Finding Joy In The Journey

Be a Better Human in 1 Simple Step

A LESSON FROM TV

My favorite TV shows to watch in France are the dubbed American series. The voices they choose and the slight changes they make to conversations in French offer endless amounts of entertainment. My latest guilty pleasure is Monk, the old series about a man with OCD who solves crimes with incredible accuracy. 

However, Monk has been more than a language lesson for me these days. Every episode demonstrates how Mr. Monk sees what no one else can see. Of course, he is a fictional character, but he notices what others ignore. He perceives what others overlook. 

We need more people like Monk, people who really examine the world around them. More specifically, we need people who pay attention to other people. 

SEEING WHAT’S HARD TO SEE

My work invites me to see individuals on the streets who aren’t noticed by most. Cars may pass by late at night to consider buying what’s being sold or to hurl insults at those for sale. Sadly, the people on the streets are visible only as objects or as a nuisance to the neighborhood. 

They are so much more than what some choose to observe. They are precious people not products. They are souls not sale items.

When a team of us go out late at night, distributing coffee and offering assistance, we witness that which isn’t always enjoyable. However, recognizing the painful problems also means beholding the beautiful souls hidden in difficult scenarios. The night is a treasure trove of diamonds in the rough. 

THE GOD WHO SEES

There is tremendous comfort in knowing that, like Hagar’s distressing circumstances in Genesis 16, “the God who sees” has his eye on men and women who are trafficked or trapped by circumstances that brought them to the streets. God’s loving regard is on those who the world often overlooks. 

If we are to be more like our savior, and maybe even a bit like Mr. Monk, we must see what isn’t easy to see. We are invited by God to catch a glimpse of the beauty in the souls made in his image in our community today. We are called to acknowledge the humanity around us despite our busy schedules.

Seeing isn’t just believing. Put much more simply, seeing is noticing, recognizing and paying attention to what is around us. Perhaps truly seeing humanity is the greatest gift we can offer others today. They are not a means to an end. The simple gift of seeing, really seeing, people on the streets late at night validates their humanity and offers love. We see them; God sees them, too.

I pray we will be better humans this week. I pray we will notice those around us. May we look into the eyes of a stranger and say hello. May we pay attention to those we encounter. Love requires that we see those around us.

How to Fight the Helplessness of Suffering

THE STRUGGLE

Working alongside people who suffer enormously, much more than the average first world complaints, can create a level of helplessness. I can’t fix everything. I can’t force people to make choices I believe are better or best for their lives. 

I try to be present in moments of conversation, prayer and assistance. Yet, in the back of my head, there is always a desire to do more. Why can’t things change faster? Why can’t the pain and suffering disappear with a snap of my fingers?

I have these thoughts after late nights on the streets when sleep evades me. I want to see more for the women I encounter. I want them to experience a different life. They do too. Even still, the chasm between their reality and their hopes and dreams feels impossible to overcome on those sleepless nights. 

THE HOPE WE HAVE

What keeps me going despite these late night questions? 

The truth about resurrection. At the core of my faith in Christ is a promise of hope and new life. What appears to be too far gone, too dark, too dead, can still be brought back to life. In other words, new life is possible. The cross and the resurrection of Jesus show us that things are not always as they appear, what we see is not all there is and the future does not always look the way we expect.

Can you imagine being a disciple when Jesus was arrested, beaten and then hung on the cross? All hope was lost. The plans for the future dashed. How devastating it must’ve been for them! Then, a few days later, something better than they could’ve dreamed took place. Jesus came back to life and changed everything.

Sometimes the work I do seems like the middle time between death and resurrection. Thankfully, what I currently see is not all there is. The story doesn’t end in the middle.

Because of my faith, when I speak with women in dire situations, whether they comprehend it or not, I represent resurrection hope and power that is available to them. God can change their situation. What seems impossible is possible—in the smallest and biggest of ways. This hope we have in Christ is for you, for me and for everyone!

I pray we carry this hope and the power of resurrection today into every situation we face. May we be encouraged that what seems dead can be resurrected. Jesus is working even in the middle. 

What Aladdin Can Teach Us About God

“Do you trust me?” These words spoken by Aladdin in the original Disney movie keep coming to mind. Aladdin urged Jasmine to trust him multiple times in this classic film from my childhood. He asked her to trust as they jumped to safety away from the police. He also encouraged her to trust him and step onto the magic carpet for an adventure of a lifetime. 

Trust is at the core of Christianity. If you have faith in God, you trust Him.

