Happy Thursday!

I got at B+ in Ethics. My GPA is 3.00. I was so excited. I am just glad Ethics is over and I have met the requirement needed for Ethics for my degree.

One more day and we are off for the Winter Holiday. The kids and students are very ready for this day to come. The catch phrase around the building today was “one more day.”

Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The opening phrase of my devotional reading tonight is “Lord, give to us, Your Joy, that Joy that no man, no poverty, no circumstances; no conditions can take from us.”

God gives us His Joy. Joy is one of God’s names. When we come into relationship with God through Jesus one of the names we are given is Joy. But sometimes joy is hard to realize when the road is long and bumpy. God promises that Joy will come. Joy is the reward for staying the course and being faithful and obedient to God even when we don’t understand. Joy is the reward for patience (don’t we love being patient! ) Joy is the reward of trusting in times of darkness when we cannot see what is ahead.

I think the first gift we receive from God after receiving salvation is faith and the reward for faithfulness is joy. Each night I ask you to take joy in the journey. Joy is believing that God is faithful and will remain with us no matter what our circumstance or condition. For many of us Christmas will be a bit leaner than in times past. But the true joy of Christmas is remembering that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus as a baby to grow up among us so we could know Him.
Joy didn’t wrapped come in pretty papers and ribbons with a Dillards sticker on the box. Joy came wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Joy came into this world under adverse conditions. Joy came into this world in the poorest of situations. But Joy came and nothing or no man could stop it!

Take joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.