“Choose happy” makes some people mad. It actually made me mad this weekend. I wished I hadn’t written that book much of yesterday and today facing something that made me cry til I had no more tears. You know those cries where your eyes hurt for days? Let’s just say I wasn’t feeling like the “happy lady” so much or acting like it either. But sitting in my husband’s service I heard him say, “Circumstances change but God is the same yesterday, today, & forever.” I have heard this all my life. I thought I really knew this. I thought I was a faith person. I thought I was spiritually mature. But if this weekend was a test. I miserably failed. Big fat F! This reminds me of college…those classes like Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology. When you realllly think you know it. You study. You use the formulas and even understand it so well in the lab and see it work. Then comes the test and you BOMB. That ever happen to you? I’ve studied faith, even lived it to the degree of my very life depending on it in India (lab class of life to say the least). The test of life that presented itself this weekend caught me off guard and I BOMBED. I did not choose happy. I chose sadness, anger, fear, hurt, anxiety, and all of those reactions were understandable – even totally validated according to most. But you know what? Not so. Not valid. Not ok. Not how to win in life. Pain is part of life. Hurt haunts us all. But I’m so thankful for the message from Laugh Love & Live Conference 2016 that was hid in my heart and I kept hearing this over and over —- “There is nothing worth having a broken heart. Heart broken? Life broken! Don’t let it hurt you.”

Once again, having the right people in my life paid off. 

The following text came from a friend who knew I needed a kick in the derrière  (love those friends! When I was weak He was strong & we are His body.) …

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

PSALM16:8AMP

Love that! “I will not be shaken.” When I got this text, all I could think is I have been shaken and this is not ok. This means I was setting the problem at hand before me continually moreso than the Lord. It was when I admitted this to myself that I began to stop obsessing over the situation. 

Then I walked in the door of our home to find this sweet gift from my son’s girlfriend that was perfect to remind me  to choose happy. 

I love the people God has placed in my life on my side who speak life in to my situations and help me see more clearly, love more deeply, and be more Christ like. Now to bring my grade back up. Study to show myself approved as scripture says. Forgive. Think on things that are lovely pure and of good report. And before I knew it I’m choosing happy again. Happy people trust in the Lord in the face of ______ you fill in the blank for whatever you are up against. We all have different hard things we are facing and the common thread is it can be really hard to choose happy at times. But by His grace we can and we must. Joy is our strength and it has turned the tide for me once again. Faith works by love. Love is the secret to happiness. Faith, love, and joy! Ahhh!!!! So much better running through my veins than what was running through my veins before.  

Won’t you join me?! Choose Happy.  

Happy Monday!