One Little Word

One little word.
JOY.
"State of delight and well being that results from knowing and serving God."
Synonymous words:  happiness, pleasure, delight, gladness, merriment, felicity, and enjoyment.
Word JOY is found over 150 times in the bible.
Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God.  It is not something people can create by their own efforts.
Joy differs from pleasure :  the Bible warns that self-indulgent pleasure seeking does not lead to happiness and fulfillment.  "Even in laughter a heart may be sad" (HCSB) Proverbs 14:13

This one little word, my word - JOY- is the focus of this year of 2011.  I want this fruit to be grown in me so that every situation I come across I am able to find and reflect this and enjoy all that God has given me.  I know that as I walk with the Lord everyday, troubles will come.  I want to rejoice even in the troubled times and most definitely in the good times.  I want my heart, not only my exterior self, to be filled and overflowing with an abundance of joy.  That is why this is my word, for this whole year.  I love it.

Wes and I challenged our Life Group to also choose a "word" that they can each focus on this year.  We are excited to walk in this together and I love how these friends are so willing to share their lives with us.  I find joy in the "realness" of friends and our Sunday evening get-togethers.  As I learn and grow more in my JOY I will share that with you - I encourage you to choose a word and document it too.  Check out my friend Emma and her word too!

We are missing 3 friends from our photo that night...and a whole lotta kids who were playing downstairs.  Thanks to our oldest son Aidan for acting as photographer so Mom could be in the photo too :)