30 Days of Chasing Joy: A Jesus-Based One Month Action Plan

Referencing some of the apostles in the Bible, Max Lucado once wrote, “within them dwells a fire not found on earth.” Let that sit with you for a moment… “within them dwells a fire.” For the better part of the last year, I have chased that fire with eagerness and intentionality. I have not always known which direction to take, but I have leaned into my relationship with Jesus and tried to learn as much as possible about what He is trying to teach me. What I have found is a renewed joy like I have never experienced in my life. It is not a joy that comes from a lack of difficulties and hardships in my life. It’s a joy that comes from the realization that even on the hardest days, He is guiding me and I can trust Him and rest in His plan. I’m still in the trenches and learning to lean into His promises, but I am amazed every day when I reflect on His goodness and His faithfulness, even in my messiest seasons. In our month-long series “Chasing Joy,” I want to share some of what He has been teaching me along the way. So invite your friends and let’s jump on board together because God is on the move!!

Why is it called a 30-day “Action” Plan? Because joy does not come passively. It’s not a season or an emotion. It’s a daily choice. It’s a way of walking with Jesus that allows you rest. It’s a process of recognizes who you are in Him and dancing in the truth of your beauty. It’s the letting go. It’s the learning to lean in. It’s the facing hard things and putting them where they belong. It’s the re-defining of who you are. It’s the opening of your heart and letting Jesus show you His plan. It’s taking back power from the enemy and knowing your strength and authority in Jesus. It’s the little actions we take every day to change how we process and react to the world around us. It’s peace, strength, grace, and love! And that, my friends, is what Jesus wants for you … and with you! He wants to deepen His relationship with you. He wants you to find rest in His promises and to dance in celebration of His goodness. He’s with you now and He has a plan. All that He is asking of you is to take that first step in faith. He will light the path. So, I’m inviting you, friends… pull out your dancing shoes and get ready to dust them off. Joy comes in the morning! Thank you, Jesus!

Welcome, friends! I’m so glad that you are taking this journey with me! This “Chasing Joy” series is not about what knowledge I can offer you. Far from it… I’m in the trenches with you, still learning every day. And although I have faced seasons that left me defeated, deeply injured, and scarred, I have not walked in your shoes. I cannot fathom or understand the pain that you have faced. No, this journey is not about what I can offer you. This journey is about the bleeding woman in the crowd…

You see, in the Gospel of Mark, we find Jesus traveling from town to town, ministering and performing miracles. Large crowds were gathering to see and hear whatever they could. Imagine how difficult it must have been to even get a glimpse of Jesus. Even harder if you are at the back of the crowd. But here was this woman. She had suffered for years from a bleeding disease and although she had seen many doctors, her condition worsened. I imagine she was weak, tired, and felt hopeless. But, when she heard about Jesus, she took every last bit of faith (and strength) that she had and pushed with all her might through the large, loud, seemingly impassible crowd just to draw close to Him and touch His clothes. And she was healed.

Two powerful words, my friends. Draw Close. That is what He is calling us to do on this journey. He wants to heal us. He wants to use our hard for good. He wants to love us deeply and remind us who we are in Him. He wants to give us joy, purpose, a renewed spark, and a place where we belong and shine! He wants us to dance again! And much like this woman, there may be times in this process that we feel hopeless, get shoved to the ground, feel overwhelmed by the impossible (or seemingly impassible), or just grow weary, but He is calling us to simply… draw close… and believe.

“Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed…” Mark 5:34

Therefore, I cannot and could not have started this process without starting with Jesus. He is the one true healer.

Day One Action Plan: I encourage you on day one of this plan to simply start with a prayer. Ask Him to show you this month what He wants to teach you. Ask Him to reveal His goodness, His love, and His heart. Ask Him to heal you. Then lean in, my friends. He wants to meet you exactly where you are. Lean into His goodness. Choose Him. Draw close. He has already chosen you.

Good Morning, friends! I’m so excited to jump into this post topic with you today! Thinking back to when I first started my “Chasing Joy” journey, I can tell you that I wasn’t really familiar with God’s voice. Growing to know and trust His voice was a huge turning point in my relationship with Jesus. So although many of you may already be comfortable with His voice and His presence, I thought it was worth starting a discussion for others that are still discovering and growing. If you have something to add or share, please drop a note in the comments! This is our journey together… and I love to hear how He is speaking to you today!

One of the first things that Jesus taught me on my journey was how to be still and know His voice. When I say “know His voice,” it’s often a different experience for everyone, so don’t feel discouraged if the way you hear Him is not the same as another. Some people hear the voice of God audibly; some hear Him through His word; some through angels; while others have visions. Although I have experienced God in several ways, He usually speaks to me inside my heart and in my thoughts.

So, the question arises… how do you know it’s God? Well, personally, when I started leaning in, He began to show me things that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. As I learned to trust His voice more and more, He started confirming His messages through others and various situations. I could quite literally share stories with you about people who contacted me confirming the exact same message He had given me the night before. Eventually, I let go of all doubt and now, I know His voice because it’s so familiar to me. Much like I know my son’s voice or my husband’s voice, I just know His voice.

As I have become more trusting of His voice, I have also become more sensitive to His presence. Just the other day, I wrote down the following in my journal:

“The Spirit of God poured out so strong over me in traffic today that I rolled down my window and legitimately expected to look over and see people in the cars next to me begin to weep and dance. It may sound crazy, but I was experiencing this powerful, life-altering, indescribable settling of His presence and it was hard to imagine that it wasn’t spreading like fire over the entire intersection.”

The lesson I learned from all this? God enters our space and speaks to our hearts because He wants a relationship with us. We are His family. He desires to pour out His love all over us. He doesn’t just want us to worship Him and love Him… He wants us to know Him on a deeper level. And if we pause and listen, we can hear Him speaking. He’s there. In the hard. In the easy. In the every day.

Day Two Action Plan: Everyone is different and everyone’s reaction to His presence is different, so don’t judge your reaction or how you hear His voice based on what I say. Take today to ask Him to show you how to hear His voice. Then lean in. Jesus desires a relationship with you. Let Him show you the rest.

Late summer last year, I shared on my blog a very heavy conversation that I had with God earlier that week. It went something like this…

I stood at this very spot when I heard God whisper, “give it to me.”

Give you what?

“Your shame.”

I can’t, God. I deserve it. If people knew what I was really like, they would say the same.

“Give it to me.”

Shame. How many of us carry it? And though some of us carry it better than others, the weight of it is still there, threatening to drag us under at any moment. It’s defining. It’s limiting. It’s fear-inducing. And the truth is… it’s in the way.

We cannot find true joy unless we give the enemy back what is his… and one of the first things we need to give back to him is shame.

Shame is one of the enemy’s most powerful and effective tools. Why? Because it leads us to inaction due to our feelings of unworthiness.

Do not believe for a moment that the enemy thinks you insignificant. Far from it. You are so special and so important to Jesus that He has placed inside of you very unique gifts, a calling, and a purpose. Your role in His kingdom is irreplaceable. Your heart is His desire. And He has a plan designed just for you.

So, what does the enemy do to destroy you? … He lies. He tells you that you are not worthy. You’re not good enough. You’ve fallen short. You have ran too far. Your grace period has ended. You are a disappointment. Jesus gave up on you. God literally threw His hands up in the air and walked away.

And he, the enemy, is a liar.

Harsh? Perhaps. But let me tell you first-hand how easy it is to accept that you deserve to walk in that shame. So while I may sound harsh, it’s important to understand… the enemy is a liar.

After all, Jesus says we are not only worthy, we are chosen! And get this… we are not only chosen, but we are deeply cherished. We belong. You belong. I belong. We are a crucial part of His family. We are forgiven, loved, and made flawless.

Believe me when I say, God knows your heart. He has seen your journey. He has watched your struggle. He has seen the good and the ugly. And He is a proud father, still today, when he says, “you are mine.” And, those are the truths that we need to hold onto.

Day Three Action Plan: Today, take the shame that the enemy is using to hold you back and give it to Jesus. Recognize it for what it is and then pour yourself into what God says about you. You may have to do this over and over, but don’t stop. Let it really sink in. Let Him show you. You are chosen. You are wanted. And you are loved.

One of the most challenging barriers to joy is the often-overwhelming thought of “how?” I have frequently faced this doubt in my own journey and today I am sharing with you a very real and raw look into what Jesus has been teaching me about “Faith Like Moses.” Just a short while ago, I would have thought sharing such an intimate part of my journey would make me too vulnerable. But now, I’m dusting off my dancing shoes and waiting for the fulfillment of His promises… God is good, friends!

On a random drive earlier this year, my husband pointed out an old bridge on the side of the road. He knows I can’t resist old bridges, barns, mountains, and well… anything with that “farm” or “farmhouse in the mountains” feel. I looked over with eager anticipation of what he was pointing out. What I never expected was to have God step into that moment and give me a vision. And not just any vision… a promise.

What I saw when I glanced over was… me… on the bridge… spinning. Like a carefree child, I was spinning with joy. Spinning with happiness. Just spinning. My hair was blowing. A smile spread across my face. My heart was lifted. My joy was evident. And then I saw my skirt. It was this long, white flowing skirt with brightly colored flowers spread all over it. The flowers danced as I spun and the entire vision was just beautiful. And then I heard God whisper… “this is my promise to you.”

When the vision ended, I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. This was my first experience with a God-given vision and I was a bit overwhelmed with emotion.

It took me several days to confide in my husband about my vision. Why? Because once my feet hit the ground again, I found bucket loads of doubt. I quite literally asked God, “How?!” I could not see a path that led from this dark place that I felt all the way down to my bones to where He was showing me, promising me. It just didn’t make sense.

Each time I revisited the vision in my mind, I would argue with God. “But Jesus, I’m too scarred. I’m too damaged. I’ll never find that kind of joy again. There is no realistic road that leads to that “promise.” I can understand and accept a path to happiness again, sure, but joy? Childlike joy? Heart-lifting, life-changing, skirt-spinning joy?” No, I could not believe in that.

But then God stepped in and taught me another lesson…

Do you remember Moses and the Red Sea? The Israelites were escaping slavery. The enemy (the king and his army) was chasing them and they were afraid. They were trapped. They faced the Red Sea and realized that there was no way out. There was quite literally NO PATH that led them from where they were standing to the other side. But there was a promise. And God, in all His faithfulness, made good on His promise and created a perfect path where just moments before, there was nothing. They stepped out in faith and they found themselves on completely different ground and their enemies were crushed behind them.

See where I’m going with this? When God gave me a vision earlier this year and told me where He was taking me, I quite literally cried “how?” I couldn’t see a path from the dark place where I was standing to the joy that He was promising. But God is teaching me to believe like Moses and let my Heavenly Father handle the “how.” One day, I’ll share with you how I walked into a store and found that skirt hanging there, calling to me. Because God will make good on all His promises and I will dance on that bridge. Until then, I’m trusting in Him. I don’t know the how. I don’t know the when. But I know Him.

