Thanks for the JOYful memories of 2010!

The older I get, the more I understand the verse in the Bible that talks about life being like a mist, a vapor.  Time passes so quickly!  I can hardly believe that 2010 is almost over!  Though spotted with heartache and trials, I can honestly say that the Lord was good to pour out much JOY in my life all through the year.  And I'm sure that you can say the same.

These are some of my most vivid memories:

• Baby Jude was born on January 26th, 2010.
• Our first "EnJOY the Journey" Conference was attended by over 500 women!
• My first book, JOY JUICE: Delightful Flavors of JOY in the Lord was published.
• I enjoyed five book signings.
• We had a great family vacation this summer with all the children and grandchildren.
• Naomi had a "Princess" 3rd birthday party!
• Will had an "Elmo" 2nd birthday party!
• Nathan had an "Air Force" 5th birthday party!
• Pat was surprised with his 60th birthday party!  TRULY SURPRISED!
• Invitations throughout the state to worship with fellow sisters in Christ.
• A miracle baby was born at just the PERFECT time to one of my precious friends.  And I was there!
• My mom enjoyed good health throughout the year!  Such a blessing!
• 26 family members gathered for Thanksgiving at our home in Wray.
• God brought two special "partners in ministry" my way!
• Our radio ministry continues to expand!

I could go on and on and on....but instead, I want to challenge YOU to start counting your JOYful blessings of the year past.  Many of you experienced heartache, but because of your relationship with the Lord, you still found JOY.  "The JOY of the Lord is our strength!"

As 2011 approaches, let's rededicate our lives to being completely HIS.  Our prayer for the New Year:

"Father, thank you for the gift of YOU.  May we be your willing, JOYful instruments in the upcoming year as we share Your love with others.  Open the doors of opportunity for us to be used to further Your Kingdom. Thank you for your love, your direction, your protection and your JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Are you still basking in the afterglow of Christmas?

            Many times we find ourselves exhausted after the Christmas rush is over!  We’ve run and raced through the season and then……it’s over!  No more parties to attend, no more music programs to perform, gifts are opened and most of our homes show signs of hectic activity over the weekend past.  Are you guilty of thinking,  “Oh, I’m so glad Christmas is over!”

            We do tend to let our “busyness” steal the JOY of the season.  Today, I’d like to challenge you to take this time after Christmas has past and before the New Year begins, to meditate on the goodness of God.  None of us deserve His love; we have done nothing, nor can we do anything to make ourselves worthy of earning His grace and forgiveness.  Yet, He gives it to us FREELY.

            Over two thousand years ago, our Heavenly Father sent His only Son to earth….to walk and live among us….with the plan that he would DIE to pay the penalty for our sins.  In Isaiah 53:5, the prophet foretold:
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
             
         Won’t you join me in praising God for His supreme sacrifice?  He is the ONLY way to salvation and true JOY!

The JOYful Afterglow

The presents are all opened, lots of food devoured, and now everyone's gone home.  The house to soooo quiet!  Yet, I can bask in the afterglow of sweet memories made.....not only for the grandchildren, but also for us grown-ups, too.  Smiles of excited little ones, giggles and squeals of delight, cousins playing and enjoying one another's company, sleeping in new sleeping bags on the floor, sampling cookies and treats, and discovering neat surprises in stockings...are just some of the JOYful memories! 

One of the sweetest traditions that we started several years ago in honor of our parents is the lighting of our advent wreath.  This Christmas three of our four grandchildren were old enough to participate in the lighting (with a little help, of course!)  The candles represented HOPE, LOVE, JOY, and PEACE.  And in the center, was one white candle that represented CHRIST.  We all sang "Happy Birthday, dear Jesus" and had a time of prayer and thanksgiving.  THAT'S what I hope and pray our grandchildren will remember most of all!

What kinds of memories are we making for our children and grandchildren?  Let's make sure they are centered around Jesus......the source of ALL JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas JOY

Most of you who are reading this can probably empathize with me in that the time is FLYING by so quickly! Christmas is almost here!  I've tried to take advantage of every single moment of the last few days to cook ahead, wrap gifts, and get ready to spend a JOY-filled several days with our family.

All our children and grandchildren will be with us!  Isn't that a blessing?  ALL under the same roof at the same time!!!!!!  "Thank you, Lord, for this blessing of JOY!"

Sooo, I share that with you to let you know I will probably not be blogging again for a few days!  My prayer for you is that God will bless you with the JOY of Christmas!  Let's celebrate Jesus Christ's birth and praise Him for His indescribable GIFT!

Have a JOYful Christmas! 

Intentional JOY

Thursdays are usually my busiest day of the week.  And today was no exception!  What WAS the "exception" was that I determined to be extra intentional about recognizing JOY throughout my day.  And oh, my!  Did I ever see it....at every turn.  Just to name a few of the "JOY gifts" I received today:

1. I received a text from my favorite daughter first thing this morning with a sweet message.
2. A little later, I got a phone call from our almost five-year-old grandson telling me allllll about his Christmas program last night.  He was one of the "Three Wee Kings"...and he told me with much enthusiasm (and yes, JOY) about the songs he sang and what he wore.  He even passed the phone to his three year old sister, who had to fill me on on other interesting facts! 
3. Then, it was on to the radio station to tape JOY JUICE!  I taped two weeks' worth of devotionals today, due to Christmas being next week.  Would you believe that out of ten segments, my tongue didn't mess up one time!!!!  NOW, THAT'S A GIFT!!! Such a rarity!!!!
4. At the radio station I got to enJOY the company of two employees of the station who have become such dear friends over the past 2 1/2 years.  They've been such a help to me in my radio ministry and I got to tell them today how much God has used them in my life!  We shared some sweet time together!
5. Next, I was in route to the hospital!  Nope, not sick!  Just volunteer once a week as Chaplain.  I always receive a blessing from visiting and praying with the patients...as well as talking and sharing with the nurses and staff people.  I had such a JOYful time with all of them today.
6. Okay...I'm not finished yet!  I ran into several stores to do some last minute Christmas shopping and saw old friends GALORE!!!  I usually am in such a hurry, but today...I MADE myself slow down and enJOY the time of conversation with old friends.
7. THEN, I went to visit one of my NEWEST friends....that sweet, precious baby I blogged about a few weeks ago.  She'll be four weeks old tomorrow.   What a treat to visit with her and her mommy!

That's not all.....only a start!  But I think you get the picture!  Sometimes we are in such a rush that we don't recognize the MANY gifts of JOY the Lord pours out into our lives.  During the Christmas season, let's slow down enough to be aware of the blessings of JOY that God wants to give us. Get ready for the most JOYful Christmas ever!  JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surviving the "BUG"....Joyfully??????

Tis the season to be jolly.....NOT sickly!  But tell that to our son and his wife and THREE little ones!  The stomach bug hit ALL FIVE of them within minutes of one another.  Soooo, night before last was an "eventful" night to say the least!  It was NOT a "silent night" around their house!

Today, however, things seem much brighter.  All of them are on the road to recovery...which is VERY important to our almost five year old, grandson.  When he got sick, his first concern was: "But I have my birthday party on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Looks as if the Lord will bless with good health and the party is "on" as planned.

Don't we wish that all of our troubles would get over and done with in just a few hours?  But that's not the way most situations work!  I guess if we never had our trials and difficulties, we'd not grow in our faith.  We don't really have to depend on God when everything is going smoothly!  It's when the going gets tough, that we go running to Him.

With the new year rapidly approaching, let's make a commitment to the Lord to go to Him BEFORE our trials even start.  It's a fact of life that we ALL are going to have our problems.  Let's stay "prayed up" and "filled up" with the Word of God so that when those difficulties come, we'll have HIS STRENGTH to rely on!

Okay, dokie!  Those are my thoughts for the day!  Stay well...don't let the "BUG" catch you.......unless, of course, it's the JOY BUG!!!!!!!

"Check-out" the JOY!

This morning my goal was to brave the COLD and make a run to the grocery store to prepare for the kids coming home for Christmas.  I always like to "cook ahead" so that I can really enJOY them while they are here.  Honestly, I kinda dreaded the ordeal.  I knew I'd spend too much money :) and I don't really like to fight the crowds.  But I put on my warmest clothes, my boots and gloves.....and off I went!

After two trips into the store (my buggy wouldn't hold it all the first time!), I rolled my cart up to the check-out lane.  Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with the most pleasant little lady at the cash register.  She greeted me with a smile and such a pleasant disposition.  The entire time she was ringing me up, she was asking polite questions such as if my family was coming for Christmas and where they were from.  As I paid for my "stuff", I turned back to her and said, "Thanks so much for making my shopping trip so pleasant this morning."  I was rewarded with the biggest grin I've ever seen from a "check-out gal"!  We BOTH experienced the JOY of the season.

As I was leaving town, I realized that it was past lunch time.....my tummy was growling, so I turned into the closest fast-food restaurant.  When I pulled up to the window to get my food, AGAIN I was greeted with a huge smile and such a pleasing attitude from the young man in the window. We exchanged "Merry Christmas" and both felt the sweet spirit of the season between us!

