in the center of our Christmas celebrations, I realized there was very little we were doing as a family that intentionally focused on Him.  Of course our family being together was a blessing.  We had lots of love in our home, but I was concerned that we were not being intentional enough about making Christ the center of our Christmas.   So—I had an idea!  A simple, but fun idea to help keep our focus on Him!  It is called the CHRISTmas Scavenger Hunt! On Christmas Eve, we celebrate with Bryan’s family, which includes my niece and nephew.  Including my two kids, we have four kids itching for fun on Christmas Eve.  We started this tradition when the kids were little…ages 3-6, but you can implement it at almost any age.  This will take a little time and preparation, so begin the day before getting your things together.  Here’s how it works: We have the Little People Christmas Nativity Set, like the one below:

little people

Of course any nativity set will do, but I wanted something plastic so baby Jesus would not end up in 1000 pieces.  I sit out the Little People Nativity Set, with baby Jesus missing.  I have hidden him somewhere in the house or outside.  I begin with a simple letter explaining how Jesus was missing from the manger scene and that He was the whole reason we celebrate Christmas. I usually include scripture from Luke and the oldest child reads the letter out loud to the family.

Attached to the letter is Clue #1.  The kids read Clue #1 which leads them to Clue #2 and so one.  They end up going all over the house and backyard finding each clue which eventually leads them to baby Jesus.  The kids take turns reading the clues and a couple of adults accompany the kids along their adventure.  The first year, we only had 5 or 6 clues and they were written with simple sentences so the oldest kids could easily read them.  I typically use 3 x 5 notecards inside an envelope for each clue.  I try to make each clue rhyme and add some humor to the clues.  Here is an example of a clue:

  • Clue #1:  As you search for baby Jesus, what fun it is going to be!   To find Clue #2, go search beneath the Christmas tree
  • Clue #2:  Ok, that one was super easy but the next one will be hard.  You must grab your coats and gloves and go out into the yard.  Somewhere near the house, clue #3 is hid. You may want to begin searching in the pretty flower bed.

As the kids have gotten older, we have made the hunt much more difficult by adding more clues and giving them headlamps to light their way for some outside adventure.

214                                   218

Once baby Jesus has been found, the kids come back inside, place baby Jesus in the stable, and their Grandpa reads the Christmas story.

This year, think of ways you can creatively keep Christ in the center of your Christmas celebrations.  Of course the presents are fun and the food is yummy, but without Jesus, we would have no reason to celebrate.  He is our reason!

Why not start a new tradition in your home that your family will continue for years to come!

I wish you a beautiful and CHRIST-centered Christmas!

-Joy