Day Four Action Plan: Whatever you are facing today that is keeping you from believing that such joy is attainable for you, give it to God. He can make a path and you can be standing on completely different ground tomorrow. Don’t let the enemy make you believe that you will be forever trapped. Let Jesus show you the way. He will never let you drown. 

Life is a series of seasons. We take delight in beautiful seasons of sunshine and happiness, but we will also face very difficult seasons filled with hardships, pain, and struggles. Happiness itself is not always possible and when joy is defined by our season in life, it will most definitely be squelched by the storms we will undoubtedly face.

Instead of anchoring our joy to a season of happiness, we can aspire to be intentional in all seasons. What does this mean? It means that even in our darkest seasons, when it’s the easiest to become bitter, angry and resentful, we can still choose to be deliberate about our thoughts, our heart, our words, and our actions.

Understand, there is nothing simple or perfect about this and it doesn’t mean you have to be superhuman. It’s a process and I often find that I have to re-evaluate where I am and re-align with where I’m going. Thank you, Jesus, for grace!!

After all, we are human and pain can make us feel all kinds of other emotions. Sometimes it can be more challenging to guard our hearts. But if we choose to be intentional, we are choosing to regularly stop, refocus, and trust Jesus to help with the rest.

Joy doesn’t come passively. We must remember to refocus and realign regularly.

Day Five Action Plan: Take a moment today to think about what it means to you to “Be Intentional.” In both the good seasons and the difficult, we have the opportunity to evaluate the thoughts that we are embracing and the feelings that we are renting space to in our hearts. Sometimes, we discover things we don’t like and we have to serve an eviction notice. Later, we re-evaluate and may have to serve another one to the same tenant. That’s okay. That’s growth. That’s beautiful. Because the more we practice, the easier it will become. Today, I encourage you to ask Jesus to be there with you in the growth, reminding you where He’s taking you. And helping you remember who you are in Him.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

Additional Note: As I have learned in my own journey, the emotion of anger can be completely healthy. It’s a natural feeling or reaction to being hurt or even afraid. But, when I speak of anger in this post, it is to warn against allowing that anger to move beyond the healthy and into your heart. You see, the enemy will try to use your anger as a door and he will plant and water seeds of destruction. He loves to use anger because it’s so easy to feel justified in our thoughts, words, and actions. If I can encourage you, my friend, take your anger to God. He can handle it. As Max Lucado said, shake your fist at him! He knows you and He loves you. 

One of the most powerful prayers that I have ever spoken started with four simple words… “God, please use me.”

It was earlier this year and I had just accepted a new role as a college instructor. I worried endlessly. Have I built a good curriculum? What would my students think of me? What would my new boss say? And well, you get the picture. One day, I decided to change my focus and try something new. Instead of my usual worries, I simply whispered, “God, please use me. You know their needs. You know their hearts. Help me to touch them with your love. Let me be a light that exemplifies your goodness, your love, and your grace.”

It probably wasn’t that beautiful when I stumbled through the prayer, to be honest, but He must have known my heart because over the next several months, God used me in ways that I cannot even explain. He used me in ways that I don’t even fully understand. But the joy it brought me to be a light for Him was simply indescribable.

As I reflect on this experience, I am reminded of the book “You’ll Get Through This” by Max Lucado. Lucado describes how God often uses us in the simple ways, not just the dramatic:

“We equate spirituality with high drama: Paul raising the dead, Peter healing the sick. Yet for every Paul and Peter, there are a dozen Josephs. Men and women blessed with skills of administration. Steady hands through whom God saves people. Joseph never raised the dead, but he kept people from dying. He never healed the sick, but he kept sickness from spreading.”

Moral of the story: We don’t have to be used in dramatic ways to make a dramatic impact. We each play an important and irreplaceable role in the Kingdom and joined together in our gifts, we are an unstoppable force! Jesus needs the Peter’s and the Paul’s, but He also needs the Joseph’s too.

So which am I called to be? And what if I don’t see evidence of God using me? I want to share with you a powerful moment that completely shifted my understanding of “being used” by God. Just last month, I was visiting family in East Texas and went through a Chick-Fil-A drive-thru in Sulphur Springs. There was nothing out of the ordinary or seemingly special about this day. The young lady at the drive thru took my order and then asked for my card. When she handed it back to me, she simply said, “Have a blessed day” …… Now let me share with you what I wrote as I sat there in my truck just moments later…

“The Holy Spirit rolled off of her and absolutely poured over me when she spoke the words… Have a Blessed Day.”

It was indescribably powerful and I was overwhelmed with emotion. The presence of the Holy Spirit was undeniable. And yet, this sweet girl in the drive-thru line did nothing extraordinary. She did nothing jaw-dropping or dramatic. She simply carried His spirit with her and He used it. Wow, what a lesson for me!

Day Six Action Plan: Today, I encourage you to simply ask God to use you. It may be with the cashier at the grocery store. It may be with the random person you meet on the sidewalk. It may be with your own family or a friend. But watch and listen for His answer and lean in. The joy it brings to you, the vessel, will be indescribable.

Ever notice how there are just some days when your children need a little “extra?” You know what I mean… an extra hug. An extra kiss. An extra “I love you.” An extra pause where you just hold them and reassure them that they are safe and they matter. And then, when their cup is full again, they launch back out into the world, ready for another adventure.

That is what your Heavenly Father wants to do for you today. He wants to give you, His child, a little “extra.”

We’ve been walking through this “Chasing Joy” series and He has been speaking to your heart so much. The journey has not always been a lighthearted dance. Not at all. At times, the weight of what we are carrying has increased because we are looking directly at it. We know that He is walking us towards healing, but we also know that before we can get there, we have to walk through “that” and it’s a thought we push away whenever possible. We feel Him urging us on, but we are scared and honestly, reluctant.

Can I share something with you today? It’s going to be okay.

God is saying to us right now, “hit the pause button. Feel the pain. Let it pour over you and release it. Don’t push it away. There is no healing in pushing it down. Allow yourself to grieve. And when you have finished, I will give you the strength to get up again and keep moving forward. It’s only a pause. It’s not an end.”

My beautiful friend, please don’t turn back. Don’t run from it. Just hit the pause button. Let Him hold you through it. And tomorrow, we can lean in again… together. And we can repeat this process, together, as long as it takes to heal. He’s with us. And His promises are where we can anchor our hope.

Day Seven Action Plan: Today, your Heavenly Father wants to give you a little “extra.” You are His son. You are His daughter. And He knows your heart. He knows the fear. He knows the sadness. He knows the weight of it and how it holds you back. He knows. And today, my dear friends, He is calling us to simply rest. No work. No “action.” Just rest. An extra moment where we let Him hold us through it.

I’m praying for you today.

I am so excited for today’s post! We are going to experience the ground shaking today, my friends! Believe it and receive it! That’s why I am going to put our Action Plan for today right here, at the very beginning:

Day Eight Action Plan: Today’s “Action Plan” is a little different than the norm – I am inviting you to join with me and pray over everyone reading this post today. Pray for courage. Pray for peace. Pray for clarity. Pray for comfort. Pray for strength. Pray for healing. And… Pray for joy.

We are not only lifting each other up. We are carrying each other’s burdens. We are taking up arms and fighting the spiritual battle alongside each other. We may not know each other, but our prayers will reach the ears of our Heavenly Father and He knows every hair on our head and every plea of our heart.

I believe wholeheartedly that we will see God moving all throughout the day. His goodness and His power will be shaking the very ground that we walk on. And, if you would like us to pray over a specific need, feel free to drop it in the comments.

Today, we will be standing in the gap for each other!
…
Here’s a bit more to chew on:

We know that God is omniscient, yet time after time, He calls on us to act as intercessory spiritual soldiers for each other. So, it begs the natural question… why? Why does God call on us to be a prayer warrior for others when He could literally bring Heaven to Earth without any “action” on our part?

Here’s what I have discovered… He asks because it brings us into a closer relationship with Him. Because it demonstrates our trust in Him and His will. Because it softens our heart and grows our faith. Because it stirs a transformation in us from the inside out and allows the Holy Spirit to move in our lives. Because it brings us into God’s presence, where we can witness His immense love and His unwavering faithfulness. And friends, that’s just what it does for us… what about the person that we are lifting up in our prayers?

Sometimes we stand in the gap to ask our Heavenly Father to pour out peace, comfort, clarity, joy, and grace over one another. Not because He wouldn’t do it without our interceding, but simply because He delights in His children seeking Him together and praying over each other.

Other times, our prayer may serve as extra protection during a spiritual battle. Imagine taking up arms and standing in between the enemy and his target. When we pray, we are embracing our authority in Jesus Christ and saying to the enemy, “you have no power here.” Now imagine doing that for someone you love. Someone who is tired, defeated, and battle worn. You commit to being a prayer warrior for them. You have joined the fight. And not by your own power, but by the blood of Jesus, the enemy retreats. Jesus loves when we stand in the gap for each other. And the more we do it, the more we will feel called to cover not only loved ones, but friends, acquaintances, and maybe even strangers.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

So today, I hope that you will join me in lifting each other up. Covering each other with prayer. Carrying “it” together. And fighting the battle side by side. And then, I hope Jesus just pours over you today. I hope you feel the many prayers that are being spoken for you. I hope you feel the ground shake. I hope you feel your Heavenly Father moving in your life. And I hope it brings you joy!!

Blessing, friends! I’m praying for you today.

“Take a walk with me.” said the Holy Spirit. “Let me show you something.”

I put on my running shoes and stepped out the front door with no idea what to expect. When I faced the new construction site at the end of my driveway, I heard God speak to my heart again…

“How many are there?”

I counted in my head. Well, God, there are four new builds under construction in our neighborhood right now.

“I want you to run past all of them.”

Okay…

Over the next 45 minutes, I bobbed and weaved my way through the neighborhood and He slowly began to speak to my heart again.

As I passed the piles of debris that had been cleared to make way for the new homes, my heart somehow identified with that significant process. My own debris was being slowly cleared to make way for who I was becoming.

At each site that I came to, the foundation had already been poured, just as our foundation has already been secured by the cross. The blood that poured from the hands of Jesus provided the foundation for every single one of us.

The last piece of the puzzle, admittedly, took me a bit longer to fully understand.

While some of the sites had started the building process and I was marveling at how much they had transformed, others were beautiful slabs of opportunity, just waiting for the architect to reveal his vision and his plan.

And suddenly, there it was… the lesson.

A beautiful slab of opportunity. How many of us can identify with that?

A solid foundation poured. Blueprints in God’s hands. And included in these blueprints, special gifts and a divine calling. It is His vision for us and we can bet our life on the fact that it’s a beautiful one. After all, He is the master carpenter. And He desires nothing more than to complete the work He started in me… and you.

And then there is…

Faith.

That is the word that He keeps bringing me back to.

Faith.

In order to build according to His vision, I must have faith.

Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if I could peek at the blueprints detailing what God has planned for me. I imagine how it would change the way that I process the current phase of construction that I’m in. Having the opportunity to see such final details would surely remove any doubt. But God asks us to start building in faith and He will reveal His plans according to His timing. Faith, my dear friends. Faith is the difference between the slab of opportunity and the vision that God wants to complete in us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11)

There are so many messages in this lesson, but I know this… if God’s blueprints for my life lead me to a “joy made full,” I’m going to wholeheartedly lean in to His vision. Even if I don’t know if He included a wrap-around deck, carriage-style garage doors, and shiplap, I’m still in.