TWO SCOOPS OF JOY is what I received as a special gift from God this morning!  And sooo unexpectedly!!!!

So, the lesson learned from my "dreaded" trip to the grocery store:  You can find JOY anywhere.  God is just waiting to surprise us and bless us in unexpected ways and places..........even in the "check-out" lane!

Walk in JOY

So glad to be back in "blog-land" today!  The past couple of weeks have brought unexpected challenges, but we were able---in God's strength---to walk through them and see the JOY amid the pain.  Isn't it wonderful to serve a God of love and faithfulness?!

As I was studying this morning, the concept of WALKING IN THE SPIRIT kept coming to mind.  I'm preparing for an upcoming women's conference in January and it seems that God is pressing upon my heart that in order to live victoriously, we must WALK daily with Him.

What does it mean to walk with Him? 

1. Give your life TOTALLY to Him.
2. Trust Him with every decision...large and small.
3. Read and study His Word, so that you will know what He commands.
4. Have His Word "hidden in your heart", so that you will automatically apply it.
5. Surround yourself with Godly friends who WALK THE WALK and will be a source of encouragement and inspiration and support to you.

That's just for starters.....I'm sure we'll revisit this topic again!

For today......WALK WITH JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And enJOY this Christmas season!

The JOY of Serving Family

Hello, friends!

In case you've missed me :), I've been out of pocket the last few days and have be unable to "blog".  I had the JOY of being with one of my sons, his precious wife and their little boy.  They've been sick....and GiGi was BLESSED to be able to serve them for a few days. This was a special privilege and though I sometimes don't understand why God allows things to enter into our lives, I can still "count it all JOY".

I would like to request that you pray for my family, that we will continue to see His blessings of JOY in our lives!  Would you pray for complete healing?  Thanks, friend!

Now, out the door for a busy day!  I'll see you soooooon...in BLOG-LAND!!!

Have a JOYful day!

Christmas JOY with Friends

The JOY of the Christmas has begun!  Yes, it's just December 3 and tonight will be our SECOND Christmas party already!  But this year, I am determined to find the JOY in the little things.  Instead of getting stressed about all the dust and spiderwebs in my house, I'm CHOOSING to think that my friends are coming to enjoy the company rather than inspect my "not-so-perfect" house!  I'm CHOOSING to let others help me, rather than thinking that I am "superwoman" and can do it all myself! 

What are YOU choosing this Christmas?  Are you choosing to race and run and sprint through the days of December?  Are you choosing to see just how many activities you can pack into your month?  Are you choosing to see how much you can buy, how many sales you can find, how many gifts you can wrap before Dec. 25th?

Let's pray for each other during this busy time.  In our prayers, may we pray for God to show us the truly important things....like spending time with HIM and making sure that we focus on the REASON for the season: JESUS CHRIST!!!!!

My hope is that your Christmas (and mine) will be filled to overflowing with the JOY of JESUS!

The JOY of a New Baby

This morning I had the privilege of holding, loving, ooooing and ahhhhing over a precious gift from God.  The newborn baby is oblivious of the fact that her birth was perfectly timed by God.  She doesn't know (yet) that her arrival brought so much JOY amid the heartache caused by the unexpected death of her grandmother the day before.  She has been---and is---and will be such a source of comfort and joyful distraction for the family as they mourn the loss of their beloved family member.

As I left their home this morning, my heart was overflowing with gratitude to the Lord.  He knows everything we need, even before we know we need it.  He has our lives planned....and has had that plan since before the beginning of time! He created that new little bundle of joy and formed every little fingernail, every soft hair on her head, even those tiny eyelashes and peach fuzz.....knit together in her mother's womb...to become a MASTERPIECE of His making.  

Just think!  Many years ago, Mary held Jesus in her arms...just as my special friend is holding her new baby today.  I imagine Mary had many of the same emotions and thoughts that all new moms do.  "How perfect! How wonderful!  How much I already love him!"

The difference is that Jesus was born to die for YOU and ME!  God's plan for His life included suffering and death on a cruel cross.  I can't imagine that kind of love!   Oh, I think I know how to love...I LOVE my husband and my children and my grandchildren.  So much so that I can't even describe that kind of love.  BUT God's love far surpasses anything we can ever truly grasp.  A selfless love, a sacrificial love, an unconditional love---that's what His love is all about.

So as we ready ourselves for Christmas, let's enJOY the blessings, both large and small.  But let's never forget that little baby boy born so long ago in a stable in Bethlehem.  JOY TO THE WORLD!  THE LORD IS COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Chance to win a copy of "JOY JUICE"

Let me help you with your Christmas shopping!!!  May I suggest a copy of my book JOY JUICE: Delightful Flavors of JOY in the Lord!

For a chance to win a FREE copy, please make a comment on my blog about how YOU are striving to keep the JOY in Christmas this year.  The winner will be selected on Dec. 15th...to give you plenty of time to give it as a Christmas gift!

Of course, anyone who wants to purchase a book (or books) for gifts this Christmas, just email me at joyjoy01@windstream.net and I will mail them to you. I'd love to help you with your shopping! :)

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE

Have you had your Joy Juice today?  During this Christmas season, please don’t forget to add Joy Juice to your Christmas list. 

            How do we share JOY with others?  Let’s remember that JOY and happiness are two different things.  Happiness depends on our circumstances, what’s happening in our lives.  JOY…however…depends on JESUS!  We can do as Philippians 4:4 reminds us and rejoice in the Lord always, if we’ll keep Jesus as our focus this Christmas.  Sure, we have many fun activities….like parades and parties and shopping and baking.  But if we take our eyes off the real reason that we are celebrating, then we will lose our JOY.

            So what can we do to assure that we are keeping the main thing, the main thing?  I’ve got a few suggestions for you:

• Start your day with a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for the birth of His Son, Jesus.
• Read the Christmas story from your Bible.  Why not let that be your daily devotionals during this entire month?  You can find the story of our Savior's birth in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
• When you decorate you home, try to find a nativity scene that will be a visual reminder of the birth of Jesus.
• Worship faithfully in the church of your choice.  To gather with fellow Christians during any time of year is special, but at Christmas it’s extra JOYful!

These suggestions are just for starters.  I know you’ll think of other ways to invite Christ into your Christmas this year and in doing so, you['ll have LOTS and LOTS of Christmas JOY! 

Oozing or Losing our JOY???

Is oozing a word?  I think so, though I may not have spelled it correctly!  I would LOVE to be able to say that at all times I am "oozing" with JOY! To me that means overflowing, spilling out onto others the JOY of the Lord. 

BUT.....just this morning I felt that JOY "tippy-toe"ing right on out the door.  At one point, it may have even laced up it's running shoes!!!   My Type-A personality had planned a well-organized day, but nothing has gone according to schedule.  Not even the weather is cooperating with my plans today!  On top of all my interruptions, I'm concerned about one of our grandbabies who is sick, running high fever and feeling rotten.

So, I guess I have a choice.  I can LOSE my JOY by allowing the interruptions and distractions to take my eyes off of Jesus OR I can CHOOSE to stay focused on the fact that God is in control of all this "change".  Do I "practice what I preach" to others...."Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS"...or do I let these feelings overtake me and just give in to the fiery darts of the enemy?

Sometimes we need strength beyond our own.  OFTEN things are simply out of our control.  But we can ALWAYS lean on, depend on and receive strength from The ONE Who will always be there for us.  TODAY I CHOOSE JOY, and pray that I will OOZ JOY rather than LOSE my JOY!  Won't you join me as pray for one another?

"Father, we pray that you will continually remind us that You have everything under control and that Your plan is so much better than ours.  Please take away the overwhelming feelings of worry and the distractions that keep us from drawing close to you.  Fill us, now, Lord with a double portion of Your JOY!"

And the JOYful race is on.........................

Thanksgiving behind....Christmas ahead!  Do you have your running shoes on?

We do get so busy during this season, don't we?  And it's all good "stuff"!  Christmas parties with family and friends, church programs, school-related events, office get-togethers---just to name a few of the things that the season brings! 

And then, of course, there's the shopping and baking and decorating and cleaning and wrapping of gifts and traveling and.................................OH, MY!  No wonder we need our running shoes on!

Okay, friend!  I need your help! Will you PLEASE remind me that all the above mentioned "stuff" is just THAT: s-t-u-f-f!  And it's not the really important "stuff".  If we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we might never find our Christmas-flavored JOY JUICE!  And that's what we should be sipping on daily...the JOY of JESUS!

So, as siblings in Christ, let's encourage one another to keep our eyes on the REASON we celebrate Christmas:  "Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift!!!!!"  The JOYful gift called JESUS!

Thanksgiving JOY

Taking a few days simply to be with my family...so I'll see you in "blog-land" next week!  Praying that each of you will have a blessed and JOYful Thanksgiving!

Testimony of JOY

This past weekend was one filled with a myriad of emotions....from grief to joyful excitement.  But our God is such a God of perfect timing!  He evidenced Himself over and over again throughout the last few days....in ways that left NO doubt that HE IS GOD!

One of the gifts He sent to "encourage" was this testimony from a friend who lost her mother about a month ago.  She gave me permission to post it on this blog as a tribute to her precious mother.  As you read her heart-felt words, please be reassured that there CAN be JOY in the midst of heartache.