When thinking about the spiritual implications of these scenarios in Aladdin (silly) and our relationship with God (serious):

Do we trust God to help us when we’re in trouble? Yes, but let’s be honest about our knee-jerk reactions. He is not the first person we call when we’ve lost our keys or need financial assistance. He is not the first person we run to when we need to vent about a problem. Often we count on God only after all other plans have been exhausted and all other strategies to resolve the problem leave no realistic solution.

Do we trust God to take us on an adventure of a lifetime? Yes and no. Magic carpets aside, following God and trusting Him creates the opportunity to see and do things we could never imagine. 

Do we trust Him when He wants us to leap into something that is unknown but exciting? When we’ve wanted this adventure for a long time, we are ready to jump. What about when it is an unexpected opportunity that we never planned for or even thought we wanted? Will we jump then as well? 

In moments of stress lately, I hear these five words: “Joy, do you trust Me?” It’s easy to say I trust God about life in general. In my line of work, I’m supposed to trust God. Yet, it’s another challenge to trust Him when circumstances overwhelm or when the road twists and turns unexpectedly.

My work with people who suffer intensely forces me to ponder many of the hardest questions about life and God. How do the women I work with trust God after all they’ve experienced? I can’t explain it, but they do. They want to be close to God. They want to pray. They want to sing and spend time in His presence. 

If trust is at the core of following God, how can I encourage myself and those I work with to trust Him more? We build trust in the same ways everyone else does.

  • Time—spending moments with God helps us build trust in Him.
  • Honest sharing—telling Him how we are feeling, thinking, and doing opens the lines of communication.
  • Slowly opening up to God—sharing about the deepest hurts and biggest dreams allows us to grow closer to God and receive healing. 
  • Observing what He does and says—Listening to God through scripture and in times of prayer, watching as He responds to our requests and helps us in our daily lives all develops trust. 

Whatever you are facing in this season, may your trust in God increase exponentially and may  you find the magic carpet moments with God better than you could’ve hoped.

The Reason Letting Go is Vital in Relationships

THE STORY

One Sunday afternoon, my father—a pastor at the time—came home from church and shared with the family some news about a beloved couple. 

They were leaving. 

The news crushed my family with a wave of disappointment and discouragement. There are people one may wish would leave the church and there are others one hope’s will never leave. This couple was the latter not the former. I immediately thought about all the ways their presence would be sorely missed. Then quickly, I thought of attendance numbers and how frustrating it is to lose such great people when we were finally on an upward swing of momentum. 

My father continued to share how a great job opportunity had presented itself, how it seemed like the right time to move for this couple. My mind was racing and my dad’s words left me flabbergasted. 

“Why didn’t he encourage them to stay? We need them here! Is this really God’s will when there is so much to be done in this city?” I thought to myself. 

I focused on the hole they would leave, not the benefits this new opportunity offered for them. My dad’s response to this obviously sad news left me amazed. How could he just let them go without trying to convince them to stay?

Love.

Love and care for his church family, concern for their wellbeing more than how it would impact his work, the church, and so on. My dad saw the good for those he loved despite the cost it would bring to him personally. 

THE LESSON

The much younger me wanted to control and keep everyone around, so that the church could flourish. I missed entirely the point of what the Church is and how real love works. Love lets them go when it is time. Love serves and gives continually even when the investment benefits others more than oneself.

THE CHALLENGE

This lesson applies far beyond the relationship of a pastor with a congregation. Even if ministry is not our vocation, life offers many opportunities to love others when it isn’t beneficial for us. We have the choice to either control or let go. Sadly, we use God’s name to wield power over people instead of seeing with His eyes and discerning what He is doing in the lives of others. We aren’t good at letting go; in other words, we aren’t good at loving others. 

THE QUESTION

Where do you need to love someone enough to let them go today? 

Why Listening to Your “Old” Music is Good for You

A REMINDER

While hanging out with a friend last week, music played quietly in the background. Suddenly, the fun, lively music was replaced with a sweet melody of worship (“Simplicity” by Rend Collective). Oh random shuffle and all its delights.

The specific song that softly began to play quickly transported me back to a season I would not care to revisit. Each word sung revived forgotten moments of tearful worship and honest words with God. 

Painful seasons do not come in a one-size-fits-all format. Even still, songs can mark these moments in our lives like altars of remembrance. They can act as anchors during the troubled times.

A DIFFICULT PRAYER

As the song continued to play, another memory revived itself. A few years ago, one line in particular had been annoying to me. 

“Lord, strip it all away ’til only You remain.” 

These words were too real, too raw to pray at one point in my life. I was not amused or enthused that these words were coming to life without my permission. I’d often skip that line and sing all the rest while thinking, “You’ve stripped enough, Lord. People who sing that line don’t know what they are asking!”

