Walking in Joy
Have you ever just had an underlying happiness and anticipation, and you didn't even know what it was about? Over the past year, I've been taught about an underlying joy that just never goes away if you don't want it to. It's a peacefulness, yes, but it's also a happiness that all is well and all will be well, even if the circumstances really just kind of suck.
It's a real thing, you guys. I have been walking in a contentedness for over a year now, and a lot of times it didn't make a lick of sense. But you guys, it really is a choice. It's also more than that. There is Someone out there trying to work things in your favor all of the time. I believe that. The joy comes when we're in line with what that Someone is trying to share with you, and sometimes it's in the brave act of doing whatever He/She is asking you to do.
I think religion and religious people got this all mixed up. They've really made it pretty complicated--trying to convince people where they have it wrong. What it's really about is where He/She (God) has it right. It's all about love. Truly. It's all about this beautiful Being wanting to extend His/Her love to you over and over again and about our ability to receive it. And that confidence in knowing that you are unconditionally loved is what brings the underlying joy.
We call it the Good News. It's good news because there's nothing on our end that we have to do to earn a single touch of grace. There's nothing that we do need to do to have unconditional love. It just is. That's crazy good news if you ask me. You get to be you--at your worst or at your best--and the grace is still there, the love is still there. That's where the joy comes from.
It was never our assignment to spread the gospel; it's always been our assignment to spread the love.
It's okay if you're getting it really wrong. It's okay if you're getting it really right. Both can be overwhelming. The good news is you don't have to have all of the answers, but there's Someone who does. The good news is you don't have to make all the right decisions every time, but there's Someone who wants to guide. The good news is you don't have to do another thing but rest in His/Her goodness for the rest of your life if you don't want to.
You were made for love. You were made to love and to be loved. But the pure, perfect love and joy comes from being loved first. It fills you up and spills out onto others. There is a choice of love, yes. But the choice comes in the ability to receive. Because when you can really and truly receive love purely, you can really and truly extend it. It was never on you to conjure up in the first place.
And that's how you walk in joy: you learn to be loved.
Photo Story: If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm in love with the sky. I've started to realize I need to expand my horizon in the photography department, because I'm obsessed with the sky. It takes my breath away nearly once a day. This beautiful photo was taken in St. Petersburg, Florida. My little one and I decided to grab some ice cream and pizza. While we were waiting, we went outside and caught this magnificent closing of daylight. We were both so happy about it. I watched it go all the way down (she was a touch more distracted). These colors and this sky brings me undeniable joy. Thank you, Lord, for the sky!
x Keely