Angie's story:

 

"My husband wanted to know what I wanted for Mother's day this year.  I told him I wanted JOY JUICE by Joyce Ashley.  But he had his own ideas and planted a flower garden in our yard instead.  I would later learn it was not meant for me to get the book at that time.  I purchased the book at a local store the end of September.  My Mama went in the hospital on October 4, 2010.  I had the book with me as I sat up with her.  The LORD spoke to my heart on October 7, 2010 as I read page 39 about "JOY" and "happiness". 

Isn’t it amazing how GOD speaks to you?  As I was sitting up with my Mama at the hospital it was the fourth day and two surgeries behind us.  She looked at me and said, "You don’t look like my Angie."  I said, "Mama, who do I look like?"  She replied, " A tired girl with a long face."  That instant I put a smile on my face and she smiled back.  I said, "Mama, is this the Angie you know?"  She answered, "Yes it is!"

I learned then no matter what we are going through we can have JOY.  We may not always be happy about what we are going through.  Happiness comes from the circumstances around us, but JOY comes from having CHRIST in our heart.  She had a good night that night.  We had prayer and I will always believe GOD healed us both that night, her physically and me spiritually.

My Mama passed away on October 13, 2010.  The flower garden...the one I really didn't know I wanted....now holds some of the flowers that were sent to her funeral.  It will always be special to me, especially on Mothers day."

Now!  THAT'S a testimony of JOY!!!!  Thanks, sweet Angie for opening your heart to us.  You truly are an inspiration and example of how to "Rejoice in the Lord....always!"

(Testimony sent from Angie Thompson....in memory of her mother, Bea Jones.) 

And then comes the JOY of new life....

I usually don't post on the weekends but since I was unable to get to my computer yesterday, here's a brief post of what's on my heart today.

As many times of as I've said it and "preached" it, I found out firsthand the truth that "even in the midst of heartache, JOY can be found".  Philippians 4:4 says: REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AND, AGAIN, I SAY REJOICE".   And we CAN have joy....at all times....with the help of Jesus!

I posted on Thursday about the death of one of our sweet friends.  Well, yesterday I had the awesome privilege of spending the entire day with her daughter-in-love (who is VERY special to me).  She and her husband were broken-hearted over losing their mom, but joyfully excited over the impending birth of their first baby.  It was comforting to see the many friends and family who gathered at the hospital to support this precious couple.  Yes, there were many tears....some of sorrow and some of JOY.  But the common bond among most of these family members and friends was that they know God doesn't make mistakes and they can continue to trust Him.

Around 9:00 last night, a BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT little girl was born!  Talk about excitement!  The group of loved ones celebrated with hugs, smiles, laughter and lots & lots of tears.  Silent prayers of thanksgiving were lifted to our awesome God for placing in our lives an "instrument" of JOY.......a love gift named Anna Katherine!!!

Heartbreak & JOY

Can heartbreak and JOY be simultaneous?  In other words, can you receive devastating news and still have joy in your heart?  The answer is YES.....if you have a relationship with Christ.

Just a few minutes ago I received word that a special friend had not made it through surgery.  This was totally unexpected! The surgery involved replacing a pacemaker, but because this has been done so many times, the actual operation seemed somewhat "routine".  None of us for a moment thought it would be a matter of life or death!

This sweet lady was the mother-in-law of one of my dearest friends.  The family is in shock.  They are anything but happy!  However, because they know Christ, they have that sweet peace and joy in knowing that their loved one is in the presence of God.  She loved the Lord with all her heart, soul and mind.  So even though we will miss her greatly, she would not choose to come back.  She is praising the Lord and receiving her crown of jewels!!!!

The peaceful joy that belongs to this family comes from knowing Christ personally.  That's the only way we can get through these times of heartbreak without falling apart.  Yes, heartbreak and JOY can go hand in hand....but only when you allow your hand to be firmly grasped by our Heavenly Father.

Today's serving of JOY JUICE: Gingerbread JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Run on over to the refrigerator and grab yourself a bottle as you read our challenge for today!

Do you remember the children's story "The Gingerbread Man"?  As soon as he came out of the oven, he started running because he did not want to get eaten!  "Run, run as fast as you can!  You can't catch me!  I'm the Gingerbread Man!" He thought he was in control.  BUT he got himself into a situation where he had to trust someone to get him across the river...and he chose the WRONG one to trust...the sly fox!  The Gingerbread Man was gobbled up by the very one in whom he'd put his trust!

Do you ever feel as if you are running through life---trying to make difficult decisions at every turn?  Often we try to handle things in our own strength.  When circumstances arise in which we feel out of control, we may end up listening  to the wrong person---especially if we're not careful and prayerful!  And then, many times, we are gobbled up be the very one we've put our trust in!

Well, I've go some GOOD NEWS!  We don't have to be like the Gingerbread Man! There is One Who we can ALWAYS trust.  His name is JESUS!  We DO have to be careful not to be "tricked" by the sly one, but with God by our side, we can run confidently and JOYfully. 

                   Run, Run, as faithfully as you can!
     Your JOY is knowing that you're in God's hands!

JOY in Sickness????

Yesterday we heard that our youngest grandbaby had strep throat!  Everytime he tried to swallow, he would cry!  His throat hurt so badly. And that's hard to understand when you're only 9 months old! THIS morning, we got a report that "sister" was sick!  Probably the same thing, but a worse case.  She was sick through the night with nausea and vomiting, as well as a high fever.  Poor children... and poor mommy & daddy!

My heart is heavy for them all and I so wish I could "fix" it  and "make it all better".  But the only thing I can do... is the BEST thing I can do: PRAY!  Isn't it such a comfort to know that God is always there to listen to our petitions and requests?!  He knows our needs and what our loved ones are going through so much better than we do!  And HE has it all under control!

THAT'S where the JOY comes in!  "The JOY of the Lord is our strength!"  Aren't we thankful for such a sweet relationship with Him?!  Yes, we CAN have JOY.......even in sickness!  IF we have Jesus as a personal friend!!!

Turkey, Dressing and JOY!

Whew!  I just finished making the cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving and have it in the freezer!  What a relief to have that already done!  That was top of my "list of things to do today"....so I consider my day a productive one!

I don't know about you, but it takes me a while to put together "Mama's recipe" for dressing!  The list of ingredients is long and though my measurements are not always precise, they have to be somewhat "close" in order for the end product to be tasty.  If there's too much cornbread and not enough broth, it cooks up too compact and not fluffy enough.  If you don't put the right seasonings, it may taste bland.  I depend on Mama's recipe because it's "tried and true".  There is no telling how many pans of dressing she has made through the years.   We were discussing our dressing recipe this morning, before I began my quest to make it the best!   Mama reminded me not to put too much salt!  She said she did that one time and it ruined the whole batch.

Our Heavenly Father doesn't make those kinds of mistakes.  He cooks up all kinds of "recipes".  You and I were made from similar ingredients, but different amounts of this and that.  He didn't have to guess about what to use to make us....nor did He need to depend on someone else's recipe.  And regardless of what we think sometimes, He did not make any mistakes!  His "recipe" turned out exactly the way He intended.

So this Thanksgiving, when you eat your turkey and dressing, stop for a moment to thank the Lord for the recipe He used to make YOU.  You are a "delicious creation" and He wants you to share yourself with others.  Of course, He'd be delighted for you to serve up some JOY JUICE while you're at it!

Prepare with JOY

The holidays are coming soon!  Seems that they roll around more quickly each year.  My parents used to say that and I didn't understand.  BELIEVE ME....NOW, I UNDERSTAND!

Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away.  Are you prepared?  Now, I don't mean do you have your house clean for your company or food cooked for your Thanksgiving feast.  What I mean by that question is....Is your heart prepared?  Do you have a thankful heart?

Just try to make a list of all your blessings and I'm sure that you'll soon find, there are too many to enumerate!  God has been so good to each of us.  I fear, however, that I often take many of my blessings for granted.  So I'm asking you to join me as we "prepare our hearts" for the season ahead.  Let's begin to see each blessing as a gift from God.  As we become more aware of all that He is doing in our lives, then our hearts will become more thankful.

And as I've said boocoodles of times: A thankful heart is a JOYful heart!  Start counting your blessings today!

Golden Age JOY

Oh, what a sweet time I had today with a precious group of women and men called the "Golden Agers".  They are a group of senior citizens who meet together once a month for food, fun and fellowship!  I had been invited to speak to this precious group....and you better believe, they filled me with JOY!

During our meal, there was LOTS of laughter coming from our table.  The gals were telling one story after another that made us howl with merriment!  The other tables asked us if we'd been into the "Joy Juice"! :)  And our answer was, "YES!"  The fact is....we all had, because each of us loves the Lord! 

Though most of these beautiful people are more than 20 years older than I am (I felt like a spring chick!), they were so vivacious and full of life!  One of the 85 year old ladies made the statement that she realizes that each day is a gift!  She wants to make sure that she is packing in as much for the Lord as she has strength to accomplish DAILY!  She does "everything as unto the Lord".  What a life-lesson for us all!

