Advent with Pressed Olives: Day 16

🎉 𝕛 𝕠 𝕪

Can you make out what this is?

Throughout life I think all people seek some idea of happiness. Perhaps, some have the idea that a relationship or spouse is the answer.  No-obviously it’s more things, more money, and more accolades that will provide happiness, of course. Well, maybe it’s definitely the absence of trial and difficulty-somehow that will equal happiness. Won’t it?

Foolish sounding, I know. And yet, I at some point or another have entertained every notion. Every single one.

True joy, as Emily described is not happiness at all. Happiness can be certainly be found momentarily in any of those things- but happiness is a feeling like hunger, a feeling that needs to be constantly fed.

I don’t know about you, but that’s not what I’m looking for.  Unfortunately the words joy and happiness are used interchangeably. I even found the word blessed can be exchanged for happy. I don’t really think they’re meant to be. In fact, I think it’s coercive.

In the heat of the trials of 2024, the truth that found me and sustained me was:

“In Your presence is fullness of joy.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In His presence I have fullness of joy, not in the lack of difficulty but in the midst of.

The full verse says:

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In my darkest moments the path of life is well lit; reassuring my soul with persistent joy that will not move or waiver, because It needs no quick fix or new thing to feed it. Rather it’s where I find my strength, in His presence.

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬b NKJV‬‬

My strength to endure every difficulty is His joy.

To be frank, I absolutely have no ability to do any of this on my own. It’s one of the most profound miracles one could ever experience. And if I could take a liberty- it’s likely the reason why often those coming out of difficult times would never exchange it for a less trying. In fact, it gives this next verse (one of the most profoundly powerful and poignant I’ve ever read) some clarity.

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The joy of being with our Father too can help us to endure. Whenever these verses find you this Christmas, I hope you can see the well lit path of life guiding you into the presence of God. Let the worry, hurry, pain, or discomfort fall at the wayside- and come to Him, He is waiting to fill you with the fullness of His joy.

is no veggie tray some might suppose. This my friends is a crudités. No one visually could identify that it was tree. Whelp. I tried. And regardless if it was acknowledged as a tree or not it was recognized as beautiful 😜. I served with a homemade ranch dip. Here’s a great recipe: https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/easy-homemade-ranch-dressing/