Finding Joy In The Journey

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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.

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.

The Bible Makes Me Feel Bad About Myself

Like many good Christians, I try to start my morning with a cup of coffee and scripture. Opening my Bible, I often linger in shorter portions of the Word for weeks at a time. Slowly, I read and reread the verses to allow it to soak into my soul. My competitive, read-as-much-as-I-can nature fights the slow reading of scripture, but it is vital for me to go at a turtle’s pace. I hear and see much better when I linger long in books, chapters and verses of the Bible.

Each morning, scripture is my dose of encouragement and rebuke. As much as scripture can bring hope and encouragement, it also makes me feel bad about myself. And it should. 

I desperately need the instructions and the strong teachings the Word provides.

Honestly, I am more like a pharisee than I would care to admit. I, too, can behave just as foolishly as many people in the Old Testament and the New. I am closer than I realize to the ugliness of the stories of sinners who veered from God’s plans and impulsively responded in regretful ways. Thankfully, my embarrassing mistakes and sins will not be on public display for centuries to come in the most sold book in history.

The Bible makes me feel bad about myself and it is good. It reveals how I need a savior, how I can’t survive without dependence on God. The Bible shows me where my identity is still in the wrong things (performance, approval, etc.) and not in Christ.

Without hearing and reading scripture, I think I am much better than I am. I misrepresent Christ in ways that hurt those around me and distort the beauty and hope of the Good News. When I open my Bible and allow the words to shine a light on the ugly in me, God changes me. 

The Bible makes me feel bad about myself and I’m so glad it does. 

The Secret to Finding Joy: Sickness, Worry, & Gratitude

I was sick the last week and a half—the “doubled-over-in-pain, stick-close-to-the-toilet” type of sick. Miserable and frustrated, the bug lasted longer than I desired during an extra busy work week. Nothing about this scenario was convenient, not even the weight loss. 

Honestly, after several days of agony, worried thoughts began to plague my mind—What if this isn’t just a bug? What if something is really wrong? I was at a low point in my tummy woes. My mind felt scattered, my blood sugar was low and dehydration loomed. Coming to my senses, I drank a lot of water and finally sat before the Lord, consciously acknowledging the worries in my heart. Choosing to go to Him created a moment to listen and receive His peace. Joy and gratitude slowly replaced my fears and frustrations. 

Being in pain and modifying my responsibilities last week gifted me with time to reflect on what happens when life isn’t going the way we’d like. What joy means in daily life, not just in theory, is an important topic for us all. Is there ever a good time for life’s inconveniences or losses?

I firmly believe gratitude is one of the marks of a joy-filled life.  The challenge is when life is shoveling out heaps of unforeseen woes. How can we be grateful when circumstances stink? Thankfully, we can still choose gratitude. 

Gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness” (New Oxford American Dictionary).  A healthy heart of gratitude does not ignore challenges or pain. However, gratitude does punch worry in the gut, weakening worry’s hold on our thoughts of the future, both the imaginary and the real.

This week, let’s slow down and take a moment to consider what isn’t going well, where we may be disappointed or frustrated. Give that list to the Lord and ask for His help. Listen for His words and receive the peace that we crave. Then, as part of this holy moment with God, may I suggest writing down or verbalizing in prayer the following three areas of gratitude? 

1. Gratitude for what WAS

We are blessed. Sometimes we experience loss before we realize how good we had it. We don’t realize how important our neck was until it is kinked and painful to move. We can and should express thankfulness for what we experienced in the past.

2. Gratitude for what IS 

Even as we walk through normal or abnormal frustrations and challenges, thanking God for our limits is a powerful act of surrender. Sometimes we are sick. Sometimes we have to ask for help. Even amidst the frustrations, there are hundreds of minor and major blessings in our lives, daily conveniences we take for granted. There is always good in every season. Even if it takes a bit more searching to find it, with our antenna up, we will find it. 

3. Gratitude for what WILL BE 

The best part of this life is that we have a future that is bright. If we know the Lord, this life is not the end! Heaven awaits. The best is yet to come. We can rejoice and give thanks for the future we’ve been promised and the joy of being with Him for eternity. It’s coming!!

As you face another day and another week filled with a wide gamut of life experiences, “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). And may you be spared from the horrible stomach bug I experienced!

What is one thing you are thankful for today? Share in the comment section below.

2 Compelling Promises for When the Holidays Aren’t So Happy

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” as the song goes, until it’s not. 

Whether there is an empty seat at the table, too much financial pressure, a family conflict, a job change, or a big move, life has a way of creating more drama during the holidays. 

