Thursday, June 28, 2012

Made For Joy


“God will yet fill your mouth with laughter 
       and your lips with shouts of joy.” ~ Job 8:21 NCV
Our hearts were made for joy...because our hearts were made to enjoy the One who created them. 

I read a quote recently from Christian author Barbara Johnson, and she said: 
“ Live for today but hold your hands open to tomorrow. Anticipate the future and it’s changes with joy. There is a seed of God’s love in every event, every circumstance, every unpleasant situation in which you may find yourself.”
I imagine that God has planted joy deeply within our souls so that it is not affected by the ups and downs of life...for true joy...well, it comes from knowing and being known by our Creator. 
Joy...it is what makes our living worthwhile for it carries with it hope and assurance...that the next “bad thing” that happens in life will not be void of God’s love and provisions for us. 
In fact...when I am threatened to be pulled under and drown in my despair over life’s trials and adversities...the Lord gently calls me to discover the undercurrent of joy that lives inside of me...a joy because I’m His.

In my darkest days after my husband’s death, I pleaded with God to know joy again...to feel it...to live in it. When I finally tasted joy for the first time after Brad’s death...it was the only thing I ever wanted to taste forever and ever. 
I know I am made for joy. So are you. For we are made to know and be known by God...and it is God’s love that ignites our hearts with radiant joy.


“Dear Father, help me to always uncover the joy that you have planted in my soul when it is threatened to be buried deep inside my sorrow and fears. Help me to cling to it no matter how strong the winds of adversity or raging the currents of frightening circumstances that may surround my life and the lives of those I love.
Increase my trust and love for Jesus...help me to fix my eyes and thoughts only on Him. 
For to me...to be joyful means that I am faithfully living for Jesus and that is all that counts. If I give joy to others...I am doing Your work. For I know in these things...all is well...and my joy in You will never be lost again. Amen”

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Glory!
Kathy 
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About Me

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My life in Christ came a bit late in life.I grew up in a Christian home and was baptized at age 9. I enjoyed a long career as a flight attendant (1973-2005). I met my husband Brad, in 1984 while living in Tampa Florida. At the time, we both were living a lifestyle that was not pleasing to the Lord. We married in 1986, but it wasn't until early 1992 that I knew the Lord was calling me to Him. God placed this same desire in my husband's heart. As Brad and I grew in faith, so did our desire to serve God in ministry. In late 2002 we moved to Virginia Beach where the Lord called Brad to serve as a Worship minister. In 6 short months, Brad was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I found my greatest moments of weakness came when I placed my thoughts on all the things that could go wrong and allowed fear to take hold. We were given 5 more years to share together. God is faithful and to His glory I serve Him through writing devotionals and inspirational article for this blog as well as a published writer with the writing team of A Widow's Might ministry. Our Devotional Books are titled: "For The Love of Her Life". I am also an Inspirational Speaker.