Joy journey is continuing in earnest

Tomorrow is a new year!  Duh Debbie...is that what you are saying?  Well, that's okay, because I think this journey I am on is showing me so many things that are obvious. Yet I know God must say sometimes duh Debbie.  Yet, even if He did say that - He does it with love because He wants so much more for me than I grasp!

A journey of joy in 2016 is exciting.  I am thrilled, filled with a little anticipation, yet yearning to see what God shows me in this new year with my new word I truly believe He gave me to grow me more.  So I will write some days and not some days...some days will be just between God and me and others will be between all of us.

These words spoke to me this morning from 1 John.  Remember John is writing this to all of us now, but at the time it's not known for sure who he was writing other than they were Christ believers, people that he knew and they were hearing false teaching.  So this fits us right now big time.  We believe in Christ.  We know Him and we are hearing false teaching all around us.

Listen to these words from 1 John 1:3 - 4

Again I say, we are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may share the fellowship and the joys we have with the Father and with Jesus Christ his son.  And if you as I say in this letter, then you, too, will be full of joy, and so we will.

Share your stories about what God is doing in your life and feel the joy that only He provides.  Christ completes us!  

Joy a simple, short word filled with huge meaning.  

Truths I learn that God teaches me I will share along the journey!

Happy New Year!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Secret of the Christian

"Joy, which was the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian."

G. K. Chesterton

What do you think this quote means?

Ann Voskamp in her book on advent wrote that the gigantic gift that He gives and we unwrap, that we never stop unwrapping-we who were barren now graced with the Child who lets us laugh with relief for all eternity.  There is nothing left to want.  There is nothing left to fear:  "All fear is but the notion that God's love never ends." And His for you never will.  So loosen up, because the chains have been loosed, and laugh the laughter of the freed!  I had to share her beautiful words from "The Greatest Gift".

Isn't it true?

When we finally realize we are free because of God's love and His actions we have immense joy that only He provides.  He provides it all!  Joy only comes from Christ and with Christ!

I truly believe this beautiful quote because of my own journey.  Only with Christ do I understand what joy is...

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

P.S.  If you haven't read Ann Voskamp's books give yourself a gift and purchase them!  She is truly an amazing writer!

I bring you...

Joyful news!

What is it you bring with you today?  Is it happiness?  Is it gloom?  Is it frustration?  Is it laughter?  Is it dread?  Seriously, when you walk up to a group today, which feeling are you bringing with you?

Listen to these words from Luke 2:10 ~

...but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!"  he said.  "I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone!

We know the news is about Jesus that the angel is sharing, but read these verses and be reminded of the joy brought into this world.  The joy meant for you and me right now!  Jesus is for all of us and it is Him that this season is all about not the frustration of the last minute shopping, the grocery store lines, that one relative that absolutely gets on your last nerve, or any of the other stuff...no it is about Jesus and the most joyful news ever...and it is for everyone!  No one left out!  Jesus is for every last one of us!

Today and everyday, remember the gift of Jesus!  Share the joyful news of His amazing birth into this world to walk among us, to share our pains, but most of all to save each and every one of us!  A gift that none of us deserve, but one that He wanted to provide!  

Indeed, very joyful news!  Also, if you get the Shreveport Times read Maggie Martin's story today about being a Good Samaritan.  It's a wonderful reminder of what Christmas truly should be all about and it's not the presents under the tree!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Put on your make-up

I love this quote by Anne Lomott ~

"Joy is the best makeup".

It is so true.  So today, pick joy ~  just like you pick your lip color, your eye color, you hair color...pick joy!

We decide how we are going to react to life by bitterness or joy, by laughter or ....., we choose how we respond to whatever life throws at us!  So pick joy!

Philippians 4:4 (NLT) says it like this...

Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again-rejoice!

Be full of joy in the Lord!  Know He is with you every step you take, every choice you make!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Simple joys

Thanking God for the simple joy of a lap puppy!  

When one goes to select the newest member of the family, you are never sure what you might be getting and well I am blessed that Cassie is a very loving, lap puppy...but she is also very full of herself and very curious!

Life is good!

Thanking God for sweet Cassie and the joy she brings to our home!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Joy complete

What do you think joy being complete in us looks like?

Ponder that for a moment and then read this scripture from Philippians 2:2 ~

then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in mind.

What would our world looked like, if we were living the scripture above?