Day Nine Action Plan: You were designed by the Master Carpenter. “For we are God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10) Today, step out in the faith and confidence that His design and His vision for your life are better than you could ever imagine. Lean in and submit to His will in your life, your relationships, your career, or whatever it is that you fear releasing to Him. Have faith that the construction phase that you are going through now can be used by Him for good. And most importantly, have faith that He is a good, good father and He loves you very much.

A dear friend of mine sent me a text this morning. In it she wrote, “I think my next step of healing is to write an I forgive you list…” I could not believe the timing of her message. It was the exact topic that I had felt led to write about today. Could it be because God is tapping all of our hearts and saying, “I cannot pour joy into the same cup as unforgiveness?” Like adding lemon juice to a cup of hot milk, the two just don’t mix without creating a lumpy, curdled mess.

Forgiveness seems to be a constant topic between He and I. I knew deep down that I had to clean up the mess, but it didn’t stop me from searching for another rabbit hole that we could go down instead. What is it about unforgiveness that is sometimes so difficult to face? Like a good father, He would gently put the message on repeat for as long as needed.

As I started the process, some forgiveness came rather easy. Old hurts. Random clutter that I had held onto in my heart. I gained traction with each step and even better, I gained confidence. I was digging through my unforgiveness like a junk drawer. “This can go…” as I tossed it in the trash. “This one too…” Look at me go! I’m so proud of myself.

And then God reached “that” one… and I paused. I looked at it and I felt Him urge me forward. “Yes, that one,” He gently pressed. And I closed the drawer. I kid you not. I closed the drawer. I’ll clean “that” one out another day, I promised Him.

The truth is, I didn’t know how to clean that one out. And, while we are being honest, there was a time that I didn’t think that I should *have* to clean that one out. I could absolutely justify that unforgiveness. A jury would most definitely find me not-guilty of improper harboring of resentment and anger… I was sure of it. But still, God pressed.

Why? Because they don’t mix, my friends. We know it and He knows it. The two just don’t mix. I could not “chase joy” and simultaneously harbor unforgiveness.

Can I share a personal story with you for a minute? Last year, my father experienced some pressing chest pain and my mom decided to take him to the ER. What they found was a buildup of plaque in one of his arteries that was restricting blood flow to his heart. The doctors said he was lucky because they had caught it early. Left untreated, it would form a clot and completely block all blood flow to his heart.

Yes, I’m pausing right along with you to let that fully sink in.

He’s teaching us, friends. He’s teaching us why forgiveness is so important. Even when it’s really, really hard. Especially when it’s really, really hard.

The journey does not promise to be easy. Sometimes I feel like that leftover junk in my drawer is easier to avoid than heal. The scar simply runs too deep and my anger and resentment will not be overcome easily. I know that my life will be better after treatment, but do I really want to go through the pain of the surgery? If I dig deep down, the answer is simple, my friends. Yes, I do. Because I am reminded of the promises of my Heavenly Father and I know that if I simply follow His lead, I will dance again.

I do not know what the first step to forgiveness will look like for you, but may I share a few of my favorite insights that I have picked up along the way…

“The decision to forgive doesn’t fix all the damaged emotions. It doesn’t automatically remove the anger, frustration, doubt, damaged trust, or fear. To work on those emotions, we must now start the process of forgiving that person for the impact.” Lysa TerKeurst, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget

“Forgiveness vacillates like this. It has fits and starts, good days and bad. Anger intermingled with love. Irregular mercy. We make progress only to make a wrong turn. Step forward and fall back. But this is okay. When it comes to forgiveness, all of us are beginners. No one owns a secret formula. As long as you are trying to forgive, you are forgiving. It’s when you no longer try that bitterness sets in.” Max Lucado, You’ll Get Through This

“That collected proof is not a treasure, nor is it a souvenir proving the hard place you’ve traveled to or your secret weapon of justice. It’s debris. Though you believe that it’s protecting you and making your world better, it’s ugly and sharp. And nothing about it is healing your heart. It’s time to call it what it is…” Lysa TerKeurst, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget

“We still function as if killing the giant (unforgiveness) depends on us… if we truly want change, then we need to understand our dependency on the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Our change is more about trusting and less about trying. We’ve got to make this paradigm shift in our minds. Christ always does the real work. Christ is the real force for us to change.” Louie Giglio, Goliath Must Fall

“When the tug from the Spirit comes, say yes. A lot. You’ll be amazed at what you can scale. What you can overcome.” Louie Giglio, Goliath Must Fall

Day Ten Action Plan: My friends, we have to clean out the junk drawer. We have to face the hard. The really, really hard. We have to place the blockage that is threatening our hearts in the hands of the one true healer. Expect the journey to have rocks that trip you and send you face-first to the ground. Give yourself grace when that happens. There is no perfect formula and we are all learning in the process. Pause for a moment and you’ll hear your Heavenly Father say, “it’s okay. You’re okay. Dust yourself off. And keep going.” I’m praying for you

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23

Did you know that our Heavenly Father delights in sharing love notes with us all throughout the day? Little messages scattered in the details. Reflections of His love meant just for you (and me).

I had the most incredible personal experience with a love note from God earlier this week. It was undeniably one of the most significant days of my journey. When documenting the experience on my website, I wrote:

“It was not the gift that was in front of me that made my heart leap the most… it was the overwhelming joy that came with the realization that this was a love note just for me. Me. He loves me so much that He gifted me something very specific, and very special.”

There’s nothing special about me. I’m a very ordinary girl. But, God loves to show us how special we are to Him. And my experience that day was something that I will never forget.

If you would like to read about the entire experience, you can find it here: https://raisingablessing.com/watch-for-my-love-notes-today/

Day Eleven Action Plan: Watch for His loves notes today, my friends. He’s there. In the small. In the big. In the details. In the mundane. He’s there. Watch for His love. He delights in showing us His heart.

God is very real.

God cares about the little, as well as the big.

And God delights in showing us how much He loves us

I’m going to throw something out there… a personal fear… and while some of you may think it odd, I’m willing to bet that a few of you will identify with it.

God has been working on my heart transformation for a while now. That said, the more that I grew and embraced my new found joy, the more that this one truly irritating fear kept making its way into my thoughts. It regularly dampened the very joy that I was chasing. Even after everything that Jesus had been teaching me, I just couldn’t manage to shake it. Want to hear my fear?

What if the enemy pulls the rug out from under me and I crumble again? What if when I face him again, my spirit breaks and I find myself back in the same dark, heavy and painful place? What if embracing this new joy is really only setting me up to fall harder the next time?

We know the enemy hates our joy and even more, he hates the way it reflects back to our true healer, Jesus. So, we know he’s after it.. and therefore after us.

What if he attacks my joy and I completely crumble? What if my joy is really just a huge target on my back? If I choose to live inside my comfort zone and not stretch so far as to embrace an “on-fire, light-shining, Jesus-loving, skirt spinning, ” joy, am I really keeping myself safer? Because, let’s face… I can’t go back there. I can’t.

Yes, I know what you are likely thinking… but I’m just being completely open and honest. It was a real fear that haunted me for a long time. And I’m willing to bet that as you are reading this, some of you are facing the same joy-restricting thoughts (and lies).

Now let me share with you the four words that changed everything…

Step. Into. Your. Authority.

One day when I was eyeball deep in this thought process and on the verge of tipping into panic (and reverting to old habits of hiding myself away because it’s “safer”), He gently stepped in and reminded who I was in Him.

God says, “When I am with you, the enemy has no choice but to flee. And he will. Walk confidently in that truth today.”

What a paradigm shift! The enemy only has as much power as I give him. Although, I will inevitably face difficult days, painful circumstances, and rainy seasons, he will never have the power to make me crumble. He will never have the power to steal my joy. I may crack. I may bend. But he cannot break me.

I walk with the one true King and when the enemy tries to make me cower, I simply have to remind Him of my authority in Jesus name and I can watch him as he flees!

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “LORD, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. (Luck 10:17-19)

Day Twelve Action Plan: Maybe you don’t share the same fear that held me hostage, but other fears (or lies from the enemy) are dampening your joy. Today, I am inviting you to step into your authority in Jesus. The enemy has no power in our lives. Once we begin to recognize his lies and his games, we can tell him to flee and he has no choice. We don’t need to reason with him or argue with him. God has given us ALL the authority over the enemy. And even though we may be tempted to cower in his presence because he tries to convince us that we are nothing, weak, and inferior, we must remember that, by the grace of God, we have the power to stand confidently in our authority and demand his retreat. Walk it today, my friends! You are royalty.

Sometimes God gives you a book. Other times, it’s just one word…

Today, my friends, I’m being reminded, in so many ways, how much He wants us to “share.”

Share the beautiful. Share the hard. Share how He helped you. Share how He saved you. Share how He met you right where you were and wrapped His arms around you. Share your healing. Share your joy. Share your dancing. Just share.

While I pondered on this word, I was reminded of a time at my parents farm recently. The grandkids were playing together by the campfire making big circles with some sparklers that we brought along for fun. As they began to troubleshoot how to most efficiently light them, I heard the oldest grandchild say, “here, use mine to light yours!”

Use mine to light yours.

When we share His blessings, we share His love and it sparks something inside each other’s hearts. When we share our hard, we open the door for others to love us through it, just as He intended. When we find our joy again, share the story of how, by the grace and love of Jesus, we overcame. We were never meant to carry any of it alone. Likewise, we were never meant to dance alone.

Use mine to light yours, my friend. And if you feel led, share back and light mine again. And if I share mine and you share yours, imagine the power of healing and joy that can reach beyond just you and me. Imagine what God can do with our message. Imagine what mountains He can move with our faith.

Day Thirteen Action Plan: It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be plastered on the walls for all to see. But today, my friends, I invite you to share. Whatever place you are in, whatever blessings or hardships, find a heart you can trust and share what God is doing in your life. Light each other. Lift each other. The healing and joy you experience will be life changing.

One of the biggest barriers to finding joy in my own life is when I define my worth or value by the words or actions of others instead of looking up. Let’s dive a little deeper into that so that you understand what I mean.

We are all human and as such, we are all imperfect. We are all broken. In addition to that, we know that pain finds us all at some point in this life. We may suffer betrayal, loss, rejection, hurt, or worse. Residual scarring or a difficult season may lead someone to be hurtful with their words or actions.

Now, let’s assume for a moment that someone is directing such hurtful words or actions towards us. If that person is a stranger, it is a bit easier to walk away and not let it penetrate our heart. After all, how can someone define you that doesn’t truly know you? But, what if it is someone we love and trust? What can we do if we are on this journey chasing joy and someone we love is in a dark place and their words or actions hurt us?

