by Lucy | Aug 17, 2012 | emotions
How Helping a Teen Brings JOY
You can be joyful even when cars break down.
The other day my teen’s car refused to start. Less than joy-filled, she phoned her dad a bunch of times. No answer. Then she dialed me. Her voiced turned little girlish. “Mom, why did this have to happen? Can you come get me?”
Thank God the car dropped dead in lot of an auto repair shop. Seriously, how often does a car break down at a mechanic’s shop?
Thank God she had a couple of free hours. Me too. I jumped in my Honda and sped over to her and her ornery car. . .the black Cavalier with missing paint. As I hopped out of the Honda and tried my hand at the naughty car — yes, the gear was in “Park” and everything seemed to roll but how could it? This dead car?
Long story short, a thing called the fly wheel looked like mice had chewed it and a bolt wiggled loose, enough to stop the starter. An hour and a hundred dollars later, she turned the ignition and the engine sang as the radio blasted. She smiled wide, braces long gone.
But be joyful always? Even when the car dies?
Was the Apostle Paul philosophizing the impossible when he wrote these words to the Jesus followers in Thessalonica 2,000 years ago? Does God really expect any of us to be joyful always? What about tornadoes and identity theft, divorce and Internet porn and battered women, meth labs, broken cars and. . .
Then I read the next two verses and it started making sense. “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” So when I pray through my day and listen to God, he tells me he loves me and wants the very best for me? Yes, yes. Our great God reminds me that I’m his daughter, beautiful, and cherished. Not because I did anything to earn his love, but because of whose I am:
His!
By approaching life this way, I discover I can “be joyful always” even when a car dies and my teen is a bag of nerves. My joy has little to do with my circumstances or my daughter’s back-to-life car and everything to do with two choices.
Read my next post to discover the two choices that will bring you joy.
Question: In what area of life do you regularly experience joy? Your family? Work? Friendships? A hobby?
Friends, I also offer Christian biblical counseling to women who need answers to life’s problems. May I invite you to check out my counseling page here?
With Joy Overflowing!
by Lucy | Mar 9, 2012 | biblical counseling, emotions |
Happiness comes and goes like sunshine on a Chicago spring day. Joy sticks. Even when you get bad news, you can experience lasting joy. Do you know how? If you missed part 1 of this 2-part series, you can find it here.
Joy is a gift. Almost everyone experiences happiness, which comes and goes and goes and goes. New floral flip-flops can make you smile, even giggle, and imagine days at the beach. They can bust two days after wear them.
The busting happened to the my eldest. We attempted a fix. It failed. Back to the store we trudged, her happiness gone. She purchased another pair and learned a lesson. Flip flops sometimes flop, so no sense putting much faith in them.
Joy, now this is a different story. It endures.
“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you [the Thessalonians]? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”
The apostle Paul took joy in his love and care for these believers who showed faith, love, and endurance inspired by hope in Jesus. He loved them. They loved him.
Joy times joy times joy. So was Paul’s morning, noon, and night.
You, too, can experience joy overflowing. But how? Here are two steps.
1.
Adopt an accurate view of God the Father.
Even if your dad didn’t love you, guess what? God is NOT your dad. He is love, love. “This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loves us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Confession: I used to think God was a jerk. How could I think such a horrible thing? I wrongly thought that the Father was like my father. God helped me. On purpose he opened my heart and mind to the Bible with this question in mind: What does this verse say about God? And this verse? And this? It took a while–as well as a willingness to open my mind to truth–but I discovered the true God, so different that the little g god of my making.
Gentle, holy, loving, awesome, just, mighty. . .I could go on and on. I urge you to read Bible passages, with this question on your heart: Who is God the Father? He will show you and you will be amazed and humbled. A guarantee.
2.
Have an accurate view of yourself.
In my counseling I’ve helped countless Christian women see themselves the same way Jesus sees them: valuable. And beautiful and cherished and amazing. All because of Jesus. There’s a wonderful Bible verse that has helped me: “For he chose us in him because the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4). He chose me. He chose you, my sweet sister. This choosing occurred before God created the earth. Just try to imagine that.
God thought of you before the beginning of time.
Years ago I saw myself as a crumpled up paper that belonged in a trash can headed to the dump. Do you relate? Do you know someone who does?
Beautifully, God says that you, me and everyone is wonderfully made with the deepest respect by him, the Creator. Remember the bumper sticker, “God doesn’t make junk”?
As God spotlighted another lie I believed, he gave me the strength to hold it up to the light of Scripture. My choice: to believe God is a liar and I really do belong in the trash or to agree with him that I am beautiful in Christ.
With humility and awe, I attest that God tells the truth. May I encourage you to read Ephesians 1:3-14 over and over? In these few verses, the apostle Paul describes who you are in Christ. Let God’s truths wash over you.
So What Is This JOY?
This is joy: to know the one who made you completely loves you, wherever you’ve been, whatever is happening in your life now.
