Joyfully Ordinary

28/05/2025

After years of anxiety over striving to find my purpose and longing to know what I was made for, I had to face the ordinary head on. I wanted nothing to do with ordinary. I didn’t want to be ordinary, I didn’t want to have an “ordinary” life. It’s hard to accept the life you have when you constantly have messages all around screaming at you to be more and want more.

When I conquered the ordinary, something in me changed. I allowed Jesus in to meet me where I was instead of thinking that he would only give me peace and joy when I reached “that” thing.

I started to see how important all of the little moments of life my hands touched were actually so special. I began to count it all as a gift to be where I was whether I was folding laundry, scurrying around to different practices, making a grocery list, or snuggling before bedtime.

There is so much purpose in the love we put into these ordinary things we do every single day. It may not be what people see you do, and you may never have recognition for it, but God sees you there.

I hope this can encourage you wherever you are in life to see you have purpose, even in what seems like may be the most mundane days. This is why Joyfully Ordinary even came about because I just want to encourage others to find joy and purpose in the life they have.

19/02/2025

🤍🤍🤍

17/02/2025

Matthew 6:28-30 🤍🌸

14/08/2024

Porch sitting, one of my very favorite summer hobbies. My porch is a sacred space, where I’ve talked over so many things with God over the years. I am going to miss my extended time with Him as our schedules will soon be picking up with fall.

This week has felt different as the cooler morning air has welcomed my last week of long, summertime porch sits. A reminder that I will be headed back to my classroom on Monday with the new season moving in.

I haven’t posted in a while, nor have I been on social media very much. I needed to take time to focus on finding joy in my own days again, without the influence of the world. This space can be such a wonderful tool for connection, but I think it’s important to step away sometimes.

“Comparison is the thief of joy,” and I was struggling with this, which is where I knew I needed to take a break. We shouldn’t have fear of missing out on what someone else has, because it is our own life, right in front of us, we end up missing out on.

I just wanted to share, in case anyone else is in that place or has been there. It’s hard to be able to see everyone’s “life” online these days and not get caught up in it all.

Remember you were created to be YOU. Be encouraged to spend your time and energy in your own life rather than giving it up to watch what other people are doing.

Do you take social media breaks to help you be more present in your life?

16/02/2024

1 Corinthians 13:13

“But the greatest of these is love.”

If my life speaks of nothing else, I hope it speaks of love.🤍

14/02/2024

1 Corinthians 13:8

God never fails. God is love, therefore, love cannot fail.
Many things will fail us in life, but walking in the way of love with God will not be one of them. Many things in life fade away or pass on through, but love will always remain.

God’s word is His love letter to us, and through His word we can know His love has already overcome everything!

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:7-8

🙏

13/02/2024

1 Corinthians 13:7

Love is not just a feeling. Yesterday, in church, our pastor discussed love as a discipline, which means we have to make intentional choices and purposeful actions to love others well.

A lot of times, in my personal Bible time, I look up the definitions for words (even when I know what they mean) to dig deeper into scripture. Here are the definitions of the words that define love in this verse.

Love always:
🤍Protects. - keeps safe from harm or injury
🤍Trusts. - believes in the reliability, ability, truth or strength of; places confidence in
🤍Hopes. - cherishes with anticipation of something good happening; desires with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment
🤍Perseveres. - continues in in a course of action even in the face of difficulty; to persist in spite of opposition, discouragement, or counter-influence

What would it look like if we practiced love in this way?

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12/02/2024

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.”
1 Corinthians 13:6

After taking time to think about what is evil and what is true, this verse brought these things to mind:
1. Love takes a stand against evil and does not become complacent with just going with the flow.
2. Love shines joy and creates joy for others when we focus on what is true.
3. Our heart is not tuned to love if we wish bad on someone, even someone who has done us wrong or is in the wrong. We have to trust God to handle others in their sins, just like we have to go to God as His grave covers our own sins. This is not to say that there should not be consequences for wrong, but just that our hearts have to let go of harboring hate or bitterness for someone, and leave it with God.
4. Love does not equal lust or using someone for your own gain.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, and not to rain on anyone’s parade, but this is one of the biggest human trafficking events each year. Humans treating other humans like an object, in this way, is the tangible definition of what evil is.

Love that rejoices in the truth should take a stand in ending this treatment of others. Tonight, I am committing to pray over this. I believe in God’s power and justice. I can’t imagine how much it must break his heart that his own creation would turn to treating people like this over choosing Him.

If you would like more information about this issue and how you can help, this website is very helpful: https://aimfree.org/super-bowl/

11/02/2024

Not to rain on anyone’s parade with all the fun of tonight, but it is important to be aware that the global issue of human trafficking is happening right in front of us. It isn’t some distant thing that has no connection to the people around you. The Super Bowl happens to be one of the largest events where human trafficking takes place.

Since 2005, this organization has focused on ending the evil of child sexual slavery. This link has a lot of valuable information to educate people about human trafficking and what we can do to be a part of ending it.

If you aren’t watching the Super Bowl tonight and want to know more about this, Sound of Freedom is available on Amazon Prime, if you haven’t watched it yet. I know the topic is heavy and heartbreaking, but it’s a reality and we can’t just walk around pretending these things don’t happen.

Is there a connection between the Super Bowl and Human Trafficking? For the past few years, we’ve released this article explaining the link between the largest sporting event in the United States and human trafficking. But, does the Super Bowl actually increase human trafficking in the host city? ...

11/02/2024

Biblical truths about what love actually is. Are you loving others in the way the Bible defines love? Are you being loved in this way?

As we approach Valentine’s Day, don’t be blinded by the idea of “love” that a commercialized holiday and society puts out there. Love is so much more than what our world cheapens it to be, and you are worthy of this love.🤍🫶🏼

1 Corinthians 13:4-5