Joy Will Reignite Us

 

 

 

 

This month I found and learned what true joy looks like. Joy is not a fleeting emotion. It isn’t happiness. Joy isn’t something you even feel, so much as something you actively choose. Joy lies at the bottom of pain, of darkness; it’s the light at the end of the tunnel you never thought you’d reach. True joy, the best kind you will ever choose, can only be found in the Father.

 

“Though I’m broken, I am running into Your arms of love”, these words resonate so deeply with me. Joy doesn’t mean your life is perfect, it’s probably far from it. But we have the opportunity to choose joy everyday in spite of pain, darkness, brokenness, everything we’re walking in that doesn’t make sense and that hurts so deeply we question if God is even good. I believe true joy only comes out of the darkest and deepest of pains. I felt joy so profoundly this month because I walked out of so much brokenness from the last few months. 

 

I will be leaving Albania in just a few hours, and beginning month 7 as we head to Serbia. By now those following my journey surely know the World Race is anything but easy. But oh, is it beyond worth it. I laughed more this past month than I have the entire Race thus far combined. I found reasons to smile and to laugh until I was convinced I had abs, every single day. Whether it was my weird, wonderful, hilarious teammates and the ridiculous things that come out of their mouths, cultural differences, or the comedy of broken English, the list goes on. We need the hard things because that’s how we grow. But the moments of profound and unbridled joy are what make life worth living. I’m thankful for it all, for every moment of the last six months and for all that is yet to come.