No, we don't have to do anything to earn God's love!  It's freely ours.  And nothing we do makes Him love us any more...or any less.  However, when our hearts are full of love and joy for Him, then we will not be able to keep from "bearing fruit" in His name.

Let these "Golden Agers" be an example to us all!  We don't want to sit, soak and sour....like so many people tend to do.  We want to be "on mission" for God, spreading His love, His message, His JOY with all those we come into contact with daily.  Start now!  Bear JOYful fruit everywhere you go!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don't forget to drink your daily serving before you start your walk today!

God commands us to "walk" daily in His ways.  That means we are to obey Him.  To be obedient, we must read His Word to learn His instructions, commands and truths .  The Bible is the only instruction manual we need to get in shape spiritually.

Why does God want us to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk"?  Because He loves us and wants to bless our faithfulness and commitment to Him.  He wants to use us as His willing instruments to share the JOYful news.  Those of you who are parents know the JOY you feel when you see your children doing what you've taught them.  Sometimes don't you like to reward a child's obedience?  GOD DOES!

In Zachariah 3:7 we are told, "This is what the Lord Almighty says: If you will WALK in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house, and have charge of my courts and I will give you a place among standing."

In other words, God always has our best interest at heart.  And He desires to bless His children when we WALK in His ways!  Sooooo, go ahead and begin your stretching exercises!  We're going on a JOY WALK today!

"And the greatest of these is love"...Which leads to JOY!

May I suggest...if you don't already do so...please find a group of Christian sisters (if you're a lady) or brothers (if you're a man) and spend time together studying The Word and praying together.  Oh, what a special joy you will receive from praising God and allowing Him to "speak" to your heart through other Christians.

I've found that if I sit at home and don't surround myself with Godly people, I begin to lose some of my joy.  Now, whose fault is that?! No one's, but MINE!  How edifying and uplifting it is to share with others what God is doing in your life...and hear their stories, as well.  There is a common bond between sisters and brothers that love the Lord.  That bond is spelled L-O-V-E.

The scriptures tell us over and over and over again that we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  That means letting go of grudges, putting away our judgmental attitudes, asking God to change our critical spirit into one of forgiveness, compassion and LOVE!

1 Corinthians 13:13 reminds us: 
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
 I can promise you that if you have Jesus in your heart and you let Him have TOTAL CONTROL over your life, then you will have faith, hope and LOVE...............and that will lead to an overflowing heart of JOY!!!

Gifts of JOY

Papa Pat and I got the news that "Toys R Us" was having a sale this weekend!  So, yep! You guessed it!  We decided this would be the IDEAL time to start our Christmas shopping! We struck out to the nearest "Toys R Us"...an hour and half drive....JOYfully making our list and giggling all the way!

We were EXTRA JOYful because we were planning on how to express our love to our four precious grandchildren.  We didn't begrudge the time out of our busy day, the long distance we had to travel, or even the money we were spending!  (Papa Pat, the CPA, was smiling when he pulled out his wallet! WOW!)

The reason we were able to JOYfully navigate through our shopping spree was because of one four letter word: L-O-V-E!  We love our four special "gifts from God" with every fiber of our hearts.  And we love to shower them with expressions of our love.

As I began to reflect on the enormity of our love for the grandkids, the Holy Spirit touched my heart!  Our love that we have for our families is just a thimble-full compared to HIS love for us!  Each day He goes to unimaginable lengths to "shop" for us by choosing the BEST things that will bring us JOY.  But how often we miss those expressions, those gifts of His love!  Some times we just take them for granted.  Other times we are so focused on other things that we don't "see" our blessings. Frequently we are simply self-absorbed and have an ungrateful attitude.

Let's put on the attitude of Christ; one of humility, servanthood, gratefulness and love!  Then we will recognize those beautiful gifts from God that are ours DAILY.  Don't you see that gift of JOY....just waiting to be unwrapped!?  It's YOURS!  Made especially for you and made with lots and lots of LOVE!

JOY on a Sleepless night

It's not very often that I have nights that I don't sleep well. But last night I awakened at 3:30 a.m. and could NOT go back to sleep.  In the past I would have flipped and flopped and puffed and pouted, but I've learned that when I am awake in the middle of the night, it is God calling me to prayer.  So that's exactly what I did! I began to pray.

He laid something specific on my heart and mind. And as I prayed I really began to "hear" Him clearly.  This time, my prayers were answered quickly and clearly.  Yet, other times, God chooses to make me wait!

I don't like to wait!  I'm not sure that anyone does.  But I'm a Type-A personality who likes to plan and move ahead with MY plans.  It's a hard lesson to learn, but we all need to realize that His thoughts and His plans are so much higher than ours.  That's in scripture!  And just in case we forget.....HE KNOWS WHAT'S BEST for us and He really doesn't need us telling Him what that "best" is!

I'm just thankful THIS TIME, that He did wake me up and "speak" to my heart quickly.  I thank God that He loves me/us enough to take care of every detail of our lives.  He knows what we need, even before we realize there is a need!  We can depend on HIM......even on a sleepness night!

When you find yourself unable to sleep, don't count sheep! Go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him for JOY in the middle of the night....JOY that come from spending time with Him!

A Lesson in JOY for JOYce! :)

This morning I was running around trying to pack four hours into three....you know what I mean?!  My list of "things to do today" was longer than usual and I was moving in fast motion, striving to get it all done before a noon "lunch meeting" with two ladies to discuss plans for an upcoming ladies' conference. 

I thought I had time to run into Wal-Mart and quickly pick up a few items before the noon meeting.  You know what always seems to happen when you're in a hurry...only three check-out lanes were open.  Like any well-organized, grocery-shopping, Type-A, speedy Gonzolez woman, I found the shortest checkout lane! You know what's coming don't you?  There were two people ahead of me.  The lady at the front of the line, had a buggy FULL.

"Oh, well!" I thought to myself.  "I've just got to wait my turn.  There's not at thing I can do about it."  Well, oh my goodness!  The poor lady must have been shopping for all her neighbors and family members, too.  She separated her groceries into several piles and wanted to pay for each of them separately!  I was standing there looking at the other lines, wondering if I should go to another lane...but all were full.

I was JUST ABOUT to get impatient, when a nice gentlemen passed behind me with his buggy and stopped.  He glanced my way and say, "Well, hello there, Mrs. Ashley!"  I had been so lost in my "not so JOYful thoughts" that I had not even recognized the husband of one of my good "teacher-buddy" friends.  I found my smile and greeted him, asking about his family.  Then he said, "I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your JOY JUICE radio program.  I listen every morning.  As a matter of fact, I've got all the guys at the plant listening every day.  We all look forward to hearing what you have to say."

Instantly, I heard that "still small voice" of God.  I felt so humbled, so encouraged.....yet so embarrassed because of my impatience.  Thankfully, the Lord had controlled my tongue and my reactions.  Now, what kind of example would I have been setting if the "JOY JUICE" lady had been acting in a manner not pleasing to God? (I guess I really was on the inside!  I had to ask for God's forgiveness.)  But I'm so thankful to Him that He put a guard over my mouth!

Lesson learned: You never know who is watching you.  Your "walk" should ALWAYS match up with your "talk"!  Since God has given me the message of JOY, I must strive to always be JOYful in all situations!  Even in the long line at Wal-Mart!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drink up!  You're going to need all the spiritual strength you can muster for this Vitamin Beatitude!

Matthew 5:11 says: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me."  Now, I don't know about you, but my natural reaction to an insult is NOT joy!  Jesus teaches that we should not give in to our natural human emotions of anger and hurt.  Instead, we should keep our focus on HIM...and the truth that we will receive blessing from reacting in a Christ-like manner.

Maybe we should compare insults to headwinds pushing against an airplane.  Used the right way, they can be an opportunity for us to rise higher and gain a better understanding of how God is working in our lives.

So when these times of persecution come, let God take the pilot's seat.  Depend on Him to steer you above those natural inclinations to retaliate.  Allow Him to fill you with love and forgiveness toward those who hurt you.  This Vitamin "B" is a great JOY booster!

Personalizing "The Lord's Prayer" Leads to JOY

In Matthew 6: 9-13 we find "The Lord's Prayer".  In this model prayer Jesus is teaching us that prayer is about relationship.  "By calling God, 'OUR FATHER,' we are personalizing our connection with God, as our own personal Father.  Jesus could have said, 'MY FATHER,' but He did not.  He was teaching us, and including us in this divine relationship." (from We Who Worship by Cheryl Salem)

How many times have we simply said this prayer with little or no thought?  We've memorized it and recite the words "by heart"......but do we really mean these words IN OUR HEART?  Remember, prayer is about what?????  RELATIONSHIP!  And God wants that personal relationship with each of us to be a two way street between HIM and us. 

