So I noticed in the last couple of months that it's been really hard to find joy. Joy doesn't mean happiness, it means: finding pleasure IN something, seeking out the value it can bring and rejoicing in it. Happiness is more about your circumstances and how they make you feel, Joy is a gift, not everyone obtains it, But you HAVE the choice to.
Joy:
Jesus.
Overwhelming.
You.
I challenged myself to write down what brought me joy this month. To be purposeful in finding it everyday. And I did! Here it is:
Today I found my joy in:
- 5/5- I danced with an 8 year old girl named Happy during worship on the patio underneath the moonlight
- 5/6-The outside view of the mountains, shining clouds and palm trees with greenery all around. A little boy ran across a huge field and was jumping in the biggest rain puddles he could find and when he got to the other side he chanted "muahahaha!" and kept running. The best part is he never knew we were watching hah!
- 5/7-Today I found my joy in the thousands of lightning bugs that Austin and I saw in the bushes tonight. It looked like Christmas! God lit up Tanzania!
- 5/8-We went on a prayer walk, I tried communicating to a woman that I wanted to buy something from her (by hand motions), she understood and sent her little boy to lead us to a woman who had the item! Hand motions do well! As we were walking home 3 girls whom I'd met the prior day came screaming my name in delight! And THAT brought a huge smile to my face when I finally understood them.
- 5/9-I got to download a new math program and kindle so I can study for future schooling and refresh myself. A step towards the future, it felt good to be doing school work!
- 5/10-Chocolate cookies and a Mountain Dew after hunting for them in over 10 stores. And by "stores" I mean shacks on the side of the road.
- 5/11-off day, had a great wifi connection and rested at a hotel that was slightly creepy and looked like jumaji, got a free necklace, ate western food!
- 5/12- getting to skype with mom and drew on mother's day, got to wear someone else's skirt! (yes, that matters because it's new to me!)
- 5/14- God prevented me some heartbreak by revealing some things to me that I otherwise wouldn't have seen, discernment, thank you Jesus!
- 5/15- journaling and napping with praise and worship music on in my headphones (alone time!)
- 5/16-I found my joy today in finding a Victoria's Secret sweatshirt for sale on the roadside stand, pretty much brand new! wahoooo, comforts of home!
- 5/20-holding a little boy named Tulu who burned his hand, I got to pray over him and cuddle him. Such a blessing
- 5/21- during our team time God spoke super sweetly to me about who I am and His plans for me
- 5/22-I've been working out a lost 1 3/4 inches in the past 2 weeks!
- 5/23-staying home and turning up my music loud, worshipping God, and bucket washing my clothes, felt like a Saturday home (except the bucket part)
- 5/24-finding out our Ukraine ministry and it being the absolute best sounding living conditions and ministry on the entire race! It brought me relief and rest.
- 5/25- seeing fields of sunflowers, going on a safari, and got a fossil water buffalo tooth!
- 5/26-Brandi (my cousin) had her first baby! The 1st baby in our family in over 21 years. I was sad I missed it and God provided me an opportunity to hold a baby in church this morning! His way of comforting me I guess 🙂
- 5/27- getting a Mountain Dew and chocolate cookies again! Dancing in a clip for a video we we're making. Seeing Austin drop it low and smack the ground. haha!
- 5/28 packing to head out to EUROPEEEEEE!!!! wahoo!!​
I challenge YOU to find your Joy Today, and Tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next……..