Read it from the Message now

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-then do me a favor:  Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.  Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

OUCH!  OUCH!

How many of these are you able to check off?  Are you perhaps like me and need more work?  I know I am a work in progress and this scripture hit me between the eyes and I don't think I'm alone.  Division in this world, in this country, in this state, in this city...is rampant!  If we are living these words division will decrease, so let it begin with me...

How does the words to the old song go "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me"  sound familiar?  Perhaps when we all get it together and are living this verse the picture will happen and it will be beautiful!

Let's start it today!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Sing

It is the season to celebrate Our Lord's Birth!

It is so funny and sad at the same time to walk around in the shopping venues and look at people's faces...even better listen to their tones.  We are not really showing a lot of joy during this busy season.  Oh a few do...laughter amongst the seriously inappropriate!

It is fun to people watch, but not a great testament for some of us.  We forget what the season is about...it's not about the gifts.  It's not about the shopping.  It's not about going into debt up to our eyeballs.  It's about Jesus and He sometimes gets lost not from His lack of trying to be there for us, but because we don't include Him!

Today, remember it is about Jesus!  Share the joy, share the laughter, share Jesus...

Psalm 33:3

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully and shout for joy.

Today and everyday let's be shouting for joy!

Share your funny sights you've witnessed this Christmas so far.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

What is robbing our joy?

I read a really good illustration about allowing our joy to be taken from us that was given by Kent Crockett.  Kent stated that his wife pulled into a service station to get gas.  She didn't realize she pulled into the full service line and well her gas cost an additional 50 cents a gallon at the time.  He got very angry thinking of all the laws that had to have been broken by this over charge just by the people pumping the gas.  

During the time his mind was going gonkers over the injustice God reminded him the story of Esau.  You know the story where Esau gives away his birthright for a bowl of stew.  God showed him that the additional $7.00 he paid was robbing him of his joy!  He was exchanging joy for injustice just like Esau exhanged his birthright for stew.  Neither one makes much sense, but we all do this in some form.

What are we allowing to steal our joy?  Is it worry with family?  illness? finances?  All of the above?  The list goes on and on and what does the worry provide other than more worry?  

We allow things to steal our joy because we take our eyes off Jesus!  We all do it whether it is the price of gas or the price of milk...something steals our joy!

Today, be proactive don't allow anything to steal your joy!  Look at the gas station that you drive by that provides both services and honk!  It will remind you that absolutely nothing will steal your joy and the people working at the station will think you are being friendly!  Two good things will happen!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Happy Joy

Thanks Frankie for my "Happy Joy"!

Sunday after church the two of us went to see the movie about Mother Teresa and it was a wow movie!  Now it was heartbreaking, touching, and beautiful well worth your time in my humble opinion, but before it started and with maybe 3 or so minutes left...it was just Frankie and I sitting in this huge movie theater.  ( more showed up right on time.  we are always early birds.) We were giggling like little girls and it was a happy time of joy!

Have your moments that you share with your friends, your family, and strangers that bring joy ~ joy moments that you will treasure forever.

Thanks Frankie for my happy present you purchased at the Do Good store before I arrived at the Boardwalk!  I love it and it hangs proudly in my kitchen to remind me of my joy journey!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Cartwheels of joy!

I found this scripture from Habakkuk 3 in the Message that I love...

...Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing  joyful praise to God.  I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.  Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.  I run like a deer.  I feel like I'm king of the mountain!

Don't you love this?  I do.  Even though things are really tough.  No sheep in the pen, no cattle in the barn everything is empty the writer still knows who God truly is...

Trust and know who God is...

Turn cartwheels today!  Well, not literally, if you are like me you might not walk afterwards, but turn cartwheels of joy in your own way!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

The NIV version reads this way ~

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joyful in God my Savior.

Joy in the morning!

...weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.  

Psalm 30:5

How many of us know this so well?  Nights are difficult at times.  Mornings bring the Light we all so desperately need!  

Now I am going to share with you a little thing that was going on with me this weekend and in the big scope of life it really is little, but it helps to be real and honest with my friends.

(it really is little, but it works for an example)

Friday evening my television system all went out.  So all weekend, I've had nothing, but my sounds and the doggies sounds.  Quiet and let me tell you the nights are long when they start at 5:15 or so until 6:00 a.m. with nothing but you and the doggies!  I love my doggies, but a little distraction helps.  I read and it makes me sleep and then the dogs wake me up.  I look at my ipad my puppy doesn't like my ipad, so she gets between me and the ipad and lays down on it.  In other words, I was a very happy girl when the dawn happened this Monday morning for the repair man to be able to come to my house!!!  A sad truth that the noise of the tv around my house is missed.

