October's Joy Dare {and a summary ~ "31 Days of Celebrating JOY!"}

I am taking the Joy Dare and counting to {an extra} 1,000 Gifts in 2012! Will you join me?

#823 - #915... October's grace-gifts... from the Giver of good gifts, the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Day 1 of 31 Days: Joy... So Much Joy!
3 gifts orange:

:: Autumn leaves reflected on pond's surface!

:: Pumpkin patches!
:: Gerber flowers on our living room coffee table.

Day 2 of 31 Days: The Autumn Landscape

3 gifts falling:

:: Yellow leaves from our ash tree in the backyard.
:: Temperatures... bringing with it cooler Autumn weather!
:: Light rain...

Day 3 of 31 Days: Do I Want...

a gift caught, let go, mid-way:

:: A mistake, corrected in time.

:: Letting go of what the future holds...
:: A break mid-way through my work day.

Day 4 of 31 Days: A Choice

3 gifts reaped:

:: A well-deserved basketball win for my girl's team!

:: A fulfilling evening serving the least of these.

:: Blessings received, in blessing others!

Day 5 of 31 Days: Joy Comes in a Letter

3 gifts returned:

:: Milk bottles to our local grocer.

:: Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Great is His faithfulness! ♥

:: Long overdue phone calls!

Day 6 of 31 Days: His Eye is on the Sparrow
3 gifts redeemed:

:: Some much needed sleep!

:: My strawberry coffee cake... which I thought would be a baking disaster!

:: Coupons!!!

Day 7 of 31 Days: Sunday's Joy Verse...
a gift baked, stirred, eaten:

:: Chocolate cupcakes!

:: Gravy...

:: My sister made prime rib! So yummy!

Day 8 of 31 Days: Giving Thanks!
3 gifts prayed for:
:: For God to clearly open and close doors.
:: A clear path regarding a new direction.
:: God's peace as I walk through open doors.

Day 9 of 31 Days: Follow You
3 gifts praised for:
:: Health.
:: Peace.
:: Freedom in Christ!

Day 10 of 31 Days: The Practice of Joy
3 hard eucharisteos:
:: Stepping out, once again... of my comfort zone.
:: Long hours spent figuring out how to work an NXT Robot! :0
:: Those hard conversations that are necessary in order to raise kids who turn out right.

Day 11 of 31 Days: Joy in Life's Messiness...
3 gifts of change:
:: The changing season... into Autumn... God's work of art!
:: My girl's piano lessons... changed to Fridays... an opportunity for me to read a book quietly as I wait.
:: Change... in the horizon... oh Lord, please calm my anxious heart!

Day 12 of 31 Days: International Day of the Girl Child
a gift small, smaller, smallest:

:: The last geranium blooms of the season.

:: Seed pods on my climbing rose bush.

:: Tiny blooms of my sedum plant.

Day 13 of 31 Days: Affluence to Generosity
3 gifts read:
:: This blog post by Jen Hatmaker. Wow! Just. Wow!
:: This blog post written by my girl! ♥
:: A blog post by Ann Voskamp... hit so close to home for me.

Day 14 of 31 Days: Song of Joy...
3 gifts said:
:: The teaching and person of Jesus (not the Bible in general) is our foundation. Scripture is “inspired” and “useful”. Jesus is inerrant and authoritative. We READ the Bible; we FOLLOW Jesus. We are never disciples of book, only a person. ~ Bruxy Cavey.
:: Joy results from discovering His presence, His purpose, and His power in an entirely new way. Could it be that if our focus is on Christ, we'll see Him transfigured before us rather than our circumstances? Look for Him in the middle of your circumstances --- He's there just waiting to be discovered. ~ Beth Moore.
:: This, this is what I've always wanted and never knew: this utter trust, this enlivening fall of surrender into the safe hands. There is no joy without trust. ~ Ann Voskamp.

Day 15 of 31 Days: And, I'm Amazed...
3 gifts re-read:
:: Chapter 10 of Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.
:: The Great Commission verses, in depth and detail.
:: The book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.

Day 16 of 31 Days: A Gift...
3 gifts burning:
:: Scented candle in the kitchen.

:: Oven burners... baking sweet goodies!

