Are you struggling with expressing the joy you have bottled up inside you? Sometimes a smile or a laugh because of circumstances seems inappropriate. Other times circumstances seem to suppress our joy so much that we forget we have it or worse yet, we begin to question whether we have joy. Growing up I use to enjoy going to my grandmother’s house, and I also used to enjoy leaving her home because anyone either entering her presence or about to leave her known presence she would say, “Que Dios te bendiga,” (May God bless you) to which I would respond, “Bendecion” (I accept your blessing).

Has anyone ever given you advice that has helped guide you through many seasons of your life? The advice was so profound that you have even passed it along to others you encounter in a similar crossroads in their life. If not, you might find yourself right now either about to embark on a new season, complete a season, or trying to endure a season and you find yourself in need of advice. Well today is your day because the Lord has given us some fabulous advice, that we should hold onto for the rest of our days!

Ever make plans and prepare for something for it never to come to pass or for it to unfold differently than what you had planned? Planning and preparing seems to be a big portion of how most people spend their days. Everyone who cooks knows a lot of planning occurs before meals appear on the table. From deciding what makes it on the list to buy at the grocery store, to going to the grocery store to purchase the items, to prepping the food, to then finally making the meal. Then you serve it to see if the satisfaction you were prepping and planning for was achieved. As a mother and wife to a family of 6 we do a lot of planning. Every day planning is incorporated to ensure everyone is ready and arrives on time to their daily activities. In all this planning one thing I have noticed it nearly never goes as I had intended.

When was the last time you danced before the Lord with all your might? Have you ever danced before the Lord with all your might? This type of dancing is not an ordinary following the choreography or keeping the rhythm of the music dance. It is a full body, soul, spirit expression where every fiber of your being is focus on God.

Days come and go in a blink of an eye. Even an individual with the best boundaries and control of their schedule war against the clock. It is a constant battle to not feel rushed, to not have too many commitments, and to focus on the present. We live in an age where preparing for tomorrow is a constant need. Honestly, I do not believe since the fall if there has ever been an age where constant preparation was not needed. Even tribes would plan ahead to ensure the basic necessities of life were never missing. If we are not aware of the battle that is occurring, the fight for our time, we can become overwhelmed and grieved by life's demands.