Dear Friends,

I’ve been thinking about a scripture that has spoken to my soul in many different ways. It’s one I mentioned in my book and have referenced several times on this blog.

Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice.

~Psalm 51:8

This morning I went for a long walk. I couldn’t find it in myself to walk through the doors of church, because I didn’t feel like handing out hugs and putting on a fake smile. People are wonderful, but I really needed one more Sunday of isolation, so I put on my sneakers and away I went.

With worship music blasting and a heavy heart I walked for miles as I prayed and sought Jesus. And then I allowed my heart to stay quiet so that I could hear if He chose to whisper softly to my spirit. Psalm 51:8 is the whisper I heard. He almost always reminds me of His word. He engraves it in my heart so that I might have the strength to keep going.

Sometimes, we must ask the Lord to make us hear joy and gladness because grief can easily deafen the sound. And as I was walking, something else came to mind…

When He begins to heal the broken bones of grief, He binds them with beautiful colors. Those colors are meant to tell our stories. It gives us the ability to share what He has done and what He promises to continue doing. Those colors cause us to feel everything we’ve ever gone through, and yet, they allow us to give Him glory and shout His praise with joy in our hearts. It’s supernatural. If it wasn’t, we would never have the ability to feel joy in the wake of sorrow. But we do.

We were meant for joy. And true joy comes from knowing what sorrow feels like and allowing God to use brilliant colors to create beauty inside the lines of our stories. He does it with His love and it almost always happens while we are in the midst of pain.

I know that my tears will turn to joy again, because I serve a God who promises that through His Son I can have it freely. I can own joy. And the same applies for you. You can have joy again. You can own it.

I’m choosing Joy today, Friends. And I’m praying you will make the same choice.

Love,

Jennifer

The Mercy Retreat is having a sale on Tickets until tomorrow night. Did you get yours?