Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart By Debra Courtney

Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart is good medicine…”.

Did you know that a merry heart or a broken spirit is a choice? If we are going to have “JOY” we will have to have it on purpose! It will not just fall into our lap. We have to pursue JOY!

If we have the joy of the Lord in our life, it will be merry, regardless of our circumstances. Sin will destroy a merry heart. I have found out that I cannot be happy outside the fellowship of God. When I have joy in my life, my whole attitude changes. True joy is deeper than happiness. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances and opinions (happenstance), but joy is lasting because it is based on God's presence within us.

Doing things that matter for the betterment of someone else or the world will give us more joy. These things are what will last for eternity! Joy is solely the result of our reaction to life, our assignment to turning every moment into a growth experience.

Wisdom is a great source of joy for me. With wisdom, we can understand the world in which we live in and our assignment in it!

Remember, the JOY of the Lord is in US! It is directly connected to our mouth!

As we understand the future God has for us, we will experience unbelievable joy.

We are to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Do it! Live each day with the joy of where you are going to spend eternity!

Live each day with the joy of great faith!

Live each day with the joy of a new mentality!

Live each day with the joy of a clean conscience!

Live each day with the joy of boldness!

Live each day with the joy of no fear, in God's capabilities!

Live each day with the joy of a great anointing on your life!

Live each day with the joy of great achievements!

Live each day with the joy of great blessings on your life and your children!

Live each day with the joy with the confidence of great favor!

Live each day with the joy of giving love or sharing love with someone close to you!

Live each day with the joy that you can be a good mentor to someone who needs it!

Live each day with the joy of a great miracle coming your way!

Live each day with the joy of victory!

Live each day with the joy of receiving wisdom from the Word of God!

Live each day with the joy that you can be all God wants you to be!

Live each day with the joy that nothing can disturb your peace of mind!

Debra’s life goal is to inspire and motivate women globally to become all they have been created and designed to be by using the guiding principles of their Creator’s word in gaining wisdom, understanding their designed-given personality identities & create their purpose!  You can contact Debra at dwcscc@yahoo.com.  

                                                   Celebrate Your Uniqueness!

      ...your voice is unique, and it is sweet to God’s ears.”

                        Song of Songs 2:14

When Joy Becomes Just a Word - a guest post by John Boring

This world can kick like a mule some days and when it does there's nothing but sorrow falling down around us and joy becomes just a word that has little meaning. 

That's when our focus goes inward and we gather our sadness like an old blanket and we huddle under it; waiting for some goodness to shine on us and bring warmth and relief into our life. 

This is how we hope to survive; believing that sorrow seeks out only the happy and ignores those already immersed in the muck of despair. 

We have no idea that sorrow begets sorrow, sadness breeds sadness and lack of hope produces hopelessness. When calamity comes to call, ignoring it and hoping for the best rarely works out in a favorable way. God created us as tender-hearted creatures, easily damaged and emotionally fragile. Our nature is to flinch when threatened and huddle when wounded; to seek out the protection of our clan if we have one. 

If we are isolated and alone, we seek only shelter; a place where we can hide and recover. Along the way to such a place, we set aside our faith and ignore the nearness of the Great Healer, the one who can hold our fractured hearts in his hands and heal our wounds. 

It takes great strength and courage to ignore the natural instincts that govern our need to survive on our own, and instead, turn ourselves outwards towards Christ and lay our life in His hands. 

It requires great trust and love for it is within those that we find that courage and strength. There is no shame in believing we can stand alone for that is our nature. But, there is hope and healing when we let Jesus stand with us when we are suffering. That was his promise to us all. 

The world will still kick but we are never alone in taking the blows. Christ lives, and through him we also live. 

God bless.

This post was written by Shelley Hendrix's friend, John Boring, and is shared here with his permission.

Hanging by a Thread ~ a new post by @ShelleyHendrix

Psalm 30:5b

It wasn't too many years ago now that I confided in a safe friend, "Sometimes I feel as though I'm only hanging by a thread; but when it is attached to the hem of His garment, I find that it holds!"

It seems that the majority of us have experienced seemingly endless seasons of suffering and pain. Although the details may look different, pain = pain. And the more personal the pain, the more painful is our experience.

My family has been in one of these seemingly endless seasons for quite some time now. Although there truly has been and continues to be peace in the midst of the storms, and reasons to celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness while still feeling the pelts of ice and rain that hit us, storms also have a way of wearing a person out when they come from all different directions ~ and many times when you're just getting back on your feet from the last one.

You've most likely heard the saying, "You're either in a storm, coming out of one, or heading into one." But the truth is, a lot of us have experienced all three at the same time! It can be so hard to even hang on by a thread. It's in those times we can trust that our strong and faithful Father holds onto us and we are, like our contributor Cheryl Lutz says, "Securely Held."

