Pursue Contagious Joy

Here is a poem my sister Dorcas recently sent me by Annie Johnson Flint who wrote a lot of beautiful poems including "He Giveth More Grace." This following hymn is called "The Jesus Way," which Dorcas said she has been enjoying playing and singing..

Dorcas also sent this beautiful photo of an apple blossom with the poem.

The Jesus Way
"Oh, there's many a thorn on the Jesus way, 

Many a thorn I know;

There is grief and loss and the pain of the cross

Wherever my feet may go.

But the Lord will heal all the wounds I feel

When the thorns have pricked me sore;

And He's planted a rose where the briar grows,

For He's walked this path before.

Oh, there's many a storm on the Jesus way, 

Many a storm I see,

When black is the cloud and the wind is loud,

And waves go over me.

But the Lord Himself is in my little ship,

And the storms obey His will;

At the word He hath said, "Be not afraid,"

My heart and the sea grow still.

Oh, there's many a foe on the Jesus way, 

Many a foe to fight;

And all the day we must watch and pray

To keep our armor bright.

But the Lord forever will be at my side

The tempter's wiles to meet;

Tho' the foe be strong, and the strife be long,

He can never know defeat.

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And here is a thought I read recently which I thought was worth sharing.

"If we feel greater personal satisfaction and self-esteem because of our new disciplines, but it’s not positively impacting the people around us (but perhaps even coming at their expense), then our resolutions are not saying anything positive about Jesus. Joy that isn’t overflowing isn’t loving. And joy that is not loving is not Christian — and isn’t worth what we think it is (1 Corinthians 13:3). Pursue contagious joy, sacrificial joy, overflowing joy.

The admonition is not to abandon resolutions or personal discipline or healthy habits of dieting, exercising, and sleeping. Not at all. By all means, pursue personal health, growth, and maturity — just not for your own sake. Make and keep resolutions that produce love and not just self-improvement."

Marshall Segal in DesiringGod