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When Joy Came To Stay

Her late nights were greeted by restless early mornings. Her mind, constantly on “overload.” She made busy demands, hectic schedules & family obligations appear effortlessly but all along her “seams” were unraveling. She struggled to keep the mask from revealing the bags underneath her eyes. She fueled her overachieving energy with bottomless cups of mocha. Her body craved caffeine to function at it’s best. Showing up in a “mediocre” state was never an viable option. She had to excel. Her accomplishments were never enough. Her to-do-list was aggressively packed to capacity. She barely found room to breathe. Life was a mundane chore. She was annoyed by the daily repetition. Her well was drying up but she barely noticed her vessel scraping the bottom.

The days were running together. Fridays felt like overextended Mondays because the demands never ceased. She was bombarded by overwhelming responsibilities. The gas light was on but she ignored the warning. She was an expert at calculating miles per gallon. She subconsciously knew how much further she could go until a refill was mandatory!

Her introverted escape from the realities of the world was found in books. She was a walking encyclopedia but few knew it. She didn’t appear smart. She was quiet & bashful. She didn’t appear to excel at much of anything. She faded into the background without hesitation. Her prayers were monotonous & didn’t claim other’s attention but she felt God’s touch resting strongly on her. Many would be dismissive in her presence. She didn’t appear to have anything meaningful to say. She was a warm body that lacked social intellect. She avoided eye contact, her speech was slurred & her debilitating posture was an instant turn off. The thick aroma of insecurity filled the room like a stench of cheap perfume when she was present.

Life had to be more fulfilling than a worn out calendar full of penciled in, incomplete deadlines. She wrestled with resting. There was just way too much to do. Her “calling” was rooted in serving others at a young age. It was her most meaningful contribution to ministry. Time was not standing still & she had to fight the flock of nearby birds for the early worm.

One day with an overwhelmed spirit, she cried out to God. She was sinking quickly on a man made foundation. It could no longer support the weight of her physical frame. She was losing her grip. The seams were now ripped fully apart & visible with the naked eye. She had suffered an emotional beating that left her  lifeless body frail. 

BUT GOD.....

She grabbed her tattered, bible with clutched fists & began “travailing” with the God given authority supplied. She tapped into her power source & leaned completely in. She stopped muttering & whispering to the enemy. She commanded him to flee in the name of Jesus. She began to war for “self” & God interceded on her behalf. 

She went from wounded to a warrior. 
 ...from worrying to trusting.
...from suffering to healing.
...from the valley to the mountain.
...from defeated to victorious.

She presented herself as a “sacrificial offering” to live for God’s will and renewed her covenant with a committed heart. She changed her confession to “yes!”

And just like that is when “joy” came to stay.


“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

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