Learning to Smile

I'm learning to smile. 

Learning to find the joy in every circumstance,

 in every day. 

I'm teaching myself that life doesn't have to be perfect,

and neither do I. 

All that really matters is trusting in God

and finding the joy. 

~ 

   Let's face it, life is difficult 99% of the time. Some days it may feel like a total uphill climb, and you find yourself wondering if that climb to the top is worth it. 

   Your life is worth it. 

   Every trial and every heartache, every tear and every plea.... It all helps you grow and change into the person that God wants you to be. 

   In the past month, I have been getting lots of inspirations from my daily life that I hadn't noticed before. 

For instance, thunderstorms. 

   I, personally, enjoy thunderstorms and love hearing the pitter-patters of rain on the roof. Seeing the shadows caused by lightening and feeling the shake caused by thunder. However, some thunderstorms aren't enjoyable. They are scary. 

  But, have you ever noticed that there is a calm before the storm hits and also after? The calm when the world stops. Time seems to stand still. Then the storm hits, and it feels like complete and utter chaos. The wind is strong. Branches fly and trees may fall. 

   Then, all of the sudden, there is calm. 

   Relief. 

  It's the same way with life. When your life seems to be going pretty good and it all seems calm, the storm hits. It makes you feel like you are in the middle of a battlefield where everyone is against you. 

  The storm becomes strong. You become frightened and sometimes may even lose your focus on Christ. 

When you lose your real focus, Christ, life is worse. 

  Having God by your side and trusting him through any storm in your life is going to be the best decision you could ever make. It doesn't make life any easier, but it does make it bearable. 

  Storms are a given in life. They will always exist. It's your choice on how you will handle them...

   

A million little things~

 

A million little things. 

Dreams. 

Hope. 

Simple. 

Happy. 

The list goes on. 

Too often I would worry about finding the joy in my everyday life.

I was just worried that maybe I am not really grateful for things and 

was just trying to find something to be grateful for. 

When I truly realized what gratitude is, it became easier for me to find it. 

Gratitude comes in the simple things. 

There are so many everyday things that I have been missing. 

Simple things. Like the smile on a child's face, or a beautiful display of citrus. 

Gratitude is finding the JOY in the simple. 

There are millions of little things that we missed every day. I am realizing

that it is the simple things that are usually the best. 

A smile. 

Hug. 

Giggle. 

Flower. 

Sunsets. 

Time. 

The list could go on forever. 

I have learned that I need to be more observant of the world around me. 

I have learned that the quiet of the day is simple, but is needed. 

A smile or a word can change a day. 

A simple flower can make a smile. 

A giggle helps you forget your struggles. 

It goes on....

 

Learn to find the joy in the simple. You won't be disappointed.  

Joy in the pain

This past week has been really hard for me. I have dealt with a lot of things that I never would have thought that I would ever had to deal with. I have had many emotions during this time, and sometimes it was very hard to control.

Anger seemed overwhelming. 

Sadness seemed to reign. 

Fear lurked during every hour. 

Defeat was closing in. 

Regret was a constant reminder of what 'could have' happened.

Yet, LOVE was always there. 

Even though this week has been hard, I have felt the endless amounts of love, and have been able to give and show the same kind of love that I have been getting. Undeserved, unending, love. 

Love. 

I have never been the kind of person that can find joy easily. During this week, I have somehow felt the amazing peace of God and have been able to find joy pretty much all the time. 

That is God. 

That amazing peace that I have felt during this entire week of anger, sadness, fear, defeat, and regret, was God's amazing LOVE. 

God's love is always bigger than anything you might be dealing with. 

His love offers you peace, comfort, purpose in the pain, reassurance, and encouragement to keep going... 

I have truly felt God's love this week. Instead of being caught up in this trial, I have been able to find joy through God's amazing, unending, and undeserved love.

He has given me the courage to talk to the right people about it. He has given the words I need to say during this situation. He has given others the right words to tell me when I needed them most. 

That is my God. 

Though this trial isn't over yet, I have a peace. A peace that I wouldn't have if I didn't know that God has a purpose in all this pain. A peace of knowing that God is control... And, a peace that it will be okay. 

God is amazing. His love is unending. 

You can never do something so bad that God won't love you less. That's what we call, undeserved grace.

None of us deserve it, but yet God offers it. He offers us the free gift of salvation. Freedom from sin and freedom from death. 

God's love is always there for you...