At any time of year, we experience a mixture of bitter and sweet, but the holidays seem to accentuate the tartness of life. Tensions are high; expectations are even higher. The story unfolds for each individual uniquely, but the challenges are no less legitimate. Let’s remember that someone else’s intense pain does not mean you don’t have permission to face your own battles, to face your own pain. Stuffing the struggles down will not make them go away. If you do, you are ensuring an explosion or an implosion at a later date, probably detonating sooner than you’d like.

One of my favorite scriptures gives us two encouragements for when the holidays are hard. Don’t gloss over it because of its familiarity. 

Hebrews 13:5b says: “I will never leave you.” In other words, God is saying:

1. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“I’m with you. You aren’t alone in the joy and in the pain. I am still here whether you feel me or not. I haven’t left you.” – God

Amidst it all, wherever you find yourself, in whatever season of celebration or struggle—He is here. One of my favorite names for God is Emmanuel because it means “God with us.” It’s a simple truth with a force that can change our perspective and bring comfort in the hardest of seasons. He wants to walk with you through this season, not simply help you avoid the pain.

Then Hebrews 13:5b continues: “Nor forsake you.” In other words, God is saying: 

2. “I’m not loosening my grip on you.” 

“I haven’t and I will not abandon you in your time of need—EVER. We are going together into every situation you face and I’m not going to make you handle this on your own.” – God 

Just before this promise, the writer of Hebrews challenges readers to avoid the love of money and to be content with what they have. If any season tempts us in these areas, it’s this time of year. The ads, the movies, the decorations, it’s everywhere! Our focus can be on consuming and accumulating too easily.

When you start thinking of all your have-nots this holiday season, remember His presence brings more than you could imagine. Today, can you take a few moments to ponder the gift of His constant presence in your life, specifically in your current circumstances? He gives freely and abundantly:

  • His immense, unchanging love for you—no matter how much of a brat you can be.
  • His peace that surpasses your understanding of the why’s of life—even though you are prone to anxious thoughts.
  • His joy that gives strength to face another day—no matter how many tears you’ve shed.
  • His compassion that brings comfort—especially on your worst days.

We may be missing something or someone this season, but my prayer is that your Emmanuel, God with YOU, will be your strong, peace-filled refuge. May you bask in the richness of His continual presence in your daily life and receive what He already promised. He will not to loosen His grip on you. 

What If God Gives You More Than You Can Handle?

The school bell rang. The students entered and quickly found their seats. I stood at the front of the class, fidgeting nervously in my “grown-up” clothes. I was smiling in an attempt to calm my nerves, which flashed the silver wire across my teeth. My retainer might as well have been a neon sign saying, “I’m way too young to be teaching.” It was my first day as a high school teacher. 

I was 19 years old.

Who hired this young, very green, brand spanking new teacher? A public high school in California, that’s who. 

In those early days of teaching, I was nervous, excited, aiming to please and wanting to make a difference. I dreamed of being a “movie worthy” teacher who helped her students achieve greatness. Those dreams were squelched quickly thanks to the computer program that created class schedules. I’m convinced there is a special algorithm for new teachers, one that will test his or her capacity and sanity with the toughest of classes.

I worked hard that semester. Some days were incredible and I was over the moon. Other days it seemed like torture and I felt my age. Some of my students were only two years younger than me. Oh the stories I have to tell!

I chuckle at the thought of a 19-year-old teaching high school now. I can’t believe I was hired, that I survived and that I continued to teach after that first semester. Some will say, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” I am not sure that’s true. I often find myself in circumstances that seem much bigger than me and I feel once again the mix of emotions and questions that my 19-year-old self experienced long ago. Thankfully, the retainer is no longer a dead giveaway for my lack of experience in a new situation.

How did I survive my first semester of teaching? It helped that I kept showing up, but the main reason was God. He was so faithful through it all. 

One of the benefits of getting older is that the list of ways God has proven His faithfulness grows longer and longer. Despite my stubbornness and my sinfulness, He remains faithful. I’ve also discovered, unfortunately, that the stress and challenges don’t seem to go away with age; they seem to multiply. Yet, so does the evidence of how reliable, unwavering, steadfast God is. He was steadfast in my early days of teaching. He was unwavering when He nudged my heart to leave my career and study theology. He was faithful when He practically pushed me overseas to work with people I never thought I could serve adequately. God’s faithfulness is the reason we can face situations that are much more than we can handle. He is enough when we are not.

This season of giving thanks merits a moment to celebrate how constant, how gracious, how good, how faithful God has been. No matter what He keeps showing up. Despite our current highs or lows, He keeps on fighting for us, pursuing us, revealing His faithful love. 

Today, I choose to “bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). 

Will you join me? How has God been faithful to you this year? 


Who Says it Doesn’t Rain in the Desert?

