The benefit of JOY!

Joy: What is it?
Delight? Happiness? Light-heartedness? A name?

Probably all of the above are accurate...as far as they go.
However, the Living Word refers to JOY as the LORD'S STRENGTH for us!!!

Joy: The undergirding KNOWING that all is well......in JESUS.
Deep, abiding confidence that GOD knows, cares and IS ABLE.

JOY is much more than an emotion.  It is a FACT.  It is tangible.
It pervades all of the soul; the MIND, the WILL, and the EMOTIONS of us humans.

JOY gives us PERSPECTIVE, ENERGY, WILL POWER, FOOD FOR THE MIND:
We're reminded in Hebrews 12:2 that "BECAUSE OF the JOY awaiting Him, Jesus endured the cross, disregarding its shame."

What do YOU need to endure? disregard?

Let's continue to align ourselves with TRUTH, my friend.  The LIVING WORD of GOD IS TRUTH.  JESUS IS TRUTH.  JOY is part of that TRUTH.

"THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH!"

Strong in Jesus Joy,
    Ele

(If you would like to get in touch w/me please write me at
ele.parrott1@gmail.com)
I am available for speaking as well.

State of Mind

"This dumb thing doesn't work!"  "It's too hot!'  "They don't ask me how I am!"

You get it. You know someone like this.  Perhaps, at times, you ARE this!

State of mind.  How one perceives life.

I was with someone recently.  I hadn't been with this person for awhile so I was hearing his perspective with fresh ears.  Everything that was said had a bent to it....a negative, "self" bent.  The monologue went from the weather being too hot, to the birds in the yard pooping too much, to cars driving by being too noisy, to neighbors not being friendly enough, to gas being too expensive to....... What was to have been a cozy visit turned into a dumping of negativity.

State of mind.  How one perceives life.

The Spirit of God knows that humans struggle with this; that we tend to filter everything in life as to how it affects....ME.  The Spirit knows that this particular state of mind is small, is circular, is not honoring to God....is toxic.

That's why we are encouraged to "have THE MIND OF CHRIST!"  May HIS mind dwell, live, take up residence IN US!!!

"Don't worry about anything; instead, talk to Jesus about everything! Tell Him what you need and THANK HIM for ALL He is doing!! THEN you will experience God's peace, WHICH EXCEEDS anything we can understand!  HIS peace with guard your heart (your emotions) AND your MIND as you live in Christ Jesus!

FIX YOUR THOUGHTS on...
what is TRUE, HONORABLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY and ADMIRABLE.

THINK ABOUT THINGS THT ARE EXCELLENT and WORTHY of  PRAISE!

KEEP PUTTING INTO PRACTICE !!!     Philippians 4:6-9

State of mind: How one perceives life.

Join me, will you, in entering into HIS state of mind?   There's such JOY, ENERGY, FREEDOM in that state!!!

Moving to His state,
         Ele

Disappointment

They forget your birthday.
The call never comes.
She pulls away for no reason.
He stops talking to you.
Disappointment: The failure to satisfy hope when expectations are not realized.
Been there, right?
It's not a good feeling.  It hurts.  It devalues.  It robs strength and exposes the vunerable in us.

What are our options when humans disappoint us (and they certainly will!)
1. Blame
2. Pull away
3. Learn how to disappoint others from their example
4. Become cynical, self-protective
5. Stop interacting

I'm sure you can add to the list, but we get the idea.

Disappointment, if allowed to take root, reaps bitter fruit for all involved.

How does the Living Word handle disappointment?

Straight on.

"They counted on [it] but are disappointed.  When they arrived, their hopes are dashed."  Job. 6:20

"First here, then there- you flit from one to another asking for help.  But your new friends will disappoint you just as [the old ones] did before!"  Jeremiah 2:36

God knows that humans WILL disappoint other humans.  But the Living Word doesn't stop there!!

"They cry to Me and are saved; in Me they trust are are not disappointed!" Psalm 22:5

"Those who hope in Me will not be disappointed!" Isiah 49:23

So, my friend, what to do with disappointment?

1. Make sure that our HOPE is in the right Source!! ONLY Jesus is worthy of our hope, in that desire to be fulfilled.
2. Adjust expectations.  Humans have GREAT INTENTIONS, but rarely, if ever, are able of completely fulfilling those intentions.
3. Fill that empty place inside of you with TRUTH! Get in the Living Word so that it 'gets' in you!!
    You will find that those disappointments are slowly replaced with perspective, with strength, with kindness, with desire.

Full of His Hope,
     Ele

(If you would like to interact on this or any other subject, please feel free to contact me through this blog.  Continue in His Grace.  Ele)

Family: Who are they?

You're born into a group of people called family.
Life passes as you "grow up" with this group of people.
Then, a different moment for each of us, we leave that group of people.
Sometimes we see them often after that; more than not, we "move on" from them.

I've thought a lot about "family."
It is something we're told to value; to honor, to respect; to treasure and cherish.
But do we?

As always I take my cues on life issues from the Living Word.  I was particularly intrigued by Jesus and his relationship with His earthly family.  One scenario in particular comes to mind:
It's found in Matthew 12:46-50
"Jesus was speaking to the crowds. His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him. Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then He pointed to His disciples and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers. anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

Okay, let's break that down for us today:
1. Jesus was speaking, was ministering, was with crowds of people.
2. Where were His mother and brothers? OUTSIDE!
3. They wanted Him to LEAVE WHAT HE WAS DOING TO GO TO THEM.
4. Jesus' response? NO! My family is ANYONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER!

HUGE TRUTH here folks!  Do we see it?

It's great to be involved in your earthly family DEPENDING ON WHAT GOD HAS ASKED OF YOU and WHERE THEY ARE IN RELATION TO THAT!!!  Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 12 that He was going to remain right where He was.  He would not leave and go "outside" to be with them.  THEY were invited INSIDE to be with HIM!!

Now, I'm not sure how you are going to apply this to your family situation, the family in which you were born. I'm not sure how I'm to apply this to my situation either.  The point is, to know the Living Word, to see Jesus' example and then to apply that to your life.  Truth is not a means in and of itself.  The Living Word says that "you will know the truth AND the truth WILL SET YOU FREE!"

May we be free in Him in EVERY aspect of life, of living.....

In His Family,

Ele

(If you are interested in having me join you and your group for a Spiritual Retreat please feel free to contact me via this blog.  I will respond.)