The bottom

Well today I reached the bottom. I walked into work and BAM! I was hit. A "corporate" walked in and found that my name tag was upside down, and the rest of the day was downhill. There was Jesus in the midst through customers, but me in my stubborn personality, did not give into joy in the midst of the storm. Today I hated my job & I was considerably at the bottom. I was a bottom dweller. I have to ask the question... "why do we choose to dwell in the bottom when we could joyfully dance on top?" I present this question to you, my faithful readers.

Today I found myself, at what I thought was the bottom. There was no light at the end of the tunnel (or that I was choosing to look at or focus on). So to top off the day, I go out to my recently purchased 2001 Volvo S60. Do you think it would start? Absolutly not. Nope. Not today. When I was at the bottom, I could've decided to stay there. I called my friend Nancy, and she said "You've had a really bad day haven't you?" My response was obviously "YES!" Nancy: "And you know the enemy just wants to get you with this right?" Me: "yeah..." Nancy: "and you know that this really isn't a big deal and it'll all work out?" Me: "uh huh". So that was it. A brief moment of pride taken out & what replaced it? Joy. When I thought the day couldn't get worse, it got better. Yes, I still have a job I don't particularly love. Yes, my car was towed to the dealership. But Jesus is with me. My car will get fixed. (I have a 3 year warranty!!!) I will get to work tomorrow. And He is with me.

So when you find yourself at what seems to be your bottom & you choose to dwell there... PLEASE, for me & for your sake, get out. It is so much better to just get out. Choose joy over self-pity. Choose humility over pride. Choose spirit over flesh. Choose God over self. Life is never as sweet, as when its lived with Jesus Christ. The hope of Glory. The Son of Man. The Son of God. The Alpha & Omega. My redeemer. My savior. My hope. My peace. Allow Him to sing over you with peace & love. Choose Him today. If you don't, you might find yourself at the "bottom". But if you do, life isn't so bad.

JOYFULLY His,
katie

ps- This is what I learned today. Joy is a choice. We choose. Sometimes it doesn't feel good, but we need to. Or all things of God -hope, love, joy, etc., will be stripped & only because we've allowed them to be. I pray that you're finding joy in knowing Jesus. And if you don't know Him, I pray that you would come to know Him. Trust me, He is the best thing that could ever happen to you.

the past

I have noticed something about myself. I often long for what's past. I love to look at old pictures, read old cards, watch funny videos, and talk about memories long gone. I love the past. Interestingly enough, when I was in the past, I longed for what was before that. I didn't love where I was at that moment. Sure there were moments of utter joy & laughter; but as with each phase of life it always seems to get a little more difficult than the last phase. Yes I love the past, but that gives me no excuse to not look forward to the future.

Yes, each phase of life is truly more difficult than the last because I will have never faced it before. This is the definition of growth. You can't grow when you're doing things you always have, or you've known how to do. But God pushes us in the unknown. Right now, as I sit here & type, there are so many unknowns. How exciting that God wants me to grow so much?! If I'm not feeling a push toward Him, than I'm not being sensitive. He wouldn't be doing Himself justice if He didn't want us to be closer to Him. He absolutely is the best thing that can happen to you. let's take advantage. Let's grow. Let's be pushed. Let's depend on Him.

I love you brothers & sisters. Thank you all for putting me in my place after that last blog. I am thankful to have faithful readers. I appreciate you being in my life.

In love & faith,
Katie