JOY FOR THE JOURNEY

Psalm 16: 5-11

Lord, you alone are my inheritance,
my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.
The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.

THE JOY IN KNOWING HIS LOVE

JOY is in the confidence of knowing that you are loved by God.  When you get the revelation of His love, then there is nothing that can take the JOY of that love from you.  We know that in everything God works for the good of those who LOVE HIM.  Notice the key part of this verse: "those who love Him."  Do you love Him? I mean really love Him.  Are you spending time with Him daily, do you delight in His Word?  Is your confidence in knowing His love will bring you through any situation or circumstance; and regardless of the outcome you are still His beloved and He is yours.  Is your love for Him such that no one, or no thing could cause you to turn from such a great love as this.  Have you come to realize the price He paid for your love?  Oh beloved,  when you come into the revelation knowledge of HIS love - NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can take from you the Joy in knowing the fellowship of His love. 
Today I pray for you as Paul prayed:
So I bow in prayer before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. I ask the Father in his great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through his Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.


With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.

CRAZY HAT CLUB

Come on folks, let's have a little fun!  Just put on a crazy hat and stop being so stiff!  My Mom, sisters and myself went "window" shopping recently in Hendersonville, NC.  This was the result ~ trying on "CRAZY HATS."  I have now started the "Crazy Hat Club"  Simple to join; just put on a crazy hat take a picture of yourself and wah-lah ~ you are a member.

"JUST PUT ON A HAPPY FACE!"


Do you ever feel like you just don't fit in? That maybe ya got on the WRONG BUS!  Why is it that everyone else seems to be so happy but you just can't seem to have the same JOY that others seem to be experiencing.  Where does this joy come from? Are they really this happy or are they just hiding behind their masks.  The Bible tells us, "The joy of the Lord is our Strength!"  Joy comes from the Holy Spirit within us.  You may be assured not every situation in life will make you happy; but you can be confident in knowing that your joy will remain. Happiness is based on outward circumstances. Joy is based on an inward change.  Just as we sang as children, "I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart.......to STAY!"  If you want this Joy, just ask Jesus to come into your heart.  Pray this simple prayer; Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I want to have this joy that I see in others. I believe that You died for me and rose from the dead, that You now reign in Glory.  Come into my heart and fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may know this Joy - JOY Unspeakable and full of glory!
Amen,  To grow in Joy you need to daily read the Bible and spend time in His Presence through prayer and just listening.  He has much to share that will bring you great joy!  It's not just about a "Happy Face" it's about a "Joy-full Heart"

THE GLAD GAME

Would you be surprised if I told you that one of my favorite childhood movies is Pollyanna.
I guess I could even be accused of being "Pollyannaish." A term used to describe someone who is able to find something to be glad about ~ no matter what the circumstances may be.
Pollyanna's philosophy of life was centered around what she called, "The Glad Game". Originating from an incident one Christmas, when she was hoping to find a doll in the missionary barrell, but instead found only a pair of crutches. Her Minister father - quick on the spot; saw this as an opportunity to teach his daughter to look at the "good" side of things. In this case to be glad about the crutches because, "We don't need em!" Thus the "Glad Game," The rules are simple: Just find something to be glad about in every situation. There are many scriptures to support this concept in the Word. Here are a couple:
Psalm 100:2 Says, "Serve the Lord with gladness"... ;
and Psalm 118:24 States, This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Choose Joy, Choose Gladness.

COUNT IT ALL JOY!

James 1:2-8 says; My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have it's perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Yes, I am COUNTING IT ALL JOY!