Tag: Christianity

The Joy Dare – A Gift On a Paper, In a Person, In a Picture

Things have been a little crazy around here lately, so I haven’t been able to share my daily gifts. This joy dare was from January 31st and I’m just now getting to it–but hey, I’m determined to get caught up, and it’s better late than never! 😉

  1. An Email from the Hubby – The other day my husband sent me a sweet email just to tell me how much he loves me. Now this is not technically “a gift on paper,” but I will most likely print it out for a wonderful keepsake. 🙂 These are the little things that mean so much to me, and totally make my day!
  2. A Time of Celebration with my Grandmother – This past Saturday we had a surprise birthday party for my grandmother. It was such a blessing! Things came together beautifully, and my grandmother really had a nice time. We had food and cake, played a mad-lib game, danced, and enjoyed each other’s company. But most of all, we were able to honor a very special woman who I am so proud to call my Mom Mom!
  3. A “Just Because” Bouquet of Flowers – My husband brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses the other day after he got done work. This meant very much to me! They just looked so amazing and smelled so good! Because I was incredibly blessed by this gesture, we decided to take some pictures to remember this gift. I am so grateful to have such a caring and thoughtful husband! ❤

P.S. Check out my my collage of pics above and let me know what you think! 😀

The Joy Dare – Three Old Things Seen New

Sometimes it’s difficult to change our perspective and to see “old things” through “new eyes.” But that was my dare for yesterday, and God provided three things that I needed to see in a new way!

  1. Perceiving “Small Stuff” for What it Is – I worry about little things. I don’t know why…maybe it’s a part of my perfectionism and OCD. But God showed me (and I’m sure that He will need to continue to show me) that He’s got them under control. If He has the BIG things in His hands – like the operation of the entire universe – I should think that He can take care of a few details in my life. As my wise Grandmom always tells me, “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”
  2. Starting with a Clean Slate – It was another one of those days where I poked my head outside in the early morning and was blessed to see the sunrise in the distance. It reminded me of how my old sins from the previous day had been completely washed away by my Savior. With the new morning came new mercies, and also a new opportunity to rely on God to obey Him.
  3. Being Re-Inspired by a Familiar Verse – 1 Peter 5:7 has always been a favorite Scripture of mine: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (NKJV). But as I was reading a selection from 31 Days of Praise, I encountered a different version of the verse. It read: “You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern” (PHILLIPS). This just clicked with me. I could give the entire weight of my worries to God, because my well-being matters to Him. When someone or something is your personal concern, it means that everything that happens to that person or thing is important to you. So every single situation that concerns me concerns God – and I can trust Him with each one!

One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.

Henry Miller

Photo Credit: Bjorn Simon

The Joy Dare – A Song Heard, A Soft Word, Light Seen

Can I just say, it is so neat how God is opening my eyes to see these “gifts” of His each day? How wonderful it is to be able to focus on the positive things that He provides for me, and to give Him the praise that He deserves!

  1. A Song of Praise – We sang the song “Indescribable” by Chris Tomlin last night at our church worship group, and I heard it again today on the radio in my car. 🙂 It’s a beautiful song, giving praise to God as the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. It also ties in the fact that this all-powerful God loves each of us and is deeply involved in our lives.
  2. Words of Truth – Also at our church last night, the worship leader spoke words of God’s truth that encouraged my heart. Our area had just received a covering of snow on the ground. She stated that when snow first falls from heaven and covers the earth, it is very white and beautiful and flawless. But when we trudge through it with our feet, we muck it all up. This is comparable to our lives. When God allows certain situations to unfold for us, they start out beautifully as we receive them by faith and move forward with Him. But when we try to manipulate and change and control, we “muck it all up”! I just thought that this was a good word picture that reminds us to trust our lives into His hands.
  3. A Light in the Distance – After my doctor’s appointment today, I came out of the building to my car so that I could drive home. However, something told me to check my car’s tires. Sure enough, one of them was extremely low. I put air into the tire and the machine read that it was at the correct PSI, but the tire was still almost flat. I had no other way to get home, so I prayed, and drove slowly back to our neighborhood. I was so worried that the tire would go flat and that I would be stuck on the side of the road. However, as our house came into view, it was like seeing a “light in the distance.” I pulled into our driveway with gratefulness that God had guided me safely home.

Praise God for Songs Heard, Soft Words, and Lights Seen! ❤

Photo Credit: Ali Inay