As Stephen, our kids, and I look at where we are today, as in right now in this moment, we're once again amazed by how our Gracious Heavenly Father has woven His redemptive threads of grace through the unsightly and unpleasant parts of the tapestry that is our lives. (To see the latest on our family's news, please click here.)

This post isn't anything deep or new or anything you haven't thought of or experienced in the past. My hope is simply that today's post will encourage you that no matter what your journey and experience looks like today, God is working--and many times, He does His best work behind the scenes! Just because we can't see the evidence of His activity in our lives it doesn't mean that there is no activity.

My Macey turns 18 in a few weeks and she has told us to just let her know what we're giving her for her special birthday. She said, "I don't like surprises; just go ahead and tell me," to which I responded, "I know you well enough to know you do like surprises, Mace; it's the waiting for them that you don't like."

How do I know this? Because I know her...and I also know me. I think most of us struggle with the waiting. But I also believe God delights in surprising us. I believe He enjoys watching us experience the joy and excitement seeing His surprises come into our view and into our personal experience. It's those times of waiting in the midst of the dark unknown seasons of our lives that test (i.e. purify) our trust in our Heavenly Father. And it's those times when the Joy breaks the darkness like that first flash of the sunrise that sends our souls soaring with the celebration of knowing that--once again--our God came through and that He has been working everything together for His good purposes and for our best interest all along.

May we trust Him more today whether we're walking by faith or experiencing His surprises with our sight.

Shelley Hendrix is the founder of Church 4 Chicks as well as Shelley Hendrix Ministries and the co-founder of a new ministry collaboration called Team Redeemed (a ministry to those whose lives have been impacted by infidelity). 

You can find Shelley's website, social media links and more at www.ShelleyHendrix.com but you'll typically find her sipping coffee, scrounging for chocolate, and petting her dog while hovered over her laptop.

Slay Your Sorrow by Praying for Someone Else by: Jennifer O White

I have discovered that one of the VERY best ways to lift my despairing soul is to pray for others. When I first started serving in our church’s prayer room, the enormous stack of prayer cards scared me. My brain whispered to my heart, “This is going to be so depressing.” But as I finished the hour praying for other’s needs, I felt lighter. After a month of weekly visits to our prayer room, my heart and mind agreed: Praying for others brings healing to my soul.

The Bible gives us evidence that this practice of praying (serving others) brings great reward.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

… in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. (Job 42:10)

Did you know that about Job? Seriously, that guy had plenty to despair over. Yet he served his friends (the ones who told him to curse God and die). And his fortunes were restored.

Now, I’m not suggesting that we launch out praying for others for the purpose of blessing or having our fortunes doubled. I’m preaching to myself and inviting you to experience the gift that comes from ignoring the voice within us that is screaming for justice, attention, and relief long enough to serve other despairing ones. We can trust that it will be used for their good, God’s glory and in our lives for more good than it cost us in time and attention.

You may have a church prayer ministry that you can join today. I hope you will prayerfully consider doing that. Create your own prayer ministry using the opportunities you have to pray for others as you sit, walk, drive, watch the news, visit other cities and countries.

When our hearts are heavy it is hard to think of what to pray for others. Here are simple prayers based on Scripture that you can pray in the name of Jesus Christ over your own home, neighborhood, church, and other countries.

Your Home –

We desire to do nothing out of ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility we choose to value others above ourselves. Guide us, teach us, empower us Lord. Philippians 2:3

We are filled with the fruit of salvation – the righteous character produced in our lives by Jesus Christ – we live to bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:11

Your Streets, Neighborhood, City

Lord, grant those who dwell in ________ the overwhelming desire to think about You and Your promises, even through the night. Psalm 119:148

Lord, give the people of  ________ eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch _____ out of Your hand. John 10:28

Your Church/ Any Church

Fill ________ minds Lord with a real knowledge and experience of Your love for them as Father. Grant them the joy of being Your children. 1 John 3:1

Lord, help _______ to agree wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Philippians 2:2

Hospitals

Almighty God, grant the employees the irresistible desire to praise You for Your great love and the wonderful things You have done in their hospital. Psalm 107:8-9

Father, let the patients and their families’ souls be at rest again, as they think on Your goodness to them. Psalm 116:7

Your Country / Other Countries

Lord, turn _________’s eyes from worthless things, and give them life through Your Word. Ps 119:37

Lord, overwhelm ________’s leaders with an eagerness for Your laws rather than a love for money. Psalm 119:36

You can offer these prayers within mere moments of your day knowing that your time in God’s presence brings joy and serving others brings blessing into your own life.

How can you intentionally work these or other life-giving, Kingdom-building, joy-restoring prayers into your day?

Jennifer O. White is the author of the forthcoming book, Prayers for New Brides: Putting on the Armor After the Wedding Dress. She is prayerfully speaking HOPE from the truth of God’s Word at jenniferowhite.com. You can download her free ebook – Prayers Spoken, Lives Changed here.