:: Stove top burners... warming soup for chilly days.

Day 17 of 31 Days: Joy of the Lord...
3 gifts ugly-beautiful:
:: Difficult family relationships...
:: Crossroads...
:: Challenges faced in ministry...

Day 18 of 31 Days: My Autumn Garden
a gift shared, saved, surrendered:
:: Lunch with a girlfriend.
:: A draft blog post...
:: My next steps...

Day 19 of 31 Days: A Joy to Celebrate
3 gifts unexpected:
:: Groceries done a day early!
:: Some extra time to read... Christine Caine's Undaunted. Another great read!
:: An afternoon coffee break with a friend!

Day 20 of 31 Days: One Roof!
3 gifts unconventional:
:: A bold and God-sized dream... our church's newest mission!
:: A parking lot potluck... with our extended church family!
:: An amazing dance party with our whole church family!

Day 21 of 31 Days: Ultimate Fam Jam
3 gifts undervalued:
:: Family togetherness.
:: Faith community.
:: Friendships.

Day 22 of 31 Days: What A Week!
a gift silent, still, strong:
:: Silent participants, but full of thought.
:: Being still and waiting on God.
:: Jesus' strong name!

Day 23 of 31 Days: Life Is A Gift!
3 gifts begun:

:: Planning of Christmas outreach events for our church family!
:: A budget proposal...
:: Laundry... undone from the weekend.

Day 24 of 31 Days: The Joy of YES!
3 gifts accomplished:
:: A completed budget, typed up and emailed off!
:: A smooth-sailing work day, not always easy to accomplish!
:: A lunch with a girlfriend!

Day 25 of 31 Days: A Burst of Orange...
3 gifts enjoying:
:: Lunch with my sister.
:: A pumpkin spice latte treat!
:: A laid-back evening.

Day 26 of 31 Days: 22 Minutes to Joy!
3 gifts extravagant:
:: God's love.
:: His mercy.
:: His amazing grace!

Day 27 of 31 Days: The Line
a gift humbling, honouring, happy:
:: That God would partner with us in His mission!
:: That we have the opportunity to help make disciples!
:: That other people see Jesus in our family!

Day 28 of 31 Days: Joy-Filled!
3 gifts in Christ:
:: Hope!
:: Strength!
:: Freedom!

Day 29 of 31 Days: An Update on Eucharisteo {and a Giveaway!}
3 gifts on time:
:: Waking up on time on a dark and rainy Monday morning.
:: The kids getting to school on time.
:: Hubby getting to his first appointment on time.

Day 30 of 31 Days: 
3 gifts overjoyed:
:: Overjoyed by this update about Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy!
:: Overjoyed by the sense of community that's developing in the brand-new Meeting House Home Church that started up in our home this Fall.
:: Overjoyed by the simple gifts that surround me each day.

And, today's Joy Dare {for October} post is Day 31 of 31 Days! :-)
3 gifts hallowed:
:: God's name.
:: A life lived for His purposes.
:: Time spent in God's presence.


This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics!

Click on the banners below to learn more about counting to 1,000 Gifts...

Jump in... I promise you will be blessed!

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

An Update on Eucharisteo {and a Giveaway!}

Friends, exactly one month ago today...

Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy happened! Each time I think back to this beautiful evening and the six months of planning that led up to it, I am still in awe that the mighty and all-powerful God, the One who spoke this world into being, would choose to invite unqualified people like our family to join Him in His work, to be His hands and His feet in this world.

It is utterly mind-blowing, thought-provoking, humbling...

Here's some background {for those who might be visiting here for the first time today}...

One year ago, our family came home from a self-guided missions immersion trip to the Philippines... we came home changed... hearts broken for the things that break God's heart!

A response was stirring in our hearts... the need so immensely great and us, so utterly inadequate... yet God continued to propel us forward, compelling us to respond... thus, the idea of Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy came into being in the Spring of this year.

Guest Speaker... my sweet friend, Ann Voskamp, speaking about Eucharisteo.

Photo Credits: Carlos Ramirez, cdrPhotoStudio.

Could we really do this? Raise $30,000.00 to build a permanent facility for Compassion's Patnubay Child Development Centre? The endeavour seemed enormous... yet the thought that kept coming to mind was this, "Our God is greater!"

