Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
In this blog, I wanted to share how great our God is and how intentional He is through an experience I had today in Adoration.
As I sat in the presence of Jesus in the Adoration chapel, I looked upon the Blessed Sacrament and became overwhelmed with joy. The monstrance was radiating as the sun passed through the stain glass windows above and recent events in my life passed before my eyes.
I thought about Lysa Terkeurst’s talk from this past weekend and the verses from James 1:2-4 that she phenomenally unpacked. This morning, I was reminded of those exact verses by a friend from work that had absolutely no idea about the talk at the conference. And last week, my youngest daughter read a devotion about thanking Jesus when our life feels more and more out of control. As I sat there, I was reflecting on these encounters of considering it joy and thanking God when I am in the midst of my trials, knowing this will press me and test me and the fruits of perseverance will be produced. Most recently, I have really been tested yet I sat there smiling with joy. As I was sitting in the chapel looking upon my Lord I also began to see how God’s love and grace transformed my life. I was reminded of my story and how I am visibly transformed from the mere telling of my story from the pain and darkness into the love and light of Christ. My resurrection story is a place I can go to and see the result of God’s pressing and molding. It is not a place I go to and drag up my pain and hurt. When I am reminded of my story, I can only smile as there is joy in my story, despite the pain. I have risen from a place that was unhealthy and it was only from the hand of my God and the love I found in my faith in Christ. As I see the smile this produces, I am strengthened in the trial I go through today because I know that the God I love, my Lord, my Jesus will be intentional in this trial as much as He was in the one I endured many years ago. Through the perseverance, He will make me “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” I wanted to share this from a place of joy and acceptance, a place of strength and endurance, a place of perseverance that is within me and each of you through our faith and trust in God and His intentional plan in our lives. May His presence radiate within you the joy that is found in the midst of your trials as He produces perseverance and makes you “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
May God’s blessings be upon each of you.
Women Who Walk By Faith 
I love this. Today I was doing my corner stone study on a chapter from revelations. The verse was talking about opening doors. It basically said that we should consider all doors a blessing, whether we are happy to go through them or afraid to go through them. Thereâs always a reason why theyâre closed. Maybe God needs you to pray just a little bit more, or maybe itâs not time for you to go through that door yet. Maybe youâre supposed to go in a different direction. We should look at the door, and see how easily it opens whether we are excited or afraid.
I found myself putting my healthcare journey behind a lot of doors in my head and thinking about how terrified I was in that emergency room of going through that door. That door lead immediately to three other doors. As I walked through each door, the next-door became less fearful. Now I can look forward knowing that, at this time, I have five more doors, that I know of, to walk through. Through prayer, Iâve become more calm and peaceful with each step.
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Consider it all joy…. love you sweet sister.
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