You don’t have to do anything to win his approval. You only need to accept the gift that Jesus bought for you. This gift is the truth that you are who God says who are: blessed, forgiven, complete and. . .beautiful. Believe it!
With Joy Overflowing!
by Lucy | Mar 7, 2012 | emotions |
You can be joyful always. Do you know this? Do you want this? Here’s how.
Be joyful always? Always? Really?
The other day my teen’s car refused to start. Less than joy-filled, she phoned her dad a bunch of times. No answer. Then she dialed me. Her voiced turned little girlish. “Mom, why did this have to happen? Can you come get me?”
Thank God the car dropped dead in lot of an auto repair shop. Seriously, how often does a car break down at a mechanic’s shop?
Thank God she had a couple of free hours. Me too. I jumped in my Honda and sped over to her and her ornery car. . .the black Cavalier with missing paint. Sunshine and wind and high 50s. Amazing weather in northern Illinois in early March. As I hopped out of the Honda and tried my hand at the naughty car — yes, the gear was in “Park” and everything seemed to roll but how could it? This dead car?
Long story short, a thing called the fly wheel looked like mice had chewed it and a bolt wiggled loose, enough to stop the starter. An hour later and a hundred dollars later, she turned the ignition and the engine sang as the radio blasted. She smiled wide, braces long gone.
But be joyful always?Even when the car died?
Was the Apostle Paul philosophizing the impossible when he wrote these words to the Jesus followers in Thessalonica 2,000 years ago? Does God really expect any of us to be joyful always? What about tornadoes and identity theft, divorce and Internet porn and battered women, meth labs, broken cars and. . .
Then I read the next two verses and it started making sense. “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” So when I pray through my day and listen to God, he tells me he loves me and wants the very best for me? Yes, yes. Our great God reminds me that I’m his daughter, beautiful and cherished. Not because I did anything to earn his love, but because of whose I am:
His!
By approaching life this way, I discover I can “be joyful always.” This really is God’s will (i.e., his plan, his purpose) for me. My joy has little to do with my circumstances and everything to do with two choices.
Read tomorrow’s post for the two choices that will bring you joy.
Question: In what area of life do you regularly experience joy? Your family? Work? Friendships? A hobby? Please leave a comment.
Friends, I also offer Christian biblical counseling to women who need answers to life’s problems. May I invite you to check out my counseling page here?
With Joy Overflowing!
by Lucy | Apr 30, 2011 | biblical counseling, emotions |
God empowers you to live the abundant life now. Trust him!
When you put your trust in Jesus, a wonderful thing happened. You received eternal salvation:
heaven forever!
But there’s more. Much more. The abundant life that you can experience now. . .while your body falls apart and the world runs amok. This is God’s will for you.
In John 10:10, the apostle writes, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I (Jesus) come to give you life, life to the full.” The abundant life.
the abundant life
To enjoy the abundant life Jesus promises, you and I also need to trust him daily. Minute by minute. This is easy to do in God’s power. All but impossible in your own power.
This minute-by-minute trust isn’t about eternal salvation, which Jesus bought for you when He died on the cross and rose again.
Minute-by-minute trust is your doorway to joy.
an example
Say you’re running late to work and you’re mad at yourself. As you push the speed limit, you think, “What will my boss say? I bet she’ll fire me. When she fires me, we’ll lose the house. My family depends on my income.”
Your joy disappeared.
How can you reclaim your joy? Trust Jesus in the midst of your problem.
talk with God
Rather than worry, say to God, “Lord, I feel mad and nervous. You’re in control. You love me. You know what I need. Give me the strength to apologize to my boss and give me wisdom. I choose to rest in Jesus.”
Can you sense the calm?
Sweet sisters, if you need help ridding yourself of worry and fear, if the abundant life seems unreachable to you, please contact me. I’d be honored to walk alongside you in your struggles. Click contact me and zip me a note. 🙂
You Are Loved!
by Lucy | Sep 1, 2010 | biblical counseling
Families splinter. Finances sink. Fear creeps.
Where’s the joy?
As Jon and Kate divorce and Tiger Woods makes news — YUCK! — as foreclosures increase and jobs remain scarce, as fear creeps into your life, your faith may falter.
Are you there now? It’s OK. Honest.
God understands. He gets it. When Jesus sandaled through Judea he felt every emotion: grief, sadness, anguish and peace, joy and contentment.
You are in good company. Think Moses, David, Sarah, Esther, Gideon. Each experienced a crisis of faith.
Then they laughed again.
Yes. After the night the day breaks. After winter, spring blossoms. After a big New Year’s meal, a nap.
May I encourage you to laugh again in 2010? Our Lord knows your needs. He knows how your heart is breaking. He promises to provide — in his way, in his timing.
What do you want God to heal in your life? A family situation? Your finances? Health? Something else?
Question: Now that it’s August. Have you experienced healing? If so, what?
You Are Loved!
