give me joy

hi, friendsies!

im in mississippi! (i sang the "song" to spell mississippi. don't judge.)
i'm here visiting my daaaaaaaddy :) he got a pass for a few days so we came to say hello!

early morning

goggles

hattiesburg, mississpippi doesn't offer much, but we've killed time shooting brantley's bow and going antique shopping. :)

i'm loving this sweet time with my family. i'm just really thankful for it.
and my parents might be embarrassed with me saying this, but they are SO cute. they walk around holding hands and mom always "claims" the seat next to Daddy at dinner. And if they are ever separated, like in a store or something, they ask where the other is. Seriously, this has happened several times now. it's precious.

i'm driving back to t-town tonight, so pray for me if you will. i have to be back to serve tomorrow morning at Highlands and my small group leader is getting married tomorrow afternoon! ah! eeee!



on a more serious note, i'm learning that sometimes things don't "work out". sometimes you take an opportunity, you explore a potential relationship, and you come to realize that the opportunity or relationship isn't what God has planned for you.
you (i) think, "well darn. that (or he) wasn't 'it'."

and you have to move on and remember that God has something better.
and that's not just a cliche saying. God really does have some thing (or person) better for you because God has the best planned for you. So, by default, the thing that God has planned for you is going to be better that whatever he has said "no" to.
make sense?

and even what you're (i'm) hoping for isn't going to be as good as what God has in store for us. I've only got a picture, a hope of what i'd like my future to look like. All of that is a dream.
God's actually got a reality planned out for me, every little detail mapped out. It's guaranteed, as long as i listen to his voice, follow his commands, and let the Spirit lead me. He won't let me go astray.

i'm trying to remind myself of these things, because it's really easy for me to become sad about the things that don't work out in this life. the opportunities. the relationships.

i see what i want, and i want it.
but i want what God wants more.

but wanting what God wants more than my own desires isn't what tells most of God's strength and Spirit in me.
deciding to change the way i feel and act about not getting what i want now is what tells of what God has done in me. i could mope around because he wasn't "the one" or my plans didn't "work out.

but why do that? i'd be moping about something less than best for myself.

please, Jesus give me JOY.

JOY because regardless of the plans that don't work out in this life, one day IT WON'T MATTER.
Gosh, i can't wait for this day.
I just want heaven. I just want Jesus.

But He has work for us to do right now, and i'm going to do it, relying on God the entire time.
i may not know what God's work for me is, but i know whatever it is, it is going to be the best for me that i can possibly get in this life.

serving Jesus > trying to be happy



ok, they're rushing me out of the hotel room. :/
this post was pretty much my way of convincing myself of something Jesus is teaching me. funny how God knows i learn best when i can see the lesson written out in front of me. He's cool like that.

i love you all!
happy saturday!