Joy in the Clouds

It's been a little cloudy up here in Minnesota. Clouds and rain make me tired up here. That wasn't so much the case down home. So, I have to push myself an extra lot, especially with school.

However, the clouds up in the sky that hold water aren't the only clouds that keep me from focusing.

Recently, my brother-in-law Justus was praying for a meal. Within that prayer, he prayed that we would hope in God not our dreams. That has been sticking in my head ever since. I so often find myself thinking about my dreams. There usually good things too: going to Romania, living in Haiti long term, being a clothing designer, making sandals, getting married, having kids, starting a Bible study in a small town, etc. However, sometimes I put my hope in those dreams.

If I could go back to Haiti, I think I would be happy.
If I finally made it to Romania, I think I would be overjoyed.
If I could make cool clothes and sell them, I imagine how accomplished I would feel.
And so on.

I find myself putting my hope in my dreams.

Then my dreams don't happen, at least they haven't happened yet. Then I become glum because things aren't going as "planned."

As I planned them or hoped for them to go.

And then God reminds me of all that He has blessed me with now. I have a family, a mom and a dad, lots of friends here, a church, clothes (some of which I have made and designed), a bed to sleep in while some people in Haiti don't, flowers on the window sill, a job ready for me in the summer, and the blessings go on and on.

I ain't got no reason to complain. But, boy, do I have reasons to be joyful.

No matter what else I have, I have Jesus, "who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).