Lately the Lord has been teaching me about joy and specifically that joy in Him is sufficient and far more than I deserve. I read this verse yesterday and it stirred me up inside so much that I had to jot it down in my journal immediately.

"You have put more joy in my heart than when their grain and wine abound." Psalm 4:7

That is how I feel and how my relationship with Jesus is right now. I am so incredibly thankful for my savior that all earthly riches seem meaningless compared to the amazing gift that He has given me of salvation. I have a passion for reading my bible like I never have before and I find myself praying that the Lord would open up pockets of time in my day so I can snuggle up with His word.

The joy that I feel seems appropriate for this time of year as well. We are embarking on a new year with new possibilities. This year I find myself praying that the Lord would teach me to love people better and to weed out the selfishness and pride that so often consumes me. In fact I will declare it publicly on this blog that this is my prayer for the year (for myself) and a theme that I see in my life right now.

I have an amazing friend who seems to have a theme each year...or at least for the past couple years that I've known her. She prays all year about whatever the theme is that she sees in her life, usually an area of sin that she needs to confess to the Lord and seek growth in, and she keeps a journal throughout the year on this theme.

So in honor of my lovely lady friend, I have a theme or I feel called to pray fervently this year about loving people joyfully and serving others joyfully.....basically not being selfish, as I am so inclined to be, and to find joy in selflessness. (And not the kind of joy that is actually just pride in doing something nice for someone.....yuck I'm such a sinner.)

I am excited about where the Lord is leading me, albeit a little nervous because I don't always understand His ways, and so thankful for the joy He has put in my heart.

Here's another verse for you that keeps running through my mind and was oddly the first verse I memorized as a new christian years ago:

".....the Joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

AMEN!