Seriously, the scripture above is about death and eternal life.  Truly a gift that Jesus provided each of us by His surrender to the cross.  We should remember and celebrate with each dawn of a new morning the gift from Jesus. 

I like the Anchor Bible version of this scripture as well ~

In the evening one falls asleep crying, but at dawn there are shouts of joy.

Every morning shout for joy at the awesome gift of Jesus.  We are celebrating His birth during this season, but let's just celebrate Jesus always!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

The Lord Your God is with You!

Who reading this today needed a reminder of how very much you matter to all of us, but to the Lord?

Well, the scripture above is a beautiful reminder from Zephaniah 3:17 of who God truly is and how He feels about you!  He takes great delight in you!  He is with you!  He will save!  He settles you in His amazing love and He sings praises over you!  Now tell me how cool is that?

God is proclaiming His gladness over you!  

I took the time and the joy in coloring this scripture yesterday for those of you that needed this very colorful reminder of You are not alone and that You are loved!  

Claim it!  Believe it!  Share it with someone you know needs to hear these words today!

Another wonderful message on joy provided by Our Amazing Father!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Today it's spinning for joy!

God is teaching me some really cool things about joy!  I am loving this current path I am on.

Making a choice daily to have an attitude of joy that is my current path.  I believe that is what God is showing me and I am experiencing some pretty enlightening moments.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Every day when your eyes open, whether conscious or unconscious each of us decide our attitudes.  We choose whether we will hope, whether we will laugh, whether we will rejoice...the list goes on and on.  Difficult circumstances will come, but it is how we are in the circumstances that we get to decide how to respond. 

While I was studying this verse I looked up how many times the word "joy" or "rejoice" were in the bible and the answer is more than 300 times.  It (joy) must be pretty important to God because it is mentioned a lot.  The Hebrew word for "rejoice" is gawl, and it means to "to spin round; be glad, be joyful.  I want to ask you a question when was the last time you did a little spinning?  I know some of you probably take a spinning exercise class and it's not spinning in circles it is on a exercise bicycle of some sort.  When I typed in spinning those pictures came up the most...well I loved the little girl spinning in the flowers myself. The feeling of being in the moment so much you are lost to the rest of stuff happening.  You really let go and let God moments!

Spinning makes you dizzy.  Yes, it does dizzy with Jesus is a good thing!

Everyday is a gift from God.  Every moment is a gift.  We decide when we unwrap each moment whether we will enjoy each moment or not.  Will we rejoice with the moment or continue the rat race of chasing the next dream?  Dreams aren't bad, but we might be missing a very special spinning moment with the Lord right now!

Rejoice and Be glad in each moment!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Leaps for joy

The world we reside in makes it difficult at times to show joy.  So, how do we do it?

The last couple of days I've pondered how do I answer the terrible situations in the world and still write about joy.  Only God.  Some may say corny...that's okay, but it is truth!

Turning on the television with the absolute horrible real situations around us that hate fills people up so much that they are able to walk into a building and kill innocent people absolutely blows my mind.  I don't understand this evil.  I don't understand how anyone is able to respond to their belief in such a horrible manner.  The only answer is evil that takes over their mind, so I will not allow such evil into me or my world.  I keep focused on the Light of the World and that only He is able to conquer!

A verse that helps me is found in Psalm 28:7 ~

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trust in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

I believe this verse with all my heart.

I believe to the fullest that God conquers evil and the ugly, bad things of this world.  I believe with all my heart that He hears my cries, He will answer my cry, and that He indeed will save me!

It is my prayer that you to trust and believe this verse and we are still leaping for joy knowing He indeed wins!

Claim this verse today and everyday!  Share it with friends that are struggling and He will provide His persuasion to triumph all fears!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

P. S.  Sorry I don't have anybody here to get the photo of me leaping...imagine it and it will bring laughter to your mind!  Debbie leaping...Debbie falling...Debbie filled with joy for the Lord!

Sing for joy

Psalm 5:11

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy...

Do you ever watch the children run to see Santa and the whispers as they share with Santa their wishes for Christmas?  Now I know some are running quickly away from Santa, but the ones that go share their heartfelt desires with the man in the red suit?  The little ones wall away with a little pep in their step believing that their wish will come true.

