Choosing Joy When It's Hard

The week was set to be one of the busiest ever for me! Showing my horse at the rodeo. Busy work schedule. Brand new puppy demanding non-stop attention. What could go wrong?

Plenty. Little did I know I would come down with something that led to something that led to a place I rarely find myself….. flat on the couch. Suffice it to say, one diagnosis changed my week. What was I to do?

Just over a week ago, we welcomed our sweet new English Springer Spaniel puppy, named Chara. Her name is a Greek noun, which describes a feeling of inner gladness, delight, rejoicing and joy. Right in front of me each day, I’m reminded of the “joy factor”! But, how do I find joy when a trial changes my week?

Even in the midst of this fierce sickness, I could find joy. Why? Because joy is a choice. It’s a choice every morning when I wake up. It’s a choice every time I walk into work. It’s a choice when my whole entire week blows up. I had a choice to make. Would I choose joy or feeling sorry for myself?

Well, I could easily have taken the “feeling sorry for myself” route. There were moments I did! I chose to do a bit of study on the word “Chara” in Greek. Dr. Donald Campbell, former president of Dallas Theological Seminary, describes the Greek word Chara as “a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ. (John 15:11) It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things.” Let that sink in. 

Joy is found in Christ. In our house, I have a four-legged puppy that reminds me of this kind of joy every day. Will I trust that God is sovereign and will use even this sickness in my life for good? I’m ready to trust Him and see all He has to teach me in this “time out” from life.

Choosing joy is a choice. Today, tomorrow and the next day. I not only want joy, I want more of it each day. How about you?

“Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.” Sam Storms

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Puppy Pause

There are new little paws in our home that have already brought joy into our hearts! Chara, our new English Springer Spaniel, made her debut into our home last Tuesday. She was a sight for sore eyes! Ben and I are loving the puppy snuggles, while at the same time sleep deprived and scattered. All for the sake of cuteness.

Remember the phrase “follows you around like a puppy dog?” We are living it in real time. When I step outside with Chara, she is always at my feet. If I go one way, she is right there, usually right under my feet. Tripping is a common occurence with Chara. Wherever I go, she goes. She want to be near me no matter what.

Our sweet Chara has caused me to pause as I consider my own relationship with God. I went back to read the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. The story is found in Luke 10:38-42. Jesus had come to a village where Martha had opened her home to Him. Martha had a sister, Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said during the visit. Martha was so ticked by Mary’s unavailability to help that she cried out to Jesus  “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” Jesus replied “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Just as Chara longs to be near Ben and I, I long to be near my God. I need Him so much! It’s so easy for me to get lost in all the distractions and deadlines of each day. When that’s my focus, I cave to the pressures of each day. But when I start my day sitting at His feet, reading the Bible, praying, and even worshipping God, things change! I get perspective. Counsel. Strength. Wisdom. Hope. Encouragement. Peace.  

Chara reminds me of my need to pause and sit at Jesus’ feet. I know my need. I can’t do life without Him. 

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Psalm 73: 23-25, 28

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio

Every Little Detail

So, I want to share a little story about the goodness of God and how He cares for every detail of our lives.

You might remember that my husband and I had to put down our precious Zoe, an English Springer, the day after Christmas. We both have sorely missed her and still find it hard to come home and not see her there waiting for us.

Needing some time to grieve, we planned on getting a new dog in February. We had plenty of time to deliberate about a name for our new female pup. With the sorrow of her loss, we thought about how much joy a new pup would bring us. Given Ben’s desire to find another Greek word for a name, we looked up the Greek word for “joy.”  The word was Chara. Our new pup, Chara, will be coming to home this week!

We are getting Chara from a woman named Tracy, who doesn’t live in San Antonio. She had two female pups for us to pick from and sent us pictures a few weeks ago. To our surprise, one of the pups she named “Joy!” Tracy had no idea our desire for a name to represent joy. That wasn’t a coincidence! That was God! You know which dog we picked!

To me, it was as if God said “This is your dog!” I know God cares about the details of our lives, but sometimes I wonder, does He care about the little things, like which dog is best for us? This story is once again a reminder that God cares about EVERYTHING in our lives!

He cares about….

• Your challenge at work that seems insurmountable
• Your concern for a diagnosis
• Your decisions and plans
• Your relationships
• Your fears about ________ (name it)
• Your schedule for this day
• Your test that you have to pass
• Your elderly parents' challenges
• Your future and your plans
• Your finances

I still marvel that God cared so much about our dog that He would literally help us pick it out! God is THAT personal! He cares about the little things and the big things going on in your life. It’s so very cool to go to Him for anything. I honestly would feel lost without Him!  God cares about everything in your life. How could knowing this change how you live your life?

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” Psalm 139: 1-6

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Feeling the Lost

Maya Angelo once wrote “When great trees fall…lions hunker down in tall grasses.”  When a great tree falls, it’s felt for miles around. When a great human being falls, its effects are felt deep and wide. Perhaps, this is why the loss of Kobe and Gigi Bryant and 7 other precious souls hit us so hard. The shock of the January 26 helicopter crash reverberated around the world.

For many of us, we watched Kobe from a distance, on TV or at a NBA game. His amazing basketball IQ, his wisdom, determination, passion, energy and love for people made him seem invincible. His inspiration and keen interest in mentoring the next generation in the game of basketball was exemplary. He was a “girl dad” and you could visibly see his love for his daughters. His zeal for life inspired us.

So, here we are today feeling this loss. For me, Kobe’s death reminds me that no one is exempt for death, albeit even sudden death. No matter how much money and fame we have in life, we still die. Life is fragile and brief and we’re not guaranteed tomorrow. In reality, we humans would prefer to be in control and call the shots. It doesn’t work that way.

There is something we can always count on, though. We can hope. Hope is found in God. We have a God who is good and worthy of our trust, even with our questions. When you think that God can’t possibly understand what you are going through, remember, there is no sorrow or pain that God does not know or care about. He is there and longs for you to walk with Him through the difficulties of life. Loss is so very painful and when one goes through tragic loss, life on this side of eternity will never be the same.

Hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised will happen. He is and will always be a faithful God. I’ve been around long enough to know that I can’t trust in myself. I really have no clue what tomorrow holds, or today for that fact! Proverbs 27:1 says “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”  Instead, we live our life in synch with a God that knows all and has His best in mind as we rely on Him.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.