Our God truly is greater!
Today, my heart is overflowing with joy and thanksgiving as I share a very exciting update about this project! Friends, this building is on its way to becoming a reality...

... for the 272 precious children and their families who rely on Patnubay Child Development Centre for their very survival each and every day!!!

All because you have helped us to raise a total of $30,158.42!!!
Yes, indeed... the fundraising goal surpassed by $158.42! Our God truly is greater and this gift is too wonderful for words!

As I sit here in reflection, my heart says, "Thank you, God!"... for blessings that flow freely and for the privilege of being your hands and feet to a world in need! I am in awe...

And now, the giveaway!
In honour of everyone who helped to make Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy such a beautiful and successful evening, I am hosting a giveaway right here on the blog this week!

There will be two winners! One will receive Dr. Wess Stafford's book, Too Small To Ignore and the second winner will get his newest book, Just A Minute.

How to enter...
Simply leave a comment on this blog post and your name will be entered in the draw. For additional entries, you can post about this giveaway on your own blog, on Facebook or on Twitter. Then, come back and let me know in the comments section and you will get additional entries!!! The two winners will be announced here on the blog next Monday, November 5 as part of my Multitudes on Mondays blog post!

As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who is truly greater than our thoughts and imagination... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #1626 - #1632:

:: HE who promised is indeed faithful. All glory to Him alone for the success of Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy.

:: The privilege of being His hands and His feet in this world.

:: For every penny of the $30,158.42 raised!!!

:: My sister, Aileen... who dared to dream up this event with me!

:: The JOY that is found in serving Jesus!

:: Ann Voskamp... for being used by God to teach me the practice of eucharisteo... and to turn that into thanks-living!

:: Joy that multiplies... joy upon joy!

Happy Monday, friends!

In that place of humble thanks, God exalts and gives more gifts and more of Himself. Which humbles and lays the soul down lower. And good God responds with greater gifts of grace and even more of Himself. And I ride the undulating wave of grace, this lifting higher and higher in grace, the surging crest of joy, and this plunging lower and lower in humble thankfulness, only to rise yet higher in grace, and this eucharisteo, it offers the ultimate joy ride.

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Let's soar into this new week together, friends... let's do justice, love mercy and walk humbly!


This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Click on the banner below for more Multitudes on Mondays posts...

Jump in... I promise you will be blessed!

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

Joy-Filled!

Loving this quote...

... from my God In The Moment desk calendar --- a collection of quotes from Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.

Happy Sunday, friends!

Make sure to check back here tomorrow, Monday... because, with my 1,000 Gifts blog post will be a special announcement and a couple of giveaways! :-) 

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

The Line

Last night...
Our whole family watched a short film called The Line... about poverty right here in the First World. Wow! So many ways we can help... friends, let's not sit still and stay comfortable any longer!

On this rainy and wet Saturday...

I urge you to take 45 minutes of your time to watch The Line... to get to know and to get educated about the poor among us. Watch it with your whole family... even my 12-year-old boy was captivated throughout the whole 45 minutes... and was in a pondering mood after that.


Friends, I hope that this video will help you to consider being active in helping the poor among us... because the abundant joy that results from giving away and reaching out to the needy is something truly worth celebrating!

It's why I'm utterly excited about our church's next mission, Transform... as it calls us to be radically generous in compassion! Very exciting... I love the mission's boldness and God-sized-ness, if there's such a word! :-)

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

22 Minutes to Joy!

Hello there, Friday!
Friends, do you have 22 minutes today? If you do, I highly recommend you watch this... {if you don't have 22 minutes right now... please be sure to come back later when you do... because I promise that this is worth spending your 22 minutes! :-)}

Isn't this just beautiful? What a gift this is from my friend, Ann Voskamp! Seeing my own name flash across the video screen had me relishing anew on just how much God loves!

"A-I-M-E-E." Loved one.

God is always good and I am always loved and eucharisteo has made me my truest self, "full of grace." Doesn't eucharisteo rename all God's children their truest name:

"Loved one."

~ Afterword by Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Aimee is also the name of Ann's sister... the sister whose tragic death Ann wrote about in the starting pages of One Thousand Gifts. This tragedy that marked the beginning of Ann's journey towards full communion with God.

