As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about another one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, JOY! There is a difference between happiness and JOY. We can be going through very difficult moments in our lives and still feel JOY, the JOY that Jesus is our Lord and that there is nothing to worry about.

I’m reading a book by Henri Nouwen. He states that the greatest gift that we can give anyone is our own personal inner JOY, peace, silence, solitude, and well-being. We may want to do things for people, or sometimes feel that we’re taking on other people’s problems and issues, otherwise known as codependency. But that does not really help them.

What people need to experience is the inner peace, JOY, and the positive energy that flows from a person who knows the Lord. Today, I am going to focus on JOY! Everything may not be perfect in my life, but I do feel God’s presence deep within my heart, and that brings JOY. That is the greatest gift I can share today!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I continued to reflect on the wisdom of Henri Nouwen, found in his book, “Life of the BELOVED.” As much as he talks about brokenness, Nouwen also reflects on BLESSINGS, the blessings that come through that brokenness. Though it is not always easy to see your blessings when you feel attacked, or depressed, or hurt, the blessings are everywhere!

The BLESSINGS begin with waking up in the morning and forgetting your feelings…knowing that this NEW day is a BLESSING! We are able to thank God that we live in a home, have family that cares about us, food to eat, all are basic blessings. But we must go deeper. The SPIRIT moves us to see that even our trials are blessings, because they draw us closer to Jesus.

God brings “Simons”, like Simon of Cyrene, to walk and help us carry our crosses. If we open our eyes, we see that everything is changing, and EVERYTHING is a BLESSING! Have a blessed day, embracing the blessed changes!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about another one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, JOY!  There is a difference between happiness and JOY.  We can be going through very difficult moments in our lives and still feel JOY, the JOY that Jesus is our Lord and that there is nothing to worry about.

I’m reading a book by Henri Nouwen.  He states that the greatest gift that we can give anyone is our own personal inner JOY, peace, silence, solitude, and well-being.  We may want to do things for people, or sometimes feel that we’re taking on other people’s problems and issues, otherwise known as codependency.  But that does not really help them.  What people need to experience is the inner peace, JOY, and the positive energy that flows from a person who knows the Lord.

Today, I am going to focus on JOY!  Everything may not be perfect in my life, but I do feel God’s presence deep within my heart, and that brings JOY. 

That is the greatest gift I can share today!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I continued to reflect on the wisdom of Henri Nouwen, found in his book, “Life of the BELOVED.”  As much as he talks about brokenness, Nouwen also reflects on BLESSINGS, the blessings that come through that brokenness.  Though it is not always easy to see your blessings when you feel attacked, or depressed, or hurt, the blessings are everywhere!

The BLESSINGS begin with waking up in the morning and forgetting your feelings …knowing that this NEW day is a BLESSING!  We are able to thank God that we live in a home, have family that cares about us, food to eat, all are basic blessings.  But we must go deeper.  The SPIRIT moves us to see that even our trials are blessings, because they draw us closer to Jesus.  God brings “Simons”, like Simon of Cyrene, to walk and help us carry our crosses.  If we open our eyes, we see that everything is changing, and EVERYTHING is a BLESSING!

Have a blessed day, embracing the blessed changes!

 As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I continued to reflect on the wisdom of Henri Nouwen, in his book “LIFE OF THE BELOVED.”  As much as he talks about brokenness, Nouwen also reflects on BLESSINGS.  The blessings that come through brokenness, though it is not always easy to see your blessings when you feel attacked, depressed, and hurt.  But the blessings are everywhere!

The BLESSINGS begin with waking up in the morning and forgetting your feelings …know that this NEW day is a BLESSING!  To thank God that we live in a home, have family that cares about us, food to eat; these are all basic blessings.  But we must go deeper.  The SPIRIT moves us to see that even our trials are blessings, as they draw us closer to Jesus.  God brings Simons, like Simon of Cyrene, to walk with us and to help us carry our crosses.  If we open our eyes, we see that everything is changing, and EVERYTHING is a BLESSING!

Today I’m counting my blessings, praying for those who find it difficult to get out of bed and wonder what their purpose is.  Our purpose today is to LIVE, to know, love, and serve our God.  What a blessing today is!  Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I have been thinking about the chapters I’m reading in Henri Nouwen’s book, LIFE OF THE BELOVED. He speaks a lot about brokenness, but he also speaks about BLESSING.

He says, “To give someone a blessing is the most significant affirmation we can offer”.  Whether we ask the Lord to bless our children as they leave the house, or bless those who persecuted you, (that’s a hard one), or when you’re driving down the street and you see a homeless person, to share a blessing.  It is bringing the Christ in you to others.

Today I’m going to strive to BLESS our world, one person at a time.  I’m going to ask Jesus to touch their hearts, to fill them with PEACE, to HEAL their brokenness, and to bless them this day.  Have a blessed day!