Consider it JOY - the Beginning

Christmas 2023, Santa got a great deal on a solo stove for Christmas! I have never met a human who doesn’t like gazing into a fire. We got one going and I couldn’t help but reflect on the dumpster fire that this year has been. I could write a book. I really could…about the ways the wheels fell off but equally the way the Lord has sustained me. There was another in the fire.

He never took His eyes off of me. Maybe this was your year too. Maybe you’re crying, sweating, exhaustion setting in as you cross the finish line. Consider it joy…..

What?!

Yes, consider it joy.

He sustained you. Never left you. Nudged you. Carried you. Encouraged you. Sent angels to minister to you. You grew.

So many times this year I said,

“I don’t have capacity.”

Is it good to know boundaries? Absolutely. Does God tell us to say “no,” sometimes? Yes. But can I tell you what He did for me this year as the wheels fell off and everything else burned, smoldered, and turned to dust?

Towards the end of this year I heard the Lord say, “ I am expanding your capacity.” Ha!!! I thought. But didn’t He do just that? I’m still standing. I’m still here. I still have a purpose and a calling and an assignment and if you’re reading this, that’s you too.

He expanded my capacity. Because I said “no” to what he told me to, because I stayed yoked, He showed me what He needed to. (There was a lot ) Now, what a gift to be able to use this as I move forward, because here’s something I know about God: he brings beauty from ashes. There are a whole lot of ashes so I bet there is a whole lot of beauty coming my way.

It hurt. It was hard. There were times I wanted to give up. There were times when I questioned it all. I turned to Jesus each of those times. I lamented. I asked Him to intervene. He made straight my path and comforted me. He won’t stop…It’s not in His nature.

Let’s talk about expectancy. What do you think of when you see or hear that word? Before I knew Jesus, the only thing I expected was for the bottom to drop out…and it always did. Here’s the thing; that happens a lot in a broken world; but when you walk with Him, you will never walk alone. There was another in the fire.

So here is what I’m going to do as I walk in to 2024:

1. I’m going to keep my eyes fixed on the perfecter and pioneer of my faith, because it’s better when we do this together.

2. I’m going to be expectant to see beauty from ashes and when I see hardship, I’ll consider it pure joy thinking of the ways He will make it beautiful after it does the work in me that’s it’s going to do.

3. I’m going to take time to intentionally “put my oxygen mask on first” and take care of myself the way He leads me to so that I can serve others and share the living hope I have.

We made it. We really did. I’m so proud of us. Don’t you dare give up now. If you want to sit and unpack it all, it would be an honor and a privilege - message me.

”Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.“

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.“

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV

”To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.“

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”“

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT