Happy, Happy, Joy Joy!

Even though…yet I will…

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

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…are you living an “Even though…yet I will” life?

I’m guilty like every one else on social media of only or predominately posting the good, the happy, and the fun times. What would social media look like if we all posted all our heartbreaks, relationship struggles, disappointments, brokenness and tears, or uploaded video clips of our emotional meltdowns, family disagreements and arguments.  Oh, of course your family doesn’t have any of these. Yeah, right.

Sharing this post today just to say – please don’t think “Joyful Jenny” (as I keep referring to myself lately) encounters only the happy happy, joy joy scenarios and joyful situations all through her days.  Especially currently, there is something very painful and heartbreaking my family is walking through.  My laughing and smiling posts are not just me putting on a happy face either.  Even though all is not completely well, yet I still have the joy that God’s Spirit brings – even though, yet I still am experiencing God restoring the joy of my salvation. 

“Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice!”

 Psalm 51:8

The path along the deep and rugged valley roads of life we never planned to travel on come upon us like a sudden detour sign appearing out of nowhere.  Most of us, except the shallow, adversity free minority can relate. These life roadblocks or journey detours occur for various reasons – our own sin or the sins of others, our pride and rebellion, deception, addiction, our modern day idols (yes we have them), or just as a result of the fallen world we are living in.

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JOY LIKE A FOUNTAIN!

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Do you have joy like a fountain? Or has your well all dried up? Are you able to follow the Apostle Paul’s advice, “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, keep being joyful…” – my paraphrase of Philippians 3:1.
 
No one likes to take advice from someone who cannot relate to all you may have been through or are currently going through. However, Paul encountered much adversity and suffered many hardships all while serving the Lord, including the following and much more:  being imprisoned, 5 times whipped with 39 lashes, 3 times beaten with rods, robbed, mistreated and misunderstood by his own people and others, experiencing broken friendships, and often not having enough food to eat – AND ALL WHILE FAITHFULLY SERVING GOD!  STILL HIS MESSAGE WAS REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!
 
 
Do you have joy no matter what is happening to you and/or is going on around you?
 
 
This is one of the messages God has given me in the midst of life’s trials and messiness. Some people think joy is the absence of pain. It’s not. Often, those whose lives are filled with much sorrow and many challenges experience the most joy. In God’s presence is fullness of JOY! (Psalm 16:11)
Jesus told us the things He told us in His Word SO THAT our JOY WOULD OVERFLOW (John 15:11). Paul reminds us to “be joyful in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).  Many have forgotten that it is part of God’s will for us to be continually joyful (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
 
Okay, so I realize even sharing these verses doesn’t automatically make us oh so joyful.
Since I always get this right and do it so well, I’m always bright and cheery Joyful Jenny – haha! NOT! I’m just pressing into God’s grace more and more and desire to obey; and, over the last few years especially, God has been bringing a restoration of joy in my life personally. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and this is one of the reasons the enemy is after our joy.

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The Greatest Gift of All

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment
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#thegreatestgiftofall #joytotheworld #joy to all people!
The greatest gift of Christmas is not the presents, but rather the GIFT OF GOD’S PRESENCE.
As the angel stated in Luke 2:10, this gift brings “NO FEAR,” “GOOD NEWS,” and “JOY” to all people.  This gift is available to all who will receive Jesus.  This is why we celebrate CHRISTmas. JESUS IS the reason for the season.
Have you received the greatest gift of all?  Did you receive this gift at one point in your life, but now you have locked it away somewhere in a drawer or a closet?  This gift was given to bring us light, love, joy, peace, freedom from sin and every form of fear and bondage, and, ultimately, life eternally and abundantly.  These are the blessings of this gift.  These blessings are from the true Father of Christmas.
Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us THIS IS A FREE GIFT.  It is not earned or deserved.  THIS IS GOOD NEWS.  God’s angel messenger declared it to be good news of great joy for all people.  All we “peoples” have to do is receive or “open” this gift from God.  The gift of Christ is the most valuable Christmas present of all.  We just ask God through a heartfelt prayer to forgive us, and then ask Jesus to come into our hearts and fill us with His Spirit.  This is the true Spirit of Christmas, and the greatest gift of all. 
THIS GOOD NEWS WILL BRING “GREAT” JOY TO YOUR HEART AND TO YOUR LIFE.  This kind of joy is not based on what’s going on around us, but rather this joy overflows out of God’s Spirit that is alive within us.  The presence of God’s joy by His Spirit is always present within us, irregardless of our circumstances.
Joy to the world, The Lord has come!  Light and life to all He brings!
If you haven’t received the gift of Christmas, receive Christ this Christmas. 
If you already have this gift, then keep “Christ” at the center of your Christmas, and MAY THE GIFT OF HIS PRESENCE BE YOUR GREATEST JOY and your greatest gift above all other gifts. Jesus is the greatest gift of all!
#itsthemostwonderfultimeoftheyear
#worthcelebratinganddecorating
#Jesusisthereasonfortheseason
#thegreatestgiftofall
#PEACE and JOY are both #priceless 
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:11)
 
He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him.  (John 1:12 NLV)
“The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11)
A Prayer:
Thank You Lord for the gift of Jesus, who died in my place paying the price for all my sins.  I receive Your gift of love, salvation, mercy, forgiveness, grace, and healing.  Thank You for giving me life eternally and abundantly.  Thank You for filling my mind, heart, spirit and body with your supernatural joy and peace this Christmas season.  Help me, Lord, by Your Spirit, to also give these same gifts to everyone around me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God’s gift of grace is amazing!:
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)
See also:  Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; Romans 10:9-10, 13; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 10:10

It’s Time for #Restoration & #Release of God’s #Freedom #Healing & #Joy

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment
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This is the passage Jesus quoted when He began his public ministry here on earth.  Of all the scriptures He could have chosen, He picked this one to announce His mission (Luke 4:14-21).
#Jesus is the #Healer of #Hearts #chainbreaker #freedommaker #releaserofcaptives #joygiver – This is the #goodnews of the #gospel #joytotheworld
God has sent me on a mission.
I have some great news for you.
God has sent me to RESTORE and RELEASE something.
And that something is YOU.
I AM here to give you back your HEART and set you FREE.
I AM furious at the Enemy who did this to you, and I will fight against him.
Let Me comfort you.
For, DEAR ONE, I will bestow beauty upon you
where you have known only devastation.
JOY, in the places of your deep sorrow.
And I will robe your heart in THANKFUL PRAISE
in exchange for your resignation and despair.*
Jesus made this announcement after being tempted in the wilderness for 40 days by the devil.  After we go through our own “wilderness,” resist all the temptations the enemy throws at us, keep pressing into God in prayer and worship, and receive His restoration and healing, we too can go out in the power of the Spirit to release the restoration, freedom, healing and joy of the Lord to others. (See Luke 4)
*Excerpt from John & Stasi Eldredge’s book, Captivating

Happy, Hopeful, Joyful & Peaceful New Year!

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

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Do you need hope, joy and peace?  Go to the source of it all – Jesus.

Have a happy, hopeful, joyful and peaceful New Year!

A Prayer for More in 2016:

Thank You, Lord, for giving us more power, passion, and purpose for living through the presence of Your Holy Spirit overflowing within us.  We need You more than ever before in 2016. Amen.

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Thankful & Happy One

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It’s not the happy people who are thankful; it’s the thankful people who are happy😀!  Even in Jesus’ day the thankful were the minority – only one of the ten lepers returned to say thanks for being healed (Luke 17).  BE THAT THANKFUL ONE TODAY!  Be thankful happy one!  #HappyThanksgiving 

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