Joy!

"Lord, let us be a part of something you are blessing." 

Charlie and I have prayed this prayer for the last couple of years.  It came out of a desperate heart....honestly, but God has used it, to change us....because it is an honest plea of trusting that He knows us and He LOVES us...and He isn't looking to hit us over the head...He is looking for us to enter into 

HIS JOY.

It was a prayer of....

we are tired of ourselves...we are tired of banging our heads against every brick wall.

 "OUR PLANS"

would continually frustrate us. 

It was a prayer of 

"I surrender".

And of course...GOD has BLOWN us away with HIS GOODNESS and HIS GRACE and HIS JOY.

1 Chronicles 16:8-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

David's Song of Thanks

8 

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

    make known his deeds among the peoples!

9 

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wondrous works!

10 

Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

11 

Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually!

We can do NOTHING for HIM.

God does not NEED us...we NEED Him!

He was not waiting for me to pray that prayer so He could get something done....HE can do whatever He wants whenever He wants...He just LOVES me and can use us because

 HE IS THAT GOOD!!!

He is perfect, He is complete.

And He can make us and mold us and give us JOY!

NOT because we deserve it or earn it...just because

 He is good and He is GOD!

Psalm 40:16-17

English Standard Version (ESV)

16 

But may all who seek you

    rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation

    say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

17 

As for me, I am poor and needy,

    but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

    do not delay, O my God!

 Sometimes....He takes us to another country to share His love.

 And sometimes He just lets us hang on the beach and dance.

  Either way, and in both situations...we are His and when we recognize THAT  and 

enjoy Him and His creation and His people,

He can do a mighty work in us. 

 He can bring GLORY to His name.

 As Charlie is in Uganda and going and doing what God has lead him to do .........God led us to sunny Southern California to enjoy family and fun!!!  ha!

I know with everything in me...that both things, are a total blessing from our Lord, and He is just allowing us to be a part of
 His blessings.

My encouragement is this......don't put God in a box....He is unlimited....He can bless you here and there and everywhere!  

1 Corinthians 2:9-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

    nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.