The first thing we must do is recognize that most of the time, that individual is in pain. Shifting our focus to this perspective allows us to empathize with them and we can pray for them. As we know, pain can often lead to an entire host of other emotions, such as resentment, jealousy, and anger. When treated, there can be a path to healing. But sometimes, those feelings take up space in one’s heart and instead of healing, they may burrow deeper into a dark place. The saying goes that hurt people hurt people. So, when we pause for a moment to recognize the pain that they must be carrying and pray for them, we can find rest in the faith that we serve a God that can move mountains and He is often working in the unseen.

But, there is also another benefit to recognizing their pain – it allows us to see their words and action for what they are… symptoms of brokenness, NOT truths that have the power to define us. In moments like these, there is a second prayer that I choose to lift up. I ask Jesus to protect my heart. I do not want to allow those words and/or actions to penetrate and define me. And that can be so incredibly difficult. So, I ask Him to help me protect my heart and remind me who I am in Him. It’s a process and I’m still learning, but He’s teaching me so much along the way.

Jesus loves us all the same, my friends. We are all imperfect beings, broken in our own ways. We are not loved more or deemed better because of our stage in healing. He is working in the unseen in all of our hearts. But, only He can define who you are (and who they are) and He loves both of you more than you can imagine. When we learn to pause and recognize the hurt in others, we can lift them up and simultaneously ask Jesus to continually remind us the truth of who we are in Him.

Day Fourteen Action Plan: Today, I invite you to lift up someone in prayer that has hurt you. Ask God to help you see their heart in a new light. Pray for their pain to be lifted and for them to find a path to peace and rest in the arms of the one true healer. Then, ask God to help protect your heart. Ask Him to give you clarity in these difficult moments. Ask Him to remind you who you are in Him. Ask Him to help you walk in that truth daily.

I’m going to get a little real and raw today with you. It’s an uncomfortable topic, but I’m growing to understand that it has a purpose and a place in my healing (and maybe yours too).

Some of the most difficult parts of my journey have been when God reached in and shook things up unexpectedly. Dissolved friendships, dream job opportunities that ended, painful boundaries that had to be drawn with people that I love. How could it be part of God’s plan to remove things or people that I treasure and hold dear?

And, if it is truly His plan, why does it feel so extremely counterproductive to His message?

I’m healing you. I’m walking you through this journey to the fulfillment of my promise. My vision for your future is more beautiful than you can imagine. But first, let me just shift this relationship, move this career, dissolve this comfort, whatever it may be. Don’t worry… I’ve got this… I promise.

I don’t know about you, but each time this happens, I still struggle to understand. It often feels unfair. It’s painful. It’s confusing. I begin to question. And yet, when I take it to Him, one thing is always made crystal clear … “I am in this,” is His gentle and unwavering reply.

So why does God remove some things from our lives that leave a gaping hole in our heart? Brace yourselves… I don’t know.

The truth is that we are never promised an explanation. While it’s true that there are times when His reasons are revealed later and those moments build our faith and reaffirm that His hands are always at work in our lives, there are often shifts and shakes that we may never understand. That is when He calls us to trust Him the most.

Here is what we are promised… if we cling to Him and submit to His will, even in our confusion, even in our pain, even in our loss, even in our anger… He will pour out His blessings in our life. It may hurt (deeply) for a while, but He is working in the details and He is omniscient.

He can see infinitely beyond what is within the scope of our understanding. And even though we don’t understand a door that closes or a friendship that ends, He loves us too much to only operate within our reasoning.

Joy is not a product of our circumstances. It’s the deep understanding, trust, and faith that if we submit to God’s will, we will be aligning ourselves with His vision and His plan and there is no greater promise than the one we have in Him.

We may not always understand and it may not always feel fair, but we can rest and find peace if we trust that He is preparing us for something far greater than we can imagine – Blessings that He has in store for your life and your heart. That is where we find joy when He shakes things up without explanation.

Day Fifteen Action Plan: Whatever God is shaking in your world today – whatever He is removing, moving, closing and shifting – be sure of one thing… He loves you too much to operate only within the boundaries of your understanding. Reflect and remember the moments that He has stepped in and worked miracles in your life. Remember how His presence and His voice has seen you through difficult times in the past. And, when you struggle to see how the things changing in your life make sense, cling to these two promises:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 

If you have followed me on my own “Chasing Joy” journey, you are likely already familiar with my personal struggle on the hamster wheel of perfection. I could go into all the details of why I chase perfection, but the root cause comes down to one frustrating lie – I’m just not enough.

When I climb on that hamster wheel, I run harder, faster, and longer with each passing day only to find myself in the same spot as when I started. Despite all of my running, I never lay my head down at night and feel at peace… I wish! Instead, as I lay my head down on the pillow, I silently resolve that when I rise tomorrow, I will chase “being more” again, but better next time. I am exhausted and defeated. Sound familiar? If so, welcome to my hamster wheel. Where did we get this idea that “being more” is the only thing that will bring fulfillment?

As I have learned over the past year, this can apply to our spiritual walk too. Read more, pray more, be more like Jesus. While it’s true that we are called to “walk in the way of love” (Eph. 5:2), give grace, read His word, and pray continually, there is a line between being a faithful follower that is chasing God’s heart and trying to chase being the perfect Christian.

I am reminded of a conversation that I had recently with a friend. I told her that I was struggling with something. I had a situation that I didn’t know how to handle. I desperately wanted to handle it in a way that only reflected positive on Jesus, but I kept falling short. Why? Because I felt like I was trading honesty for perfection. Ah… chasing being the perfect Christian. Yup – been there too. She reminded me that Jesus already knows my heart, no matter the words, and that Jesus doesn’t expect perfection because that’s a false image. No need to mince words there… it’s just fake. Of course we want to honor Him in the way that we handle situations, but it doesn’t mean we have to be perfect, or dishonest. As Michael J Fox once said, “I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business.” Even chasing perfection in your Christian walk can create an obstacle in your joy journey.

The beautiful thing about this struggle is that there is an easy fix… a simple realigning with His truths can correct our misconceptions about perfection. I’m going to share something that I wrote in a blog post referencing my own struggle with chasing perfection:

“We first have to stop chasing the idea of “being more” and embrace the truths that God says about us today, right now, just as we are. Nothing extra. Simple, natural, and just as He made us. Enough, my friend. We are enough. And absolutely beautiful in all our simplicity. Perfect. Flawless. An incredible creation.

We have to change our focus from chasing perfection to simply chasing God’s heart instead. He has a calling on you. He has a purpose for you. He doesn’t make mistakes. You are here for a reason. He desires a relationship with you and wants to give you His heart. So when we stop chasing the worldly acceptance and start chasing Him, we will find a joy and peace beyond understanding. We will find a relationship with Jesus that will heal all the holes in our heart that we have been trying to fill with the love and acceptance of others.”

And it can start today. Believe this…

You are chosen. 1 Thessalonians 1:4

You are loved. Romans 5:8

You are the daughter/son of a King. 1 John 3:2

You belong here. Jeremiah 1:5

You are beautifully made just as you are. Psalm 139:13-16

You have special gifts that only you can bring the world. 1 Peter 4:10

You have a purpose. Ephesians 2:10

You have a light. Matthew 5:14

You are special. Jeremiah 31:3

You are enough. And it’s your time to bloom.

Day Sixteen Action Plan: Today, I encourage you… evaluate what you are chasing. Redefine perfection. You do not need to be more. You shine brilliantly just as you are. Don’t hide in shame. Shine bright for Him. It is in chasing His heart that you will find rest, peace, and unending joy.

I climbed my first 14er last summer with a friend. Neither one of us trained (please don’t follow my terrible example). The word “intense” might be an understatement, but I’ll never forget how proud I was as we climbed our way up the mountain. We snapped photos and chatted with other hikers. It was a very lighthearted morning. We even laughed about our inability to breath enough to laugh. That is, until I saw the final ascent. Once we set eyes on that switchback-filled final stretch, my entire perspective changed. Instead of delighting in how far we had come, I was overwhelmed by what lay ahead and my heart sank. I suddenly felt very, very tired. Each step became harder than the last, not just because of the altitude and increasingly difficult incline, but also because my brain was firing off doubt and my heart was starting to listen.

Thoughts are a powerful thing, aren’t they? We can stand midway up the mountain and delight in how far we have come or feel overwhelmed by how far we still have to go.

After a recent adventure-filled camping weekend with my family, I wrote this in my journal: “As I stood in the shower, I started thinking of how closely this moment relates to my journey with Jesus over the last year. Like the dirt, sweat, sand, and smoke washing off my body, I look back and see the unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, shame, and resentment washing off my heart. I am not the girl I once was. My heart is changing. I am healing. It’s a beautiful moment when you can reflect back and see how far He has taken you.” A few days later, I found myself in the book of Job and this verse resonated with me: “I do not have the strength to wait. There is nothing to hope for, so why should I be patient?” (Job 6:11)

How quickly my entire outlook changes when I switch my thoughts from delighting in how far He has taken me to drowning in how far I have to go. I could feel my heart recoil at the whiplash-inducing yo-yo effect of my thought process. Why?

Because the Head Bone is Connected to the Heart Bone.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Guarding my thoughts = Guarding my heart. Those are two things that God has been working to connect for me over the past several months. Chasing joy means *changing* old patterns. He is reminding me that joy does not come passively. I have the power to control what thoughts I allow to take up residence and right now, I have to choose to act. Why? Because if they take up space in my mind, they will take root in my heart and they will bear fruit, be it good or bad.

So how does this apply to our everyday lives and not just our journey? Easy, actually. When we strive to no longer sit in thoughts of anger, resentment, boasting, jealousy, or negativity towards each other, it has the power to change our heart. And let me just add… all that other stuff is heavy. Very, very heavy. When you can release it from your heart, the freedom and joy that you feel is life-changing.

I’ll share an example from my own personal growth:

Some years back, I was deeply hurt by a friend. Every time I thought of that friend, I would dwell on the hurt they had caused. I would review the situation in my mind, playing it back like a movie reel. And each time I saw that person, my heart would squeeze. I knew that I held unforgiveness and resentment towards them. When God confronted me about forgiveness and my thoughts, I started to actively try to change my old patterns. When this person would enter my mind, I wouldn’t dwell on what had happened, but rather, I would think to myself, “I forgive you and I hope that you are having a beautiful day and doing well. I hope you are delighting in your babies today. I hope your heart is full.” What I found was that by changing my thought patterns, I changed my heart towards that person. After a while, I could see them in the grocery store and all of the old hurts were like irrelevant memories. I found that my heart actually smiled at her – my heart, not just my face. I felt pure joy at the weight that had been lifted.

Your situation may not look like my example. It may be something along the lines of “this person hurt me, but I won’t dwell on it. I have created a boundary where needed and then I gave the situation to Jesus. I will not allow my thoughts to drag me into a replay of the situation. I will not let it (insert negative feeling) root further in my heart.”

Day Seventeen Action Plan: I invite you today to join me in this challenge: Make a resolution that you will begin to apply a healthier filtering process with your thoughts. This doesn’t mean that all of your thoughts are joyful or happy. It simply means that if the thought serves your spirit well, water it. If the thought harms your spirit and your heart, find the root. If it is rooted in unresolved anger, pain, resentment, or jealousy, pray over it and let God show you how to replace it with something healthier. Please understand… He does not seek perfection. He knows our hearts. He knows our pain. But He also knows that head bone is connected to the heart bone and if we can learn to set up healthier boundaries in our mind, it will lead to a lighter and more joyful rhythm in our heart.

