"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." - Ps. 5:11-12

i absolutely love seeing my extended family. they are the most compassionate, dedicated people in the entire world; however, things usually go a bit overboard and i get overwhelmed. also, my anxiety tends to be at an all time high when i'm there whether i realize it or not. it's just not a good combination. when i get back i usually shower, go to bed at 4 and sleep until the next morning. this time was completely different.

about a week ago i was lucky enough to grab coffee with brittany and sweet lady lively. for the record, any time spent with them is so good for the heart. for some reason that morning was extra good. long story short we started talking about the joy but struggle it is for me to go to pennsylvania for the holidays. i appreciate any advice people give me when i'm about to go for a long visit and brittany had some things to say. it wasn't the typical things people tell me. it was simple but powerful. why i didn't think of it before she said it beats me. all she said was to find a verse or two that i could cling to and pray while i was gone then pray and read it daily. she told me to share those verses with her so she could pray them over me while i was gone. (side note - y'all, let me tell you how great brittany is and what a blessing she has been to me! if i need a physical reminder of god's faithfulness to answering prayers i can just look at her. i prayed and prayed and prayed for a friend who would encourage and challenge me...a friend who i could be completely real with...a friend who would love me well. he provided that with brittany. i am so incredibly grateful.) the night before we left i opened my bible and found those verses in ps. 5. yep. i knew those were the ones for me for this trip. i shared them with brittany then left the next day for pennsylvania.

the first night we were there everyone was in a great mood. i was so so happy! i sent brittany a text that night to share the good news. i was going to use those first few hours to be a source of encouragement that god in fact heard our prayers and that he was faithful to answer! well wouldn't you know this ended up being the best christmas for our family? even when the crazies decided to get carried away it was okay. no one busted out into an argument. everyone was so kind to each other. this was the first time in a long time i actually slept through the nights up there. this was the first time in a couple of years i wasn't anxious going out shopping with my mom and great-aunt. (i know this all probably sounds insane but if you knew just how ridiculous things can get you'd be stoked about these little things too.) it was a great time with my family. when i got back to vb brittany was the first person i texted. i let her know i was back and how great our time together ended up being. she was so excited. i was too. 

god is so good, y'all! he cares about the big things in our lives just as much as the minor details. my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude because of his faithfulness to me in this usually chaotic time. i can't think of a more perfect way to go into 2014. what a precious reminder of the god i love and serve. he knows the desires of our hearts and provides for them in so many different ways! sometimes it's immediately. sometimes it wakes a while. keep asking. he's listening and waiting to provide just what you need in his time. 

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:11

i'm having one of those mornings when i spend some time with god and get completely wrecked by something. this morning it's about joy. i had to stop maybe 2 paragraphs into my chapter in abide in christ because it was too much to handle. and i mean that in a good way. i love that god knows our hearts and meets us where we are. yes, that just happened.

if you know me you know i'm a pretty happy person. if i get annoyed by something i have a few people i share that with then i just go for a run or drive and i'm fine. but there's a difference between being happy and being filled with joy. i started this off by looking up what happy and joy mean. happy means feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation. joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness; a source or cause of great happiness. so, in a way, happiness is a product of joy. cool. so where is the difference?

the best place to see the difference is by looking at the source. when we get an A on that test we studied so hard for (or if you're like me when i was in school - crammed the night before and prayed for a miracle) we are happy. when that guy or girl sends you a text out of the blue just to ask about your day we get happy. when we get that drink for free at starbucks we get happy. and you know what? there's nothing wrong about being happy over these things. but what happens when we fail a test we spent so much time studying for? when we don't hear from that guy or girl? when we get overcharged for a drink? yeah, we aren't happy. and sometimes we let that dictate so much more than our actions. these thoughts start popping in our minds - if only i tried harder, if only i were prettier, if only i spoke up and so on and so on...we start believing those lies. we are no longer happy. why? the source of our happiness comes from imperfect and fleeting things. true joy on the other hand comes from a perfect source - jesus.

it was only with the resurrection and its glory that the power of the never changing life began, and only in it that the never ceasing joy could have its rise...the day of His crowning was the day of the gladness of His heart. that joy of His was the joy of a work fully and forever completed, the joy of the Father's bosom regained, and the joy of souls redeemed. these are the elements of His joy; of them the abiding in Him makes us partakers. his death and resurrection not only bring salvation and access to the father - they're also our source of true joy! when we are seeking other things (and not necessarily bad things...just not the one perfect thing to be seeking) we are trying to fill that space in our hearts only jesus knows how to satisfy. i believe that his joy is what he wants to use to fill that space. we have a role to play in all of this. i think it starts with us learning to daily abide with open hands ready to receive his joy.

abiding fully in Christ is a life of exquisite and overflowing happiness...joy is an essential characteristic of the life of the believer who fully abides in Christ. when we are abiding in christ with open hands we receive joy and have it to the full. that joy flows out of us. why? it's because we know the value of joy because we are doing life with the source who provides it. we know what we have really satisfies our hearts. we open up our hearts and let it satisfy. it takes work. it's not going to be easy. we need to trust that he will keep us abiding. we need to trust that that he will keep our hands open to receive the joy he provides for that day. we need to trust that what he gives is enough. then we will be confident that when we are walking in the midst of trials he is present and ready to extend his perfect joy to us. 

happy monday.

why is it a happy monday? i will give you a few reasons why it is for me. hopefully one of these will relate to you.

1. i finally got a solid night of sleep. i can't tell you the last time i was asleep before 11. i can tell you how magical it was.
2. it's a sunny december morning. this is the weather i have been waiting for. it's finally here and oh so delightful.
3. a good morning workout is just wonderful. following it up with some coffee is also oh so good.
4. the tunes have been on point in my life this morning! so on point that i have to share one of the things i've listened to on repeat! i heard a song by whitley a few months ago on a pandora station. i remember loving his voice and the simple sounds that went along with it. cheap clothes is simple and amazing. i hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

happy monday, y'all!

Cheap Clothes - Whitley