So let's pray that prayer, in our own words, from our own heart, with our own special love/relationship with  our Lord:

"Oh, precious Heavenly Father, most hallowed is your name above all names! Oh, that Your Kingdom would come and YOUR will be done today and every day in my life...just as you would have it be in heaven.  Father, give me your daily portion of what I need....physical and spiritual bread to sustain me and help me through today.  And, Father, You and I both know that I have stumbled and fallen.  Please forgive me and help me to remember that I am, also, to forgive those who have sinned against me.  And keep me on the straight and narrow path so that I will not yield to the temptations of this world.  Cover me, protect me and deliver me from my evil enemy, Satan! Oh, Father, I love you and I proclaim your kingdom and your power and your glory FOREVER!!!!!!!!  AMEN"

Keep in mind that Jesus wanted us to use his "model prayer" as we are learning how to pray.  We are not being disrespectful or blasphemous in making the prayer one of personal supplication.  God wants us to come to Him OFTEN in prayer....opening our hearts to Him and pouring out our love of Him, to Him!  And that's when the JOY JUICE begins to flow and overflow in our hearts and lives!

PRAY WITH JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JOY Can Be Spelled F-A-M-I-L-Y

This weekend Papa Pat and I had the JOYful privilege of spending time with all our children and grandchildren. (Pictures on facebook!)  Oh, what JOY floods my heart and soul....just by being with them.  They are some of my most favorite people in the whole, wide world.  YOU know what I mean don't you?

As much we love our families, GOD LOVES US EVEN MORE!  Isn't that hard to comprehend?  How can He love us so unconditionally, so totally, so completely---when we've done nothing to earn that love?!  The only way I can even begin to wrap my little finite brain around that is to compare it to our children and grandchildren and the immense amount to love I have for them in my heart.  Even before birth I loved them; and now as they grow and develop, my love continues to grow for them with each passing day.  Our little grandbabies don't have to do one thing to earn my love.....the can just "be".  And that's how it is with God's love for you and me!  All we have to do it "BE" still and know that He is God and that He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us!  WOW!  Now that's amazing love!!!!

Aren't we glad that we're a part of the "FAMILY" of God?  Let's spread the JOYful news of Jesus so that our family will continue to grow and that we'll BE able to enjoy spending eternity with our Father and one another. 

Unexpected Gifts of JOY

Do you go through your day EXPECTING joy?  Or are you so focused on the "busyness" of your schedule that you forget that God is looking for ways to surprise you with His gifts of JOY?

Just today....a common, ordinary day....I have received several "gifts" from the Father!  And if you think about it, you probably have, too!  Here are just a few of my "personal gifts" that I've opened this morning:

• A gorgeous Fall day, complete with sunshine and cooler temperatures
• A phone call from a friend with expressions of love and encouragement
• An unsolicited comment regarding my JOY JUICE radio broadcast from someone I've never met before!
• Scripture which "spoke" a personal affirmation regarding one of my heart-felt prayers.

I could go on, but I think you see the point.  Things that we many times take for granted are really GIFTS of JOY from the Father.  Do we thank Him for those gifts?  We certainly should!  I think the key to JOY is having a grateful heart, don't you?  So begin looking for your personalized gifts right now!  You may be surprised at how often God slips a beautifully wrapped package your way!  Don't forget to JOYfully say: "Thank you, Lord!"

Raining Down JOY

Now, if you're like me, you are JOYfully thanking the Lord for the rain today!  In South Georgia it's been weeks since we've seen even a sprinkle!  But God in His infinite wisdom decided to send the refreshing rain today.  And now we look forward to a cool, autumn weekend!

Just as the earth gets dry and needs replenishing, so do we spiritually, if we don't continually drink The Living Water!  Sometimes we go for days without reading from our Bible and studying His Word.  And how many times do we forget to go to the "Well" of prayer?  The Bible teaches that we should pray without ceasing!  Do you know what happens when we don't?  We become dehydrated.....spiritually.  That's detrimental to our health.

Our prayer today should be: "Lord, rain on me! Open the floodgates of heaven and rain your JOY on me!"

Here are beautiful lyrics to Michael W. Smith's song:

Let it rain, let it rain.
Open the floodgates of Heaven
Repeat
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad
Let the distance shores rejoice
Clouds and thick darkness surround him
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne
A fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side
His lightning lights up the world
The earth sees and trembles
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord
Before the Lord of all the earth
The Heavens proclaim His righteousness
And all peoples will see His Glory
We want to see Your Glory, God!
Do you want to see His Glory?
Lift your voices, lift your hands!
Let it rain, let it rain.
Open the floodgates of Heaven

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE---Vitamin "B" Style

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don't forget to take your Vitamin "B" with your juice this morning!  Matthew 5:5 says: "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth."

This Beatitude addresses MEEKNESS.  What exactly does it mean to be "meek"?  Meekness is an attitude of the will.  It's more than obedience.  It's resting, leaning, trusting, abandoning yourself to the Lord.  Meekness is NOT weakness.  Just the opposite!  It's being so strong in your faith that you are willing to submit your will to God's.

John McAuthur writes: "Our world has trouble with the concept of meekness.  People associate happiness with success, power, confidence and conquest.  Jesus' kingdom is for those who are meek."

He goes on to explain, "The Greek word translated 'meek' means mild, gentle and soft.  A meek person is gentle, tenderhearted, and patient.  Meekness is a by-product of humbling one's self before God.  It is the taming of a lion---not the killing of it."

If you take this "B" Vitamin faithfully, you will notice a calming effect on your life---and others will notice, too.  It will help you to live a life of self-control and submission to God.  "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth"......AND EXPERIENCE JOY!!!!!

Believing in JOYful Miracles

Do you believe in miracles?  I know we all believe in those we read about in the Bible.  But do you really believe that miracles still happen today?  THEY DO!!!!  The problem is, we don't look for them, we don't pray for them, we don't expect them. 

Author Bruce Wilkinson says our thinking usually falls into two categories when it comes to miracles.  The Land of Signs and Wonders....which only a few people are privy to....and the Land of Good Deeds.  Most of us would say that we often fall into this latter category.  It's not wrong to be in either of these "lands".  We do believe that Jesus caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, turned water into wine, fed the five thousand...etc.,etc. AND we have heard of a few astonishing miracles taking place even today.  That's what happens in the Land of Signs and Wonders.  Then in the Land of Good Deeds, we Christians are always recognizing needs around us and fulfilling them.  That's GREAT!  But not ALL that God wants to do through us!!!!!

You see, there is another "land" called the Land of Everyday Miracle Territory (according to Bruce).  This is where we give ourselves totally to God EVERY DAY and ask Him to accomplish miracles through us!  We believe in HIS POWER, not our own.  All He is waiting for is our submission and willingness.  We must be attuned to His voice and be ready to risk....stepping out on faith even when it doesn't make sense!

Are you willing to be used of the Father as His "delivery agent".  He wants to deliver JOYful miracles in and through each of our lives.  I BELIEVE.....how 'bout you?

As you read this post today, would you be willing to post about a time when you KNOW God worked a miracle in your life or used you in someone else's life as a delivery agent of a miracle.  What an encouragement it will be to others as we share about why we believe in God's JOYful miracles!  Come on!!!  Who will be the first to post? 

JOY in the Midst of Heartache

I had a sweet friend to call me last night and share her heart with me.  It's always so inspiring to hear how God uplifts and sustains His children...especially during the "dark" moments.  This precious friend has recently been through the illness and death of her beloved mother.  You know that had to be a tough time for her.  She and her mom were very close.  But because both of them had personal relationships with the Lord, they could find JOY in the midst of the storm.

I want her to tell you her story in her own words, so when the time is right, we will post it here on my blog.  But until then, be assured that there is NOTHING you will ever have to face that you'll have to face alone.  God has promised never to leave us or forsake us...that's a promise!  And God never breaks His promises.

Remember: JOY is not always about "happiness".  Happiness depends on what's "happening"....our circumstances.  JOY depends on our RELATIONSHIP with Christ!  And as Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us: "The JOY of the Lord is our strength!"  (Even in the midst of UNhappy times!)

Whatsoever Things are JOYful

You could guess that my favorite book of the Bible is the book of Philippians....I tell people that often---maybe have even said it in my blog before.  It is such a powerful little book of JOY!  I just can't seem to get enough of it.  I find myself reading and reading and re-reading the verses, as well as trying to memorize them, so that I can "hide it's words in my heart".

A "light bulb" went on in my spiritual thinking the other day.  I really think that since I have been soaking in these verses of JOY, God has blessed me with MORE JOY!  The more I read, the more strongly I believe and then the more confident I am in our GOD of JOY!  No where in the Bible does He promise us a life of complete happiness....but He promises us over and over again that He will always be with us and that we can "count it ALL joy"!

You see, what we put into our minds, comes out through our words and our actions and our attitudes.  If we think critical thoughts, then critical words spout from our lips!  If we focus on how badly we feel, then all we'll do is complain about our ailments! (May I share a little secret with you?  NO ONE LIKES TO HEAR ABOUT OUR AILMENTS...unless it's your doctor and he's getting paid to listen!!!!!!!!!)

In other words, instead of focusing on all that's wrong---instead of watching those "worldly" tv shows and movies---instead of reading the latest steamy romance novels, let's meditate on Paul's wisdom in Philippians 4:8 so that we can be sisters (and brothers) of JOY!

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."       


^{For some EXTRA good reading, pick up your Bible and read the JOYful book of Philippians!!!}

Royal JOY

Romans 8:16-17 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ."

