Joy ! Joy ! Joy !

Sunrise on Pacific Ocean from Mexico 2011
"His mercies are new every morning"

 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! 

~Psalm 32:11~ 

This verse was on my journal page today and I noticed BE GLAD, REJOICE, SHOUT FOR JOY! It is a command that seems repetitive.  It reminds me of something I have heard before: if something is repeated 3 times it is to emphasize a serious point (ex. Holy, Holy, Holy).  The author doesn't want you to miss it!  The previous verse says,

Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. 

I felt like the seriousness of David's point was made clear to me.  Be filled with JOY!  Why? Because the STEADFAST LOVE (expressed through Jesus Christ) surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD (Yahweh - the ONLY TRUE GOD worthy of worship)!

How does this apply to my life right now?  It is so easy to complain as it is, but it is especially easy to complain when you are surrounded by others who complain constantly.  My current working situation is very negative, so this verse screamed to me today.  I want so much to be a light as in Matthew 5:16:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good woks and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

but it is easy to get discouraged.  I'm still trying to figure it all out - but was reminded in John 15 that by remaining in Jesus we bear much fruit.  It has nothing to do with my efforts but ALL to do with my dependence on Him.  It doesn't mean perfection - it means obedience.  These are things I have been learning for the last couple of years...but I still have so much to learn about believing these truths and applying them!  On a happy note - I survived my first 6 days of serving at Applebee's on my own! :)

Please pray for my time at Applebees - that Matt 5:16 & John 15:5 would be true because apart from Christ I can do nothing.

An evening swim at Summersville Lake!
(This "beach" is a 7 min walk from where I am living! It's awesome)

On another note, a few NCHS girls and I have continued reading through the book of John.  Tonight we read John 14! Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  As the girls said - "Jesus is the way to heaven, the truth - the REAL GOD, and the life - the ONE who give us life!  Praise the LORD!  I am so excited about the ways that God is already working in the lives of my friends.  And in the ways that He is moving in the lives of my friends from Mountaineer Area YL (they just returned from Saranac Village YL Camp and are meeting in the mornings for Bible study these next 2 weeks!).

I am really excited to continue to study the book of John, start campaigners, meet more people, and hang out this summer with my new friends here!  I am also looking forward to playing fishbowl & telephone dictionary with my NCHS friends! Oh the memories from the many times playing those games with my friends at WVU! :)  I just thought of those games for the first time in awhile!

Check out this song - I love it! I just heard it for the first time today.  INVASION (Hero) by Trip Lee