We pray difficult prayers in easy seasons without realizing the magnitude of the words we pray. “Take me deeper where my trust is without borders” (“Oceans” by Hillsong United). Are you sure that is your prayer? Deeper trust and greater endurance are most often the fruit of intense pain and serious pruning.

A GRATEFUL HEART

Yet, last week, something remarkable happened when I heard this memory-filled song. While the melody sent me back to days gone by, it also became a new altar of remembrance. I am no longer stuck in that painful season. What a relief to acknowledge that even though circumstances haven’t changed, I HAVE CHANGED! God pruned and there is new life, new growth coming forth. 

We are often ignorant of how far we’ve come until something triggers a memory of what once was. Since that sacred musical moment last week, I’ve been singing that song with joy and thanksgiving. “Suffering is never for nothing” as Elisabeth Elliot says. I can see it today and I hope you can see it in your own life as well. God is at work and we are not what we once were. Hallelujah. 

A CHALLENGE

When you have a free moment, why not select an old playlist or album and take a trip down memory lane. It might surprise you what you’ll discover.

Sometimes I’m Disappointed with Myself

CONFESSION

At times I grow weary and disappointed with myself. I envision where I’d like to be and dream of the person I long to become. I’m determined to succeed. I see the areas that need improvement, so I read, pray, reflect, and do everything I can to grow into the version of me that I desire to be.

The problem is growth takes so much longer than I’d like!

UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

When I’m honest with myself, my expectations are a wee bit unrealistic. I see them for what they are when they are words written on paper.

  • I want the wisdom of someone in their 80’s but in my 30’s.
  • I want maturity and depth produced in the speed of a microwave instead of life’s slow cooker.
  • I want loads of experience without the trials and pain that often accompany it.
  • I want to be like pure gold without the heat of the refiner’s fire removing all the impurities. 

RELEASING CONTROL

When I notice the looming discouragement over my progress, I must recognize how easy it is to forget how much I’ve grown. I lose track of how much I’ve already learned. In the pursuit of the idol of “MORE, BETTER, BEST,” I step out of my role as a lump of clay in the Potter’s hands and try to mold myself with all the resources at my fingertips. I make a mess when I try to do it my own way, even when I have the best of intentions, even when I want to improve for godly reasons.

The lesson must be learned once again. I must surrender my lofty goals and unrealistic expectations. Relinquishing my attempts at perfection and my false assumptions about the “ideal Joy,” I can rejoice in the safety and the guidance of my Potter’s hands molding and making me. 

When I follow His lead, He can make growth happen so much faster than I ever could. He can also go at the perfect pace for this little stubborn human. Surrender brings peace and removes discouragement. Surrender reminds me of who I am and who He is. 

Today, I rejoice that I am a work in progress. How wonderful it is that the Potter knows how to perfectly mold and make me into what He desires. He has plenty of patience and grace for me; I need to have a bit for myself as well.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we are often foolish to believe we can do many things on our own. The truth is we can’t. We are in desperate need of you in every aspect of our lives. Today, we surrender yet again. We are simply little lumps of clay. Mold us into what You desire and let it be for Your glory alone. Amen. 

A Vital Lesson from a Young Woman’s Prayer

Praying Together

Recently during a time of prayer, a young woman lifted up her voice to God. She is blessed with an outward beauty, but as she voiced her prayer, the hidden beauty of her heart became evident as well. She expressed a sweet anthem to the God who deserves all adoration. Her prayer was in fact praise.

Not surprisingly, hearing her heartfelt prayer brought tears to my eyes.

Truth be told, these are not easy words to say in her current situation. She has struggled and continues to struggle. Her story is not mine to tell, but life has been disproportionately unfair to her. Despite her circumstances and the many reasons she could’ve abandoned God, she has not let go. Through it all, it is clear that God has not let go of her either. 

Question: Are we allowing discomforts and difficulties to silence our praise to God?

I am challenged by her sweet words of praise and worship. Even when life throws its worst punches, I long to remain steadfast. I want to remain full of trust when circumstances force me to ask the toughest questions about God. Even when life brings with it many bruises and burns, I want to lift up beautiful anthems of praise.

Today I am reminded that if this young woman can praise God, so can I. If she will choose to praise God, so will I.  

Prayer

Lord, no matter what we face this week, help us to choose to worship you. You already warned us that life would bring trouble and difficulty. Help us to face the challenging moments this week with a healthy dose of worship. You don’t want us to ignore the pain, but you also don’t want us to forget that you are on the throne. So, today, we declare that all glory and honor belongs to you. You are good even when life is not. Today, we choose to worship You. Amen.

Living Generously: A Story about Deodorant

CONTEXT : Deodorant is not the same in France. Effectiveness suffers in favor of protecting people from harmful ingredients. I’m a fan of protecting the people. My friends call me a bit of a hippie when it comes to the weird things I’ll use or eat to be “healthy.” Nonetheless, I want to smell nice, too.

