JuMP for JoY!

     I mentioned in my last blog about the urgent need for our
host’s house to comply with codes. It is so urgent because without compliance,
they will lose gas which hearts their home and provides fire for cooking.  At the most extreme, they could be evicted!  Yet, God is merciful and gracious.  After much talk and deliberation, the
plumbers/inspectors decided to give Sergio a 10 day extension.  This is a great blessing and huge opportunity
to make much headway in aligning with regulations.

     Yesterday I lead a devotional for my team and host
family.  We gather each morning at 9 to
sing, pray and read.  My passage was
about HOPE.  Esperanza” as they say
here.  I believe in hope.  I hope for many things.  I chose hope because the day before I had
heard Sergio witnessing to the people in the community and I heard him repeat
the word over and over in conversation. 
I assumed he was passionate about conveying hope to the people in the
village. Here, in Moldova,
hope in the future is rare.  People are
focused on now, the hardships of the daily chores and the lack of
financing.  They are desperate for
something more. 

                                             

(Painting from Donna Bella’s Angels)

     Sergio’s passion for exclaiming Hope, mine is to feel, live and pour our
Joy.   I understand Joy to be a personal
emotion, something that can come from personal understanding, thoughts,
attitudes and behaviors.  Yet, as a
missionary, it is my goal, my mission and my responsibility to share my
personal joy by fostering HOPE.  This
morning, another teammate led devotion from Romans 12 focusing on Joy.  

     As spring shines in Moldova,
and the Easter season is among us, I could only think of one song when asked-
Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee.  While I’ve
sang it year after year in church at the Easter Celebration of Christ’s
resurrection, it has been a while since I read all the words.  A true hymn, written to proclaim the news
even through the dark days, the lyrics are powerful even when void of
music.  Reading the lyrics brought Hope
for others and inspired resurgence of energy in my own heart and mind.  

HopeandFaith Art, Etsy

Here is a copy of verses 1, 3 and 4 for you to read.  Reflect on the words, their meaning and their power.  I hope they feed your spirit as much as they did mine.

1.      Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
         God of glory, Lord of love;
         hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
         opening to the sun above. 
         Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
         drive the dark of doubt away. 
         Giver of immortal gladness,
         fill us with the light of day!
3.      Thou art giving and forgiving,
         ever blessing, ever blest,
         well-spring of the joy of living,
         ocean depth of happy rest! 
         Thou our Father, Christ our brother,
         all who live in love are thine;
         teach us how to love each other,
         lift us to the joy divine.
4.       Mortals, join the mighty chorus
         which the morning stars began;
         love divine is reigning o’er us,
         binding all within its span. 
         Ever singing, march we onward,
         victors in the midst of strife;
         joyful music leads us sunward,
         in the triumph song of life.