Over the last two and a half weeks, we have chatted with each other about so many beautiful topics related to our journey of “chasing joy” together. We have discussed the difficult – shame, forgiveness, redefining perfection, and letting go. We have formulated action plans – changing thought patterns, learning to hear His voice, leaning in, stepping into our authority, and having faith. And we have grown – in our relationship with Him, in our perceptions of ourselves, and in our relationships with those around us. Some topics may have spoken to you more than others, but one thing remains the same for us all – God is tapping our hearts. It may be in different ways, but He is there, in the details, guiding us through. Do you feel it?

Earlier today, I walked past the lilac tree in our front yard. For the first time this year, I noticed just how much it has bloomed. Beautiful, delicate purple flowers popping up everywhere. And the soft, sweet fragrance… Truth is, I look forward to it every year. The swallowtail butterflies absolutely love my lilac tree and watching them visit is one of my favorite parts of early summer. But this year is unique. This year is different and special. Because this year, it reminds me of my own heart.

But what about you? What’s transforming in you? What is blossoming in you? What is changing and shifting and becoming lighter? Where is He leading you? And, what joy have you discovered along the way?

I don’t ask these questions with the expectation that you will share here. But, I do believe that it’s important to pause and reflect for three very specific reasons:

1. A pause for reflection is encouraging to our spirit. God may be working on the hard right now. Maybe He is with you in the forgiveness process. Maybe He’s helping you release your shame. Maybe He’s teaching you how to let go. But no matter what, you feel the growth and it’s encouraging to know that whatever phase you are in, He’s there and you are not on this journey alone. He has shown you His presence. Maybe you have been hearing His voice. Maybe you have seen His love notes. But one thing is for sure… He is walking you through it and He’s holding you, loving you, and providing for you. And that will give you the strength to take the next step, and the next.

2. A pause for reflection gives us a chance to document our miracles. I love this part! Sometimes when we are in the trenches, we can’t see the true scale of the miracles that are taking place in our hearts and in our lives. When we pause to reflect back, we can see God’s hand in so much. And that’s when we can document our miracles. I’m a huge believer in documenting the entire process. There are many times when God speaks to me and I jot it down in my journal even if I have not experienced the fruition of the promise. But, reflection … that is when the real power hits the paper. When I reflect back on everything Jesus has done in a situation, in my heart, or in my life overall, I’m often overwhelmed by what I see. It doesn’t really matter how you document. I have notes in my Bible, notes in my journal, notes on my personal blog, and other places as well. It’s completely up to you. But, as you reflect back and document your miracles, you will see His hand, His heart, and the depth of His love for you. Spoiler Alert: It’s a lot!

3. A pause for reflection encourages us to be thankful and grateful for His beautiful presence and guiding hand throughout the process. What an incredible God we serve!

Day Eighteen Action Plan: Today, I just encourage you to pause and reflect. Reflect on His love. Reflect on His guidance. Reflect on how His hand has never left you and His heart has held you close. Reflect on what He is teaching you and speaking into you. And then take a moment and document your miracles today. He’s an amazing Father and He loves you very much. No matter the season, whether you are facing a storm or basking in the warmth of the sun, He is ever-present, and when we pause to reflect, we can see His touch in every aspect of our lives.

If you only read one post from our 30 Days of Chasing Joy, I hope it’s this one. There’s so much power in this post. Power to change your life. Power to change your world. Power to heal your heart. Power that is moving through this space right now. Hold onto whatever is near you. He’s going to flood your heart with love and joy today. And, whatever you are doing right now, pause for just a moment and really let this sink in.

There’s nothing deep or incredibly insightful about this message. It’s just five words. But if you let it in and you allow it to flood all the way down to every dark crack and crevice… it has the power to change absolutely everything. Let the tears fall. He’s right there. Feel Him…

“I delight myself in you.”

Listen. Hear His voice. He’s speaking to your heart…

“I delight myself in you.”

You. He delights in you. He’s captivated by your beauty. He loves your heart. He loves your dance. He loves your laugh. He loves your smile. He loves … you.

You.. He delights in you. You don’t have to earn it. You don’t have to win it. You don’t have to be good enough. You don’t have to be deserving enough. You don’t have to be anything. He delights in you… today, right now, in this moment, just as you are.

He’s pouring all over you right now. Can you feel it?

Laugh. Smile. Cry. Dance. He delights in your joy. He delights in your heart.

If some of the phrases above sound familiar, it’s because again and again, the song “Overwhelmed” played in my head today as the Holy Spirit poured out…

“I delight myself in You

Captivated by Your beauty

I’m overwhelmed

I’m overwhelmed by You”*

The song is directed towards Jesus, but today, He was speaking it to me, friends. Speaking it to my heart. Telling me that He delights in me. He’s captivated by my beauty. He’s overwhelmed by me. And He poured all over me today with this message on repeat…

“I delight myself in you…” and not just me… you, me, all of us. He pressed so much on my heart today that THIS was the message meant for this post. THIS IS IT, my friends… the life-changing message that He has for all of us today.

Let that sink in for a moment and read the words again (slowly) and listen, because He is speaking it into your heart…

“I delight myself in you.”

“I’m captivating by your beauty.”

“I’m overwhelmed by you.”

If the repetition is painful, I apologize, but this is the message that He gave me over and over today. And it’s a message for you. A message for me. A message for all of us.

Oh, Jesus… thank you for all that you are to me. Thank you for how much you love me today. Thank you for holding me in your arms and pouring your love, peace and joy all over me.

Day Nineteen Action Plan: Just let it pour. Believe it. Receive it. He is delighting in you today. Don’t run in shame. Don’t hide. Don’t fear it. Don’t talk yourself out of it. Just let it pour into every painful crack and crevice in your heart. He loves you, my friends. So much.

Watch the Official Music Video for “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave using the link below.

*Lyrics by Writer(s): Weaver Michael David, Wickham Phil, Performed by Big Daddy Weave

I made a trip to our local grocery store recently just to grab a few things. Since school is already out for the summer, the store was full of kids tagging along with mom and dad, venturing up and down the aisles with true childlike enthusiasm. Two little girls in particular caught my attention. They were holding hands, hopping along and loudly sharing big stories with each other, voices full of excitement and occasional giggles. I smiled at them and they didn’t hesitate to flash a big smile in return. Joy. Childlike joy.

It made me question what it is that changes us through the years. What happens in that gap between childhood and middle age? Why do so many of us find ourselves struggling to flash a sincere, heartwarming smile back when someone greets us? Are we tired? Yes, absolutely. Are we overwhelmed and stressed? Most definitely. Does our to-do list seem daunting in every aspect of life? No doubt. But, it’s got to be more than that…right?

On the recommendation of a good friend, I started an art journal a while back. Throughout my journey, there would be days when I didn’t want to write, but I enjoyed drawing whatever I was experiencing. I’ll never forget one drawing in particular. I was standing next to the ocean. The sun was shining. I could see the sun, but I couldn’t feel it on my face. I could hear the ocean, but I couldn’t dip my toes in. I had chains on my ankles that held me back. I was just out of reach of everything. Close enough to see the light, but too far away to feel the warmth. Given my innate lack of artistic skills, I am absolutely positive that my written description far exceeds the drawing, but you get the idea.

In retrospect, I think this happens a lot in our adult lives. We can see the warmth. We can see the joy. But somehow, we can’t quite tap into it. We begin to wonder if it’s because we are somehow unworthy. Is it because we are somehow less than? Is it because of mistakes or choices that we have made? Or, we reason… maybe it’s because of the damage done by someone else’s choices or mistakes. Our minds naturally want to identify a cause so that we can understand it and gain some clarity, but the cycle of why’s is even more frustrating to our heart and in turn, healing begins to feel further and further away. We spiral until we accept defeat out of pure exhaustion.

Whatever the reason, this is just how it is for me, we resign.

Joy is reserved for someone else, but not for me.

And, let me tell you… the enemy would be beyond satisfied if we stopped right there.

But, then there’s Jesus…

I can’t help but feel like so many of you are right where I was… on the cusp, but held back by things that you struggle to identify. You can see the joy. You can almost feel the warmth of it. But, you just can’t quite reach it. Is it fear? Maybe. That held me back. Is it shame? Maybe. That was part of my struggle too. But, mostly, it was my need to take my chain to Jesus and ask Him to help me sort through it link by link until I was free.

If it seems like my own personal “Chasing Joy” process has been step-by-step, that’s because it has. You see, once I took my chain to Jesus, He started to break it link by link. He would walk me through a healing process and, once one link would break, He would reveal the next link. In this fashion, He walked me through releasing my shame, facing my struggles with perfectionism, giving Him my fears, and on and on. With each broken link, I could feel more warmth reaching my face and my heart was lifting.

I’m still working my way through the process and while I’m truly loving sharing pieces of my journey along the way, your path may look very different than mine. That’s why our action plan for today is so dear to my heart…

Day Twenty Action Plan: It’s day #20 on our journey and I’m praying that you are beginning to see and maybe even feel the warmth of joy on your face. But I’m also guessing that, like me, there are still some things that keep you from experiencing the fullness of it. Today, I encourage you to take your chain to Jesus and ask Him to help reveal your links. He will guide you step-by-step, link-by-link, through your own personal healing. He promises to pour out joy over each one of us and I’m believing in the fulfillment of His promises. The enemy would like nothing more than for us to feel exhausted and resign ourselves to the fact that joy is for someone else – someone less hurt, someone who has made less mistakes – but Jesus is right there saying, “trust me.” Take your chain to Him, friends. His loving hand will guide you through it one step at a time.

Today, my friends, I just wanted to extend a note of encouragement. It takes a tremendous amount of faith to walk through the healing process. Chasing joy is not always an easy, comfortable ride. In fact, it has probably been harder than you expected at times. I feel the same. But, I’m so incredibly grateful that you are here. And I’m so very excited about the work that we are doing together, and I’ll explain why:

Healing and joy. Two words that simply, and yet utterly, sum up the journey that I have been on for the past year. In so many ways, it has been all about the incredible power of Jesus. When He moves, I am completely overwhelmed by all that can be accomplished with the touch of His hand and the message of His heart.

But, healing can be a lot of hard work too. One step forward. Two backwards. Leaning in. Shaking in doubt. Then resolving yourself to lean in again. Tripping. Crumbling. Dusting off and standing back up. Purposeful work, but hard work nonetheless. When God tells us that He’s going to take us through the healing process instead of out of the painful situation, it’s not always the answer that we desperately wanted.

And, make no mistake… when it comes to healing, the enemy devises many lies to keep us from fulfilling our purpose and reaching our promise of joy. An escape. An entrapment. Anything that he can craft to make us feel like the journey to healing is too hard, too unrewarding, or too long… or, that we simply don’t deserve it. He studies us and he knows what messages hit our weak points the most efficiently.