This book and the practice of eucharisteo has indeed transformed me. Eucharisteo has allowed me to see Grace every single day. Each new day, I am on the hunt for grace-gifts!

And... eucharisteo didn't need to rename me... yet, like Ann, I didn't live like I knew the true meaning of my name. Until this practice of eucharisteo, that is! It has made me my truest self, "loved one." Aimee --- it means loved one! :-)

I can't wait to watch the rest of the videos... there are four more parts to this! 

So much joy...
Watching Ann's video for the first time yesterday brought me so much joy! Friends, I hope it brings you to celebrate joy too... because God is always good and *you* are always loved!

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

A Burst of Orange...

I love the colour orange...

As my garden starts to go into winter mode, I am finding joy in the beauty of indoor plants... such as these orange gerbera daisies! Thank you, God... for simple joys! 

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

The Joy of YES!

Today...
I am linking up with a host of other bloggers over at A Holy Experience, all of us writing about The Practice of Joy and answering questions like, "What does it mean to choose Crazy Joy?"... and, "How do we authentically walk through hard times?"... or, "How do we practice the 'gigantic secret' of Christians?"

These few weeks...

God has been driving home for me the reality that JOY is found in saying "Yes!" to Him... even when the next step seems unclear... even when it requires me stepping out of my comfort zone... even when it terrifies me... even when I don't think I'm qualified!

And it just so happens... the quotes that I've been reading from my God In The Moment {from Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts} desk calendar these few weeks are all about saying "Yes!" to God. How convenient... hmmmm! ;-)

October 14: I can feel all the sinews releasing, the opening of the heart chambers, the unfurling of a life into one reverberating, exultant yes! "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV) Yes in Christ!

October 16: To the enfleshed Yes who said yes to this moment and yes to last year's illness and yes to the cracks of my childhood and yes to the nail and yes to my name in the Book of Life, hear me say YES!

October 17: YES! Not "I'm worried." Not "I'm stressed out." Not "I'm anxious." Not "I'm too afraid." Hear me say thank you. Hear me say YES! Watch me live a life of yes. To all that was and is and is to come.

October 19: The God whom we thank for fulfilling the promises of the past will fulfill His promises again. In Christ, the answer to the questions of every moment is always Yes. The answer is always YES!

October 20: Stress can be an addiction and worry can be our lunge for control and we forget the answer to this moment is always yes because of Christ.

Yes, yes, yes...

To live a life of YES... it is the key to experiencing JOY!

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. ~ Psalm 63:3, NIV.

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Click on the banner below to read more Walk With Him posts...

I promise you will be blessed!

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

Life Is A Gift!

During our summer trip to Cape Cod...

My girl spotted this piece of art made from weathered sand dune fence posts. On it these words are carved... "Life is a gift. Unwrap it."

When she directed my attention to it, I loved it right away and knew I had to buy it! ;-) I even knew the exact spot in our home where I wanted to hang it... right near my JOY sign by the window!

Friends, life *is* a gift... celebrate it with joy!

God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing,
He can make something out of us. ~ Martin Luther.

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

What A Week!

It has been...

... somewhat of a busy, crazy week for our family! Through it all, God's grace is evident and it truly is sufficient. And, there is always JOY in serving Jesus!

As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who completes my JOY... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #1613 - #1625:

:: New people attending Home Church at our home!

:: My girl's awesome Progress Report!

:: Great meeting with our church's Missions Coordinators Team!

:: Lunch with a girlfriend.

:: Debrief meeting about Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy --- still awaiting a grand total of the amount raised, which should come any day now!

:: Excellent Parent-Teacher interviews at my girl's school. God has gifted us with a daughter who is not only brilliant and intelligent, but most importantly, she has a beautiful heart!

:: Being challenged coaching my boy's Robotics Club... enough said! :-)

:: An unexpected mid-Friday-afternoon coffee date with a girlfriend!

:: A nice drive up to our local farm... my kids getting to unexpectedly trudge through manure and see an actual chicken coop! City kids experiencing farming life... I had a good laugh!!! The look on their faces was priceless... wish I brought my camera. :-)

:: One Roof! Wow... a taste of Kingdom life to come!

