Finding joy

Today I woke up thinking: I didn't really want to start my day, I have to clean the floors, have devotional time with the kids, dust the house, cook, do laundry, do the dishes, clean the bathrooms and all those boring things... So, I really really was avoiding to start my day, of course one of my distractions the internet, really helped me to escape and go somewhere else.  As I was online I remembered to read this blog that refreshens and encourages me everytime I read it, kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com.  As I read it my tears found their way through my cheeks, and I felt overwhelemed, this girl from across the world, from another background, from another country, with another mission, a few years younger than me; has felt the same way I have many times. I have felt tired, empty, overwhelmed by the big task God has calling me to do, saddned by the injustice around me and weak, so very weak...And reading about her life, knowing what she does everyday, gives me another perspective. Later on the morning my friend came to visit, a single venezuelan missionary here in Costa Rica who left her friends and family to share the gospel with the poor and the weak.  Those two events today, reading Katie's blog and having my friend visiting and sharing her own struggles, plus getting some clothes for the poor from some christian friends who came last week from the States helped me to understand Paul when he said:

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord.  I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work"
                                                                                      Philippians 4:1

My friends and sisters whom I know a lot or whom I've never met before encourage me and are my joy and crown as well.  To know that there are people, disciples of Jesus who are doing exactly what God has told them to do, no matter how scary, lonely, tiring or difficult this task could be; gives me the joy that cleaning days take away from me, when nothing "too exciting" happens, when I can't see God as easily.  There are people all over the world worshiping my God, obeying him, sharing the gospel, sharing the love.

This is too amazing to me, it gives me strenght, hope and joy that I seem to lack sometimes. And eventhough I still have a house to clean, kids to teach and laundry to do, I don't feel lonely, I don't feel sad, my cup overflows of thankfulness and joy for my sisters and brothers who stuggle just like I do with life little things but continue to seek and depend on the one who gave life to everything.  He is the one who gives me life today so I can do the normal regular, same boring things with a smile in my face and joy in my heart. And I hear the spirit whispering into my ears the wonderful words of the good news:

"...for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."
                                                         I Peter 2:9
 
"...So he is the God of the living, not the dead."  
                                                          Matthew 22:32b

So I walk on His light and enjoy His life that He gave me, for He is bigger than my emotions, bigger than my everyday tasks and bigger than any injustice I can see in this world.