Do you realize what this means?!!!  We are God's children...daughters and sons of The KING!  That means we are royalty....Princesses and Princes.  It's kinda hard to wrap your brain around, isn't it?  All that our Father owns is our inheritance.  Talk about riches untold!

When we think about riches and treasures on earth, we don't know anything compared to what it's going to be like in Heaven!  Can you imagine spending eternity with Christ?!  Oh, what a JOYful thought!  That's the reason it's imperative that we come to know Him as our personal Savior and Lord!  And that we share that "Good News" with others.  You may be the only "Bible" that some people read.  Are they reading about Jesus when they look at your life and see how you react and respond to the daily struggles?

RESPOND WITH JOY!!!!  And reflect His love, His grace, His mercy. That's exactly what He wants His princesses and princes to do!  We can JOYfully live each day on earth and JOYfully anticipate our homegoing...... "For great is your reward in heaven!"  Now, go out and live like ROYALTY!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE (Devotional)

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  And have you served some to others?

Most of us can easily recall someone in our past who was a positive influence on our lives.  They served JOY JUICE constantly to others by "letting their light shine before men"...living out that verse is Matthew 5:16.

When it's your turn to go "home"...to heaven...to spend eternity with Christ, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?  I'm sure that many of you are like me and want to leave a Godly legacy for our children, grandchildren and all who are under our sphere of influence.  Wouldn't it be great if they were able to say that we did let Jesus shine His JOY through us continually and because of that, they came to know Christ in a personal way?

Each of us can and should reach out to others with the love of the Lord and be obedient to His leading.  When we see a need that can be met, when someone is hurting and needs a friend to listen, or when we are given the opportunity to share the "Good News" of Jesus with others, we should DO IT!  That's how to let our lights shine!!!

Be on the lookout today for that person whose body language tells you they need a friend.  Look for physical needs that God can meet through you.  You can "shine" simply by giving someone a kind word and a smile.  Whatever God lays upon your heart, be sensitive and allow Him to work through you.  THAT'S the way to leave a legacy of JOY.

More JOYful Friends

Short blog today.....I'm on my way to the JAX airport with a friend to pick up MICCA CAMPBELL who will be speaking at the First Baptist of Douglas GEMS Banquet tonight!!!  I had the privilege of meeting Micca two years ago and am blessed to be able to call her "friend".  (She wrote an endorsement for my "JOY JUICE" book!)  Sooooooo, I'll see ya later and have more to post next time, I'm sure!

Have a JOYful day!!!!!!!

Friends Bring Such JOY

If it's one thing that I believe I'm "rich" in....it's GOOD FRIENDS!!!  I realize that is SUCH a blessing!  God has placed in my life just that right balance of friends who encourage me and love me....and those who keep me accountable.

Often my friends do something unexpected that pours JOY into my heart!  Like this morning....first thing, I got a text from one of my technologically savvy friends that told me to check out our church website!  She'd put a page on the site (for me) allllll about our upcoming "EnJOY the Journey: PRINCESS OF JOY" Conference coming up in March!  Now, WHAT A BLESSING that was to me.  Because, you see, I'm "challenged" in that area!  What she did with seeming "ease", would have been quite "painful" and maybe even impossible for me! :)

Isn't it neat that God partners us with people who lift us up?  He knows just what we need, when we need it and WHO can be His delivery agent.  That just fills my heart with JOY!  I think I know what Paul was talking about in Philippians when he wrote, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all of my prayers for all of you, I always pray with JOY because of your PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL......"

You see, my friend willingly, unselfishly, lovingly and graciously took the time to help because of her love for the Lord!  She "partnered" with me knowing where she could help the most....and she didn't wait until asked....Like Nike', she just DID IT!  Oh, what a JOYful blessing!!!!!

If you'd like to go onto our church website and see the "EnJOY the Journey" page, go to
www.ebcdouglas.com.  Click on the "EnJOY the Journey" tab at the top of the page!

Oh, by the way.......Mark your calendars for March 18 & 19 for a JOYful weekend in the Lord!!!!!!!!

Quiet JOY

Today has been a day of quiet JOY....seeking God's face, studying His word, asking for guidance as I prepare for upcoming speaking engagements.  It's not real often that I have a whole day of quiet, but God knew I needed it today.  And I'm sure I need it more often than I allow!

It's in the quiet times that we can hear God's voice best.  He speaks through His word, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit and sometimes through another person to confirm what He's been saying to you already.  Let's pray for each other that we will seek more quiet time with him.

Now, I'm off to dinner with my sweet hubby, my mom and my brother!  QUIET TIME OVER!  :)

JOYful Memories from the Past

We have the very BEST neighbors in the whole wide world!  We've known each other.....well....all my life!  They have been there in the happy times, as well as the sad.  They truly are the epitome of what the word "neighbor" is supposed to mean.

Yesterday, the "grandpa" of the family (who is not much older than Pat and me!) rang my doorbell.  When I saw it was him, a smile came to my face, because anytime anyone in their family comes, it's a JOYful treat!  He'd come to "share"....as he so often does.  He handed me a large gallon bag FULL of shelled peanuts and with a smile said, "With the holidays coming up, I thought you might use these to make peanut brittle and such."

I was thrilled with his "gift", but even more than that, his simple act of kindness flooded my heart and my thoughts with JOYful memories from the past.  As I reached to take the package, I had to blink back bittersweet tears.  I told him that he reminded me so much of my daddy because up until just a few years ago, it was my dad who would always show up on my doorstep with a big bag of peanuts for the holiday cooking season!  Tears slipped out of the corners of my eyes as I thanked him....not only for the tangible gift, but also for being a part of MANY JOYful memories in my family's life.

Next week is the anniversary of my daddy's "homegoing".  It's been six years....and though I miss him greatly, I am grateful for the countless wonderful memories I have of Daddy.  I'm sure I'll write a tribute on my blog later, but just for today I'd like to remember with heartfelt joy the blessings of my dad's giving nature, his positive outlook on life, his corny jokes that we still like to tell and laugh at today.....and SOOOO much more.  Top of the list of his great qualities was that he loved God with all his heart, soul and mind!  And he did consider others better than himself!  What a legacy he left behind! 

"Precious memories, how they linger...."   JOYful memories, indeed!

A Serving of JOY JUICE---In Your JOY Kitchen

                            THIS WEEK'S JOY JUICE DEVOTIONAL

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It's made from an old family recipe!

When preparing a meal, it's wise to use a tried and proven recipe in order to enjoy a delicious end product. If not, we could have a flop!  The same is true of us spiritually.  We decide on a recipe for our day which may include getting up early to have a "quiet time" with God.  But when the alarm clock goes off, we are just tooooo sleepy! So we hit the "snooze" button....telling ourselves that we'll find time during the day for our Bible reading and prayer.

When we do get up, it's too late to follow the "recipe" we'd planned, so we rush to get dressed and get to work, school or to an appointment.  About mid-morning we think we've found a few minutes to spend time alone with God, BUT then the phone rings or something unexpected changes our plans for the rest of the day. 

"Oh, well!" we think.  "I'll just do my devotional time tonight."  Nighttime comes and we realize that our FAVORITE television program comes on!  We've been waiting all week to see the continuation from last week's episode.  After the program, we get our bath and crawl into bed with our Bible, fully intending to read, study and pray.  But before we know it, we're fast asleep!

Lesson learned: It's best to follow your recipe!  "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8
Find your special recipe and follow it faithfully so that you can enjoy a delicious, JOYful day in the Lord.

Why not cook up a delicious recipe of JOY and serve some to all those God brings into your JOY KITCHEN?!

From Dread to JOY

It's that time of year again....flu shot season!  Years ago I began to get the flu shot each fall due to working in the school system and being around so many "sweet" little germs and germettes!  It's one preventative measure that I think is worth the time and effort.  But I have NEVER looked forward to getting the shot!  There has always been that sense of "dread".

This morning Pat and I decided that it was time!  He was working "in town" today, so we'd just go together and get "shot".  The wait was not THAT long, but long enough to start thinking things like: "Will it make me feel bad?"  "Will my arm be sore?" "Wonder if I'll run a little temp.?"  In other words....I started DREADING that infamous FLU SHOT!  To divert our attention, we talked about as many other things that we could think of, but in the back of my mind the dread was obviously swinging it's fists.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ashley," the nurse called us back together!  She was such a JOYful, kind-hearted nurse...doing her best to make the experience as pleasant as possible.  It took all of one minute for her to "work her magic".  I hardly even felt the needle go into my arm.  And Pat didn't cry, either! :)

What an analogy of how we let our thought life take over and direct us down the wrong path many times.  How often do we dread what MIGHT happen, only to find out that it was not anything like we'd expected.  Many of our circumstances can be filled with JOY, if we'll just trust the Lord to be in control and not allow the enemy to cause us to dread, fret and "be anxious".  When we relinquish every area of our lives to HIM, then we will go from "dread" to JOY!  And that's a much nicer place to be!

Simple JOYS

Papa Pat and I had the JOYful pleasure of having two VERY IMPORTANT guests this past weekend to spend some time with us!  Nathan (4 yrs)and Naomi (3 yrs) came to see us and we had a blast! For those of you who are on facebook, go to my page and see pictures.  And I can guarantee that you won't be able to tell WHO had more fun....the kids or their grandparents!

What a blessing to be able to enJOY the simple pleasures of life with our grandbabies! They teach us so much...about what is truly important in life.  Things like hugs and smiles and laughter and ice cream! :)

Though we took them Friday night to a small circus in town.....and they had a really good time......they seemed to like even more getting to Papa and GiGi's house so that they could play and just "be" with us.  On Saturday, we stayed busy doing things that didn't cost a penny!  We fished, we picked cotton, we rode on Papa's tractor and the lawn mower, we visited MeMa (my mom), we played with their daddy's old toys that we had kept over the years.  We even found a "vintage" dress hanging in Aunt Ali's closet that JUST FIT Naomi!  She wore it home and was soooooooooooooo proud of it!

Just a little summary of our weekend to let you know that I was once again reminded that JOY comes in the simple things!  The simple truth that Christ died for EACH of US should make our hearts burst with JOY!

JOYful Blessings from Westside

Yesterday I mentioned that I'd been invited to speak last night at a wonderful church in a Fitzgerald...Westside Baptist.  Once again, God "awed" us with His JOY and His care to "details".  Though I knew very few of these ladies, I immediately felt "at home" with them.  That's how God works!  When our hearts are in tune because of our love for Him, then we have that "supernatural" bond and experience the JOY of Christian sisterhood.  This sweet spirit was evident from the time I pulled into the parking lot throughout the whole night of fellowship and Bible study.

I gave you a summary yesterday of the message God had laid on my heart. We "planted" our fall gardens last night, talking about the kinds of seeds that God wants us to grow in our daily lives.  I used the passage of scripture in Luke 8 in which Jesus tells the parable about planting the seeds. WELL......what I did not know, but God had perfectly orchestrated, this was the passage they had used in VBS this summer and still had their walls decorated down the hall of their Sunday School wing with "gardens".  They were familiar with the passage, but God shed a new perspective on the verses....from a woman's point of view.  He had prepared our hearts and our minds to receive His message! Ain't God good?!

As I was leaving, two of the sweet ladies were walking me out and I had to laugh out loud when one of them said, "That was the kind of message where I wanted to look around and point fingers, but then I realized that the finger would be pointing at ME!" :)  The other quoted one of my illustrations and said, "But God, I didn't hear you calling those first three times!"   God can use such simple examples to speak to our hearts, can't He?  BUT we must be willing to listen...and obey!  This dear lady had "heard" Him!

What JOY floods my heart to know that God spoke to the hearts of each of us last night!  All of us could use some help in planting the right seeds in our gardens, right?  Let's call on the Master Gardener to help us harrow away the weeds and bad seeds, to prepare the soil and choose carefully the right seeds, and then depend on Him to give us the JOY JUICE with which to keep it watered. That's when our gardens will produce an abundant crop of JOYful fruit....the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!!!

Thanks, again, Westside Sistas, for such a sweet time of worship with you last night!  And thank you, Father, for bringing more JOYful sisters into my life. I'm looking forward to "gardening" with all of them!

Planting Seeds of JOY

I have the privilege of speaking tonight at a ladies' event at a church in Fitzgerald...Westside Baptist.  I'll tell you more about that JOYful experience tomorrow!  You see, I'm EXPECTING JOY!  Anticipating God to pour out His JOY JUICE onto us.  I think that's the key to finding JOY many times!  You have to be looking for it.  Often we focus on the negatives instead of all the good things that God has done and is doing for us.  So, I've become determined to focus on the JOY of JESUS!

My message tonight has to do with planting the seeds of JOY in our "Fall Gardens".  We can't do this alone.  We need the MASTER GARDENER to show us how.  And we need fellow gardeners to help us when we fail or grow weary.

We must plant our gardens with the right attitude....the attitude of Christ. (Philippians 2:5)
Also imperative in the gardening process is to use the right tools...one of the most important is that tool we call our tongue.  Are we using it to plant the seeds which produce the "fruit" of the Spririt?
At times we must put our agenda to one side and help someone in their garden.  This takes humility and selflessness.
Don't forget to plant that seed called "obedience".  John 14:15 tells us: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

Okay....so that's my message in a nutshell! To hear the "full meal deal", come on to Westside tonight at 7:00!  It would bring us much JOY if you'd join us!  Even if you can't come, please remember to be planting your seeds of JOY in your garden of life...DAILY!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE (Devotional)

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It's a part of God's plan for you!

Before you were even born, God knew everything about you!  That's hard to comprehend, isn't it?  I don't even pretend to understand...other than---HE IS GOD!

In Jeremiah 1:5, God tells us that: "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you.  Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work." He designed us for a purpose!  He gave us unique abilities, talents, interests and gifts...all to be used for HIS glory.   Are you fulfilling His plan for your life?  The Bible repeatedly tells us to "serve the Lord with all your heart".  If we are serving Him, then we will be sensitive to the needs of others and ways we can serve them.

Rick Warren tells us in his book The Purpose Driven Life: "For Christians, service is not optional, something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time.  It is the heart of the Christian life."

Mother Teresa once said: "Holy living consists of doing God's work with a smile."  I think what she meant by that is that serving God brings much JOY to your life!  Are you overflowing into others' lives today!?
                                            SERVE WITH JOY!

My Sisters of JOY

May I tell you just a little bit about my "Sisters of JOY"?  They are on my heart this morning, because I spent such a sweet, special time with them last night at church.

"Sisters of JOY" is the group of ladies in my church who gather together periodically to pray, study God's Word, go on trips together to ladies' events, and simply enJOY the fellowship of other Christian women.  As always, last night was such a fun time!  You can always tell when we "sistas" are together, because there is LOTS OF JOY and laughter.  I truly believe that this is "an offering of joy" to our Lord...a delightful way to worship Him!  He wants us to laugh, to "be JOYful always"; to "rejoice in the Lord, always; and again, I say: REJOICE"!!!!

If you don't have a group of "sisters" that you can depend on to share the highs and the lows, the laughter and the tears, the hard work and the fun....then start asking God today to lead you to that group!  Oh, what a JOYful support system!  EVERYONE needs Christian sisters to confide in, to pray with, to encourage, to provide accountability in our walk with the Lord....and of course, to BE JOYFUL with!

Thanks to MY "Sisters of JOY" for being such an important part of my life! And thanks to God for bringing you into my life! I love you....each and every one! Indeed, God pours out His JOY JUICE into my life through YOU!

A JOYful Autumn Day

Don't you just love the change of the seasons?  I sure do!  The Lord knew that we would tire of the hot weather of summer and would enJOY the cool briskness of fall/autumn.  After the cold winter months, we are EXTRA JOYful to see the grass and leaves turning green and flowers beginning to bloom.  Springtime is always a welcome season of the year!

Have you even considered that our lives go through seasons, too?  We start out like little blossoms and grow into maturity, raising our own little blossoms.  Then comes the season called "empty nest"...which can be a really tough season due to the emotions that come with it.  However, having living through it, I can see the beauty in it as well.  As Autumn brings falling leaves and lack of growth, it also brings beautiful colors and refreshing, cool days and nights.  In our lives, God brings beauty throughout all seasons.  Even during the tough times, He is there with His paintbrush to turn the "picture of tribulation" into a gorgeous masterpiece.  But that's only if we will allow Him.

We must remember that though we don't have control over the circumstances, we DO have control over how we react to them!  Let's decide and determine to always trust God...no matter what...and then we will experience JOY regardless of what season of life we find ourselves in.  Now, let's enJOY this beautiful autumn day and share His JOY with others along the way!

JOYful Reflections

This week I have "reflected" on the JOYful weekend that God blessed me last weekend!  I've shared with you in my blog posts some of the things we discussed and the lessons we gleaned from God's Word as we gathered at the "EnJOY the Journey" Conference in Pooler at Rothwell Baptist. As this week comes to a close, I'd like to try to summarize the experience in a few short sentences by sharing some of the lessons of JOY that God taught me through this event.

• God  takes care of details, large and small.
• God honors our prayers, when our hearts are tender toward Him and His plan.
• Sisters in Christ are Sisters of JOY...no matter how long (or short time) you have known them.
• Christians of ALL ages can be used by God to spread His love and JOY to others.
• We all have gifts, talents and abilities that are to be used by Him.  BUT we have to be willing to allow Him to work through us.
• Every church and every Christian has struggles.  However, we can still have JOY in our relationship with Him.
• We need to strive to become more and more like Christ with each passing day. 
• Saturate yourself with God's Word, spend time daily in prayer and quiet time, apply the Truth to every area of your life......and YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GENUINE JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a wonderfully blessed, JOYful Fall weekend!  See ya Monday! Until then: Don't forget to drink your JOY JUICE!

Philippians---The JOY Book!

Philippians is my favorite book in the Bible....because Paul's attitude of JOY and contentment are woven throughout the tapestry of these 104 verses like threads of priceless gold.  Paul was in prison!!! Yet instead of throwing himself a pity party, he surprisingly sent a joy-filled message to the Christians in Philippi.  And what an encouragement his words are to US, as well!

