Taking Hope to Heart

 

I wear two rings. The one on my left hand is a symbol of love for my husband. The ring on my right hand is a small silver band with one word on it…hope.

This month marks the five-year anniversary of the reason I bought that little hope ring. My husband and I have been on the journey to starting a family all that time...to read the rest visit (in)courage.

The JOY Challenge: Day 8 – Digging for the Divine

I'm deliberately looking for joy for forty days. To start from day one click here.

 

Kelly from This Restless Heart shared a fabulous post by Monica Sharman with me last week. I loved it and hope you'll take a few moments to read it.

Essentially, Monica shares of searching for joy and struggling to find it. Finally her sweet husband reminds her that we first seek God and then He gives us joy.

In light of this, I spent a few moments asking myself, "What am I really looking for in this joy challenge?"

I realized I'm often like a treasure hunter who sticks her shovel in the soil, scratches at it a bit, and thinks, "That's just ordinary soil. Nothing much here." Then I move on to the next spot.

But if I make myself pause, reflect, dig deep, lift shovel after shovel of my humanness away then eventually I discover the divine where I least expected it.

I start with lunch with a friend...and find God is love.

I begin with an ordinary blue sky...and remember God is creator.

I open my eyes to a new day even in hard times...and know again God is faithful.

I've heard that "happiness" is on the surface and based on circumstances. In contrast, perhaps joy is what we find when we dig deeply enough into those circumstances to see God in them.

And for one who tends to miss Him in the ordinary, that's where I'm digging these days....

GIVEAWAY

Congratulations to Carol! She became a subscriber this week and was chosen by the random number generator as the winner today. Carol is getting one of my very favorite things–this fabulous pitcher from The Life Collection...

 

Would you like to join me in the Joy challenge? Just share one thing that brings you joy. I'll have random giveaways for people who comment or subscribe anytime during the next forty days. And you never know when it could be you...  

The JOY Challenge: Day Seven - Worth a Thousand Words

I'm deliberately finding joy for forty days. To start from day one click here.

 

Our joy adds to His...

The Lord be exalted who delights in the well-being of His servant. Psalm 35:27

...and simply knowing this adds to mine.

Would you like to join me in the Joy challenge? Today just share a Scripture or truth God has spoken to your heart that brings you joy. I'll have random giveaways for people who comment or subscribe during the next forty days. And you never know when it could be you...