It’s so easy to look and hope for the next best thing. It’s so easy to notice and mention the areas in our life in which we lack, want more, or want to completely change. It’s so easy to be dissatisfied with our job, our relationships, or our future. It’s easy to complain, whine, and grumble… guilty!
It’s also easy to forget to be thankful. I am immeasurably thankful for the season of my life that I am in right now. A season of blessings and joy. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) and is definitely a gift from the Lord. Hebrew 12:2 – For the joy set before him he endured the cross. I think that this idea is sometimes overlooked. Christ not only died on the cross for our sins and for His glory, but his attitude was one joy! Not that the cross was fun or something to enjoy… obviously. But the joy of what was coming, that his act on the cross was the only way for his children to spend eternity proclaiming God’s glory in heaven with all of creation, this joy was his focus while enduring the cross. What an example! If Christ can joyfully endure the cross then I can pursue and find joy in anything!
One of my most favorite authors and speakers is John Piper. http://www.desiringgod.org/ While his messages usually blow your mind and cause you to think beyond anything you have ever thought about before, his underlying themes are transformational. Piper mentions this topic about joy… a lot. At Passion 2011, he stressed that joy should be the bottom, the very foundation, of who you are. At Passion 2013, Piper encouraged believers to literally strive to consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2). The challenge to believers was to go farther than that and to even joyfully embrace the sufferings we encounter for the glory of the Lord and the gladness of others. Like Christ, we should strive to joyfully endure our struggles in life with our focus being on what is to come, Heaven. The Holy Spirit gives us this power to joyfully embrace whatever comes.
I am so thankful for this season of blessings, one right after the other. My heart is so full and I am immensely thankful. From this past Christmas until May I am living at home for the first time in almost seven years. The thought of living at home as a 25 year old doesn’t sound ideal. BUT, I am really so, so thankful to be able to spend time with family and friends in the lovely Georgia weather! Spending time and making fun memories with my family and friends is irreplaceable. As most of you know, I absolutely love being a full time nanny for a beautiful baby girl! She is so much fun. She has also been teaching me a lot about life and about childlike faith. I am SO excited to have the privilege of working on staff again this summer at Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, GA! www.camptwinlakes.org.
Sorry Disney, but Camp Twin Lakes is definitely the most magical place on the planet and provides camping services to children of all ability levels with serious illnesses. Serving the strongest and most deserving children in Georgia while working alongside the most fantastic staff ever is exaCTLy where I want to be this summer!
I think it is easy to get caught up in wanting more that we forget to be thankful and joyful for the blessings we have been given. God definitely uses trials and blessings through raindrops to get my attention, speak to me, and work in my life. But I pray that He will continue to grow and teach me during blessings of smiles and sweet memories as I pursue thankfulness and joy.
