Believe it or not, Amy and I both have really wanted to blog
some more, but since we have three children now, who has time, right!?! It is hard
to believe the last blog was in Oct of last year, man does time fly!
There is so much to tell and so much to share, but to start
back with the blog today, I simply want to say one thing that I cannot possibly
over-emphasize.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in
you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11.
I cannot over emphasize the “joy of the Lord” we have seen
and experienced since we began this journey. Has it had its share of hard
times? Yes! Have there been times of discouragement and confusion? Yes! But
here is a real question, what in this life can we pursue that DOES NOT have
those times? Nothing! But, are there things we can pursue in this world that
have those times but in the end result in NO JOY? Absolutely!
God has shown us a depth and breadth of His love, joy,
grace, peace and mercy through having Kailyn as our daughter that we never
could have “tasted and seen” otherwise.
All of that to say, whatever Jesus is leading us to do, it
is to INCREASE OUR JOY and it is a REAL joy that ONLY HE can give. Nothing else
in this world can compare to the joy He and He alone gives. In all He leads us
to do, He wants us to experience greater and greater joy in Him. When we begin
to see that following Jesus is no longer about giving up everything we really
want in order to sacrificially follow Him, but seeing that He is offering us,
if we CHOOSE to follow Him, a real and authentic sense of joy and satisfaction
and comfort that NOTHING else in this world can offer, then our motives to
follow Him turn from necessary (and even joyless) sacrificial obedience and “giving
up the things I want” to motives of “throwing off everything that hinders and the
sin that easily entangles” (Heb. 12:2) in a passionate pursuit of real joy that
we have “tasted and seen” as being very good and we want more!
So be encouraged! Whatever He is calling us to do! IT IS FOR
OUR JOY! REAL JOY! LASTING JOY! UNEXPLAINABLE JOY!
My prayer, “Lord, increase my desire for real joy that can
only be found in you! Please show me the triviality of things I pursue and am
passionate about.”
Andrew
