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The Difference Between Happiness and Joy
Scripture “You will show me the path of life: In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”Psalms 16:11 NKJV Reflection Joy and happiness are often interchanged. When we look at scripture we see a distinction between joy and happiness. When you are happy it rises with your mood and what is going on in your life. Joy on the other hand flows from relationship. A deep connection with God that stays there even when the storms of life are raging around us. Happiness is a good thing in our lives. God wants us to have happiness. Days of celebration and laughter. Happiness alone is…
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Joy Begins with God, Not your Circumstances
Scripture ” The joy of the Lord is your strength.” nehemiah 9:10 (MEV) Reflection When we think about joy we think about all the good things going on in our lives. We think about the new job, the good report cards our kids bring home, we think about the beautiful house we live in and the great church we found to worship at. Lets talk about biblical joy. It doesn’t depend on what is going on in our lives. Joy begins with God himself. In this passage of scripture Ezra was reading the law to the people of Israel. This part of Nehemiah covers the history of the rebuilding of…
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Bitten and Changed: My Journey with Alpha-gal Syndrome
My story is a story that took years to realize. I live on a farm and I’m always outside doing chores, riding my horses, taking care of my garden. First I was diagnosed with A-Fib way back in 2013, I had had problem with my heart before then but it wasn’t very noticeable and it sure didn’t affect my life like it does now. My story with Alpha-Gal begun in 2017 with a tick bite. I had a tick bite that I had to go to the doctor with because I just couldn’t get it to heal. She gave me some medicine to put on the bite and it finally…
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Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer
If prayer is so vital, why is it often so hard? Beginners (and even seasoned believers) face obstacles: distractions, doubts, dryness, and impatience. The good news is that scripture offers guidance to overcome these challenges. Distractions Fighting the Busy Mind Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to pray. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 NIV When the distractions come, try and pray early before everyone gets up. One thing that has helped me is that I journal my prayers. I have a journal that I will record what…
