Oh, the JOY - 2

There have been multiple things that have encouraged me over the last week.  Here are 3:

1)  Steve and I attended a marriage retreat in a suburb of Minneapolis on Friday and Saturday, led by Jeff and Cathryn Walling.  I had several "Ah! Ha!" moments.  Yet, the major one that kept coming back to me is, "Why have I allowed the devil to steal my JOY and the JOY from our marriage?"

2)  This past Thursday, I watched the OVERCOMER movie for the third time!  I do not agree with everything in the movie, but I am also so convicted by many things that it shares.  Blind and bedfast Thomas Hill shares, "When you find your identity through the ONE WHO created you, it will change your whole perspective!"

• Thank you, Thomas!  I know WHO JESUS is!  I can quote many lists of names and descriptions of the ABCs of JESUS.  I know that JESUS is my big brother.  Yet, am I really connecting to who I am in JESUS?!?!?!?!  Do I spend most of my time feeling guilty or knowing who I am by GOD's GRACE?
• I want to be like Hannah Scott, who was able to say, "Ask me who I am!"  and was able to answer JOYfully.  She quickly learned that the JOY of the LORD was her strength.

3)  Yesterday, in Steve's Sunday morning and evening sermons he mentioned that he'd been convicted to grow in his joy.  I had not told him that I had been convicted to return to a study of JOY via this blog.  I did not know that Steve had been convicted to speak about JOY yesterday.  We have both been pricked, by the HOLY SPIRIT, to grow in our JOY!

Thank you, HOLY SPIRIT!  Thank you, Thomas Hill!  Thank you, Hanna Scott!  Thank you, Jeff and Cathryn!  Thank you, Steve!

Oh the JOY! - 1 - First day of fall! 9/23/19

I am Blessed!  Oh, the JOY!

I am Grateful!  Oh, the JOY!

I Love JESUS!  Oh, the JOY!

I am an Overcomer!  Oh, the JOY!

These are words that are not often heard out in the world.  What we do often hear is a lot of complaining about everything, with people exclaiming, "I am cursed!" or "I hate my life!" or "I hate you!"

My husband is a minister/preacher/pastor.  In the spring, he led us in a series of lessons connecting the Israelites, in the Old Testament, with these verses from the New Testament.  I have put these verses, from two different versions, below and ask you to join me in meditating on them this week. Oh, the JOY!

I plan to attend my 3rd viewing of the movie, "Overcomer", sometime this week.  It's sparked a lot of meditation in my soul.  

Let's meet back here on Sunday, September 29 for more thoughts about JOY!  I'll share some additional meditations then.  In the meantime, feel free to scroll down to read the post below this.  It was written almost 2 years ago and explains a little more in detail why I have been so slow to return to blogging... and why I am connecting to "JOY"! 

BE-ATTITUDES: Poor in spirit to Merciful to Peacemaker!

 I've been asked by several to re-consider returning to blogging.  Our lives have been far from calm over the last few years, yet very "transformational" for the whole family.  Our daughter, Jessica, passed away on Valentine's day, February 14, 2015. 

It was the end of 19 years of everyday migraines and a ferocious 9.5 month battle with Stage 4 colon cancer - that went to her liver. We continue to grieve and rejoice at the same time; we miss her here, yet she is HOME!

I basically stopped blogging not long after we made a major move in August 2013.  Then, as Jessica's health spiraled downward, my focus was on being "the hands and feet of JESUS" to her.  Little did we know that everyone of JESUS' beatitudes would be lived out in different ways over these last few years...  Currently our Women Opening the Word (WOW) classes are studying the beatitudes.  So, I am once again being spurred on to consider:  "Oh, the JOY!"   

Here are "Be-attitudes 1-7" out of JESUS' 9 Be-attitudes:

MATTHEW 5:1-9

"1 Now when JESUS saw the crowds, HE went up on a mountainside and sat down. HIS disciples came to HIM, 2 and HE began to teach them.

The Beatitudes 

HE said:

"BLESSED are the poor in spirit, for... .
.
.



"BLESSED are those who mourn, for... .
.
.

"BLESSED are the meek, for... .
.
.



"BLESSED are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for....
.
.