:: Our church's newest mission... bold and God-sized! So. Exciting!

:: Sunday lunch with a whole bunch of our church family.

:: Sunday evening Sandwich Run with Project417.

Happy Monday, friends!

His kiss of tender truth: "All fear is but the notion that God's Love ends. Did you think I end, that My bread warehouses are limited, that I will not be enough? But I am infinite, child. What can end in Me? Can life end in Me? Can happiness? Or peace? Or any thing you need? Doesn't your Father always give you what you need? I am the Bread of Life and My Bread for you will never end."

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Let's soar into this new week together, friends... let's do justice, love mercy and walk humbly!


This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Click on the banner below for more Multitudes on Mondays posts...

Jump in... I promise you will be blessed!

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

Ultimate Fam Jam

Happy Sunday, friends!

One Roof with our whole church family was a-m-a-z-i-n-g yesterday!!! It was the most ultimate fam jam that I've ever been to in my whole life... a taste of Kingdom life to come!

My kids and their friends chilling before the event started.

My friend Emily and I welcoming people as they entered the building.

The line up of cars arriving at the venue.

During the afternoon worship service.

At the afternoon worship service, our church's newest mission was launched, one that will guide us into these next four years! It is simply called... Transform. I love its boldness and how it is God-sized... and especially how it calls us all to be radically generous in compassion! Love it, love it, love it!

GROW: Everyone to grow spiritually; growing in baptisms, Home Churches, volunteers, attendance and personal stories of life transformation.

INVITE: Everyone to connect with neighbours, friends, co-workers, and family; seven new sites to be launched. 

CARE: This is the one I'm most excited about! Everyone engaged in compassionate relationships; invest $1.5 million in local partners and $3.5 million in southern Africa partners for compassionate community transformation; explore new opportunities in compassion and peace in our communities, nation and world!

Now, to actually LIVE IT! I am actually really looking forward to doing this... especially with a church family that is so passionate about following Jesus! Just. So. Cool!

After the worship service, the biggest parking lot potluck unfolded! So. Much. Fun!

The evening was capped off with the most amazing dance party ever! From as old as 80-years-old to as young as 6-months-old, each one danced the night away, Gangnam Style Meeting House version a.k.a. Kingdom Style! ;-)

All the kids dancing the night away up on stage with Bruxy Cavey, our teaching pastor, a.k.a. DJ Brux!

Our Site's Lead Pastor, JRah, enjoying the dance party with my boy!

Our church family brings us so much joy!

It is truly a gift to be able to do life with them. My heart overflows with joy just thinking about where God will take us these next four years... to God be the glory great things He has done and will continue to do!

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

One Roof!

Today is the day...

The day our church family, everyone from all 13 sites of The Meeting House gathering under One Roof! I just know it's going to be awesome!

I am most excited about hearing the new mission that will guide our church community into these next four years... to following Jesus with more abandon, to doing compassion with more sacrifice, to living as a disciple with more intention!

My heart overflows with great joy as I think about how God brought us into community with this church family... it's truly been such a gift to our family! 

In the Summer of 2010, we started attending this church after sensing that God is initiating a change in how our family serves Him... after each Sunday, we felt more and more drawn towards The Meeting House. After much prayer and waiting... this is what I wrote on the first Sunday of 2011. 

It's been more than two years since that Sunday when we first walked into movie theatres in a shopping mall to attend church... unsure of what we were going to experience...

God's goodness always shines through... 

Friends, it's been the most awesome two+ years... we are learning from a great teaching pastor who constantly and always points us to Jesus... we are being stretched to live simply and give generously to those in need... we are in community with a great bunch of people, not only at the site we attend on Sundays but also at Home Church each and every Monday night... our kids have made great friends... they are growing in their faith and they are being challenged in how they practically live it out! 

I could go on and on... but I won't. :-) But this I must say... God's grace is amazing, He truly is always good and His love truly is relentless!

So... soon, our family will be getting ready to head out to One Roof! It's going to be One. Big. Party!!! Happy Saturday, friends! Let me leave you with this... before I sign off. :-)

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

A Joy to Celebrate

One morning this week...
I woke up to an email that made me smile. Yes! Even before my mandatory morning coffee, a smile was already on my face! ;-)

These were the words sprawled across my computer screen...

