Getting back the Joy, that I seemed to have Lost

More beauty from my route!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my family. I spent sometime with each of my children but of course not the one that moved to Texas. Rebecca did call me twice yesterday! Oh how I miss my girl. She sounds like she is doing great. She has sung on my Dad and Step-mom's worship team for the last two weeks. God is sure working in her life right now, I love what I am hearing. They are all in South Carolina right now; they made it at around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. They are going to be visiting with my Step-mom's family for a few months.

I'll post all about my fabulous Mother's Day and much more soon. Today, I wanted to post about what the Lord is doing in my life. I have made one more very small baby step towards growing in Christ. I sure pray I don't take two giant steps backwards.
: )

Galatians 5:22-23, The Fruit of the Spirit: love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.


I had let the things of this world, rob me of having the joy that comes from Christ Jesus. Over the last few years, I seemed to have lost my joy. "I have been trying" (That was my first mistake) to get back what I once had. Joy, has to come from the only One I can draw strength from. Yes, the "Joy of the Lord is my strength". My journey back has been slow but with the Lord's help, I'm convinced that there is no better combination to getting it back then, prayer, faith and diligence. I am getting up in the morning with new hope, new strength, and a new reason to live. I am looking at the people and things in my life with open eyes. Eyes that see what the Lord has really given me. I see the people that are in my life and people that are no longing in my life, as true blessings.

The Joy of the Lord is my strength -- I can get through whatever may face me on the road ahead, if I stay in the Word and draw strength, from my Lord and Savior. It is the Lord who will carry me if I trust in Him. Know that the joy of the Lord is my strength. God will never leave me, nor forsake me. If I have full faith in God, then I will have fullness of joy. How can I be anxious or worried when the God whom I serve holds me in the palm of His hand.... can anything but fullness of joy be present?

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Trials will come my way. Problems might, for a little while, stay. But I know, the Lord will see me through every trial. My hope, my trust, my joy is in Him. I must cast my cares upon Him for He cares for me. The Bible says in Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

When our life on earth is through, we shall enter into the joy of the Lord and shall reign with Christ Jesus forever! That alone is worth singing about! Amen!

Matt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Joy-- one of the fruits of the Spirit. Joy is given to us by God. It is a Heavenly gift that cannot be taken away. It is not dependent on external conditions but rather upon internal possessions. We have grace, peace, blessed assurance, and fellowship with God Almighty through our Great Mediator-- the Lord Jesus Christ.

They "rejoiced, for God had made them to rejoice with great joy."

"The joy of the Lord is your strength."—Nehemiah 8:10.


Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Faith in Christ implants that joy-- the joy that can see in the midst of a trial and say, "I have hope! My sins are forgiven! Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning! All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose...Hallelujah!"

Peter said, concerning Jesus, in Acts 2:28 "Thou hast made known to me
the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."

Hebrews 12:2 : Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Lord Jesus had joy in knowing that He would redeem us, by His sacrificial death upon the cross. The blessed Savior-- praise His name forever! He has given us the joy that world cannot take away.