Joy 2

This study has me thinking of my friend, Jenny, who is a missionary in Oaxaca, Mexico. I skyped with her the other day and it made me miss her so much, but more than that, it made me pray for her. How hard it must be to be so very far from home. Her husband and four beautiful daughters are there with her, but still. Friends are precious and hard to come by when you are in a foreign land. So, this is for Jenny...

In my study Bible, I found some great stuff noted between the beautiful scriptures. First is that Joy, Thanksgiving, and Grace are all related words in Greek. Interesting, but not surprising. They all seem to go together intentionally or accidentally. It feels good to give God thanks and it brings joy to remember God's grace. Its like they are all side-effects of each other. Cool.
Second thing I found in the notes was this: The real secret to a joyful life is in being continuously "filled with the Holy Spirit." The life and attitude of believers are not defined by outward circumstances, but by their relationship with the living God.

Finally, some great scriptures to remember. You may find me walking around with one written on a Post-It stuck to my forehead.
Romans 5:3-4
James 1:2-4
1Thessalonians 5:16-17
Romans 12:12 and 8:28
I would write them out for you here, but I think maybe its better if you open your own Bible and get into God's Word yourself. Look it up! You will be blessed by your effort and time learning about your Creator and loving God.