The Joy Challenge: Day 9 - Heartbeats

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

 

Photo by Stacey Smith

I lay my head on his chest. I can hear his heart.

In two days we will have spent nine years of marriage this way...waking, sleeping, laughing, struggling, praying, loving.

All those heartbeats are echoes of this journey we've shared.

Saying I do. beat.

First house. beat.

Coming home. beat.

Time with family. beat.

Loss of our baby. beat.

Finding of hope. beat.

Moments with friends. beat.

Drifting off to sleep in each other's arms. beat.

I listen, head still on this chest.

This is the rythm of his body, the music of our lives.

As long as one of us has breath...we will sing it together.

And, through the highs and lows, it is the sound of joy.

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

Comments

[C.C.]

Wow. We are sisters in Christ, experience, and heart. Unfortunately, my heart is struggling at the moment. I don't know that I am quite ready to join you in this challenge, although I will try.

I find my life right now rather mundane and purposeless, and so the things I am finding joy in may seem a little superficial.

I do know, though, that I serve a big God who is holding on to me, even if only by the last, little thread. Thank you for sharing. I will post something a little later on today.

[~Grace & Peace]

That no matter what I go through, whether my husband still loves me or not, I have Jesus. That gives me joy. And peace.

Happy Anniversary in two days!

[Linda]

Holley, you bring me joy. It is a joy to see a picture of a godly couple who has walked through good times and tough times together. It has been fun watching you in your 40 day Joy Challenge. I hope it does incredibly special things for you. Earlier this year I did a 40 Day Love Dare with God and it made a tremendous difference in my life. Congrats to both of you. Great picture! The Lord bless your marriage and walk together with new and exciting things in Him this year. Blessings...

[Monica @ The Writer Chic]

Holley, I love, love, love that picture of you guys. But I loved the post even more. Jim and I are going through something we-can't-quite-put-our-finger-on-it funky, and this post was especially encouraging to me today. Thank you. Love, Monica

[C.C.]

I did it. I posted.

http://his-heart.blogspot.com/2009/09/joy-challenge-day-one.html

[rikki]

i feel joy through the grace-providers God has placed in my life...including my husband, my children, and my supportive family and friends. God uses them to show me his grace and bring glory to himself, which brings me joy!

[C.C.]

I stopped at Lifeway on my way home from work and picked up a copy of your devotional. Looking forward to starting it in the morning and praying that God will speak to me in new and fresh ways.

Blessings,
C.C.

[Katie]

In two days my husband and I will have spent 18 years together in marriage......He is my best friend and I would not trade him for anything.
Our time together has included 3 kids, 4 career changes, a house, more pets than I can count, and more smiles and laughter than I can put into words.
We have had our struggles but our JOYS far out weight them and I am more grateful to God than I could ever express.
By the way-HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

[Mary Lynn]

Joy is a cloudy quiet day at home.
Congratulations to you both!!

[Fiona]

Holley - I sooooo love your heart.

I love to read and hear of people lifting up their spouses.
And I know too, what it is like to have life throw certain curveballs in your path - I am fortunate to know JOY in that my husband and I have never had these curveballs affect our relationship - through and only through God's grace.

[Nancy]

Joy today is getting ready for a new year at Mothers day out with 2 yr olds

[Susan]

Hi Holley,
Thanks so much for sharing your heart with us! I feel such a sense of sisterhood in Christ when I read posts like yours!
The JOY that I have realized is the "peace which surpasses all understanding" in Christ. Over the summer, I lost my sweet mother to cancer. My husband just lost his job last week. We have 4 small children who depend on us. We have a home and 2 clunker cars that need repairs. But, you know what? The Lord keeps speaking His words to my heart, reminding me that it's all a part of HIS divine plan. He will never leave me nor forsake me! He has already seen my future, and He promises me hope instead of harm. For this I praise Him, and for this reason, I experience JOY. : )

[Maria Jones-Davidson]

Holley, Truly lovely lovely photo you got there once again. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photo with your gorgeous husband and what a gorgeous couple you are! Well, My husband Mike and I will go out on the weekend and will of course enjoy the outdoors that day. It's great to have that time together as a couple, have an afternoon tea as we call it here in Australia, go for walks and just enjoy the day together! Thank you for your truly lovely blog Holley! I appreciate the fact that you and your husband are having a great time in your marriage journey and God bless you both so much!

[~Grace & Peace]

Joy is listening to praise music in my iPod (which went MIA in my craft room). I sang along. Out loud! The words and melody penetrated my soul. Songs about faith, about His love, about my Jesus. It was a good night.

[The Nester]

your husband is quite handsome.

of course, you're awfully adorable yourself!

[Hillary @ The Other Mama]

What a cutey patootey hubs you have there! And I love the picture of you both!
Isn't a marriage something special? The intertwining of love in a day by day monotony that makes it work. I'm sure you can write it out much more eloquently than I can (as you did), but happy anniversary to you. Y'all got married just a few months before we did... and on my birthday! And I'll be giving away your book tomorrow on my birthday!!
Happy Anniversary!
hugs,
Hillary

[Mrs. H]

What a beautiful portrayal of marriage and your specific joys/trials. God's gift of marriage is definitely on my "joy" list. The support and encouragement of the man that God has joined me with means so much to me as well.

[Cindy Fox]

Hi, Holley:

Praise God for YOU! The picture with this devotion is great! You have such a great way with words, too! Thank you for these thought filled devotions. A couple things that joy is for me today: 1) Reading Susan's comment and seeing that she knows and is standing on God's promises for her during this difficult time in her life! :) 2)Doing things around the house today with my husband, and being able to bless our daughter who is away - she will have a door on her bedroom when she gets home. She has been waiting for a door for quite a while. We were blessed to move into this, our first, house this past April!

God bless you Holley. Thank you for being you for us!

[Rainin'Grace]

Holley:

The echoes of my journey, like yours has been filled with joys, heartaches and heartbeats that meshed us together stronger as one as we traveled this journey together. There were times along this journey that we felt as if we were dancing barefooted on the beach with no care in the world, while other time it felt as if we were in a torrent tornado and battered at every side. I look back now, and those times of storms, like the loss of our child, are the times that our faith grew, that His promises bound us together and kept us on this journey. It was through adversity that we became knitted together in God's tender care - and He carried us until we made it through. Every moment is a stitch in His divine plan, for He see the whole picture - we see only a portion. We never walk alone, some days He carries us ever so gentle until we can stand again.