Too Much Joy to Be Creative With the Title

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Days 16-22

So this past week and a half I've done a lot of traveling, and have been away from my computer, but I've still been racking up my days of joy. So here are several things that I found/chose joy in during that time.

Day 16: Road Trips. This used to be more difficult to take joy in (family road trips were usually long and tedious... perhaps I'll tell you more about the Great Circle Tours another day), however many college road trips has taught me that this is something I can easily take joy in. Hopping in the car with friends creates great bonding time, conversations, laughter and a large amount of time to get reading accomplished (I've read 3 books in the last 12 days)

Day 17: My Job. God has blessed me abundantly by placing me in a job which requires me to spend 45 undivided minutes in His word on trips. For my job I get to worship the Almighty Creator with my co-workers. For my job I get to work hard with my hands. For my job I get transformed so that God can use me to transform students.  For my job, I get paid to serve God in every moment
*Side note: thank you to all who has donated so that I can have a pay check and take joy in this amazing opportunity.

Day 18: The landscape of the USA. From the cornfields of Illinois to big sky of the TX flat lands to the mesa's of Arizona. I love the beautiful picture God paints every day for me to view. It is easy for us to complain about something we see every day while we drive, but have you ever actually stopped to think about how much detail God put in for our enjoyment. I've chosen to take joy from God's creation rather than complain about it.

Day 19: Music. I love to sit and just listen to someone pick out melodies on a guitar or piano. There is something just so basic and lovely about it. I could spend hours upon hours simply sitting and listening. What joy God has given us through our musical abilities.

Day 20: Spiritual Friends. God has blessed me with some great friends who are seeking Him alongside me. I love knowing that I have friends I can count on to pray for me and that they know when they need prayer they can count on me. True community that somehow in today's society crosses state borders and abounds in even greater love! 

Day 21: Exhaustion. Four of the past twelve days were spent working to renovate part of the  LT team house in Houck, AZ. As drained as I felt on the last day, it was so joyous to see the fruits of our hands and be able to praise God for giving us bodies that worked to total exhaustion to accomplish the tasks He had set before us.

Day 22: Well-worn Gear. During my time in AZ my air mattress sprung a leak and wouldn't hold air and my sleeping bag ripped on the hood section. Here is a great opportunity to choose joy rather than frustration. Although I will have to begin the search for a new air mattress and sleeping bag before January, I know that both of those things died because they were so well used. The sleeping bag was a hand me down from my oldest brother (at least 9 years of my own use... I'm not for sure how long John had it before me) and the air mattress was 13 years old (my family bought it on our first Great Circle Tour). They have been used beyond their life span and that brings me joy because they lasted with me through so many adventures. Hopefully whatever I get to replace them will offer just as many, if not more memories.

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God is teaching me so much as I search for Him and the eternal JOY that He offers. If you are doing your own joy challenge, I would love to hear some of the things you are finding Joy in. Please leave a comment with one or two things God has brought you joy in from this past week.