All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Finding delight . . .

Is this even possible ~ delight in the midst of disaster?!

podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/1eabc3db/finding-deligh...

even if you listen to the podcast, take a look at this written Morning Briefing

as the photos capture a lot.

Is it possible to feel delight in the middle of this disaster?

I love the notion of delight. When I use the word, it is most often to quote Scripture ~(think about that for a moment - I associate the word delight

with the words of God; that is actually quite a cool notion)

Friends, we need to transition from managing fear and anxiety

to creatively choosing that which will cheer,

bring delight,

encourage others

and brighten our own souls!

Let's get real for a moment - are you stuck on the word 'delight' - sound too girly? Remember it was God's word!

When God created the Heavens and the Earth and then he created us in his image, he placed within us the ability to delight. (action verb)

Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37.4

Delight - something he told us to do.

For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3.17

Have you ever stopped to think how it is that God delights?

~through his creation,

if we will stop and look up, look around . . . and now

we have the time!

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On a recent afternoon, I took this picture from atop the hood of my car at the end of my street. Look at that magnificent sky with Catalina Island rising out of the water in the background! I couldn't help but think how symbolic it is for all of us right now.

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I mean, look at the darkness of the immediate canopy

then the changing clouds beyond . . .

with powerful rays of sunshine on the offing

spreading from side to side, or east to west.

God's light is there - look for it!

Have you ever thought how God delights when we partner with him? I went to Lowe's and purchased both flowers and seeds to plant - both will bring me such joy.

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'Even planted red sunflower

seeds in anticipation of their regal,

cheerful beauty.

And another thing that I believe God delights in -

when we take a troublesome situation and decide to turn it for good. This is kind of a funny story - well, I think it is anyway. I have been plagued with gophers in my front yard for probably a decade--for some reason, mine is the only garden on the street with the varmint problem! I have tried all of the remedies, even some wacky ones, like putting chocolate syrup down the gopher

holes - all to no avail.

So... rather than replace the lawn again, I decided to make another way--

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I created a Gopher Garden. Wherever there was a hole, (albeit I'm sure there is an entire sophisticated tunneled city!), I planted lavender or rosemary (they don't eat them),

or covered the hole with a stepping stone.

Then I added whimsical creatures to bring cheer.

Not willing to let them defeat me, I found another way; those pests would not get the best of me or my garden. God delights when we do not concede defeat, but rather make something positive out of the challenging thing in our lives.

[While my gopher garden was young, it resembled a roadside memorial, but now that the plants are thriving, I walk outside sometimes to find people taking pictures of it; God and I just smile.]

This Coronavirus thing affords us opportunities that will not likely pass this way again - if we will but look for them; get over that which frustrates and tries us, and find the pleasant ~ like spreading out a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle on our dining room table that everybody takes a turn at piecing together.

Finally, take note of this

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little lady please: ~~~>>

If you look closely near her left foot, you

will see a cute, hand-painted rock. A neighbor walking her Golden Retrievers noticed my garden and put it there. Get this--I didn't know this lady at all. Pretty cool. She took delight in giving.

It is true - we can find delight in nature,

we can make a place for delight in our lives,

and we can go out of our way to

delight others in the midst of this disaster.

What do you say . . . will you join my Campaign of Delight?

Christine

PastorWoman.com

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