Want Joy? Here's the Answer!

This month began on a sad note. Most of the foreign teachers at the school have left and saying goodbye to some of them that I’ve known for more than 2 years was a lot more difficult than I thought. Though it could have been partly related to the pregnancy, I cried a lot those first few days. I cried for the ending of old times and at the same time the beginning of new things. I cried for the loneliness I feel sometimes being here with hardly a community of strong friends (though a few are left, and I am grateful for that). I cried saying goodbye to my students, knowing I would not teach them this next year. I cried for the unknown of knowing what it will be like to have two small babies. I cried because saying goodbye to friends made me think of how much I miss my family. I cried for the nervousness of going through labor again.  I cried for the past, and I cried for the future.

Then I spoke with my sister, Adia.

The Lord has been moving, growing, and changing Adia’s life right before my eyes. He has been showing her what it means to be JOYFUL, through thanksgiving. Because of the immense amount of joy she feels being thankful, she decided to share an idea with me. We have both individually started a “Thanksgiving Journal” where we write down every little thing we are thankful for as it comes to mind, throughout the day.  I hesitated at the idea of writing throughout the whole day, but I tried it. Let me tell you, God has changed my life through this little book. Through the happy times, through the trials, spending each day as it comes has taught me to be thankful for the little things AND the big things. Of course, it’s easy to be thankful to have life, in general. But to be thankful ALL the time for EVERY little thing takes a little bit more effort. Not because I thank Him for all things, but because I am learning to thank Him IN all things: IN the trials, IN the days of tears, IN death, IN life, IN every day.

Needless to say, it’s almost impossible to be angry with the Lord and be thankful at the same time. Slowly my heart has changed towards the situations in my life. I know I appreciate little things a lot more. The feeling of Ezra’s hand on the back of my neck while I am carrying him; the smile Paul gives me every morning when we wake up; the feeling of little Evie moving around in my belly; the warm air breezing through my kitchen window; everything would have passed by me like a car on a freeway had I not started taking the time to notice them. The question is not how many things are going smoothly in your life which you can be thankful for, but how many things are ALREADY passing you by that you can be thankful for. I bet, if you really tried, you could see at least 100 things a day. THEN how much joy would you have?

I really believe that the Lord has been speaking to me through my sister, and teaching me that joy comes with being thankful. Now, fortunately, when I am lacking  joy, the answer seems so clearly in front of me: Start thanking Him. On my birthday, June 22, I had one of those days that you wish would pass by fast so the next day would come. Again, Jesus spoke to me. This time, through a journal a friend stopped by to give me that evening. I turned to the day’s journal entry and can you guess what the topic was? Thankfulness Produces Joy. Okay Lord, I thought. I hear you. The conclusion of that journal entry said something along the lines of “Be thankful and watch what I do for you” (Jesus speaking). Praise God for joy. Praise God for Adia. He will do it for you too, just start being thankful.