Inexpressible & Glorious Joy

Hey Everyone!!! I am sorry that I have not been able to update y'all on my life. Every time I try to sit down to write, something else comes up or I'm too exhausted. So here is a few weeks later on what has been going on....

Well I have finished 4 weeks at Family Legacy and it sure has gone fast!! I have stayed busy most of the time, but I think now since we have done 2 major projects that things will settle down. In the midst of it all, I have FINALLY finished my newsletter and everything that goes along with that. My goal is to send them out Monday and Tuesday of this week. With that said, if you want a newsletter please write back on a comment or email me. I would love for you to be on my mailing list. (I will be sending a newsletter and a dvd from this summer).

My position with Family Legacy is basically bridging the gap between the kids themselves and Americans. I have had all sorts of questions and emails that I have had to tackle myself and learn alltogether. Everyday I feel so inadaquate to be where I am because I know I can't do what I'm doing with the Lord Jesus by my side. He certain has been my place of refuge as I adjust to a new life living with my aunt and uncle and working more hours than I ever have. One thing that I am trying to do, and you all can help keep me accountable, is to be on a good schedule that is balanced with work, fellowship with friends, church, etc.

One benefit at FLMI is that there is not a certain amount of hours that I have to put in each week so basically you can make your own schedule. With that said, there is so much to do be done so you have to be discipline when you are at work and then be discipline in stopping at the end of the day (which should be around 6 / 6:30pm). With there being so much to do, you tend to feel like you need to stay later, but as Greer and Holly both have said to me, "it will be here tomorrow". Haha. I am looking forward to implimenting these things starting this week. After finishing typing, printing and stuffing my newsletters, my late nights at the office are now no more!! :)

The most encouraging thing about this week was when I got to hang out with some of my dear Kanakuk Friends. Little did I know that a whole group of us all live close to each other. Wednesday night after I left work, I went to Lauren Shoush's apartment and got to see JROB and Alyshia Foster. Oh how we all brought back memories from working at kamp. What a blessing they are to me! And today, Sunday, I drove over to Fort Worth to see one of my campers, Lucy Ryan. We spent the afternoon just hanging out and catching up. I hadn't seen her since before I left for Africa. Fellowshipping with precious friends has been good for my heart! This weekend I realized how important it is to have a good balance of things in your life and to continue to invest in the lives of those you love.

As you read my blog, you probably are thinking that I need to slow down, reprioritize things, get a better schedule, not work so much, etc. As this weekend comes to an end tonight, I do want to tell you that God has been moving in me this weekend. On Saturday night, I went to the movies with my aunt, uncle, and one of their other friends from church. We went to see the movie FIREPROOF. (To give you a little history, I don't go see movies in theaters and I can't remember the last one I went to.) By the way, if you haven't see this movie, you need to! God moved in me in so many ways that I can't really explain it. But there is one thing that I can explain...one of the songs played in the movie is called "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller. If I could choose any song to describe my life right now, it is this one. Some of the lyrics are:

Im waiting

I’m waiting on You, Lord

And I am hopefulI

I’m waiting on You, Lord

Though it is painful

But patiently, I will wait

I will serve you while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will not faint

I’ll be running the race

Even while I wait

As I was hearing this song played, while the movie continued, I began to cry. They were tears of how I was feeling at the moment. For most of you, you know the status of my dad. He is very weak (40 pounds lighter to say the least) and slowly taking one day at a time in recovery. But along with that, my work consists of long days that I am not with the kids, but I soon will be! Enduring through seasons like this can be tough, but God will be faithful to His word! He will not fade, or let you down, or back off until what He began in you will continue until it is fully complete! The joy of knowing our God and understanding the love He has for you, me, us, is far beyond our understanding, but what's interesting is that HE WANTS US TO KNOW HOW HIGH, HOW WIDE, HOW DEEP, AND HOW LONG HIS LOVE IS FOR US!!!

The title of this post is from 1 Peter 1:8-9 which says,

"Though you have not seen Him, YOU LOVE HIM;

and even though you do not see Him now,

YOU BELIEVE IN HIM & are FILLED WITH AN INEXPRESSIBLE & GLORIOUS JOY,

for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS."

I hope you all are doing well!! Know that even though we can't see our beautiful Lord we still love Him and believe in Him and by us remaining steadfast in those aspects He will reward us with such joy that can't be expressed in words. And this joy that we are expriencing is the goal of our faith...it is our salvation!! Praise the Lord! Amen, Amen, and Amen again!!

Love you all! Please let me know how I can be praying for you!

Living for Jesus,

Joy