Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
LOL ~
Laughing out loud
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH ~
Sometimes we must purpose laughter in life and joy. Each of our lives travel roads that are amazing and then roads that are hard. We can find the joy in a new day if we choose too. I have seen miracles of life and I know the power of God is real. Somethings we will never know the answer of why too and we must let it go. Other things, God chooses to use in our lives to spur us on to greatness. Have you ever wondered why is inside of you that God wants to bring out? Along time ago, I felt the call of God on my life. I resisted that for a long time and then it was like all of a sudden, a door open for me to lead a class of Women. In that yes to God, I began to learn myself. Learn about life and learn about how my own hard stuff helped someone else. My own good stuff, helped someone else too. I found the joy of the Lord within me that became my strength.
FAITH ~
Romans 10:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
I began to open the Bible and begin to read. Planting scriptures of hope along the way and reading about what God did do and what he can do. Hard things happen to people in the Bible too and who knows what their own thoughts were in life. Maybe wondering the why of things just like you and I do at times. Wanting to know answers and maybe not getting them. How do we spur up that joy and how do we make laughter come again? We purpose it and decided that no matter what happens in life, I will choose the joy of the Lord.
Hebrews 10:24-25 New International Version (NIV)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Please remember this scripture:
Proverbs 17:22 New International Version (NIV)A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Laughing can be contagious. Have you ever been in a room with someone laughing and all of sudden you are smiling or laughing? You may not know what they are laughing about at all, but there you are smiling! Being around someone with joy in their heart, can bring the joy out of you too. I know that not everything can be happy in life, but read this:
James 1:2-4 New International Version (NIV)
Trials and TemptationsConsider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
God keeps his word (Bible) alive within us if we allow him. He wants us to lack nothing and see how even hard stuff can grow us into a better person. I believe we have two choices in life, we are grow into a better person or bitter person. Through it all, God has a plan and as it begins to unfold, trust him. My prayers continue for you, your family and friends. Choose some laughter moments and smiles this day.
~ Sparkie