There is something remarkable about a group of women coming together to worship, fellowship, connect, learn, laugh, eat, and dance. And when I say dance, I mean the whip/nae nae. I just returned from this fabulous event called The Gathering Point...
I only made the decision to attend an hour before it started. I am known to procrastinate, but this was a late decision even for me. I just wasn't sure if my husband was ready to manage the kids on his own yet, especially at bed time (sometimes I think it would be easier to herd cats). I also was recovering from an allergic reaction that caused my eye to swell up and turn black and blue yesterday. It looked like I had been punched in the face, which could have made for an interesting ice-breaker... But thankfully, the swelling had gone down for the most part, so now it just looked like one of my eyes was squinty. Unattractive, but manageable. And Nick said he could handle things at home...so off I went before he changed his mind!
...The night was focused on JOY and included insightful recounts from different women who find joy even in pain and sorrow. I thought about my desire to find balance in this hectic life, and I realized (or more likely, God nudged me) that sometimes life is going to be unbalanced, but I can always find joy.
My wise and talented friend, Ashley, created these cards as reminders to push back the darkness and fight with joy.
I will continue to seek out balance, but I will be gentler with myself when things are out of whack, and instead put myself into the path of joy. I know what and who brings me joy, so I can be intentional about seeking it out. And when unable to muster up joy on my own, the joy of the Lord is my strength.
Source Credit: Ashley McNary, Heartland Community Church - Sun Prairie http://heartland.cc/sunprairie/
