Thoughts on Joy... The Inaugural Post

Right now all the parts of the blog are in place except for this one...the inaugural post! What to write about? How to start? I have been pondering and thinking about this for the past two days, and even as I type, I am not sure what all the stress is about because there is a great chance that absolutely no one will read this post except for me! But in case there are a few of you out there who are currently reading either because I begged you to, or because you happened to stumble upon my blog, here it is...what we have all been waiting for...the first post! 

What is SiMpLy FuLl??

For as long as I can remember, JOY has been a word or concept that has loudly resonated in my heart and my mind. And maybe it's just in the name. 

"Caroline" was a very annoying name to posses growing up in the 90's, although now it seems that every other girl I meet in North Dallas possesses my very same name. It was annoying however because in countless stores there would be that rack or shelf of junk that displayed someone's name... you know key chains, magnets, bookmarks, and even shot glasses with "Ann" or "Mark" or "Jeff" printed across the side. Every time I spied one such display, my heart would start beating fast and I would run over to the rack full of anticipation only to have my hopes crushed because again no "Caroline"... just "Carolyn". And let's face it, no kid was really named Carolyn back then, and no 50 year old woman in her right mind really wanted a shot glass with her name printed under an umbrella and smiling sun. Ok back to the point. The first thing I ever found with my name on it was this cheesy, flowery card that had your name at the top and the meaning of your name and a verse underneath. I remember rummaging through that stack of cards, and there it was...the treasure..."Caroline...Song of Joy." So there it is, my name means joy. (And don't worry, after about 20 years, the validity of that card was confirmed last fall in my Greek class when I discovered that the word for joy in Greek is "kara.") 

And as a child, this little song of joy was always thinking about joy. Our church started when I was in 3rd grade, and allowed anyone to submit a potential name. I can still recall my excitement when I submitted "Joy of Jesus Presbyterian Church." I was so sure they were going to pick it, and would be dying to know what genius thought one up. They ended up going with Park Cities Presbyterian, but I am pretty sure I heard a rumor that "Joy of Jesus" was a pretty close second. If only I had had an in with the elders. 

But in all seriousness, joy is something that I think about all of the time! And I would venture to say that all of us do, because it something we all desire. It defines how we live our lives- every choice, every decision both big and small driven by what we think in the end will bring us joy. We seek joy in the little thing like a diet coke with good ice and driving with the windows down on a fall day. We seek joy in the big things like the way we spend our time and the people we choose to surround ourselves with. And we seek joy in those few major decisions in life like where we will go to school, what career path we will follow, and who we will marry. It's fascinating to me to think that what I will eat for lunch tomorrow, what I will talk about with a good friend on a walk, and what I will choose to do with the rest of my life are all motivated by the same desire- the desire for joy. 

Scripture speaks often about joy, and I am often struck by the lavish language that surrounds it. "In your presence is fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11); the psalmist refers to God as "my exceeding joy" (Ps. 43.4); when the wise men saw the star they "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (Matt. 2:10); the news the angels brought to the shepherds that Christmas night was "news of great joy" (Luke 2:10); in his farewell address Jesus tells his disciples that all he had spoken to them was so that his "joy would be in them and their joy would be full" (John 15:11), and Peter says that the reality of salvation causes us to "rejoice with joy that is inexpressible" (1 Peter 1:8). 

This lavish joy, this full, abundant, often inexpressible joy is found truly in the knowledge and presence of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ- for he himself is joy. 

But sometimes, this knowledge of God and the experience of the presence of God often comes through pain and suffering. But as the knowledge, true, intimate knowledge of God comes, so does the joy. We are told to rejoice in our sufferings and count it all joy when we face trials of many kinds. Why? Because the outcome of those things knowing, experiencing, and reflecting more of Christ. The outcome of our trials is joy. And the amazing thing about this is that it was true for our Savior too. My very favorite verse of Scripture is Hebrews 12:2 that exhorts believers as they struggle to "fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross." 

JOY...this is promised to us in Christ! And that is what I hope this blog will come to be about- finding real, true, and abundant joy as we see and experience our Savior in the simple, big, and often painful realities of this life.