New Goal.

I told you all I'd be adding more goals along the way. So... here's my new one.

Goal #16: Choose Joy.
As Christians we're supposed to be joyful, even in trials and tribulation. Well, Sunday morning I had the opportunity to walk downstairs to get a handbag to go with my outfit for church, and instead found that the basement was flooded. Flooded? you ask. Yes, flooded... with nasty sewage water. It appears that a little clump of roots had worked their way into a pipe, causing the sewage not to drain and back up all over our basement floor. Fun, right? No, not really.

I was really frustrated and stressed out because this trial seemed to be one of a million other things we've had go wrong for us, and I was really trying to figure out how in the world I was supposed to be joyful through it all. So I just asked God to help me see a way to do just that, and to help me rely fully upon Him to take care of everything. (It took me awhile to realize I probably should, but I did)

I started searching through my Bible and found a fast growing favorite verse of mine: John 16:33.

"...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

And a couple others that helped me look at things from a different angle:

^{"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead us to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:35-37}

 "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?... No, despite all of these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loves us." Romans 8:35 & 37

Finding ways to be joyful in times of trouble is hard. There's no if, and, or but about it. It's just hard, and I believe there is no other way to do it except with God's help. So, while I was wiping sewage off of some of my belongings, God helped me rejoice in the fact that I was wiping them down instead of throwing them away. When my eyes were burning from the bleach used to sanitize the floor, God helped me rejoice in the fact that Kris and I had the means and ability to do it all ourselves instead of paying someone hundreds of dollars to take care of it. 

So Goal # 16 is Choose Joy even when it seems impossible.