This word JOY has taken on many meanings in my lifetime ... Right now I am wrestling with the word JOY not being such a pretty or happy word ... That may sound odd, but I have a tremendous amount of JOY flowing through me right now, but life is not really HAPPY so to speak ... It is funny, crazy, hard, utterly comical, peaceful, and really busy right now, but I don't feel this happy-smile kind of feeling and that is okay ...

Job 6:10
Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.


Psalm 19:8
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.


Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.


Psalm 92:4
For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.


Acts 13:52
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.


Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,


Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


2 Corinthians 7:4
I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.


Philippians 2:2
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.


1 Thessalonians 1:6
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.




I could go on and on with the scriptures on JOY, but it is never more real to me than it is right now that the JOY that is of the LORD is so VAST and has so much meaning that we can not comprehend all its power WITH IN US BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ... HOW UTTERLY COOL IS THAT !!!  Grab hold of JOY and do not let go ... It is a TRUTH that needs to be understood to enable us to see Christ and all that HE has for us here on this earth to further HIS KINGDOM  !!! 


HAVE FABULOUS WEEK MY SWEET FRIENDS !!! and let me know what JOY means to you ... I love hearing your thoughts ... 

Here is the video to Suzanne's birthday surprise!  The card that she read at the beginning told her..."you have impacted so many people who want to share in the joy of your birthday!  We know that you are changing the world one heartbeat at a time...making history with every touch and ever smile.  You may not see it now but we believe that time will tell how you are changing the world.  So, we wanted to allow you to do something on your birthday that you LOVE..share your gift with someone else.  Want to bring an orphan home to Nashville?  We knew you would too !!!!

THANK YOU...to the 165 families who gave $11,000 in 5 days!!  We serve an amazing God who does amazing things through our ordinary lives.  ABIGAIL IS AN ORPHAN "NO MORE" !!!!

I need your help ... Suzanne's 40th birthday is next Wednesday and what do you get a sister, who always takes care of everyone else and has a giving heart ?????  Well, God woke me at 3:30 in the morning with this idea and I am GIDDY about it !!!

Suzanne's friend (and mine too of course) Tosha is adopting a  4 month old little girl that we just found out about 2 weeks ago in Uganda ... Tosha is a school teacher and I so get how hard it is to raise funds for an adoption on a teacher's salary much less on a really quick time frame.  SO HERE IS MY SUPER BIG, SUPER COOL, SUPER FANTABULOUS IDEA ...

To honor Suzanne on her big 40 for all that she does for others and how she encourages so many with her blog, I am asking for anyone that has ever been touched by her or her story to donate on the button above that says BRING ABIGAIL HOME ... $1, $2, or $5 (or whatever) ... NO AMOUNT IS TO SMALL ...

If you would rather write a check then send it to - 147/ Gwen Oatsvall P.O.Box 2929, Brentwood, TN 37024 ... (makes check payable to : DREAM OF A BETTER WORLD )

Suzanne has been working hard this last week to help Tosha raise the funds and 147 is doing our part, but I would love to tell her next week that we have raised enough to cover it !!!! SUZANNE WOULD BE OVER THE MOON EXCITED !!!

I am doing my best to keep this a secret ... Suzanne has been given strict instructions to not read my blog till next Wednesday so don't spill the DEAL !!!

We need $9000 .... Let's get rolling and help me spread the word !!!!

ANSWERING THE CALL, 

It is a nasty cycle trying to measure up all day long as a wife, mother, friend, daughter, or sister ... I have given myself permission to NOT get it right all day long EVERY DAY ... There are some days when I am a really good wife, but not such a great mom.   Weeks when I am good friend, but stink as a wife and then there is the rare moment when I do a pretty good job with all the titles God has called me to be ...

It is funny when people ask, HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL w/ 6 kids, 147, basketball, doctors/hospital and just life?  Well, I really don't very often ... I am a type A personality, so organizing and check lists are my DREAMLAND, but that doesn't always work in the moment ... And I have decided to just laugh it off when things don't go my way or I lose my sanity !!!! hee hee

Give yourself permission to FAIL because it is in those moments when God can do a great work in you ... It is like you give HIM permission to mold you again into the person HE wants you to be ... One thing that Suzanne and I have committed to each other is that we will always check in on how we are doing in our marriages and our relationship with the LORD ... These two relationships are the corner stones for all the rest ...

So always remember on the days when it just isn't clicking don't hold on to that feeling ... Open up your heart and let the LORD re-direct you and refine you ... It is important to feel defeated at times in our flesh ... It puts ETERNAL things in perspective ...

You are fearfully and wonderfully made according to scripture, so if the God of the Universe made you then HE can use you just the way your are !!!

I so wish I had some pictures from this weekends Created To Care Retreat ... My friend Andrea did an amazing job at hosting, organizing and making sure all the MOMS were encouraged and revived ... I love sharing God's story in my life and about 147 ... I am real, I am a mess, I am normal, I am crazy and so much more ... I just want to be a vessel for God and I know you do too, so DON'T TRY TO MEASURE UP to anyone, but the person God has called you to be ...



ANSWERING THE CALL,