A couple years ago I discovered a great natural option that works well for me, that isn’t a paste I have to rub on and that omits the harmful stuff. The problem is that it is hard to find here in France. I’m a planner by nature, so I get my stockpile in the U.S. whenever I’m home.

Last month, I listened to a fabulous sermon series on stewardship and generosity. The series was a great reinforcement for what I already do and a challenge to go beyond. At one point during the series, the pastor reminded his congregation (and me!) that ultimately ALL we have belongs to God. We are simply taking care of what He has entrusted to us.

CONFESSION: Cue a discussion about deodorant. 

I felt a nudge in my heart to give one of my precious deodorants to a friend. Immediately, my thoughts went like this:

“Will the others I stockpiled last me through the year? This one is my favorite scent. Do I really have to give it, God?” 

The reply I heard in my heart: “It’s not yours, Joy.”

Truth pierced through my stinginess. It’s a silly example of a profound principle. God generously gives in word and deed. I, too, am called to be like my Heavenly Father. When I see a need and He says to give, I am to give joyfully without hesitation because all I have is His anyway.

There are many areas of generosity that are much easier for me. I feel embarrassed to say that I hesitated with deodorant. Who does that?! God wants me to loosen my grip on what I think is mine and live like I trust my Father. Honestly, He takes care of me in spectacular ways. I’m often stunned by His goodness. Thankfully, He is also so gracious and so kind to show me in even the small, silly areas where I’m not living like Him.

QUESTION: Where do you need to loosen your grip on what is “yours” and live more generously?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us to be like you today—stewarding well what you’ve placed in our hands and ready to give generously. It doesn’t matter how much we have in comparison to what others have. ALL we have is yours. Show us what to give, how to give, and to whom we should give this week. May your people be known as the most generous people on the planet, a people who are just like their Heavenly Father. Amen.  

One Way to Avoid Communication Blunders

Confession: I did not communicate effectively in a meeting last week. At one point during a discussion, my words did not match my heart’s intent. What I thought I said in kindness came out awkward and off. 

The worst part is that I didn’t even realize it!

Thankfully, my co-leader pointed out this epic fail to me after the meeting. I thought explaining what I intended to say would help her understand how my words were meant to be positive not negative. Of course, I thought she needed the clarification to see how I was right. Another fail. My explanation only validated how I missed the mark in communicating with one of our interns. I was horrified. 

I quickly made amends for the poor communication. The intern was gracious with me and knew my heart was not to hurt or offend her. [Sigh of relief]

Yet, how often throughout my week does this happen without someone present to point out my blunders? 

Clear communication is a necessity and a challenge in day-to-day living. How people express themselves–their word choice, their tone and the filters both the speaker and listener have–can help or hurt effective communication. While we can’t control other people’s interpretation of our words, we can do a better job at presenting information clearly.

Why did I make such a blunder last week? To list a few reasons that are apparent to me in this moment:

  • I’ve been overworking.
  • I’ve been tired. 
  • I’ve been stressed.
  • I’ve needed more quiet time to notice what is going in my heart.
  • I’ve needed more time to listen to the Lord and hear His Words.

Communicating well, in my opinion, necessitates self-care. If we take care of ourselves, we can take better care of others around us. It’s part of the “love your neighbor as yourself” principle (Matt. 22:39). When we are in better shape emotionally, physically, and spiritually, our communication improves. We reflect Jesus better. It’s a simple truth with lasting impact on those around us.

My prayer is that we will take care of ourselves a bit better this week, so that we can wield our words with more grace and clarity. The world needs better Christians and better communicators! 

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. -Psalm 141:3


God, Keep Her Safe

I find myself whispering a little prayer these days. No doubt it’s because I am regularly in contact with women in some of the worst conditions on the streets. My heart strings are tugged, even ripped out, because of situations I see and hear. My prayer, without even being conscious of it until recently, has become a basic request throughout my day.

A little girl on her way to school is bundled up in a scarf and coat and I whisper in my heart:

God, keep her safe.

A lovely teen is surrounded by boys on the tram and I silently pray:

God, keep her safe.

A woman stands on the street corner with a deep pain evident on her face and I say:

God, keep her safe.

Asking God to protect women in every stage of life, the young and the old, the weak and the strong, is not a bad prayer to pray. Prayers of protection are found throughout scripture. My work let’s me encounter too many who have not been kept safe from evil.

I want to pray God’s protection over as many as I can and be a source of protection for those within my reach. I will, along with many other requests for these women, say a simple prayer that comes from deep within me.

God, keep them safe.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” -Psalm 18:2