Choose to Rejoice

Choose to Rejoice

Today's Scripture

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
(Psalm 118:24)



Joy is a tough word to pinpoint and define. Many people describe joy
as an emotion or a feeling that comes over you in a great and shining
moment. Sometimes joy is just the opposite of being angry, but
hopefully it's much more than that to you. Joy is not the same as
happiness, because joy is what God has put in your heart, while
happiness is a temporary mood that can come and go. The Bible talks
about the kind of overflowing joy that rises up from deep within your
heart because of what God has done for you. He keeps that spring full
and flowing, which is why you can choose to live in joy today,
tomorrow, and every day after. Joy like this is contagious, and the
world is looking for it.

A Prayer for Today

God, I choose joy today! Thank You for placing in my heart a deep well
of joy that I can draw from each day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

~Devotional by

Joel Osteen

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for:
1. Seatbelts
2. Central air conditioning
3. Clean laundry
4. Reading glasses
5. The US Postal Service

Hope your Thursday is going well!

~Wordless Wednesday~

Celebrate Your Marriage

Dan and I had an awesome time at the Celebrate Your Marriage Conference, May 21-22. It was held at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. What a fabulous place! This our second year attending and we plan on attending next year as well. Christian speakers and authors Jay & Laura Laffoon are the hosts of this event and what a blessing they are to so many couples. I would highly recommend checking out their website and ministry.

We were entertained and enlightened by Anita Renfroe a wonderful lady, great Christian comedian! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! At the end of the conference we came home with many DVD's, books and CD's from Anita and Jay and Laura.
I think we came home with a few extra pounds as well from all of the delicious food!
You will find photos of our time at the conference and our stay at the Grand Hotel on my Flickr. Dan and I had a lovely room, with a balcony. We were very pleased.
God bless!

Desires

Ordering Our Desires

Desire is often talked about as something we ought to overcome. Still, being is desiring: our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our souls are full of desires. Some are unruly, turbulent, and very distracting; some make us think deep thoughts and see great visions; some teach us how to love; and some keep us searching for God. Our desire for God is the desire that should guide all other desires. Otherwise our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls become one another's enemies and our inner lives become chaotic, leading us to despair and self-destruction.

Spiritual disciplines are not ways to eradicate all our desires but ways to order them so that they can serve one another and together serve God.

~Henri Nouwen

For Your Friends

Laying Down Your Life for Your Friends

Good Shepherds are willing to lay down their lives for their sheep (see John 10:11). As spiritual leaders walking in the footsteps of Jesus, we are called to lay down our lives for our people. This laying down might in special circumstances mean dying for others. But it means first of all making our own lives - our sorrows and joys, our despair and hope, our loneliness and experience of intimacy - available to others as sources of new life.

One of the greatest gifts we can give others is ourselves. We offer consolation and comfort, especially in moments of crisis, when we say: "Do not be afraid, I know what you are living and I am living it with you. You are not alone." Thus we become Christ-like shepherds.

~~Henri Nouwen