But then, my son’s sweet voice filled the car today with the incredible song below and I am once again given deeper clarity into why the hard work matters…

Tell me is He good? (He’s good)
Tell me is He God? (He’s God)
He is, Good God Almighty*

My friends… your healing work matters and here’s why:

You are breaking generational chains. You are standing in the gap for your family. You are choosing to face the hard, heal old wounds, and stare down the enemy and guess what … your children are watching.

Whew… that’s powerful.

Day Twenty-One Action Plan: I invite you today to just let that thought sink in and allow it to give you extra encouragement and strength. The hard work that you are doing today is breaking generational chains. You are healing old wounds and lifting your family in the process. You are fighting spiritual battles today that give your children a stronger foundation. And you are teaching your children about the faithfulness of God’s love and His heart, even in the hard, especially in the hard. So be encouraged… you are making a difference – in the Kingdom and in your home.

*Credit: “Good God Almighty” Writer(s): David Crowder, Benjamin Glover, Jeff Sojka

The Lord says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters and drink.” Isaiah 55:1

Can I ask you something? Can we be completely honest with each other? Are we on this path together, chasing joy side-by-side, because we find ourselves so incredibly thirsty for what God is pouring out right now? I was thirsty for it, friends. I was tired of being dry. I was so tired of pouring from an empty cup. It was absolutely exhausting knowing that there was “more” but not being able to tap into it.

Over the year that followed my decision to chase joy, lesson after lesson and message after message had me facing unresolved and unhealed issues that held me back. The decluttering process challenged me greatly at times. Jesus would regularly have to step in and gently guide me to move something unhealthy to the trash pile – judgement, unkind comments about others, unkind thoughts about myself. I could feel an incredible transformation process taking place in my heart and to my surprise, joy began to slowly fill even the darkest cracks and crevices.

But, there is a powerful truth about this journey that I absolutely want to share before our 30 days together ends…

Chasing joy was never a checklist that I had to work down in order to be good enough for His outpouring of love. The truth is… He delighted in me long before I started this journey. God didn’t draw any closer to me or love me any more than He did before. I was not somehow more worthy, more special, or more important to Him. Religion would have you believe that the harder you work, the more you will earn from Jesus. But the truth is, Jesus was always pouring it out over me. I did not earn it. In truth, I would never/will never be worthy. It is a gift, wrapped in grace and given freely by the One who loves us the most. And that is what makes it so beautiful.

So, what exactly was the point of Him helping me remove all that clutter? Well, left unhealed and unresolved, that debris created a barrier between His pouring and my willingness to receive. You see…

When Jesus would say, “I love you,” my shame would answer, “you can’t possibly.”

When Jesus would say, “I am here,” my perfectionism would answer, “I’m not good enough yet.”

When Jesus would say, “I can heal that,” my need for control would answer, “but, I can’t give it to you.”

When Jesus would say, “I have a calling on your life,” my unhealed heart would respond, “I’m too broken.”

God was always speaking to me, loving me, pouring out over me, but I wasn’t receptive to it because of barriers that I had built between His voice and my heart. That’s what this Chasing Joy journey came down to for me. Not a checklist to make myself worthy, but a process of removing the clutter so that I could hear and receive His heart. A process of building a relationship with Him. A process of drawing closer to Him so that I could learn what He’s been speaking all along.

Day Twenty-Two Action Plan: Today, I invite you to take a moment to rest in this truth: You are not working towards a healing that makes you somehow more worthy of God’s outpouring of love. You are simply working to remove the noise so that you can hear and feel what He has been pouring over you all along. You are already worthy. You are already enough. And He already delights in you. He’s healing the clutter in your heart so that you can begin to see yourself the way that He sees you… absolutely beautiful. It’s not faults. It’s not shortcomings. It’s not a reflection of who you are and it does not define you. It’s just debris. And He’s healing it. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 Blessings today, friends. And remember, He delights in you just as you are. Walk in the truth of His love today. 

As I stared at my blinking cursor today, I wondered how God would move in the message for Day #23. He always meets me here. Sometimes it’s 3am and I’m desperately craving sleep, but as He moves, my fingers begin to type and I can feel His heart pouring out. Funny thing about today though, instead of a message, I just kept seeing the same vision run through my mind…

A work desk, a cubicle maybe, and I was cleaning it off. As I cleared the clutter and wiped it down, the one part of the vision that felt the most significant seemed to be this piece: I kept returning things that were not mine to the desks where they belonged. “Clean Your Workspace,” I heard God press. But what did it mean? I bounced around a few ideas in my head, but none of them felt like the message that He was pressing on my heart. So, I kept praying for clarity and decided to go about my normal day.

Throughout the morning, my husband was on my mind a lot. I checked in on him several times, just making sure that he didn’t need anything and letting him know that I loved him. What a strange feeling, I thought. So, I prayed for him. After a while, I began to think that maybe God was trying to encourage me to share the message with Him. So, I leaned into God’s nudge and sent him the message.

What absolutely amazed me was that my husband immediately put the vision and the message into very clear context for me. You see, God gave me the message, but He gave my husband the meaning. Wow… I just love how God works!

As my husband translated the message for me, it became clear that God was looping us back to something that we (my husband and I) had discussed only a few days prior. It was about personal and spiritual identity and the weight that we sometimes bear because of things that we pick up and carry along the way… things that really don’t belong to us, but we somehow weave them into the definition of who we are so deeply that it’s often a struggle to recognize their true source of ownership and then detach.

For example, let’s say a child is raised in a home where the parent(s) communicate, through their words and actions, that the child is of no significant worth or value. My heart aches at this example because, unfortunately, I think it happens often today. Over time, as the child grows, they begin to believe that they are truly insignificant to the world around them and it becomes so intertwined with their identity that, as an adult, they struggle to view themselves as anything more. This kind of identity damage can be so destructive because it has the power to prevent someone from ever embracing who they are in Jesus. Unless… we can learn to identify what truly belongs to us, what we allow in our workspace, and what does not belong to us, and give it back.

This is just one example. I would be willing to bet that we could easily sift through different aspects of our identity and find remnants of things that don’t belong; words or messages that have been so intertwined in how we define ourselves that we struggle to recognize to whom they ever truly belonged and then detach from them. They were not ours to begin with and we need not keep them. God is calling us to clean out our workspace.

“Clean your workspace.”

“Return the things that do not belong to you to the desks where they belong.”

Pretty powerful words in that context.

Day Twenty-Three Action Plan: Today, I invite you to take your workspace to Jesus. Allow Him to help you sift through how you have been defining yourself and weed out the remnants of messages that never belonged to you to begin with. The truth is that sometimes the brokenness around us will attempt to define us. The enemy will taunt us with lies about who we are to keep us from ever reaching our calling, to silence us with shame and feelings of insignificance. And suddenly, our personal and spiritual identity are tied up in a bunch of clutter that was never ours. God is pouring out His love over us right now. He is saying, “I love you. You are beautiful. You have an irreplaceable role in my Kingdom. You are mine. You are chosen. You are royalty. You are significant.” And He’s leading us through the process of clearing our workspace, our hearts, to be able to receive what He’s pouring out today. If it doesn’t belong, label it as such and give it to Jesus. He can help you heal. He will light the way.

If you have ever looked through someone else’s prescription glasses, you know that it quickly turns your vision into one big mess. My husband and I both wear glasses and we also happen to have the exact same frames, so you can imagine that we occasionally grab the wrong ones. It takes about a sum total of half a second to realize our mistake because our prescription is nowhere close to the same. We literally can’t see anything straight when we try looking through the wrong lenses.

As God has been walking me through my “Chasing Joy” journey over the last year, I have frequently felt Him speaking to me about *my* lenses versus *His* lenses. Sometimes it relates to the reflection in the bathroom mirror… He is teaching me to see myself the way that He sees me and it has been an invaluable and very important part of my joy journey and healing process. But, at other times, He changes things up and challenges me to apply this message when looking at the heart of others.

You see, when we view people through His lenses, or as closely as we can, it has the power to completely change our perspective and move us towards more compassion, humility and empathy.

It’s easy to see a friend, a loved one, a co-worker, or an acquaintance making one hurtful decision after another and ask, “What’s wrong with them?” The answer to that question is usually followed up with a lot of judgment and we often justify or reason that our judgement is both warranted and valid. But, maybe that family member or friend is going through something really hard and they are scared, running, and hurting. Maybe that coworker has a deep emotional scar that they want so badly to heal from but they don’t know how. Maybe the enemy is tormenting that acquaintance with lies and keeping them chained and imprisoned in this cycle of destruction…

That doesn’t mean that every night when they rest their head on the pillow, God isn’t speaking to their heart and saying, “I’m right here. I love you. I will never leave you.” And here is the challenge…

If He is meeting them with grace and love, who am I to face them with nothing but judgement? God knows their heart. He knows their pain. He knows exactly what they have done and yet, He stays; an unwavering presence in their lives, working in the details, reminding them who they are in Him and how much they are loved. And thank you, Jesus, for doing the same for me (and for promising to do it again, over and over, as many times as needed).

His lenses instead of my lenses…a complete perspective change.

Perhaps the hardest lesson in this is when God taps my heart about the person that I still struggle to forgive. Yes, on my path to joy, I still struggle to forgive. But, God says, “Remember, I love them the same.” … But, how can you God? They have been mean, manipulative, and clearly are not walking a path chasing your heart. It’s not okay how they chose to hurt me. And they don’t even feel sorry or seek forgiveness. Doesn’t that make them unworthy? (My unforgiveness on clear display here) … But, His response never wavers. He loves them the same.

His heart breaks at their choices, just as His heart sometimes breaks at mine. I am not somehow more worthy, more special, or more cherished. No, He calls them His. Yes, His. And if I’m being completely honest, the unforgiveness in me resist that truth. I’m not interested in the part of “religion” where I claim to walk in nothing but love, perfect forgiveness, and grace. No… I struggle sometimes, especially where there are deep scars present, and I’m willing to bet that you do too.

But, you see, no matter how I struggle, it’s still not about my lenses… it’s about His.

He is tapping their heart. He loves them the same. And when I look through His lenses, I am momentarily moved to compassion at what brokenness in their lives must have led them to these destructive choices that they make. And I’m trying to take small steps each day to view things through His lenses, even in the most difficult of circumstances, especially in the most difficult circumstances.

The truly rewarding part about looking through His lenses instead of my own is that it is leading my heart to release so many toxic space-savers. Judgement, resentment, unforgiveness… individually, they are heavy enough to do some real destruction to my heart, but when combined, they are truly crushing. Alternately, when we choose to view through His lenses of love and grace, it brings us that much closer to finding true peace and joy.

Not to mention, it makes us an incredible witness. He will use our love and grace to show others His heart. He will use our compassion and willingness to change our perspective to speak into others about the healing powers of Jesus. In other words, if we are willing to switch to His lenses, He will use it to heal our hearts and to touch others. That’s a win, win in my book!

