Joy

"When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven… The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God." ~Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages, pg. 173

Obstacles

"It is obstacles that make men strong. It is not helps, but difficulties, conflicts, rebuffs, that make men of moral sinew. Too much ease and avoiding responsibility have made weaklings and dwarfs of those who ought to be responsible men of moral power and strong spiritual muscle."~EGW.  3T 495.

Not Seen

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
~2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Little Ears

So I took Fundamentals of Public Speaking over the summer- my most dreaded subject of all my A.S. classes which I put off till the last possible moment... I took it online, and thankfully I only had to give three speeches, instead of the standard 5-6.
I had to videotape myself in front of an audience, and one of the audiences could be family and friends.  So of course my first speech was given in front of my family and friends. I talked about bicycle safety.
I invited some friends from the upstairs apartment, and the mom and her little 2 and a-half year old son came.
I was of course nervous and made a fool of myself, and felt like I was wasting my words.
Come to find out, my friend with the 2 yr old called me today telling me that yesterday she was talking with her mom about getting the boy a bike for his birthday, and the grandma mentioned the various different accessories he would need like a helmet and knee pads, and the little boy chimed in then and said "Yes, I need a helmet so I wont hurt my head". The mom was surprised he knew what a helmet was for, but didn't think twice about it, until he said next, " Sara told me I need to wear a helmet to be safe".
Wow, I was so surprised, and so was his mom. I never once mentioned to him about helmets after the brief 5 minute talk that I gave more than 2 months ago.
Since when do little two year olds remember details like that?
I was encouraged to know that my silly talk wasn't a complete waste, and it also scared me to realize how closely little ones listen to what goes on around them.
Hopefully we are teaching the little ears around us only good things.

Golden

"In the night season I was before a company,* talking with them upon faith, and trying to make them understand that they were far behind in this respect. . . . They had a deficient experience in the knowledge of God and their Redeemer. I was trying to show them that they must be able intelligently to voice the words of John, 'Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world' (John 1:29), that they must behold Him as their sin bearer.
Then the Word of God was opened before me in a most beautiful, striking light. Page after page was turned, and I read the gracious invitations and words of entreaty to seek God's glory and God's will, and all other things would be added. These invitations, promises, and assurances stood out as in golden letters. Why do you not grasp them? I said. Seek first to know God before any other thing. Search the scripture. Feed on the words of Christ, which are spirit and life, and your knowledge will enlarge and expand. Study your Bible. Study not the philosophy contianed in many books, but study the philosophy of the Word of the living God. Other literature is of little consequence when compared with this. Do not crowd into your minds so many things that are cheap and unsatisfying. In the Word of God is spread before you the richest banquet. It is the Lord's table, abundantly provided, whereof you may eat and be satisfied.
The promises of God stood out clear and distinct, as though placed in letters of gold. Why, oh, why are they not appreciated! Why is not the heart filled with thanksgiving and praise? Why are your tongues so silent?... The talent of speech is misappropriated. Let the talent of choice words be given to God in thanksgiving and rejoicing, and this will glorify His name. Surrender self entirely to God. 'Let the peace of God rule in your hearts... ; and be ye thankful.'"
*She was describing a dream or night vision.
E.G.W. ~ That I May Know Him, pg 201

Read this devotional thought a couple times. Let it sink in.
Imagine yourself as one of the ones in the company who Ellen G. White was talking to...
Read it again.
Then act on what God convicts you to do.

Avoidance

What is it about avoidance that is so appealing to me? Avoidance hardly ever makes things easier in the long run. Then why do I always choose to avoid stuff, both good and bad?
Avoidance robs me of living. And I want to live.
So here's to making baby-steps towards a life free from unhealthy avoidance.
Phil. 4:13

Psalm 68

"A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." Psalm 68:5,6.