Lifted Up in the Completeness of God's Joy

Everlasting joy is found in God alone.  If we depend on others to produce joy, then we only experience temporary moments of it, and we are never satisfied. I write this from experience.  I depend some days on a hug or a compliment or an acknowledgement from certain people in my life, and when I do receive one, I feel joy and elation.  The days when I don't receive one, I feel more insecure and dejected.  I hinge joy on a hug!  How crazy is that!?  Therefore, I repeat, more for myself than anyone else, EVERLASTING JOY is found in God alone.  Period.  The joy that I receive from others just comes and goes.  It's erratic and inconsistent.
If we live our lives depending on others to produce joy, then we will live our lives in disappointment and dissatisfaction.  Only God can produce complete joy.  "For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete." (Deuteronomy 16:15) 

I found joy in the past week by serving others because in essence I served the Lord.  I also was filled with joy when I spent time in God's Word and shared with others the wisdom gained from it, when I took care of the little things that hung over my head like tacky, irritating ornaments; and when I poured out love onto others even when I knew it might not be reciprocated or that it might be rejected.  Joy was in my heart because God was there, and I relied on His love, His faithfulness, and His goodness. 

The beauty of God's joy is that because it is complete, I'm overflowing with it when I do receive the hugs, the compliments, or the acknowledgments from certain people.  There's nothing better than to be flying above the clouds because of God's propelling joy and to have a gust of wind--bits of joy that comes from other people--lift me up even higher.  May God joy fill your hearts this day and may you receive the extra blessings that come!

Lost Intentions

I began this blog with the intentions of living a more intentional life for the Lord in order to serve Him better and to inspire more to walk in faith.  A month has gone by, so I intend now on evaluating the past month.  I am ashamed to say that I have not been intentional each day like I aimed to be for several reasons.

One, busyness is a scheme-a "half-truth"-Satan uses to keep us from intentional living.  In busyness it was easy to think I was doing something for God because I was so busy doing some things.  But here's the truth: I was less intentional of serving the Lord because I was so busy!  Balance not busyness is needed in order to remain spiritually intact.

Two, God will test any intention of serving Him.  Why?  God desires us to "be strong in the Lord" (Ephesians 6:10) because there are battles going on-a Spiritual Warfare-and we have to be ready to fight.  Testing is not something we should fear; rather, we should praise God for caring enough to include us in the fight over our souls.  Testing grabs attention.  Testing strengthens the weak areas of faith.  Testing causes dependency on God alone.  God tested me this past month, and I admit to failing in the area of intentional living.  At times I used the circumstances of my test, but at other times, I allowed the circumstances to use and rule over me.  These were the times I had lost intentions.  I've learned from this to embrace testing and "to consider it pure joy" (James 1:2).

Three, I had not been intentionally living for the Lord each day because I did not make any effort to do so.  I became self-absorbed and selfish.  I struggle with this sin.  I consume myself with my self.  Notice that no where in God's Word, in any of His commands, does it say "Honor Thyself" because we naturally already do.  We honor thyselves when we are not honoring God.  I did not honor God as much as I should have.  Honoring God is putting my own needs behind His needs.

As I sit here and reflect on all my intentions and all my failures in following through, I still sit here assured of one thing:  not all intentions are lost.  God will receive and use whatever intentions I give and follow through on.  I may not intentionally live each day for Him, but I am intent on living a life for Him.  I will keep at it, and I will take my lessons from this past month and put forth my new knowledge and my best effort toward this next month.  God bless you all in your walks of faith.

Inspired Oaks of Righteousness

Inspired by an idea I saw on pinterest, I created a way to use an old Bible of mine, Mod Podge, canvas, and acrylics to display a powerful Scripture verse in my kitchen. 

I first took a scalpel and cut out random pages from the Bible. 

Then, I brushed Mod Podge over the canvas and layered the pages. 

Next, after the canvas was covered, I brushed more Mod Podge to seal the pages down.

Finally, using acrylic paint, I painted a tree and the Scripture verse. 

(Until I get the picture framed, I hot glued ribbon along the outside edges so that it has a finished look.)

Now, everytime I walk into the kitchen, I am reminded of what I may be called--oaks of righteousness--and why I should be a planting of the Lord--so that He may be glorified.  May you be inspired and reminded, also.