"Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.
"Fan the Flame" has been a feature on my blog for a long time. I've enjoyed it, and have always loved reading your insightful comments. But I'm thinking about making a change.
However, in light of all the craziness of the past few weeks, I haven't been able to come up with a new and creative idea - (it's actually been hard to come up with much of anything!!)
So, this week I'm returning to "Fan the Flame" and asking all of you to *weigh in* on my Word for 2014 - JOY!
Just a word and a question (or few)…just a little something to
"fan the flame" of your creativity!And, just for fun, I'm adding a *foto* - add a caption, a verse, or a thought to go along with it!
Still "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)
Today's word: joy
What does the word joy mean to you?
Why is joy so important in the Christian life?
How can we find joy in the middle of turmoil, suffering, and difficult circumstances?
What is one thing that has brought joy to your life this past week?
Let me know what you think!!
THE FOTO:
(Don't forget to add your caption, a verse, or a thought!!)
"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for JOY. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." (James 1:2-3, NLT)
"Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of JOY." (Psalm 126:5, NIV)
"May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13, ESV)
And...a source of JOY lately:
"God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
(Matthew 5:4, NLT)
YES, indeed...
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
When I visited Corrie Ten Boom's house last year, it hit me what joy really was....it's not about circumstances....or loss....or things. It's knowing He's there in the good and the not so good, in the hard stuff...the lonely....the confused....the frustrating. It's knowing He'll never let go.....never walk away.....and always brings good from the tough. Wishing you a beautiful weekend Sharon. You shine every time I pop by here. :)
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ReplyDelete"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28 That was first thing that came to mind when I saw your photo. The snow on those branches look so heavy....weighing them down. Praise be to God that keeping our JOY during these times will lighten the load! Thank you, Jesus!
Blessings on you, sweet Sharon :)
Good questions: Joy mean peace of mind to me. Joy is important to me because I am a compassionate person which means I feel others emotions when they are hurting and I know that God will bring us Joy through the worst of times. Going out to dinner and a movie with my husband brought me joy. En-JOY your weekend.
ReplyDeleteWieeping may last through the night, but joy cometh in the morning....Ps. 30:5
ReplyDeleteJoy is for me a deep inner knowing that no matter what comes my way, I know that I know that I.know......Jesus is here with us. ..
Hi Sharon! I think you have chosen a very good word for the new year! And I love your essay on it on the sidebar. I think I should come here and load up on joy when things don't look so great.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that brought me joy in this week was 'what was lost has been found.' I put it up on my FB page for the blog, but I don't know if you go there. I visited my daughter for a week to help with the new baby and her 22 mo old sister.
While there, I lost the diamond out of my mother-in-law's engagement ring. I have worn it since her death in 2010. I was SO sad. Many prayers and looking. Nothing. Until a few days ago! My daughter saw something shiny in the rug. YAY!!! I can't believe it.
We'll pick it up in an few weeks. What joy!!
Have a good weekend my friend. Thank you for your visit too. I love to see always.
Ceil
Joy is a really important word for a Christian and it has a very personal meaning for me. I have been learning so much about joy with God, and being joyful under any and all circumstances. Thank you for this beautiful post and encouraging post!
ReplyDeleteSharon, I have a different perspective on the word JOY. Jesus, Others, You. It's how we need to see things in our life, our priorities and then once we get those in order, we can find the true joy that comes from what God can provide. It's about perspective, stepping back and seeing things differently from how they appear when we look at them. I think joy when it comes is a wonderful thing and it energizes and refreshes us much like rain does. I don't think we are meant to find joy in everything, but to realize that joy is there simply waiting to be discovered like a true treasure it is.
ReplyDeleteLove and Hugs ~ Kat
I would caption the photo with words from the Bible: To everything there is a season.
ReplyDeleteThere are times when my heart is overwhelmed with life's catastrophes or earthly trials, and yet I still have a deep abiding joy at the bottom of it all. It's a joy that comes from having the Holy Spirit to comfort me, from knowing that God will have the final say on everything. Through it all--and I do mean all--we can rejoice in every day that the Lord has made.
I found great joy in keeping one of my grandnieces yesterday. Just to see her face is pure joy.
A time to laugh a time to mourn - cycles really. Sometimes I feel sad and forget what joy feels like. Joy comes in the morning!
ReplyDeleteJoy to me is contentment in Jesus; knowing that he is more than enough! I think it is important for us to have joy in our lives because its intertwined with our reliance and trust in Jesus. I struggle though with joy, I tend to be the whiner and the complainer, I need to be more grateful and joyful!
ReplyDeleteI love the snow picture! Was that from your area recently?
betty
"As the rain and snow come down from hearven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields see for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11 / In your picture, I see heaven, snow, a watered earth, and I know that beneath the precipitation God is growing something beautiful. Everything has a purpose, a season, a time to breathe. Blessings, friend.
ReplyDeleteSorry to be late again, but I was occupied yesterday with not one but two funerals. It's funny that you ask about our most joyous moment because I knew immediately that the greatest joy that I had this week actually took place right in the middle of the greatest sorrow. That being the case, only a believer in Jesus Christ who has the hope of eternal life in Him can understand. Joy-- to me--- is inexpressible. That's why we have so much trouble defining it but so much ease recognizing it when we feel it.
ReplyDeleteI felt it this week as I stood with the honorary pall bearers across the grave from my husband, who was an actual pall bearer. Between us was the coffin of a beloved old friend. I can not describe the pain that I saw on his face. Then, the woman who had been her caregiver in the latter days came forward to offer Amazing Grace in the most gorgeous, throaty, gospel song you've ever heard. In the middle of singing, she asked for a "praise God", and the whole congregation of us sang just those two words over and over to the familiar tune.
At THAT moment, I felt the "joy unspeakable and full of glory" that you and I have discussed recently. My heart was overwhelmed at the privilege of praising God because this old friend had finish the race.
And that's my joy.
And I guess because I have the old friend in mind this morning, my thoughts ran to a completely different passage when I saw the snow on the trees.
".She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet." Proverbs 31:21
Hi Sharon!
ReplyDeleteJoy is possible only when you know the Lord Jesus Christ. When you have a relationship with Him, and you keep everything in your life in prayer, the good times and the bad times, you have joy because you know He's in control and He's working everything out for your good. Nothing can take the place of that.
Blessings,
Judy
For me joy has everything to do with being assure of Christ and His Word and not being focused on the happenings of our lives. Often our lives are not filled with moments that will bring us feelings of happiness but we can find comfort and joy knowing that He is there right along with us.
ReplyDeleteWhen we keep a joyful heart, we look forward to each new day and everything God has planned for us! Being kind and compassionate to everyone we meet, and wearing joy is an example for everyone to see the love we have for God, and it's contagious! Love what you have to say about joy on your sidebar Sharon!
ReplyDeleteBlessings and joy!
Denise