Continuing in JOY

Hello friends, it's Summer. I wanted to write a blog post talking about April. During the month of April my goal was to not complain and any time I felt like I was going to complain I would stop; pray, and then I would count my blessings and try my best to choose joy instead. April brought joy, sadness, and trials all in one month. Whew! The joy is now planted in my soul by Jesus, the sadness was comforted by Jesus, and the trials were overcome through Him. The JOY. I discovered so much joy by not complaining. I learned that as a Child of God there is always something to be rejoicing in even when things may not be going the way I planned. Like, having to do something we don't want to do, or maybe even the world failing us. I always have something to be rejoicing about because I am saved. What I learned though, is that I have the option every morning I wake up to choose joy. The SADNESS came because I had to say goodbye to some very special people who are very dear to my heart. Jesus comforted me by the verse from Romans 1. Paul talked about being a debtor. You may think "how did this comfort you?" well you see God called me to be a missionary at a young age so I know that is what I'm going to do when I'm older. Sitting in a room the size of the smallest bathroom stall at Walmart it was as if God was speaking to me directly. He said, "Summer you are not only indebted to tell others someday and suffer for Me someday, you are to serve and suffer for My name's sake now just as much as you are then." The TRIALS were as simple as my parents leaving for two weeks, saying "see you later" to my loved ones, and taking my very important end of the year testing while my parents were out of the states. As I was explaining to my piano teacher why I couldn't come to lessons, she said, "There was a certain person in the bible who battled lions and bears." He slew them and through Christ overcame his trial. My next piano lesson (in the middle of Mom and Dad being gone) she said, "You are slaying those lions and bears and I'm proud of you." I am so thankful God laid on my heart to go a month really focusing on not complaining because I have grew so much as a child of the King. I probably will not share my not complaining and choosing joy every day but every morning from here on out I will purpose in my heart not to complain and to choose joy. We have an option to choose joy as Christians. What will you choose?