The Year of JOY

I don’t always get into “trendy” things like choosing a word of the year seems to have become.  But, last year God made it VERY clear to me, in a voice that was almost audible, that He wanted me to take the word BRAVE.  I have shared here several times throughout the last year how “Brave” framed so much of 2018.  It was the word I focused on in much of my personal Bible study, it is a word I focused on in counseling, it was what I prayed about almost daily, I even recently received a bracelet from a precious friend with simply the word “brave” (and I love it!!).  However, BRAVE was a HARD year.  While I learned SO much, and grew even more it was a very difficult, painful year of growth, and change, and adjustment. 

As the year began to draw to a close and I started praying about what word the next year would bring, I really had to listen carefully.  It took some time.  BRAVE had been unmistakable and loud when I wasn’t even looking for it.  But I had to wait a little and clearly listen, as in a still, quiet whisper God spoke “JOY.”  This year, I’m going to focus on JOY. Finding JOY in all that I have learned about through the year of brave.  Finding JOY in my new surroundings, in new friendships, and in a new church family.  Even looking for JOY in the silly things like discovering new restaurants (we FINALLY found some “small town” pizza to suit me last weekend!!), having more space in our new home, and exploring the attractions of a new area. 

I am going to cherish the JOY of being a mom to feisty cowboy, and the JOY of welcoming our new little one this coming summer.  And I’m going to cherish sharing that JOY we have with others. 

I want to focus on the JOY of parenting an independent, strong-willed child who tends to throw me a curve ball at every turn.  I had an InstaPinFace perfect picture idea for this past weekend, and he had NO interest in smiling for the camera or cooperating to make it happen.  But put the camera away, get out a phone, change the photo backdrop, and he is posing and saying “Cheese!!”  Sometimes he frustrates me to the point I could either laugh or cry.  MOST days I try to laugh.  But I want to focus not on the frustration, but the JOY in that little heart.  The JOY that was all over his face the day he heard the heartbeat of his new sibling.  As soon as the dr found the sound, he popped out of (A)’s lap beaming from ear to ear as he leaned right over top of me and said in total awe, “Mama!! Dat’s da BABY!!”  He brings me so much JOY as he discusses how he will be a good big brother at daycare.  He is very concerned that his friends are going to “run da baby over,” so on his own he has announced that “I am going to hold my baby so my friends don’t run it over!”  When he calls it “my baby” my JOY nearly leaks out the corners of my eyes. 

Cheesin' it up for the photo I DIDN'T plan.... (Photo credit: Ian Maphet)

And as I am already studying the word JOY, I realize that it means so much more to me because of what God has brought us through.  The JOY would not mean as much or be so precious to me, if I hadn’t had to work through all the hard parts of being brave.  And as I thank God for all the lessons, I will do so with JOY as I look to the future.

“…weeping may stay for the night, but JOY comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5