strength and joy

Last Wednesday as I was going to church I was feeling extremely run down, no energy, etc. I had just gone to Disney the week before with my precious family and my husband!!! He got home from Afghanistan 1 week before Thanksgiving and surprised me :)...so needless to say we got home on a Thursday from Disney (exactly at 3:33 by the way) and then the next day I had to start my On call rotation from work, which totally drained me..so any energy I did have was taken away by that). So back to my story..I was crossing the street to go into the CLC at church for dinner and I just said aloud "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I just happened to look down at the shirt that I forgot that I had put on and I said " Oh my Gosh, It matches my shirt!!" My shirt said the same verse. So I go up to bible study after dinner and we begin our study and Amanda our leader is reading out of our bible study book "Christian to the Core" and read "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I guess he really wanted me to know that yes I can do all things through him who gives me strength! I usually notice that God usually says things 3 times to get our attention in case we don't get it the first 2 times :) The next day I was reading my bible/devotionals that is part of my routine in the mornings and I was fixing to go hear our Pastor speak on "JOY" at my bible study group for the Christmas Luncheon. I also had been feeling that my Joy has been sucked out of me due to hustle and bustle of life, our house on the market, and just trying to get back to a sense of normalcy since Josh had returned..don't get me wrong I am/was super happy that he was back but other things have just worn me down to complete and utter exhaustion! So I start reading my Jesus Calling devotional and this is what it said: "Stay ever so close to me, and you will not deviate from my path I have prepared for you. This is the most efficient way to stay on track; it is also the most enjoyable way. Men tend to multiply duties in their observance of religion. This practice enables them to give me money, time, and work without yielding to me what I desire the most-their hearts. Rules can be observed mechanically. Once they become habitual, they can be following with minimal effort and almost no thought. These habit forming rules provide a false sense of security, lulling the soul into a comatose condition. What I search for in my children is an awakened soul that thrills to the JOY of my presence!I created mankind to glorify me and enjoy me forever. I provide the JOY; your part is to glorify me by living close to me." (Deuteronomy 6:5, Colossians 3:23, Psalm 16:11) So of course I was super excited since it was about JOY so I posted it on facebook and then I went to my other devotional called Jesus Today..by the same Author but slightly different. Anyway, here is what that page said for that day..."You can find JOY in the midst of brokenness. One of the hardest times to be joyful is when you're dealing with multiple problems-seeking solutions but finding none-and then several new difficulties beset you. If you focus too much on finding solutions, you will sink under the weight of your problems. So it's vital to remember that I am present with you in adversity. I am at work in your situation, and my matchless wisdom enables me to bring good out of evil-ultimately outsmarting evil with good! The way to find JOY in adversity is to encounter ME. You can pray "Jesus, help me find you in the midst of this mess!" As you unplug your emotions from all the problems and plug them into my presence, good things start to happen. Your dark mood grows steadily lighter and brighter. Also, as you remain in me-plugged into my presence-I enable you to see things from my perspective. You can be JOYFUL in the midst of brokenness by staying connected to me." Then she quotes the following from scripture.(James 1:2-3, Romans 11:33, and John 15:4) So Now i'm really excited and can't wait to hear the pastor preach about JOY!!Here are some of the things Pastor Jeremy preached on about Joy.. "I"m not going to let that steal my Joy." "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength." Hebrews 12:2 How do we get JOY? 1: God's Joy is for US! God loves us just because we are his son/daughter! Not by anything we do..Just because we are his!! 2: Joy from being With God! we have more fruit of the spirit when we are spending time with him! Rejoice in the Lord Always! Pray without ceasing! when you are with God you can enJOY him!! 3: Joy from pleasing God! Being with God resulted in Jesus being Obedient! We want to please others that we love and care for, and do it with Joyful obedience! How does God see you? : Daughters in whom he is well pleased; the Joy of his heart! Desires us to be with him and walk in Joy and Strength that he has given us to endure ANY circumstance! I was completely overcome..how did I let myself get so overcome by sense of duty/responsiblity that I lost sight of what it's about...I felt like God was telling me it's not about doing..just be still and know that I am God ..You derive your Joy and strength from ME!! Thank you Lord for the reminder that I don't have to do it all..I can just bask in your presence and know that you are in control and that I am not and in you I have my JOY and Strength!! This past Sunday, Pastor Ausley preached on our Priorities. Is it really a priority to mail Christmas cards this year?? He said it, not me :) I have gone back and forth on this but then i think of all the people that are poor and needy and I feel that the money I could spend on cards really should go to help others..so that's what I decided again this year to do..now I will send a few cards to those that aren't on facebook (such as my grandma) but really nowadays everything is online! Also the main priority is God!! I do know I need to be spending more time with him and as I do I continue to seek him in all things and he continues to show/reveal things to me and he can to you as well if you truly ask him and seek him with all your heart! So My prayer is this..that we all take time out of our to do list..to focus on God and what the true meaning of Christmas is all about!!!