Last weekend was our church's annual women's conference. The title this year was, "Live, Love, Laugh." I was only able to physically attend three sessions, but was also able to watch some of them online. At first, I was really bummed that I had missed so much. I had it in my mind that I was going to be feeling terrific by the time conference came and when I wasn't, well, I was bummed. Getting used to new food allergies has been interesting. It's hard to believe that you can actually grieve food. I guess it's like any other kind of loss though. Most of all, it's a big change. It's also been hard to keep in mind that it's going to take a while before I feel really good. My stomach and my entire system have to get used to this new way of eating. And that will take time. I have blogged in the past about how I'm not a very patient person. Even though I've improved in that area it definitely still needs work. I want to be feeling well NOW! Ha ha!
Here are some of the things I wrote down in my notes from the conference:
"We are going to need strength and a sense of humor to get through this journey called life." ~ Holly Wagner
"Don't allow what you can see negate what you can't see with your spiritual eyes." ~ Priscilla Shirer
"Are your eyes blurred from seeing the solution to your problem because you're too lost in conversation about what's happening, or what's happened to you? A mouth in gear makes it really hard to see and hear." ~ Priscilla Shirer
"Resist the urge to keep rehearsing what is currently happening to you." ~ Priscilla Shirer
"God can use your past to build some body's future." ~ Holly Wagner
"We need courage to walk through this God adventure. Don't disqualify yourself...even if you do stupid stuff." ~ Holly Wagner
Talk about these messages being applicable to my life right now! There were so many more things that I gathered from these speakers. Those were just a few that stood out. One of the other things I learned was that I had lost some of my joy. And because I'd lost some joy, I lost some strength too. In Nehemiah 8, it says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Strength is definitely something I need to get through these health issues, both new and old. I came across some scriptures in Isaiah that I wanted to share with you. "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." ~ Isaiah 12:2-3. The bottom line is that our joy comes from the Lord. Our sufferings on earth will someday come to an end and we will be with Him forever. This is true for all that believe in Jesus and call on him to be saved.
Psalm 17:9-11 says, "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." David had a glad heart because he had found the secret to joy. True joy is far deeper than happiness. It's a mystery to me that we can feel joy even in the midst of our deepest troubles. Joy lasts because it comes from God's presence within us. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances. If we can begin to understand the future he has for us, we will experience joy. We can know with confidence that God promises not to abandon us. David said, "You have made known to me the path of life..." The path of life is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I encourage you to read all of John 15, but here are a few scriptures. Jesus is talking in John 15:9-11 and he says, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Jesus goes on to command us to love one another as he has loved us. I don't know about you, but I need to know how to have complete joy in my life. His joy is my strength. Even though I may be weak on the outside, I am strong on the inside. That is only possible because of Jesus. There is no other explanation for having joy and strength in the middle of trials. It's only Jesus.
I don't know everyone who reads this blog. I don't know where you stand in your relationship with Jesus, or if you even have a relationship with him. What I do know is that if you invite Jesus into your life, it's an invitation that will never be refused. This is true whether you are inviting him into your life for the first time, or if it's been a while since you've really had a relationship with him. Either way, he is waiting for you with open arms. He wants to spend time with you. How cool is that? That the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything beyond would want to spend time with you. If you've never asked Jesus into your heart, now is the time. He will be your joy and will give you the strength you need to get through this journey called life. All you have to do is pray this simple prayer..."Dear Lord Jesus, I ask you to come into my life. I confess that I am a sinner and I need you. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me and make me whole. Help me to follow you all the days of my life. Amen." It's that easy, and I promise you, it's the best and most important decision you will ever make. You can have real joy.
