Joyous Challenge

"On the other side of challenge is where joy and cheerfulness are" said Brian Tome pastor of Crossroads this morning during the final week of the "I'm In" campaign.  Thousands of people walked up on stage to receive their dog tags as a symbol of giving warriors. 

Last night J.P. and I discussed joy in the context of happiness.  A subject of many of my blogs, joy is the deeper spiritual place inside each of us.  John 15:11 "I have told you this [Christ's love] so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete".

The individual testimonials that Crossroads presented on the screen were truthful, moving and deep in both spiritual challenge and joy.   The woman who lived the false narrative of not being loved by anyone in this world was transformed in one spiritual moment by someone not even remotely connected in her life - but who accepted her just as she was - a overwhelming feeling of trust and love delivered in the form of giving.

So maybe joy is disguised as both a gift and as something to give - not just in time and money, nor in any quantity.  Just in the form of grace and generosity.