We had Celebration Sunday at our new church in Wichita yesterday. It is an exciting time for the church as they just hired and installed their new senior pastor. They’ve been searching for this man for what seems like forever, but it is such a joy that him and his family are with us now. I feel like Mike and I came into the congregation at the perfect time. We sure are blessed and excited for what God has in store in this place.

I never blogged about this, but we picked a word with our brother and sister in law at the beginning of 2014 that was going to “define” our year. The word we chose was “CELEBRATE” and boy do we love a good celebration. For awhile there, we would get together with family and call every moment a celebration.

I think we celebrated Mike’s new job and our move to Wichita 437 times – but that’s ok because we are sticking to our word and defining this year as a celebration. We’ve already celebrated birthdays and a few holidays and we look forward to celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary later on in July.

Isn’t that how we should live though? Celebrating each day as a day gifted from the Lord?

I also feel like this idea of celebration has brought the joy back to my heart. Through college there were times when my joy was missing. I had lost my joy through worry and anxiety. I had let those things overtake me and control how my days ended. Through those tough times, Mike and I visited a church in Colorado and the senior pastor said at the end of his sermon “You’re gonna get your joy back, and it’s never gonna go away again.” I felt that he was speaking directly to me (in a room of 5,000 people). I have never forgotten that word and my prayers have been filled with pleas for my joy to return when the Lord was ready.

I still struggle with fear, worry, and anxiety, but my joy is back – and it’s never gonna go away again.

After church yesterday we went out and celebrated the things God is doing in our church with fish tacos. Fish tacos is now a favorite way to celebrate.

I hope you can celebrate today and I challenge you to try and celebrate each day – even your worst days.

Happy Monday!
Love, KJ

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