Fighting the Thief

Before I left New York someone told me,

"Do not let Satan steal your joy. It is a gift from God."

Those words have been prophetic. In the nearly 6 years since that day I have been in a fight for joy. Which is why this blog has the name it does. I have been looking, searching, and for the most part coming up empty. And the fault is mine. Rather than look in the one place to only One where it can be found, I've been looking everywhere and finding nothing. And I am weary.

In my last post I wrote that I am reading Ann Voskamp's, One Thousand Gifts. The book is challenging me to thanksgiving and it is transforming and do you know what comes from giving thanks to the One who set it all in motion? JOY.

So I am reading Luke, seeing and hearing Jesus. The One. And I am finding throughout Paul's letters that always, always he calls his readers to be thankful in prayer and to do everything with thanksgiving (Colossians 4.2; 3.16). You can find it throughout the New Testament but Colossians is full of it and our church just finished a sermon series on that letter so it is fresh for me.

Since last night I have been meditating on this,

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving."
Colossians 4.2

An attitude of thanksgiving. I think this means always, every day. I am trying to put this into practice and have challenged myself each week from now until Thanksgiving to write here about how I am practicing thanksgiving over the last week. And here is my first week:

I am thankful for bright sun breaking up the fog and giving us sunny, warm days here in the City by the Bay. For fall and all that comes with it, school, football, and pumpkin spice =)

I am thankful for God prompting the hearts of people to generosity. As we raise our funding to be serving college students here in this city I am privileged and humbled by those supporting us from the beginning and new partners letting us know that God is leading them to contribute. WOW. Blessed.

I am thankful for the theology that spills out of the mouth of my daughter, an overflow from her heart, as we walk the city streets and she tells me about all the places God is because, "He's every where mommy!" And it delights her.

I am thankful for the little voice I hear at 6am talking. He is speaking actual words! He has around 50 and it is growing daily and I've waited so long to hear him and when I walk in the room he says "mama." It is pure joy! This, that was so devastating to us a little over 2 years ago. Bringing us into mourning for the child he would never be. How could we have not rejoiced in the good God planned knowing that he was exactly perfect for us and us exactly perfect for him?!?!

Thanksgiving brings joy and you know what else? It is pushing me into love with my Savior.

Thanksgiving Thursday.