(taken on vacation last November)
Lately I’m more alive than I have been in all my life. This is no joke. It’s something I cannot contain. I want to dance around and pour love on every hurting heart! I want everyone to know life can be lived to the full as John 10:10 says. I thought I’d share a few things that are helping me live with greater joy!
1. Not comparing. For most of my life, I’ve spent useless energy trying to be those that I admire. I’d look at their success and dream of mine. I’d fall short! The truth is we are all unique and comparing is a life sucker. Lately, I’ve been denying these thoughts from making themselves at home in my mind. I ask God to ship them out. Not always, but when I do, I am better off.
2. Give up trying to figure out my future or the past. Wow, this one is HUGE for me. I’m a deep thinker. Analytical by nature. I want answers to why bad things happened to me. I want to know what comes next. I want to control. Because of this, I like to process things repeatedly to the point of torture. Now, processing can be good to a point. But for me to live with a greater freedom, I must not think long about the “what if’s” or “why me’s.” The key for me is trusting God! He knows. I don’t NEED to know, do I? That brings me rest! I can live today! I will never fully figure out my yesterdays or my tomorrows. In the end when I meet Him face to face, I doubt this short life and my questions will matter. Instead, I will fall face down in worship, thanking and praising God.
3. Quit trying to change others. Learning to accept others “as is” is another gift. When I try to manipulate or change those I love, I spin like a washing machine. I drive myself loony. Letting God have them is revolutionary. Again, a trust issue. Sometimes easier said than done, but so freeing!
4. Focusing on gratitude. This is amazing! I love to talk to God about all the good in my life and in our ugly world. I look for beauty on purpose. I start my day thanking God for another day! I see each day as a privilege. I get another day to live and love. Life is hard as we all know. Especially lately. Darkness hovers over our media. I believe it’s so important to have a constant stream of thanks going up to God through our attitudes, songs, words, and actions. When we do, God receives our thanks and we feel His reward: MORE joy! More gratitude!
5. Spending time praying Scripture out loud. Spiritual warfare. Arming myself with the truth and hearing it again and again. I have battles every week, fears hits me hard and tries to steal my joy! I’m learning how to fight fire with Holy fire. I put on music loud, I dance, I say verses over and over again until I feel a release, a lift. Sure, it’s work, but I find peace eventually by saying “no” to the enemy’s arrows and “yes” to God’s love letter!
Okay, there’s another post for this week! I hope these thoughts encourage you! I’d love to know what brings YOU greater joy and freedom! Please share.
I’m sure I’ll be back real soon. I can’t help myself. I could sit here all day and dump more and more words for people to read, but I have to get my house in order. It was a full week for me! 🙂
HUGS!
Tiffany, I am with you!! Dancing and Declaring truth over my life. I love your passion in this post. It would be awesome to have a girlfriend retreat sometime!
Having the quite time brings me joy too. Thanking Him every night for the blessings of the day. I like that time so much!
Lotsa love,
Kathy
If I play the comparison game, I always lose…so avoiding that brings freedom.
Praying and speaking scripture aloud for my own ears to hear is very freeing.
Hey there Miss Tiffany!
THAT WHOLE comparison thing “got me.”
I’m BAD about that. The second I do it… it’s a real KILLJOY.
AS IS BABY!
AS ISSSSSSS
Holykisses,
Hope ya got your house all spiffy!
I always crank up the praise and close the blinds.. then ya can dance and vac the floors and no ones the wiser… heehee… sure makes life more fun!
Lea
What brings me greater joy? I would say spending time in His Word and hearing Him speak to me… how wonderful is that! Also, knowing that I am accepted in Him and loved by Him, when I fully comprehended and believed that I was able to stop comparing myself to others all the time… I do catch myself doing it occasionally, but can usually get a handle on it much quicker…
The most joy probably comes from fulfilling what He created me to do, whether it is being a mom, a wife, a Bible study teacher, or a friend… knowing He is working in and through my life, that brings me joy!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings!
🙂 Thanks for giving many of us things to think about!
Love you!
Wise words, thank you.
Excellent points. I needed points 2, 3 & 5 this morning. I am thankful and grateful the Lord uses His people to minister to each other.
Love & blessings-
Shonda
I love this post Tiffany.
I have much work to do in the Lord.
Lord, I surrender my all to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Wow! You just covered the Bible Study I finished writing! I am happy dancing with you Tiffany.
What brings me joy? Well, I love it when I have finished a project that I know the Lord has given me to do.
I love it when I am in His will and there is no argument about who is in control. That way, the enemy of my soul can’t try to make me double-minded about what God is saying to me.
I love to go outside and “play” or visit a new place that I have never been. I love the mountains and the ocean. It is especially nice when I am in a place where there are both together, like Hawaii and the west coast. But…there is nothing like the Rocky Mountains either! I am thinking Estes Park here. The wildlife is exciting to me. God shows up in everything.
Sorry 🙁 I could write a book!
My sweet friends bring me joy as well. I love to see how God is growing us and maturing us in him.
And….last my family bring me huge amounts of joy as I watch them grow up in the Lord. I am so proud of them. (In a good way of course).
And….you Tiffany for your faithfulness in obedience to the Master of your life.
Hugs to all of you.
Love, Paulette
I loved your washing machine word picture. I so relate to your statement when I’m hurt: “I like to process things repeatedly to the point of torture.” The only thing that breaks that focus for me is gratitude and praise.
Tiffany was so blessed by your pictures of God’s wonderful nature. and was encouraged by your words in this post. I am struggling with the changing those who I love and there is so much to your words of Praying the scripture. Could I post a link on my blog to this post? I found it very helpful and would love to share it with others. God bless ya
deb
Dance and clean. I will join you on that today. I usually sing to the Lord, but scripture would be good too. Your song “I am free” was on while I was reading this:)b