Well, this verse to me tells us a little about our relationship with God.  Let's take a look at it together.  The word refuge here in Hebrew is hsw and it means to seek refuge, to put trust in God, confide or hope in God.  We are to confide in God and we too will walk away with a pep in our step.  Now we aren't to be crazy about this and believe all our prayers are answered the way we desire, because well that will not happen.  But we give our hearts to God and we are filled with hope because of who He is...We trust in Him...We know He protects us and knows the best for each of us.  Now it may look different than we picture it, but He knows best.

So next time you see a child whispering in Santa's ear remember that we need to crawl on Our Father's lap and confide in Him the one that provided the way for each of us!  We will indeed sing for joy knowing His truth in our hearts forever.

I love the image of whispering in Jesus ear or resting in His Arms.  I drew this photo several years ago and I'm not an artist, but that's not what matters it is the meaning it held for me and hopefully for you.

Do you see the smile?  Do you see the protection I feel?  Do you see the love?

I do and I know it with every step that I take!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Complete Joy!

Joy!  

Don't you love this little girl completed with all that Christ gives each of us?  We are made new and we are all princesses, when we allow Christ to make us new.

I love how the Holy Spirit works.  I love the moments that without a doubt it's God showing up and rocking your world.  Don't you?  Truly amazing and beyond words moments, but i am going to try.

I told you that joy was my word given for the new year and how joy keeps showing up, but what I didn't tell you is that (some of you know) I review books and studies.  Well I received one in the mail to begin work on and it's on Philippians.  The book where Paul mentions joy a lot!  Which is a really cool moment for me that this study came when all these other things are happening and I know it is God doing something amazing in my journey.  Thank you Lord!

Today, I want each of you to ponder this verse on joy.

John 15:11 ( Jesus is speaking)

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Please take a few moments and read it aloud several times and see which words speaks to you.  In this process complete jumped out at me.  So I looked up the original greek word and it is plhrwgh which means to make full, to fill up, to complete.  (ladies that gave comments yesterday well this fits in all of your responses)  It is like filling a pitcher up and it just overflows.  Jesus wants to fill us up so that we are full of Him.  Is this not the coolest?  He doesn't want us to want for anything.  He wants to fill all those holes that are inside of us that we think we might be filled with stuff, people, or whatever only He completes us!

So to be full of joy we need Jesus!  Who doesn't want Jesus?  Well, some people say they don't, but they just don't know what that yearning deep inside is, but if our joy is overflowing they question what it is that we have that they don't and the process begins.  Is our lack of joy holding back the kingdom building?

In the study, that I will review on the blog in a few months the wonderful author, Sue Edwards spoke of a beautiful illustration of a snowflake in another text, but it works beautifully here.  You know how a single snowflake is just beautiful, but together it does powerful stuff? It can bring down trees and such. Well, if all of us put our joy together we are able to do some pretty amazing things because Jesus is working through us!

What are we going to allow to complete us?

Will it be stuff that still leaves us yearning or will it be Jesus?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

P. S. Please share what word from the scripture spoke to you with me in the comments.

How do you define joy?

The official definition of joy according to dictionary.com is the emotion of delight, a happiness caused by  something exceptionally good or state of happiness.  Do you agree?

Well, when I looked up photos for joy and happiness to go with this post the chalkboard showed up.  It got me to thinking every morning we wake up and we get to decide our focus for the day.  Will we focus on the good, the bad, or the ugly?  Sorry I just had to write that, but it's true.  We decide are we going to allow the bad stuff to just take us over and zap all the joy right out of us?  It truly is our choice, sometimes a difficult one to pick joy with all that might be coming at you, but still a choice we make.

I've been touched by the pictures of Joey and Rory Feek with their battle of cancer.  The last time Rory got out of bed to walk she danced with Joey and she still chooses to show joy while facing a terrible reality.  She chooses to focus on the time left by sharing joy with her loved ones.  It may be a very difficult choice, but she is making beautiful memories with every moment.  Google them and read his amazing posts.

Today, pick joy!

In your spare time today take a look at the book of Nehemiah especially chapter 8.  The people of God once again celebrated with joy after returning from exile.  Celebrate with joy from whatever exile you might be returning from as well.  It truly is a choice we must make everyday.

Join me on the journey of joy for the next year!

Where do you find your joy?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie