Dare to Live Fully....with JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Wake up and smell the sweet aroma of your blessings!

            One my former working colleagues used to say: "I’m too blessed to be stressed!"  I agree!  When I think of my many blessings, JOY bubbles up in my heart!   I’m blessed with a dear family, special friends and lots of joy in the form of grandchildren!  I’m blessed with good health and this stage of life to be a part of a ministry that shares God’s joy with others.

             What about you?  Have you tried to count your blessings lately?  Though none of us are at the exact same stage of life or set of circumstances, one thing holds true for each us: We all have blessings! Some times we get distracted from seeing our blessings because we get caught up in the busyness and challenges of daily life.  BUT….if we will look for them, I can promise you…blessings are there!

            One of my blessings in the form of a dear friend…that Proverbs kind of friend…the one who “sticketh closer than a brother” Proverbs 18:24 (or sister in this case)….Well this JOYful blessing of a friend gave me a new book the other day.  There was no special occasion, no celebration or fanfare or specific reason.  She just knew I’d love the book….and, wow, was she ever right!

            One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is chocked full of reasons to experience the JOY of the Lord.  And listen to the subtitle: “Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are!”  

            May each of us be challenged to look past our daily difficulties and choose to live fully in the JOY of the LORD…RIGHT WHERE WE ARE!