Ridiculous Amounts of JOY!

I have ridiculous amounts of joy! Not because our bank account has lots of money in it, because it doesn't. Not because everyone is nice to me, because they're not. Not because those I love aren't suffering, because they are. Not because my children are perfectly behaved, because, well, you guessed it, they aren't. Not because I am not struggling with my sinful nature, because I always am.

But I have become so focused on who He is that I have lost myself in Him. His joy, His love, His peace has consumed my focus. My fears and failures have little room in my thoughts.

I am in the most amazing love relationship ever! This relationship isn't something that is part of my life. He is my life! He is the very breath I breathe. He is the Source of all beauty in my life. He is the Source of all purpose.

I am understanding and living out through Him the Truth that He is the reason I live. He is my very life. My life is hidden in Him. The very reasons I were created were to bring glory to His name, to do His will, to make desciples of others, to love, to live and breathe in worship to Him. I want to bring Him pleasure the way He brings me pleasure. I want to sing and dance in His Presence, not caring who thinks I am strange. I want to conform less to this world, to the luke-ward parts of the church, to our culture than ever before. I want to be set apart by my love for Him and others, so maybe, just maybe others might follow me in this as I follow Christ!!! I want everyone to KNOW this peace, this JOY, this love and to live and walk in it, E-V-E-R-Y day!!!

I want to worship Him for all of eternity...not just when I bow before His throne...but here, on this earth, even amist the pain and trials. I can say that His joy is my strength! I can say that my life is not my own! I can say that it doesn't matter how half-heartedly others around me follow Him. As for me, and my household, we choose to serve Him with every single ounce of our lives! I was not created for ANYTHING else. Not for my own ambitions, not to chase after earthly pleasures, not to live in 'compfortable' circumstances, not to use all of my energy to achieve my own goals.

No, I was created to do HIS will, to worship Him with my entire life, to teach others to love Him with ALL of their hearts, to bring glory to His name. How can I do anything but bow before the very One that created the earth that I see, fashioned me from the dust and gives me my very next breath.

Any response other than worship would be arrogance. Why would I think I should have the right to control my own life, or even begin to know what is best? I am choosing to yield to the One who knit me together in my mother's womb and has numbered each of my days! I am choosing to bow before the One who is worthy of all my praise and devotion. May this joy, continue to overtake me. May I choose to die everyday to myself so that He can consume every single part of me!!!

Lord, you are holy and set apart. There is NO ONE like you! May I ever live to do your will. May I live to worship you with all of my might in more undignified ways than this. May I live even more fully alive in you to the glory of your name!

I want to love you more than I do. Please increase our love and passion for you so we can lift high your name throughout the earth!