"BLESSED are the merciful, for....
.
.

"BLESSED are the pure in heart, for....
.
.

"BLESSED are the peacemakers, for...

"...they will be called the children of GOD."

~BLESSED~
.
In the Be-attitudes, 
the word "Blessed" means: "Oh, the JOY!"

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL - WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

2 Corinthians 4-5 is one of my very favorite scripture reads.  I have focused on themes from this passage like

• "DO NOT LOSE HEART"
• "LIGHT SHALL SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS"
• "TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS"
• "MOMENTARY LIGHT AFFLICTION/SUFFERING"
• "LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS US"...  

Yet, I have never focused on how the word "MERCY" is foundational to this reading.  Join me in the Word today, as we consider MERCY:

1 Corinthians 4: 

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received MERCY, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.  

6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you. 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.  

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

1 Corinthians 5:

 "For we know that if he earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, ³ inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

⁶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by ^[c]sight— ⁸ we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for ^[d]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. ¹² We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we ^[e]are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and ^[i]He has ^[j]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL!

BLESSED!  OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL: GRATITUESDAY

I am eternally grateful that my husband, Steve, has been doing a series of sermons on the many facets of God's MERCY! 

The LORD is also making me more aware, each day, of the plight of homelessness and the MERCY that we must extend. 

1.  I have a friend named Dimitri who lived on the streets, in the Philadelphia area.  He has opened my eyes to the need for MERCY.  Dimitri is an inspiration of persistence and endurance to me. 

I am so grateful for Dimitri Sykes!

2.  I have a friend named Lindsey, who is tower of strength for the homeless population in Nashville, Tennessee.  It is possible that you have seen Lindsey and her work with the homeless, either on the Discovery channel or in media releases.  Lindsey is an inspiration of service and selflessness to me.  Please, please take time to read Lindsey's blogpost here:

http://drybonesrattling.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/11/comment-page-1/#comment-2

I am so grateful for Lindsey Krinks!

3.  I have some newfound "friends", in the last 24 hours:  Adam and Shane.  They have made a video challenge, with the intent of it going "viral".  I hope it does!  They have inspired me with their creativity and enthusiasm to challenge internet users to change from being "selfies" to SELFLESS.   

Their challenge has jumpstarted me to start carrying bags of food/water, in my car, for those standing on the street corners.  I will do this in honor of Jesus Christ, Dimitri Sykes, Lindsey Krinks, Adam, Shane, and all those who have experienced homelessness. 

I am grateful for Adam and Shane's challenge!  Here is one of their videoes:



I am eternally grateful that God's MERCIES are new every morning and He is allowing me a fresh look at MERCY... GIGATTAATTGIG!

"BLESSED are the MERCIFUL for they shall receive MERCY!"

BLESSED!  OH, THE JOY!

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL: SUNDAY IN THE SON - MONDAY MEDITATION

August 14 was the last time I posted.  It's been a little less than a month.  Yet, the time has been full of:

• miles
• smiles
• tears
• fears
• faith walking
• lots of talking
• love
• blessings from above

We've moved to a new place... begun a new ministry... it's a time of new beginnings...

What does this mom/grandmom have on her mind?  Right now, my hubby's sermon from this morning:  MERCY CAME A RUNNING!  We need God's mercy! What should our response to God's mercy be?

For now, please join me in meditating on these 2 verses and 2 songs over the next few days.

Romans 12:1-2 also happens to be the theme verses of this blog (as shown above this post):

"Therefore I urge you, brethren,  

by the MERCIES of God,

to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,  

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  

And do not be conformed to this world,  

but be transformed  

by the renewing of your mind,  

so that you may prove what the will of God is,  

that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL...

...FOR THEY SHALL RECEIVE MERCY!!!

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS... WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

Today, as my family and I head for a new chapter in our lives, Jesus gives me a peace that passes understanding.  I am once again encouraged by the words of this verse and the song over on the right sidebar:  "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!"

"You need not fight in this battle;

station yourselves,

stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf...

...’ Do not fear or be dismayed;

tomorrow go out to face them,

for the Lord is with you.”

2 Chronicles 20:17

BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY!