My JOY Journey ~ God's Plan

*if you haven't read "the beginning of the end", start there before reading here...

THE JOY of GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

Ruth 1:6-8, 14-16

This little gift book is so filled with great vignette's (is that the right word?) from other books of so many inspiring authors. In this page from "My JOY Journey", I hope to give you a gem from each one's in this section on God's Plan for you, so you will see what wonderful treasures are in "JOY for the Journey". In addition to the Promises from God's Word, they share such wisdom and insights to encourage us to seek God's plan in our life. We each were given one, we each have a significant purpose, just like Ruth in a 'barley field', not only was she noticed by Boaz, but God noticed her: her faith, her faithfulness, her commitment to Naomi, her willingness to "glean instead of grumble" ...

"Will you believe God sees you in your barley field,  your place of difficult duty? God's blessings crop up even in barley fields!" Jan Carlberg "The Hungry heart"

PROMISES from GOD'S WORD about 1) Blessings in your daily tasks Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 118:24, Ephesians 2:10 2) Rejoicing in God's Plan Psalm 16:11, Psalm 143:8, Isaiah 2:3 3) Identifying goals John 9:4; Psalm 25:9; Psalm 37:5 4) Accomplishing goals Philippians 3:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 5) Keeping emotions under control Zephaniah 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3; Galatians 2:20-21 6) Counting your blessings Ephesians 1:3; Isaiah 25:1; Proverbs 10:22 7) Celebrating success Proverbs 31:27-29; Exodus 15:20-21; Ruth 4:14-15 8) Laughing at yourself Proverbs 17:22; Psalm 126:2-3; Job8:20-21 9) Forgiving and forgetting Romans 9:25; Proverbs 8:17; Deuteronomy 7:13;  1 Peter 3:12 10) Giving the future to God Proverbs 31:31; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Timothy 1:7

This is probably the only time that I will share so much from one part of this book, but when it comes to God's plan for you, I am passionate that you discover and walk in it. Each of these authors have shared a great wealth of wisdom in a brief snip of their book... I only chose a quote from each of them. Some I know, some I hope to know at least through their books. This is an unsolicited review of a great little book of some pretty awesome treasures to JOY!!! I just want you to "taste and see" who some of these authors are and their books but mostly the goodness of the LORD... long before I knew... He knew and was ready to fill my inner spirit with JOY, another part of God's plan... to fill us with His Spirit and His fruit:

"God doesn't want you to live a mediocre life."

1) Blessings in your daily tasks "For me, one of the greatest frustrations of walking through the "dailiness" of my life as a Christian is that I don't always get to see how the bits and pieces of who I am fit into the Big picture of God's plan." Claire Cloninger "When God Shines Through"

2) Rejoicing in God's Plan "Just imagine how heaven grew silent and God's heart swelled with JOY when ... "Whaaaaaa!" you arrived on earth to become, to be, to live!" Jan Silvious "Big Girls Don't Whine"

3) Identifying goals ... "For the Christian, the ultimate objective might be  to serve God with our abilities and talents,  or to become more like Jesus."... Gloria Gaither "Decisions"

4) Accomplishing goals ... "Rewards are the touchstones in our lives, physically, materially, academically, financially, and even spiritually. They affirm our growth and the alchemy of our hearts." Luci Swindoll "You Bring the Confetti"

5) Keeping emotions under control ..."Don't ever bow to your feelings  because you hold them in such high regard.  Instead,make them bow to your God." Jennifer Rothschild "Lessons I Learned in the Dark"

6) Counting your blessings "It's so easy for us to be focused on the negatives  and forget all about the positives."... Mary Whelchel "How to Thrive from 9 to 5"

7) Celebrating success ..."Didn't you feel relieved and ecstatic at the same time once that specific goal was attained? You're a winner, a success, a victor!" Luci Swindoll "You Bring the Confetti"

8) Laughing at yourself "It's healthy to be willing to laugh at yourself and make light of your shortcomings. ...  Pain dissolves, frustrations vanish, and burdens roll away when I have on my bunny slippers." Barbara Johnson (who else) "Mama,Get the Hammer"

9) Forgiving and forgetting ..." Yet He (Jesus) stayed on the cross and paid the price to offer forgiveness even to those (who) would never admit their guilt or whisper "I'm sorry." Alicia Britt Chole "Sitting in God's Sunshine"

10) Giving the future to God "The thing I keep trying to remember about giving the future over to God is that... it belongs to Him anyway." Leslie Williams "Night Wrestling"

I never knew what a gold mine I had in my hands to assist me in my JOY Journey... "we've only just begun" and 2011 is almost over. These women have shown me how to dig deep into God's Word and their insights to see His Promises just waiting to lead me down a path in my journey to JOY. (By the way, I hope you remember also JOY stands for Jesus, Others, You that's part of God's plan too!)
Lord, Help me to see blessings in my daily tasks, counting each blessing and focusing more on the positives than the negatives that hit me off guard. Show me how to rejoice in all of Your plan along my journey, both the struggles and the triumphs that You knew before I came to be and know so well now as I become, I pray all that You want me to be and live intentionally seeking Your plan and finding Your joy along the way. Help me to identify and accomplish Your goals for me and make them mine, in I surrender whatever is not part of Your plan and ask that You reveal what is, in this moment, for this moment in my journey so that we can celebrate in our successes together, each one a victory and step closer to You, our achievements against the odds or difficulties, only come through You and Your grace over us. Keep me mindful of this. Guide my emotions and may each of them bow to You, not the other way around. May my emotions be used by You to bring You the glory, not put me to shame for misuse of them. 
Forgive me as I forgive others and I "stop pressing the rewind and play" button of the past or 'rehash the past' that is hindering me from receiving forgiveness from You. Keep me moving forward with You. Give me the grace to be able to laugh at myself and make light of my shortcomings, not taking everything so seriously, or being so easily wounded, because whatever happens does not have to get me down, rather keep my perspective where it belongs. For Your Word states that a "merry heart does good like medicine"... and a wise nanny from a movie sang, "just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..." so sweeten my attitude with a joyful laughter and a merry heart... that is pleasing to You and finds more joy in everything, even when it's difficult to impossible. Your strength will give me JOY. Thank You, LORD! Thank You for leading my life according to Your plan and when I detoured that plan that You quickly use Your rod to bring me back on the right path to peace, love and Joy in You.(just turned all His Promises above into my prayer)
SEE WHAT THE DAY AFTER
CHRISTMAS BRINGS to you from me:God and a GiftofMUCHJOYwrapped upwithabowtoGodin my prayer(I bet you read 'boh' not 'bau')Got'cha:0)



* Part 6 from "Joy for the Journey"