Day Twenty-Four Action Plan: Today, I invite you to commit to trying on a new set of lenses. When you feel judgement entering your thoughts, your heart, your actions, or your words, commit to a pause where you can try to see it through God’s lenses. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. But, the more we put this idea into practice, the more our hearts will naturally move towards compassion, love, grace, and empathy. And when it’s really difficult to see it through His lens, that’s when you just take it to Him. When our supply feels tapped and our limits feel stretched, He promises to pour His divine power into the situation and blanket our hearts. Blessing on the journey today, my friends! I’m learning with you. 

I’m stepping out in faith today and sharing a personal story that I have only told to those in my closest circle…

Earlier this spring, I was up late one night reading after my family had all gone to sleep. As I closed the book, I heard God speak to my heart… “I want you to write a book.” I think I may have actually laughed out loud. I distinctly remember my response… “Write a book? What do I have to offer? What can I possibly contribute that would make a difference? And, with what time?” Of course, He didn’t argue back. He just let it hang in the air between us. But, satisfied that I had made a solid argument on my end, I fell asleep shortly after our little one-sided tiff.

Sometimes people ask me how I’ve grown to trust that I’m hearing God’s voice…

When I woke up the next morning, I had a text message on my phone from a friend. She wrote, “I think you have a book in you.” Random, yes… and yet, not random at all. A total God moment. But, I kid you not… at this point, I know I laughed out loud. Okay, God. I’m listening. Sorry for arguing… but for the record, I still think you’re crazy.

I like to think He doesn’t mind that this is how our relationship goes sometimes. I imagine Him saying something along the lines of… “Oh, my stubborn child, I love you.” I love you too, God. Thanks for being my friend.

If you travel a bit further back in my story, you will see that a huge turning point in my journey was when I asked God to use me … like really, really use me. After He had so patiently walked me through a great deal of healing and blanketed me with grace, love, forgiveness, and encouragement, I was eager to find His calling on my life and share His heart with others. However, as I reflect on the many big moments when He opened doors and invited me to step out in faith, there seems to be a common underlying message in my initial response.

Over and over I argue with Him…

I have nothing special to offer. How could I possibly contribute anything of value? I don’t think I have the right spiritual gifts for what you’re asking. I won’t know the right words to say. What if I get this all wrong?

But, what I’m really arguing is this…

… Don’t you want to use someone else, God? Someone with more qualifications? Someone who has proven that they can handle the task? Someone who can assure you that they will get the job done right?…

Again and again He confirms…

I want you.

“What are your qualifications?” It’s one of the first things an employer asks during an interview. And, it’s one of the first things I ask myself when God taps my heart. But God doesn’t question my qualifications. He’s not asking me to list off all the things I’ve gotten right; the times I’ve scored the goal; all the moment that I’ve absolutely nailed it for Him. And He’s definitely not persuaded by my list of all the reasons that I’m the wrong person for the task. He is not going to suddenly have an “aha” moment and tell me I have been so completely right all along. No. His still small voice is unwavering as it meets my heart with the same message each time… I choose you. My qualifications have never mattered… my faith in Him is all He desires.

Day Twenty-Five Action Plan: I do not know the calling that God has placed on your heart, but today I invite you to see yourself as not only chosen, but a perfect fit, regardless of your qualifications. When we ask God to use us, we are trusting that He will provide everything that we need. *And He will* There is so much joy to be found in leaning into God’s plan for your life. He has placed a calling on your heart that is just for you and nobody else. He never leaves your side and His calling does not change just because you traveled through a dry season or have weathered a storm. He doesn’t seek perfection. YOU are irreplaceable in the Kingdom and the exact fit for the position. Don’t worry about your qualifications. He will meet you right where you are.

Blessings on your journey today, my friends. Thank you for always meeting me here and discussing what a beautiful journey it is.

I’ve ran a few marathons in my personal life. The name of this blog represents one of them. Three rounds of IVF, six rounds of fertility treatment, miscarriages, faith, hope and prayer. Three years later, one beautiful little blessing. A marathon season for sure… but, Jesus. Before we dive deeper, I’d like to pause for just a moment and say… No matter the marathon we face, or the outcome, I’m always thankful for a God that is so very faithful.

Of all the marathons that I have encountered, my least challenging was arguably the actual 26.2 miles that I ran at the 2014 Little Rock Marathon. If you happen to be familiar with the Little Rock Marathon, you know this particular year by heart. A powerful storm moved in, complete with dramatic temperature drops, sleet, extreme cold temps, and freezing winds. As we made our way past mile marker 18 on the course, we were informed that they had shut down the race. Shuttles and busses were soon lining the roads escorting runners back. Race volunteers held signs along the path that read, “large hail coming,” “seek shelter,” “event cancelled.”

I turned to my husband, who had lovingly agreed to run my first marathon with me, and, while holding back tears, I asked if he minded if we proceed. I doubted there would be a medal. Probably not any spectators or finish line photos. Maybe not even a true finish line. But, I couldn’t give up hope that there had to be something for my heart waiting at that finish line.

You see, my decision to run a marathon came after our 4th round of fertility treatment and an extremely heartbreaking miscarriage. I wasn’t sure if my heart could take any more pain. I needed to be able to hope in something. So, I set my eyes on a goal that I wanted so badly to accomplish and it became about so much more than the 26.2 miles or a medal. It was about healing. And I knew that I needed to survive this storm. I needed to make it through.

As I reflect back on the only physical marathon that I have ever ran, I’m realizing the parallels between what we encountered on that day and the marathons that we run so often in our spiritual life.

Maybe you are in the middle of your own storm and God is calling your name. Maybe you aren’t sure whether to turn back or press on. Maybe it hurts… really hurts. But, if you pause, close your eyes, and listen, you’ll hear His voice. He’s reminding you of His promises. He’s reminding you of His love. And He’s reminding you that He will never leave you and He will see you through.

When it seems like you are in pain and trudging through the hard while everyone else is reaching the joyful finish line… Have faith. Stay the course.

When voices tell you to turn back, the storm is too big, the promise is gone, nothing is waiting for you at the finish line… Have faith. Stay the course.

When the enemy tells you that you can’t do this, you are not made for this, you don’t have what it takes… Have faith. Stay the course.

When it’s so tempting to take the shuttle back to the start because your heart is broken, you’ve worked so hard, and it feels like nothing is going right… Have faith. Stay the course.

I did reach that finish line in 2014 and as we approached the big welcoming arch, I realized that there were no spectators left. No crowds cheering us on. No high-fives to congratulate us on making it through. But, there was a finish line, complete with the promised medal. And more than that, there was healing. Following our marathon, my husband and I went on to have another failed IVF before we were blessed with our miracle baby in 2015. Keep faith. Stay the course. He is with you.

Day Twenty-Six Action Plan: Sometimes when we are running the course and the storms are building around us, threatening to take us out of the race, the only thing we have to hold onto is His promise. Keep your eyes fixed on Him, my friends. The journey may be difficult. It may not look like anybody else’s. You may be struggling to lift your feet and keep going. The enemy may try to tell you that you are not going to make it. But, Jesus is with you and He promises that you will not fail. Run towards your healing, your joy, and your hope in Him. Have faith. Trust Him. He loves you too much to watch you turn back. Rest in His arms when you need it, and when you’re ready, dust off and run your race again. Stay the course. Keep going. Blessings, friends! 

My husband and I have a marker board hanging on the wall in our bedroom. Whenever we have a family member or friend that is going through a challenging season… a storm, a big life change, an illness, a devastating divorce, a stressful move… we add their name to the board. This is our way of committing to praying with them as they journey through the hard. Earlier today, as I paused and read through the names of so many people that I love on that board, I came to realize one thing – like so many of us, they are all sitting in God’s waiting room, prayerfully waiting for His answers and trusting His timing and His guidance.

God’s Waiting Room. It can be so incredibly difficult, especially in life-altering situations. When so much hangs in the balance, the unknowns can be almost unbearable. Fear can give rise to panic rather quickly. We know that our world may irreversibly change, but we feel completely out of control and helpless to direct the outcome. We can quite easily find ourselves in a cycle of anxiety, frustration, and even anger. You’ll get no judgement from me. I have sat in God’s waiting room and worked through every emotion mentioned. And trust me, God can handle it. But I’ll probably never forget the day He spoke into my heart and began to teach me how to stop pacing, stop panicking, stop fighting, and start trusting.

You see, God is always present. In the chaos. In the storm. In the hard. In the unbearable. He’s working in the unseen. He’s so loving and so faithful. He could snap His fingers and give us what we want, but in His infinite wisdom, He can often see what we truly need and there is so much blessing in trusting that. Sometimes the waiting has a reason that we don’t understand, but make no mistake, we are always in His heart when He is keeping us there. So, that leads us to the question… what can we do when we find ourselves in that space between our prayers and His answers?

Well, I have one humble suggestion and it has been quite a powerful lesson for me when I find myself sitting in His waiting room…

Simply put, Be Ready.

• Focus on your Heavenly Father and “Be Ready” to feel Him. I promise, He’s there. And He is speaking into your heart, giving you peace, love, and hope. Watch Him move in your situation. He will pour out His blessings in the middle of your storm.

• Write down His promises and “Be Ready” to see them fulfilled. Post them in a place that you will see them daily. When the what-ifs threaten to drown you, cling to His promises; find rest in His promises (I have 3×5 index cards with His promises taped on my prayer board. They are specific promises for me and/or my family that I lean on in times of fear or uncertainty.)

• “Be Ready” for the people and situations that He will bring to sit with you in the waiting room. People that were divinely placed there to help you get through it. (When I was facing a very difficult storm last year, I had a friend reach out to me several times. God was placing my name on her heart. When I finally let my guard down and allowed her in, God used her to open doors to healing that were absolutely life-changing!) “Be Ready” for these God-given people and situations to come into your life.

• “Be Ready” for His goodness… it’s coming. I often find it helpful to reflect on His goodness during previously weathered storms – No matter how painful the outcome, I have always seen His love for me in the answers, sometimes even years later. When I reflect back on His goodness, it gives me peace in the waiting because I know He is faithful.

• “Be Ready” for His provisions. Whatever His answer, and however it may differ from your expectations, be ready for His provisions. He will always provide everything you need.

“Be ready.” It’s a concept that I love because it gives me something to “do” in the waiting. It gives me peace, hope, and rest. And because I am keeping my focus on His faithfulness, His promises, and His goodness, it plants seeds of gratitude in my heart and I find myself so thankful for His presence in the middle of the storm. He is a good, good Father… and He loves you very much.

Day Twenty-Seven Action Plan: Whatever situation has placed you in God’s waiting room today, please know that I am praying with you. I don’t know your specific circumstances, but He does. I understand that the unknowns are so difficult and the fear is often crippling. I have been there. The road can feel so lonely. But, you are not alone. He is always with you. “Be Ready,” my friends. Be ready to feel Him. Be ready for Him to fulfill every promise. Be ready for the people that He will bring into your life to sit with you and help you through it. Be ready for His goodness and His provisions. Focus on Him. Give your worry, your fear, your heartache, and even your anger to Him. He does not leave you in the waiting room alone. He is there with you… always. I’m praying for you today. He will pour out His blessings. Trust Him in the waiting

Today is day #28 in our “Chasing Joy” series and I can feel the change stirring deep in my soul. I feel God healing the pieces of me that I buried so deep that they were all but forgotten. I feel warmth, hope and joy returning and I’m slowly sensing the walls around my heart crumble. If you would have told me six months ago that I’d be writing about joy and hope today, I would have completely rejected the idea. But God is moving in ways that I never imagined and I do not just “feel” different. I am different.

My friends, if you feel the tug on your heart today, I want to encourage you… healing is possible. Hope is possible. Joy is possible. Jesus will not restore you to the person you were before. He will completely transform you. Don’t let the enemy whisper lies that keep you imprisoned in his damaging cycle of fear and shame… you have a Heavenly Father that absolutely delights in you. And He wants nothing more than to deepen His relationship with you today.

As we are nearing the end of our “30 Days of Chasing Joy” series, it can be easy to imagine some sort of false finish line that labels us as either a winner or a DNF (Did Not Finish). Don’t get tangled up in that mindset.

Joy is not a destination that we are racing towards. It’s not a finish line that we have to push harder, longer, and faster to reach so that we can win the grand prize. No… Joy is something we can find right here, even in the middle of a storm.

Joy is in the healing.

Joy is in the deepening of our relationship with Jesus.

Joy is in discovering who we are in Him and how much He loves us.

Joy is knowing that we are never alone.

Joy is knowing His grace is sufficient.

Joy is delighting in His touch, His voice, and His love.

Joy is resting in His promises.

It’s not a finish line. It’s a beautiful gift of the journey and a piece of our Father’s heart.

The Day #28 “Action Plan” is simple, yet beautiful and so very powerful: Find your evidence of joy today and water it. Name it. Thank Him for it. And delight in it. Let it feed your heart and draw you closer to Him.

Blessing, friends!

Fun fact: In the medical field, the term “zebra” is often used to describe a rare, surprising, or “exotic” diagnosis. The association is said to have originated around the 1940’s. While teaching a group of medical students, Dr. Theodore Woodward is credited with saying, “When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” It is much more common to encounter a horse, but a zebra is quite rare indeed.

Lately, I feel like my Heavenly Father has been placing a gentle reminder on my heart. The truth is, pain and unhealed wounds often cause us to focus strictly inward. We rarely look up because that would involve a vulnerability that may threaten the very walls we have worked so hard to build around our heart. As a result, we have lost our warmth and become disconnected. Survival is based on our ability to keep our heart tucked safely away and we have essentially learned that it’s just better to keep our heads down than to risk further damage.

When I became a mother, I was told that the only way to make my son tough enough to endure this world was to expose him to the cruelty of it early on and allow it to toughen him up. “Trust me,” they would say, “he will figure out how to grow a thicker skin and survive. We all do.” Something about that just didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t figure out why giving lessons on how to build walls around your heart was page two of the parenting instruction manual.

But that’s how we often operate, right? In protection and survival mode. Did you know that a synonym for “toughen up” is “stoicism?” And stoicism is defined as, “the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint.” Ouch. That hurts my heart. Disconnected. Protecting. Surviving. But, Jesus.

I’ve come to realize that something truly remarkable happens when God starts healing you.. you no longer tuck your heart away in shame, using walls of anger and resentment to protect it. You no longer fear that if given the chance, the enemy may deliver one final blow that you simply cannot survive. No…

When your heart becomes deeply anchored in the truth that you are the daughter/son of a King and you are chosen, wanted, loved, and have an irreplaceable role and purpose, your unwavering faith in His promises and His guidance suddenly trumps your survival-based fight-or-flight training.

The truth is, “toughen up” is in the world’s guidebook, not God’s. We don’t have to be cold and distant to survive. We don’t have to hide in shame or function out of fear-based self-preservation. We just have to draw closer to Him and as He pours His goodness into our hearts, we rise and rest in the identity that He places in us. The world and the enemy cannot penetrate our identity in Him or shake our foundation. And when we have faith in that, we will stop protecting and something else will begin to pour out of us… His love.

So, be the person that surprises them. Be the zebra. Be the rare…

Be the person that compliments. Be the person that smiles. Be the person that shows God’s love in completely unexpected places. Be the person that seeks opportunities to be used. Be the person that forgives. Be the person that gives grace. Be the person that stops and notices, the good and the pain. Be the person that cares. Be the person that sees the brokenness and not just the symptoms. Be the person that touches their heart. Be the love. Be the rare.

And when you actively try to “be the rare,” something will begin to happen in your life – you will become a lighthouse for those that are tired from being beaten against the rocks and are longing for healing. They will see His light in you and they will want to seek healing and joy too. And if I share His love with my small piece of the world and you share His love with yours, maybe we can be a part of something much bigger. Maybe we can be a witness to some truly incredible miracles as God moves.

Day Twenty-Nine Action Plan: Which are you operating from today? Fear-based self-preservation or the rare? You’ll get no judgement from me. There are some hurts that just seal the heart’s doors without so much as a warning. Our mind reasons that if we can just protect it, we may be able to find a way to survive. But the truth is, we cannot accept His fulfillment of joy in our hearts if we are solely operating in survival mode because He is calling us to be so much more. As we share His love and open our hearts with others, our testimony and our healing will be the message that touches the dark crevices of pain and brokenness around us. We will receive more and more joy as we feel Jesus move in this space.

Joy. It is not a season or an emotion. It’s a process of placing our heart in God’s loving hands, anchoring our hope and peace to His promises, accepting His truths about our identity, and faithfully submitting our life to His guidance and protection.

if joy was a recipe, one of the main ingredients would be healing. The truth is, when it comes to healing, I don’t know where I’d be without Jesus. You see, Jesus came to heal not only the “physically” lame, but also those with a crippled heart. He is the One True Healer and He can heal you in ways that you didn’t think possible. And, trust me… I’m still a work in progress…but he faithfully meets us every day with grace and love. His promises give us a place to rest when we struggle to find our faith. And when we fall flat on our face (as I so often do), he picks us up, dusts us off, and reminds us that we are His. He gives us the strength, courage, and hope to face another step. It’s all about Jesus, friends. We cannot anchor our healing to faith in what we have the power to overcome ourselves, but rather, what Jesus can do within us.

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of chasing joy is when we sit in His waiting room faithfully and prayerfully hoping for answers that have the power to change our entire lives. It can be so difficult to understand why He doesn’t just lift us out of the storm and plant us directly into a place of peace. But, there’s so much opportunity to grow in our relationship with Him in the waiting room. He doesn’t leave us there because He doesn’t love us enough, we haven’t earned our blessing, or He is punishing us. No. That is a message from the enemy. He leaves us there because in His infinite wisdom, He can see what we need and He is calling on us to rest in His promises and His goodness. But I’ll be the first to admit, the waiting room can be so challenging. That’s why knowing His voice has been a huge part of my journey. Because if we learn to know His voice and trust it, it makes all the other unknowns so much less scary. Rest in His voice and His guidance, even when it’s hard… especially when it’s hard.

The journey to joy wasn’t without some painful realizations about my own heart. Perhaps one of the most beautiful blessings is that we have a Heavenly Father that walks us through radical heart transformations in such a loving way, giving grace where it so often feels undeserved. My own growth and joy was hitting the same wall of unforgiveness over and over in the beginning. But God is a loving God and He will slowly walk you through the anger, resentment, and pain that bubbles up as you journey through the forgiveness process. He also revealed the lies that kept me a prisoner in the cycle of shame. Shame… it’s such a heavy weight and so often completely built on a foundation of lies from the enemy. Once we can recognize his lies for what they are, we can take back our authority over him and clear the clutter around our heart that he has created with his manipulative and deceitful untruths about the power and purpose that we carry. There were several links in my chain that prevented me from feeling the warmth and blessings of God’s joy and peace, but one by one as I took them to Him, he identified them and healed them so that I could begin to step into the calling that He had placed on my heart. Thank you, Jesus!

Speaking of our calling, one of the most powerful paradigm shifts of the joy journey is when God begins to teach us the truths about who we are in Him. We are beautiful, chosen, wanted, redeemed, and an IRREPLACEABLE part of His kingdom. What does irreplaceable mean? It means that you have a calling on your heart that is meant for you and only you. You are so incredibly special to Jesus and He delights in you. He watches you every day and loves the sound of your laugh and the lift of your heart. And He wants nothing more than to pour out His goodness over you. You are His and He loves you every day. He loves you when you dance. He loves you when you run. He loves you when you shine. And He loves you when you fall. He loves you every single day. And when you begin to move away from all of the labels that have been given to you by the brokenness of the world and the lies of the enemy, you will see that you are truly magnificent and very dear to Him.

So how do we walk through our purpose and find our divine calling? It starts with submitting our heart to His guidance and placing our faith in Him. Faith isn’t always easy to come by… especially when we don’t see a path that leads us from where we are to where He is promising to take us, but He is a good Father and He will not let the storm drown you. Sometimes in the process, things or people get shifted out of our life and we struggle to understand, but His divine and omniscient wisdom is where we are called to place our hope. We are not always promised to see the why, but we are promised that we can anchor our future in Him and find peace.

When we feel the most vulnerable, we have to be diligent about filtering our thoughts in ways that will always direct us back to Jesus. Whatever we water will grow and the enemy will try to slip through the cracks because he is threatened by the power that we carry. If we water thoughts of envy, resentment, or unforgiveness, it will grow. If we choose to look at people through God’s lenses of grace and love, it will grow into something that honors Him and transforms our heart. We have to be intentional. And when we do catch ourselves traveling in the wrong lane, we have to evaluate where we want to go and realign accordingly. Two powerful ways of walking through our purpose and finding our divine calling have to do with the power of prayer. Prayer to be used by Him, and prayer for others – daily – because it will water seeds of empathy, love, and compassion and He will use it to open our hearts and touch others.

You do not ever have to be “good enough” to be His. He loves you today and He is transforming your heart and bringing you back to a place of dancing. Your hard work matters because you are breaking generational chains. Chasing joy is not a matter of perfection or working down some checklist… it’s just growing closer to Him and submitting to His will in your life. Sometimes the journey will be hard… really hard… but stay the course and keep the faith. Commit to being rare – be the person that shares His love and chases His heart in all that you do. And when you need rest, pause for His extra. Let Him pour out over you and fill your cup again. Reflect on His goodness and rest in His presence. And don’t forget…watch for His love notes along the way. He delights in you! May your journey be blessed! See you on the road!

Day #30 Action Plan: We’ve made it friends! Day #30 of our “30 Days of Chasing Joy” series! I want to first thank you for taking this journey with me. We have ventured through some deep healing and powerful breakthroughs. We have challenged the way that we define ourselves and our identity. And in focusing on Jesus through the process, we’ve drawn so much closer to the One True Healer. We’ve experienced some beautiful transitions in how we process and filter the world around us and it has been an incredible road of healing, growth, discovery and rediscovery. I greatly appreciate the moments when you have shared your story with me. Growing together is what this blog is all about. Thank you so much for taking this 30-day challenge with me. I appreciate your heart more than you know. Don’t let the process of healing, discovering, and growing end here… Keep seeking Him in all that you do! As always, blessings on your journey! Drop us notes along the way! And, thank you for being here.