Joy is a muscle...

....you possess,

but it needs to be exercised and broken out 

of atrophy.

notes...

woke up and leapt out of bed

played with Polly, put the kettle on

and turned on the twinkles...

meditated....prayed...

moments later continuing circumstances

come in with a mission to steal my joy..

 I turn to prayer...breathe...ground...

 feel the nudge to experience enjoyment

did a weird pivot

 turned on the music 

and danced

~

joy requires a lot of intentionality

effort & learning

you are not taught what joy is

Biblical words that paint a picture of joy:

delight

gladness

pleasure

rejoicing

happy

protect yourself from the seriousness

and negativity that seek to infiltrate your mind constantly

guard your joy

'joy is a fruit of the Spirit

a birthright for every believer'

joy is inside of you

but like anything else

it needs to be activated

you need daily intentional experiences

that enhance the joy that lives within you

you need reteaching & new experiences

to restore the innocence of pure joy in your life

discover the simple things that help you revive what it means

to enjoy again

learn to be present in every moment

break out of your comfort zone of mediocrity

to see the greater joy that is possible

your heart is malnourished

~

'As you sit quietly in My Presence your awareness of 

My life within you is heightened.

I fill you with Joy & Peace as you trust Me.

Do your best with the energy I so graciously give you.

I have called you to live right and well.

I take responsibility for you & keep you safe.

I am your intimate Friend and the lover of your soul.

Enjoy My loving Presence more and more.

The dark moments of your life will last only

so long as is necessary for Me to accomplish 

My purpose in it.

Remember My timing is perfect.

Bring every battle to Me &

remember with Me, real strength looks different.

Fight the battles on your knees.

Always remember I love you!

Worship Me joyously.'

~Jesus~

(sources: Jesus Calling, Jesus Today, Charles Stanley, Mark DeJesus)

be well...

xoxo

💕

~

"The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter,

and the spirit heals with joy."

~unknown~

"Pause and remember: If you empty yourself of

yesterdays sorrows,

you will have much more room for today's joy's"

"Don't wait for everything to be perfect 

before you decide to enjoy your life."

~Joyce Meyer~

 

You will tolerate...

....everything in life

at the level to which you have received 

the power of God's Love.

symbol of transformation, rebirth, and the soul

notes...

"He revives my drooping head;

my cup brims with blessings..."

Psalm 23:5 MSG

truth with a little hint of humor

I love it!

I shudder to think what my life ( or anybody's)

would be like without God...

 just the thought alone triggers my anxiety...

~

"You are usually one powerful decision

away from everything changing."

you need love to empower your heart

believe in the greater potential

connect to reality

your responsible to make decisions 

that align with love

the power of decision is solely in your hands

it's not about earning & deserving;

it's about believing & receiving

your not alone in your difficulties & worries

God will meet you where you are

read scripture

absorb it into your life

discover the answers you need

position yourself for God's continuing instruction

impatience or rushing into a solution of your own making

can hinder His plan

Trust His awesome timing & allow Him to do 

His essential work in you & your circumstances

He will certainly do beyond all you imagine

you have to give up some things you've come to depend on

your being nurtured back to spiritual health

you weren't created to find your worth by comparing 

yourself to other people

it takes time to get used to God's way of Love

Stick with love long enough,

you will find it's gifts

~

'Bask in the grace of My love.

Believe in yourself. I have put inside of you 

every thing that you need to overcome.

I believe in who I made you to be.

Come into agreement with that faith perspective.

Love yourself as I love you.

Lack of love kills your belief system.

When you love yourself enough to see that

you are worth being loved,

then you will make the decisions you need to.

I believe in you.

You have what it takes to overcome & prevail.

The decision is yours.

Experience My love.'

~Jesus~

 (sources: Mark DeJesus, Charles Stanley, Jesus Calling)

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Clear your mind.

Your heart is trying to tell you something."

~unknown~

"Ten years from now, make sure you can say you

chose your life,

you didn't settle for it."

"The more you love your decisions,

the less you need others to love them."

~unknown~

 

Don't let the path....

....of other people's lives make you

second-guess your own.

 

Your path is unique.

Don't be distracted by comparisons.

notes....

another beautiful morning to sit in the yard

hair blowing in the wind

Polly is chasing the leaves as they blow by

 littering the grass again

cold is moving in...

~

lean into simplicity

slow down

focus on what it means to be loved

learn to enjoy the present

learn to be kind to yourself

you don't need everyone's burdens

everyone is in a different place in their journey

remain focused on God's prescription for you

in this season

life has a way of letting you know what you're made of

comparative view points to other people's journeys

distract you from your own 

don't miss out on the simple every day signals

from God

His gifts are in plain sight

don't waste time dissecting

and meandering through subjects that

distract you

focus on simple truths

and obvious themes

be aware of what God is up to in your life

it doesn't have to be deep and complex

learn to become kind, patient & compassionate toward yourself

God's narrative over your life is always empowering

He never delivers a condemning or dead end message

don't waste your time on victimization storylines

that keep you stuck

(unworthiness, self-hate, undeserving, inadequate, rejection...)

step boldly into life's adventures

you have what it takes

where you used to be doesn't indicate 

where your going

resist the urge to retreat to the past

thrive in the present

God is unfolding new places, people, and experiences

for you.

You weren't created to fit a mold

~

'Do not let any set of circumstances intimidate you.

Make Me a priority in your life.

Depend on Me for help.

Just go forward, trusting that I know what I am doing

even if you're not sure.

I  will direct you.

Live a happy life.'

~Jesus~

(sources: Jesus Calling, Mark DeJesus)

~

"Today I want you to think about all that you are

instead of all that you are not."

~unknown~

"Call me crazy, but I love to see people happy

and succeeding. Life is a journey,

not a competition."

~unknown~

"Confidence isn't thinking you're better than anyone else,

it's realizing that you have no reason to compare

yourself to anyone else."

No matter what ....

....year it was that you were born,

I hope that you aren't held back because of a number.

And that you don't rush into things because it 

feels like time is slipping by.

 
'I hope you do what's right for you.
Hold on.
Slow down.
And breathe in.
Your age is your age.
But more importantly, your life is your life.
Don't change your journey so that it matches
someone else's. 
We need to walk different paths so the whole world
can be explored.
Revel in the differences.
And enjoy where you are.'

~

notes...

We were running and Ellie went sideways,
"Hey El, don't trip up the old lady" I laughed
"You're not old" my sweet neighbor commented
Me: "Older than you!"
Her: "Your looks confuse me." 

~


it's not who you've been
it's who you are becoming

have a vision for the kind of
person you want to be

your  life is an accumulation of the
decisions you make 
make the healthier choices

love people as they are

change the way you show up

your mindset, attitude and your goals
take control of what your life looks & feels like

don't forget what actually matters

know what's important
somewhere to go
something to do
something that you enjoy
somebody that you can show a little love to

take care of yourself

awaken your heart to life

be well....
xoxo
💝

~

"You are being presented with two choices:
evolve or repeat."
~unknown~

"Sometimes deciding who you are is
deciding who you will never be again."
~unknown~

"Look at your daily habits and ask yourself if they are
causing you to evolve or revolve.
Are you moving forward, or just moving in circles?"
~unknown~