FAITH brings JOY/ ONE chapter for ONE week

This is a learning to walk with joy personal progress report from this post found  here.  Warning ...it contains God's word which has the power to change lives :)  Here is a Summary if you want the short version.... Focusing on the character of God....mental exercise and a can do list.....  ALL WORTH IT!  Yes there has been a spoonful of Joy maybe even a cupful or more of joy added to my week because of these BABY STEPS.

The pictures are to keep you entertained if you think you  might be interested in the progress because who doesn't love a pretty baby who has just turned ONE!    She is a very sweet JOY!

BABY STEP #1   Focusing on God is My SHIELD.  I went to the back of my Bible and looked up every verse that had reference to the word Shield.  When I needed to feel like I had some protection against life's woes I had God's word to lift me to a place that is better than worry.  And when I found the word shield was also in the same breath as joy now that puts the twinkle back in a girl's eye. 

 I Love this verse. 
"The LORD is my strength and shield.  I trust him with all my heart.  He helps me and my heart is filled with Joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  Psalm 28:7  

I have had this verse, just the middle two sentences on a chalk board in my dining room for months.   Now that I have gone back and read the Whole verse it has a whole new impact.  I stand a little taller because I am standing in the strength of God not my strength to make it all work out.

And this one,
"You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope."   Psalm 119:114

I have this written in my Bible from "The Joy of my Heart" by Anne Graham Lotz  "Your word has given me life." Psalm 119: 50 NKJV  If you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God's word! That's where you find help.  That's where you find joy.  Let the rushing waters of the living word drown out all other sounds and voices.  There is life- giving power in the word of God.  At the most difficult times in my life- God's word has sustained me.  There have been times when I have only been capable of reading a few verses at a time, yet the supernatural life-giving power of the word of God has not only helped me maintain my emotional and mental balance, it has given me strength to go on, even if only one day at a time."

you can receive anne's free Joy of my heart devotional here


I think my prayers had a little more ump to them because when I thought about and read the scriptures related to God is my shield  I prayed for the need at hand with the power of God's word.   I thought about the definition for joy specifically that it means exult .  Today, because I believe what jesus did for me , this version of Romans 5 uses the word exult,  I need to remember, no matter what my circumstances are God is in the business of triumph  and thinking about this lifts me to a place that brings joy because he is a shield to me until I get to that point of victory.  I love the thought that he can use me and my circumstances and I can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing his glory through it all.


Baby Step#2.... slowing life down to read and focus on ONE Chapter of scripture for ONE week does make you think a little deeper and brings just a different sense of perspective to the day.  And when life just keeps clicking along at a steady pace without much to show for God that would be a very good thing.  I chose Romans 5 and was able to read each day from a different version at the Bible gateway link.   The subtitle here....."Faith brings JOY".   True joy will not be found anywhere else.  So I am Keeping the pedal to the metal on this drive through life because i want the real thing. Some times faith  is hard but this reminds me to be faithful. Some days are for growing me pure and simple.

And it's a WOO -HOO  Praise .....

  I was able to memorize 5 verses Romans 5: 1-5.  I love the New Living Translation Bible because it speaks to me in words that I get. so here it goes straight from memory :)...

1 "Therefore since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 

2  Because of our faith Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved priviledge where we now stand and we can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

3 And we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us to develop endurance,

4 and endurance leads to strength of character and character strengthens our confident hope of  salvation. 

5 and this hope will not lead to disappointment for we know how much God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

 It is not a praise that I am so good at memorizing but a WOO-HOO praise to God because He has done so much for me and I know he loves it that I would actually think that His word is worthy to be memorized and I took the time out of my day to make that a priority. When my head hit the pillow at night, I rehearsed the verse I was memorizing for the day and if I couldn't sleep at night HIS WORDS were the ones that I chose to focus on.  Thank you Lord for helping the words to stick to my bones.

 little miss Addilyn Grace-every where she walks she spreads JOY-

And My list of Can do things BABY STEPS #3....   Since i'm not really a list maker person I think I did pretty well on one day.  I got a lot done!

Make potato salad
Pick a paint color for the bedroom
clean out another part of my flower bed
I can think about God's love for me
I can take a walk
I can worship while I clean
Iron shirts for next week
Finish angel pillow
return clothes to the store
Read Romans 5 everyday
Spend 1 hour organizing my sewing room
Go to lunch with a friend
clean out husbands car
take some pictures

"Research indicates that the average person thinks approximately fifty thousand thoughts per day.  This is either good or bad news because every thought moves you either toward your God-given potential or away from it.  No thoughts are neutral."   Tommy Newberry " The 4:8 Principle -The secret to a Joy-Filled Life"

If you made it all the way here, I hope you were in some way blessed and encouraged to take baby steps to find more joy in your life.

Seeking joy,
Thanks for stopping by
janita