I started looking at the Compassion site... as soon as I saw her, I knew I would sponsor her.

The author of those words? An acquaintance... a friend of my sister's. She said she heard me present Compassion's ministry, as a Volunteer Advocate, at a Mom's Conference over a year ago... my very first one, one where I so nervously clutched my notes, one where my words tripped over each other, one where I thought no one was listening... little did I realize then, God does not waste any moment. He does not waste anything!

Then, this week, she read one of my blog post... the one about raising truly great kids... then she read one of my girl's blog post... the one about coming across Happyness' child pack and knowing right away that this sweet little Tanzanian girl has captured her heart!

And this acquaintance, this friend... she clicks over to Compassion Canada's website... and started browsing... until a little girl caught her eye, captured her heart!

A little girl from Colombia... a little girl with the same name as her daughter... a little girl with the same birthday as her daughter!!!

Can you believe it? God is just so amazing and so wonderful that way... to match this family with this Colombian Compassion Child in such a special way! Just. So. Beautiful!

And my girl's Happyness?
Today is her birthday!!! And... sweet Happyness has recently shaved her head! My girl has written a blog post all about Happyness' new 'do and how she would like you to celebrate Happyness' birthday today!!! Please take a few minutes and hop over to my girl's blog to read her heart. Thank you, friends!

Happyness! 

I am celebrating JOY today...
... in a most special way! :-) And relishing in the goodness and awesomeness of our God!

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

My Autumn Garden

Simple joys...

The days are getting colder. We've had our first frost. As my garden starts to wither and hibernate, I am enjoying its last blooms... and celebrating simple joys! 

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!

Joy of the Lord...

Today...
I am linking up with a host of other bloggers over at A Holy Experience, all of us writing about The Practice of Joy and answering questions like, "What does it mean to choose Crazy Joy?"... and, "How do we authentically walk through hard times?"... or, "How do we practice the 'gigantic secret' of Christians?"

It got me thinking back...

... to a Bible study I once did --- Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself. Chapter 4 is entitled The Joy Of The Lord Is Our Strength --- great insights on how to truly live joy.

Here are some snippets...

Joy results from discovering His presence, His purpose, and His power in an entirely new way. Could it be that if our focus is on Christ, we'll see Him transfigured before us rather than our circumstances? Look for Him in the middle of your circumstances --- He's there just waiting to be discovered.

God's Word propels us to abide in Christ. When His words "abide" in us and we obey His commands with a tenacity similar to Ruth's, we abide in Him. His Word is our cling wrap, adhering us to His presence.

Joy cheaters: which one can you most relate to?

When our outpour exceeds our intake. Are you serving more than you are seeking?

When our talk exceeds our walk. Somewhere along the way, our mouth and our heart most likely parted company.

When we become "wonders junkies". We miss Him as the joy in the midst of the mundane. The most intimate times we ever will spend with God will be listening to His gentle whispers. It is there that we will find true joy. Rarely are you more at risk for losing your joy than when you have just experienced a spiritual "high". Pray to enjoy those marvelous times, but never more than you enjoy His sweet whisper when you are all alone.

When we are exhausted. Are you neglecting your rest? What about eating? In our culture, we rarely neglect to eat; however, we neglect to eat for the body's benefit. 

When we feel all alone. As you're growing in Christ, beware of feelings that tempt you to believe you are all alone and that no one else wants to serve or love God as you do. Just because someone does not share our "cause" or our personal "passions" does not set us apart. When we view ourselves as the only spiritual persons we know, we're setting ourselves up for a fall.

We are catalysts of joy for one another! After we were born again, He did not leave us on earth to be loners. He wants us to bring joy to one another! Each and every believer should be a joy to us; challenging us to dig deeper and deeper into God's Word.

Beautiful truths...

Lots to digest and lots to live out... and I am thankful that the joy of the Lord is my strength!

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever. ~ Psalm 16:11, NLT.

This month of October, I am participating in a blog link up called 31 Day Series. I will be writing about Celebrating JOY! Click on the banner below for 1000+ other topics! 

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I promise you will be blessed!

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!