“Lots of people hate the desert. That’s because they are really afraid of it. They’re afraid of being left alone with themselves.” -Earle Stanley Gardner

I gripped tightly the camel I was riding. Up and down the hills we went, my hands clenching firmly on the descent, relaxing and repositioning on the ascent. Taking in the view, I found myself in awe of the beauty, the stillness, and the majesty of miles and miles of sandy hills. For the first time in my life, I was in the Sahara Desert.

I kept thinking, “This is nothing like the desert I’ve seen in the U.S. or in a Western film.” It reminded me more of the desert in Aladdin than the tumbleweeds of Death Valley. It was a bucket list adventure that changed the way I see the desert.

We all experience desert seasons. They force themselves into our homes with a loss of a loved one, a bad health report, an embarrassing failure, or a hope continually deferred. Pain and suffering are some of the most desolate places we experience in this life.

Other times a desert season welcomes itself into our lives when routines become too ordinary and life seems to stagnate. We are stuck. And God, in His grace, sends us to the desert. 

The desert is a lonesome place, full of challenges. We expect it to be barren and dry, but I was shocked that it rained during my visit. There was a refreshing peace and beauty in the solitude, away from city life. The desert is where the Creator wants to commune with you. He wants to speak like He did in the wilderness to Moses (Exodus 3:1). He wants to perform miracles in the wilderness like He did for His children long ago.

Perhaps we’ve missed how the desolate places and seasons can be exactly what we need to reconnect with God. We keep trying to find God in the familiar places when He wants to do something new. We’ve not realized that the desert holds more than just the struggle.

God is there and He wants to meet with you.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Under the covers, safe in my bed, I found it hard to sleep. The doors were locked, the lights turned off, and my roommate was away for several days. I had the house all to myself. For most of my adult life, this freedom would have been received joyfully. Yet, on the heels of tremendous loss, being alone at night had become a nightmare. I was a grown woman and I was afraid to be at home alone in the dark. I didn’t need someone next to me; I just needed the reassurance that someone else was in the house. The issue wasn’t as much about the darkness as it was about feeling completely and utterly alone. The night would remind me of the pain, of what I no longer had. The night’s reminders felt convincing enough: “See, Joy, it’s true. You are all alone.”

When I would try to sit before the Lord, it was difficult to hear anything. This “dark night of the soul,” as some would call it, was very, very dark. I kept going because that was all I could do. Slowly but surely, I began to hear in my heart the scripture:

“Never will I leave you or forsake you.”

It was only somewhat reassuring at first. Words that used to bring warm fuzzies to my heart seemed closer to an empty promise. Could I really count on God if He’d allowed all this loss to happen? The darkness of being alone felt stronger than these comforting words. This stormy season showed me that parts of my foundation were not “on the rock” (Matt. 7:25). Yet, I began to notice his “never will I leave you” ways pursuing me, restoring my foundation. I couldn’t deny how He was taking care of me in a manner beyond my control. He was there, even in the pain. Life and Jesus taught me that no matter what changed, I could never be alone because He was always there. Often it takes painful circumstances to let this truth settle deep into our hearts. It is a slow, often subtle, work to believe this truth to the core of our being. It’s easy to believe when we have what we want. It’s harder to believe when we don’t. When our foundation is on the rock, life’s circumstances won’t determine our ability to believe His words. Thanks to this painful season, I know more than ever before that I am not alone.

Neither are you, my friend, neither are you.

Rest for the Weary Heart

I’m not very good at relaxing. I’ve been prone to worry since I was very small and doing helped me avoid the torture of my harried thoughts. Oh boy do I have stories to tell. For much of my life even relaxing required some form of doing, which usually meant some form of learning. I couldn’t just veg and watch TV. I had to watch the Food Network or something educational that would teach me something. I needed to be productive, even during downtime. My mind was always moving. No wonder my body revolted in different seasons (another story for another blog post), demanding rest and time to recharge.

In the silence and stillness before God, I have found my first true dose of rest and relaxation. Better than a foot massage or a mani/pedi, I have found the rest my body, soul and spirit needs. In the quiet, my heart calms down and I hear God’s voice. I stop talking so much and start listening more. I’m loved and accepted. It isn’t easy because I want to do, do, do to feel valuable. Yet, He is at work when I am not. God is the one in charge. He has been speaking all along. I just didn’t know how to listen well. I’ve had all the longing in my heart to know Him more. I’ve had lots of willingness, determination, perseverance to try to know Him more without the understanding that it is in the resting and “relaxing” in His presence, not in sheer force, that I find Him. It’s taking a moment of silence, not constant activity, that brings me to know Him and His word more.

Are you taking time to quiet yourself before God? Are you resting in His presence? I want to encourage you to be silent before God for just a couple minutes today.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. -Psalm 62:5