Beginnings

Today is a day of beginnings. I am beginning this blog! YIPEE! It has been on my to do list for a while. Nothing like the pressure of meeting my January 1st goal. It's 10:57 as I type! I am also beginning a read through the bible in its entirety regiment. Lastly, I am starting this year/decade with a word of the year. My word is JOY. James1:2 says, Consider it all JOY...."All" packs a lot of punch for a three letter word. It is my prayer that I can stay on my joy journey this year. I began the journey around Thanksgiving. As I reflected on the things I was thankful for I realized that those things were never in the forefront of my mind. My "half-empty" mentality thwarts my ability to look at the good first. It is my prayer that thankfulness will be the overflow of practicing JOY. I made a pit stop at our church's Christmas Eve service. The message mentioned joy, as it is often mistaken for happiness. We were reminded to seek joy and to consider it all joy. The reminder that it is one of the fruit of the spirit penetrated to the depths of me. I knew then I needed to focus on JOY. I love it when God takes something I've heard many times, even quoted and breathes a fresheness of the Word on me. I am eager to begin my word study, read books about JOY and seek the face of God, as He is my ultimate source of JOY.

My prayer for you is Romans 15:13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Until we stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy....