Great Joy

“Ashlee, I am blessed by your joy. It is God’s grace in your life”. Those words spoken by my friend Amanda actually surprised me. The last few months have been fast and furious.  And I knew I was excited about what God was doing, but I didn’t realize I wore it with every fiber of my being.

It wasn't the first time I have heard tha trecently and I had to ask myself, what is the difference? What in my life has changed? As I have sought out that answer I realize that much has changed.

I have walked out of a hard time. Last year my husband and I were involved in a ministry for all of 9 months. And it was hard. It was a very hard way to start our marriage. We argued a lot. When we realized that God was making away for us in college ministry, we knew it was time to walk away from this other ministry. The other ministry wasn’t a bad ministry. In fact we knew it was something God called us to even in that short time. But it was a difficult time of ministry for us. It felt very dark many days. And I wore than darkness on me like a blanket.

Also, there is great joy in walking with Jesus. As crazy as the last few months have been, I see Jesus in it all and that has enabled me to have great joy. He has been speaking to me in so many ways.  I am seeing Him direct my path when it comes to leading the girls in our college ministry. And I am truly overjoyed.

There is also a confidence that God has enabled me to walk in. God has been teaching me this year, to worry what He thinks and not what others think (Just FYI- I have not arrived yet, this is a major struggle in my life). Over and over God has been reminding me to please God, not man (sometimes I repeat that phrase over and over again). Walking with Jesus has given me the confidence to be the woman He has made me to be. Part of my confidence comes because I am using my Spiritual Gifts again. Have you ever noticed the pure joy that God gives you when you use your spiritual gift? It is this crazy amount of joy I do not even know how to describe. As I am walking in Jesus and using the

God is moving and I am excited. He just keeps showing up. Even on discouraging days. It is the evidence of His grace and mercy on me. There is great peace & joy when God shows up.  

When God calls me to do something, I do not fear the outcome, I trust Him. An example is my Bible study. Hosting this study and teaching it is something I know that God has called me to. But husband, well he was kind of nervous for me. He didn’t say it, but I knew he was afraid no one would show up. But I wasn’t. I knew that if no one showed up I had still been obedient. I walked in a peace from God who said, do not be afraid, I am doing this, trust Me.

So yes, there is a great joy that God has given me. It reminds me of the Psalmist who says in Psalms 16:11 “In your presence is fullness of joy” Gosh, such great truth. We find joy in God. We find joy when we are in His presence.

I pray this encourages you today. I pray that you would seek God and His presence and that in Him you would find great joy.