Experience Joy!

Emmalee Caroline,
Today I want to experience something that I could never explain to you with words - JOY!  Its what my heart swells with every time I look at you and every time I see that precious smile.  Its what I see when I look into your beautiful blue eyes. It is what brings tears to my eyes just thinking about you and how much love, and life, and laughter your have brought into our lives.
 

Joy is gladness, its hope, its delight, its fruit of the Spirit.  Its that overwhelming emotion that fills your soul when you hear your baby giggle, or smile for the first time, or taking a walk in the park.  Its when you have your first kiss, or fall in love for the first time, or when you say "I do" to your very best friend.

Joy is experiencing the birth of your child, its helping others, if giving selflessly, its giving a gift, its doing the right thing, its being with family.  Its eating chocolate, its a walk on the beach, its traveling to wonderful places, its coming back home.  Its reaching your goals, its being quiet, its laughing until you cry.  Joy is discovering that unconditional love just grows stronger with time, its knowing that nothing you do can ever separate you from the love of Christ, its watching your children fall in love with their Creator. 

There are two things that I wish for you:  1) that one day you might fully know how much joy you have brought into my life, and 2) that you would experience the same!  I pray that you will have an abundance of joy and experience great and wonderful things.  Know that even in the midst of loneliness and sadness, there can be joy if we allow the Lord to fill us with it.  Oh Emmalee, let the Lord fill your heart with joy.  Joy brings strength, and power, and gladness.

Claim this verse:  Romans 15:13 over you - that "that the God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust Him..."

Oh sweet baby, experience {His} JOY!