Category: Joy Dare

Hey everyone, welcome to week 3 of the Joy Dare. thanks for joining me on this journey. As I have been striving to be intentional with my gratitude over the last few years it has really changed my responses to some of the daily struggles in life! U have thoroughly enjoyed this challenging process.. You can join in be checking out Ann Voskamp’s website here.

Let’s jump into this weeks dare!

January 15th-21st

January 15th A gift worn, given away, Shared

• worn- Comfy PJ’s gifted to me by my hubby.
• given away-Reverse advent calendar over December with our kiddos
• Shared- art supplies with the kiddos watching them explore their talents

January 16th- 3 witnessed blessings

• smiles on teenagers faces in a few minutes of crazy fun!
• sweet conversations with our two oldest kiddos after a youth even complete with their observations and hearing their hearts – I am. proud to be their mom!
• watching our kids make connections with God’s word- Specifically T’s observation about the churches talked about in Revelation.

January 17th- A gift bringing laughter, prayer and quiet

• Laughter- a funny picture from a facebook memory
• Prayer- Friends needs- knowing that each one of us trusts each other
• quiet- the moments after coming home from church

January 18th- 3 Gifts from God’s Word

• Psalm 121:1- My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (NIV)
• 2 Peter 1:3 ³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (NIV)
• Romans. 8: 35-39 –

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[a]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

These are all verses and passages that I have been working through that I have called “WHAT I KNOW. …” We will be talking about these over the next month or so.

January 19th- 3 Gifts that might never have been

(I actually you will give you 5!!). I count each one of these amazing people as huge gifts in my life!

• T- oldest son
• K- Only daughter
• J- middle son
• S- youngest son
• HUBBY!!

January 20th- 3 gifts only seen close up

• Cells under a microscope- 5th grade science is amazing
• Jewelry- looking at it closely helps you to see its beauty and intricacy and the ability of the the jewelry makers
• quilts- especially the intricate top stitches – we have a beautiful quilt hubby’s grandma (Mimi) made for us when we got married. Mimi has since gone to heaven but the quilt is the daily reminder of her love for us. The topstitches she these amazing hearts that are all connected!

January 21st- A gift in the sky, water, memory

• Sky- the sunshine- it’s been scare as of late
• water- some of my favorite animals reside in the water- FROGS!! As a kid I was all about. dolphins, manatees, seal, sea lions, walruses and whales. or and SEA TURTLES!
• memory- it’s funny because there have been a few times of late there have been memories from my childhood slipped into my mind and made me smile. and then they slipped away. Just the idea of having a memory of a good thing in the past is a treasure because some don’t have that!

We will see you back here NEXT Thursday!