Hola amigos. I’ve missed talking to you all! Here goes my third attempt at writing this blog. It’s been a long time coming.
Last January, I decided that my “word for the year” (a better form of a New Years’ resolution) was JOY. It turned out to be more of a struggle than I realized it would be. I have also come to recognize the need to find joy daily( more like EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY). So, although I have come far from where I was, I still have room to grow.
This past January, I had the chance to go to an amazing missions conference in San Diego, California. The whole experience was truly a blessing– from the wonderful sessions I attended to the new friends I made and everything in between.
One of the most memorable friends I made was on the first night. She walked by to ask if the seats next to me were taken and I responded that they were, since I was saving them for my grandparents. She walked way and turned back in about a minute. She introduced herself as Joy and asked what I was hoping for that weekend. Initially unsure, I waited a little while to answer and ended up saying “vision”. She prayed with me and feeling so blessed and drawn to talk with her more, I made sure that her and her boyfriend had a place to sit, next to my grandparents and myself. I prayed with her after the session, because I wanted to be able to bless her in return.
The next day, we met again. In a room so full of people, the likelihood of seeing her again was low, but God arranged for another meeting. I had hoped that I would see her again and now I realize that it was because God was preparing my heart for what He was going to do through her.
We talked about our names (Abigail means “Father’s Joy”) and how we’ve both struggled and grown into our names. Although it was our lunch break, she felt led to pray with me and talk with me more, so she led me into the prayer room of the church– her boyfriend coming along as well.
We sat in silence as they waited to hear from the Lord. Joy began to pray and spoke of comparison and performance. Both of these things had been constant issues and thieves of joy in my life, but I had never mentioned them to her. I cried my eyes out (kind of unlike me), feeling God’s presence in everything she was saying. It was unexpected. I continued to wipe tears from my face as her boyfriend shared what God put on his heart. He said that God sees me as His adopted daughter– royalty, even– and that I am beautiful in His eyes. With some time left to talk, Joy read Isaiah 62:1-5. The Lord rejoices over me and He takes delight in me…
It was so beautiful how the Lord broke me down in front of people I knew for less than 24 hours. He used them as a reminder of His love for me and I’m forever grateful for it. Now, YOU, go and expect the unexpected and remember how much the Lord rejoices over you.
