Joy

"Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth." 

Psalm 96: 12-13

I read this verse today as part of a devotional journal. I am trying to be more mindful in my daily walk with God. This is not the only thing I am doing, it is just an exercise that I have chosen to take up. For one year. 

A friend of mine died on Thursday from ovarian cancer. Julie made it a daily habit to perform a devotional. And she did it with her children to help them create a daily time with God. It is one of the things I admired about her.

We had a short active friendship. For a span of 4 or 5 years, we took our families and other teens to Creation festival in the summer. It was good, very good. And then jobs changed and kids started college and timing of the festival did not mesh with my work as an accounting professional and we had to stop attending the festival. But I have fond memories and Facebook helped give us a view of our lives. 

Julie shared her battle with cancer with the world. She modeled joy and perseverance in the face of mounting pressures of battling cancer. She maintained her joy. It was encouraging to me and I admired her and prayed for her. Julie and her family kept planning for the future. It is a future they will now face without her, but they will have her joy and memories of her determination to take forward with them. Cancer is a destructive force, but it is not more powerful than the joy we find in Christ. Julie knew that. Julie know it more now than she did on Thursday. 

Pray with me for her family and friends who will mourn deeply and for a long time. Lord, don't leave them in sadness and despair for too long. Let the light of your Son illuminate the darkness and bring them back to joy.