Are you choosing JOY today?

I'm working on it. 
Joy despite the pain, the hurt, the sadness, the battle...whatever is fighting to steal the JOY He wants you to receive and has in abundance for you.
These choices are never easy though, are they?
It seems like it takes work to choose it.
I don't remember Him ever saying any of it would be easy though.
This life.
But I do know the choice is so worth it.
For the good of your soul.

"...for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

-Nehemiah 8:10

Choose HIS joy today as your strength.

Gitzen Girl always talked a lot about that JOY choice on her blog. (just went home to Jesus, after 3 yrs of homebound chronic illness)

"Joy: the unwavering trust that God knows what He’s doing and has blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of it… not despite what’s happening in my life but because of it. When everything earthly feels heavy He gives me an internal lightness that can’t be touched.
That's what it feels like and means to me. Take a minute today to think about what joy is for you and then take it one step further. Take a moment to leave yourself a note... on your nightstand, on your bathroom mirror, by your computer... leave yourself a reminder to stop, take a deep breath and consciously choose joy today.
Trust me, it's worth your time."

(photo credit: Gitzen Girl's blog)

Got a few more moments to soak in some more thoughts on that choice of joy??

More of Gitzen Girl's thoughts on choosing joy (homebound from chronic illness for over 3 years)...

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2008/11/define-joy.html

More thoughts by Ann Voskamp, on choosing joy...
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/09/when-longing-to-choose-joy/