Have you taken the time to sit down and read this little book all the way through?  It won't take long.  There are only four short chapters.  I can guarantee that if you will read, study and saturate yourself with the wisdom in this joyful letter, you will be drinking in the JOY JUICE that I love to talk about so often.

In the first chapter of Philippians we learn that there is JOY in LIVING---whether or not we get what we want, in spite of difficult circumstances, and even when there are conflicts, hurts and unexpected tragedy.

In the second chapter, we learn there is JOY in SERVING!  It starts with the right attitude (humility); it is maintained through the right theology (God is God); and it is encouraged by the right models and mentors (friends like Timothy and Epaphroditus).

In the third chapter, we learn there is JOY in SHARING.  Paul shared three joyful things in his letter:

• His testimony
• His goal in living
• His reason for encouragement

In the fourth chapter, we learn there is JOY in RESTING.  Resting in Him means begin content in our circumstances because we are trusting Him to be in control.

WOW!  Now that's a lot of JOY for one day!  Dig into the book of Philippians and discover your own servings of JOY JUICE......made especially by God with YOU in mind!

Today's Serving of JOY JUICE

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It may just help to ward off anxiety!

Philippians 4:6 reminds us to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let you requests be made known to God."

Wait just a minute!  Surely we read that incorrectly!  Did it say: "BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING"???????? How on earth can we NEVER be anxious????? It's impossible in our own strength!

God knows our human limitations.  And He is always there for us.  He instructs us to go to Him in prayer with EVERYTHING!  As we bring our requests to Him, we should do so with a thankful heart.  This gives us a whole different perspective about our circumstances.  We can TRUST God to take the situation....and take care of it!  He will do that!  Because He cares for us....just as 1 Peter 5:6-7 says: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because HE CARES FOR YOU."

That knowledge alone should fill our hearts with a sense of peace and an overflow of JOY!

CHOOSE JOY!!!

In yesterday's blog I mentioned that the remainder of this week I would post some of the things that God laid upon our hearts at the "EnJOY the Journey" Ladies' Conference at Rothwell Baptist Church in Pooler.  One of the recurring themes of the weekend was that JOY is a CHOICE!  WHAT????  A CHOICE???
Yep!  Keep in mind that JOY is not the same as happiness.  We might not always be happy about our circumstances but we can CHOOSE JOY because of our relationship in Christ!

I told the story of our three year old granddaughter, Naomi, coming to spend a couple of days with us.  When it came naptime, it took her FOREVER to calm down long enough to fall asleep.  She was so excited to be a GiGi and Papa's that she was "wound tight".  As she laid in her bed, she talked to the stuffed animals, the dolls, the pictures on the wall, imaginary friends......she talked and talked and talked!  I finally opened the door and said, "Naomi, you've got to stop talking and take a nap!"

I closed the door, expecting to hear a little sniffle or even a loud cry.....but instead........she was obedient!  She stopped talking......AND STARTED SINGING at the top of her lungs: "I'VE GOT THE JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart, down in my heart toooooooo staaaaaaaaay!"   NAOMI CHOSE JOY!  She was determined to not let anything steal her joy that day---not naptime, not GiGi, not hurt feelings!

What about you and me?  Are we just as determined to not let ANYTHING steal our JOY?  If we have Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, then we have every reason to remain JOYful!  We can't control our circumstances most of the time, but we CAN control how we react to those circumstances.  Let's determine to always CHOOSE JOY.....so that Jesus can produce some delicious JOY JUICE in our lives!!!  A double portion of JOY---enough to share with all those He brings into our path today, tomorrow, and all the days to come!

Basking in the Afterglow of JOY!

To each of you who prayed for the "EnJOY the Journey" Conference at Rothwell Baptist in Pooler, GA this weekend....THANK YOU!  God was there!  And His love and JOY was evident!  It was an AWESOME weekend that passed, oh so quickly! 

From the time we arrived, Tammy, Amanda and I felt wrapped in His love.  The instant we met those PRECIOUS ladies, we felt as if we'd known them for years!  Lots of laughter and smiles were shared from the time we got there til the time we left.  And we are still "basking in the afterglow of His JOY"!

You see, when you have the love of Jesus in your heart and you are seeking to serve Him, God brings those who have common hearts into your path.  No matter what age or what your talents and gifts may be, if you share the love of God, then you have MUCH in common!  I am soooo thrilled to have new friends who are praying for me and who give me the sweet privilege of praying for them!

I'll be posting this week some of things we talked about at the conference.....so "stay tuned for more JOY"!

Anticipating JOY in the Lord!

Well, this is the day the Lord has made!  I'm reJOYcing and being glad in it!  My ministry "partners" for the weekend and I will be traveling to Savannah today---anticipating a JOYful weekend with the sisters at Rothwell Baptist Church.

Today, I'd like to ask you to pray for God's annointing on the whole weekend, from beginning to end.  Pray for the music, the sound equipment, the speakers, the women who will be attending.  Pray for EACH of our hearts to be tender toward Him.

TRULY, we are anticipating HIS JOY to be evident throughout this conference!

Thanks ahead of time for your prayers!!!!!! 

Count it ALL JOY!

Do ever feel that you are under attack?  I do!  And this week has been one of those weeks!  From every direction I felt those "fiery darts" of the enemy heading my way!  But our powerful awesome God is my strength and my SHIELD!!!!!  Therefore, I can still "count it ALL JOY"!

I set aside this week as "study time" to prepare for a ladies' conference that I'll be leading in Pooler, GA. (outside of Savannah)  I had been so busy up until this week with many family, church and ministry activities....all of which were wonderful, fun and good!  BUT I knew I really needed some quiet time, prep time and study time to make sure I was ready to deliver the messages that God has in store for the sweet ladies at Pooler Baptist.

WELL, you guess it!  Distractions and obligations, urgent needs and interruptions came by the multitudes.  Things began to happen that I'd NEVER in a million years dreamed up!  Heartaches, health concerns of family members, friends who were hurting......You get the picture!!!!!

BUT OUR GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!  And I experienced through it all, a sense of PEACE.  You know the kind....that peace that passes all understanding.  It could have come only from God.  I've not had time to study like I'd planned, but I have had time to talk to God in the midst of all the "opportunities".  And He has assured me that HE has everything under control.

Soooo, I'm off to Savannah tomorrow!  And can hardly wait to see what God has in store for our mini "EnJOY the Journey" Conference!  It's GOT to be a special time, because the enemy has worked so hard to keep it from happening.  I'll let you know how God "shows up and shows out"!  I'm counting it ALL JOY!!!! AND asking YOU to pray for God to pour out His JOY JUICE onto all of us!!!

Your Personal Serving of JOY JUICE

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  All you have to do is ask and you can have as much as you desire!

In Matthew 7:7 we find the words of Jesus: "Ask and it will be give to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."  As we pray, we are given these simple guidelines to ASK, SEEK and KNOCK.  And then verse 8 gives us an unconditional promise: "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Doesn't it fill your heart with JOY to know that when you ask, seek and knock, God is listening?!  These verses are promises to the Christian.  HE hears and answers our prayers!  Now, He may not answer in the way that WE think is best or in OUR time frame.  Remember: "His ways are not our ways".   But if we trust that God is always going to answer our prayers with our best interest in mind, this fills us with such peace and assurance---blessed assurance as the old hymn says---packed full of JOY!

JOY in Partnership

I LOVE the book of Philippians!!!   Yes, you know why!  It's the book of JOY!!!!  I am trying to memorize the book so that I can REALLY understand where Paul was coming from!  Can you believe that 16 times in this short letter (104 verses) Paul mentions JOY.  AND HE WAS IN PRISON when he wrote it!  WOW!  Could we be that JOYful if we were in his situation?

The reason he could "rejoice always" was because of his relationship with Christ. As I was meditating on the passage in Philippians 1:4, a light bulb came on!  Paul said: In all of my prayers for all of you, I always pray with JOY because of your partnership in the gospel.....Do you see that?  He prays for his friends with JOY because of their PARTNERSHIP in the Gospel!!!!!!!  They all loved Jesus and that common bond brought their hearts together in a spirit of JOY!

Yesterday I met with two precious gals who are going with me this weekend to Pooler Baptist Church to lead a ladies' conference.  The whole time we were together, we laughed and giggled and grinned and told hilarious stories....all while planning for the weekend!  It occurred to me that the reason we had so much JOY is because of our "PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL"!!!!!! 

"Father, thank you for my friends, Amanda Hayes and Tammy Arant, who love You and who are so willing to serve You with gladness!  Thank you for bringing us together as partners for this weekend's event and we pray WITH JOY because you have given us this opportunity to share Your love and JOY with others. Please keep us mindful that no matter what our circumstances, no matter how well we have planned, when things don't go our way....we can still "count it all JOY" and "rejoice in the Lord, ALWAYS!"

I believe that I am beginning to understand how Paul felt when he wrote:  "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with JOY because of your partnership in the gospel!"  AND "I thank my God every time I remember YOU."  God has blessed me with MANY, MANY friends who are so willing to "partner" with me and others in sharing the JOYful news!!!!!  For each of you, I give a shout of praise and JOY!