![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1451\/2023\/10\/bella-and-bob-sleeping-225x300.jpg\")
williams\/Williams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>
IS IT JOY?<\/span><\/h2>\n\nI\u2019m not sure where the \u2018depth of soul\u2019 comes from.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nYou know the kind, the motivational alert where you reach, seemingly way down into your gut, which results in you doing things you didn\u2019t think you were able to do-or even wanted to do. Maybe that is where the term \u2018gut check\u2019 comes from.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nI don\u2019t know.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I can listen\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nMusic sometimes does that for me. Instrumental music like that penned by David Tolk, or Parijat, or Helen Jane Long. I can listen to them and travel in my mind and never leave the chair.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nMy soul is reshaped, and revitalized, and I can move on with purpose moments before I did not possess. Only this time, with a soul which has seemed to breath fresh and clean air\u2014causing a new heart to seem to grow. A pre-dawn sunrise will do that as well or the snoring of a peaceful dog. A giggling baby, causing the sins and troubles we all have to wash away in the sound which is so joyful, you being to giggle too.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt is joy<\/em>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I think I can\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nI don\u2019t mean \u2018happiness.\u2019 That is different-at least to me. Maybe not. I think I can be joyful and not really be happy. I mean the feeling of knowing the end of the story, and it\u2019s a good ending, and its \u2018my\u2019 ending. Like I can read the last chapter and say \u2018oh, well then, I\u2019m good.\u2019 I seem to have been both, and it\u2019s hard to explain. Joy, to me, lasts longer. It seems to show up when you least expect and it is deep. The best part I have discovered as I have gotten older is it shows up and sometimes-you actually get to see the hand of God moving it. Maybe that is the best part. I think it comes with age and years of asking for things, maybe even joy, and not seeing it when it actually shows up. Now, here in this season, I can. I know it and I see it and its perfect.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Why?<\/span><\/h3>\nWhat changed? Why can I see it now and not when I asked for it? Because, I think, I was looking at it through my eyes and my wants. Sometimes, God and I are in sync, most of the time we\u2019re not. During my life, I wanted what I wanted. Not what Dad wanted. And whose idea of need might be better between Dad and me? Yeah, I get it. So, it has taken years-decades. Now, I ask and He knows my soul.\u00a0<\/em>He\u2019s in<\/em> my soul.<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHe\u2019s in your soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nSomehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nNot to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
I\u2019m not sure where the \u2018depth of soul\u2019 comes from.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
You know the kind, the motivational alert where you reach, seemingly way down into your gut, which results in you doing things you didn\u2019t think you were able to do-or even wanted to do. Maybe that is where the term \u2018gut check\u2019 comes from.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I don\u2019t know.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I can listen\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I can listen\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nMusic sometimes does that for me. Instrumental music like that penned by David Tolk, or Parijat, or Helen Jane Long. I can listen to them and travel in my mind and never leave the chair.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nMy soul is reshaped, and revitalized, and I can move on with purpose moments before I did not possess. Only this time, with a soul which has seemed to breath fresh and clean air\u2014causing a new heart to seem to grow. A pre-dawn sunrise will do that as well or the snoring of a peaceful dog. A giggling baby, causing the sins and troubles we all have to wash away in the sound which is so joyful, you being to giggle too.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt is joy<\/em>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I think I can\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nI don\u2019t mean \u2018happiness.\u2019 That is different-at least to me. Maybe not. I think I can be joyful and not really be happy. I mean the feeling of knowing the end of the story, and it\u2019s a good ending, and its \u2018my\u2019 ending. Like I can read the last chapter and say \u2018oh, well then, I\u2019m good.\u2019 I seem to have been both, and it\u2019s hard to explain. Joy, to me, lasts longer. It seems to show up when you least expect and it is deep. The best part I have discovered as I have gotten older is it shows up and sometimes-you actually get to see the hand of God moving it. Maybe that is the best part. I think it comes with age and years of asking for things, maybe even joy, and not seeing it when it actually shows up. Now, here in this season, I can. I know it and I see it and its perfect.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Why?<\/span><\/h3>\nWhat changed? Why can I see it now and not when I asked for it? Because, I think, I was looking at it through my eyes and my wants. Sometimes, God and I are in sync, most of the time we\u2019re not. During my life, I wanted what I wanted. Not what Dad wanted. And whose idea of need might be better between Dad and me? Yeah, I get it. So, it has taken years-decades. Now, I ask and He knows my soul.\u00a0<\/em>He\u2019s in<\/em> my soul.<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHe\u2019s in your soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nSomehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nNot to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Music sometimes does that for me. Instrumental music like that penned by David Tolk, or Parijat, or Helen Jane Long. I can listen to them and travel in my mind and never leave the chair.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
My soul is reshaped, and revitalized, and I can move on with purpose moments before I did not possess. Only this time, with a soul which has seemed to breath fresh and clean air\u2014causing a new heart to seem to grow. A pre-dawn sunrise will do that as well or the snoring of a peaceful dog. A giggling baby, causing the sins and troubles we all have to wash away in the sound which is so joyful, you being to giggle too.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
It is joy<\/em>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I think I can\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I think I can\u2026.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nI don\u2019t mean \u2018happiness.\u2019 That is different-at least to me. Maybe not. I think I can be joyful and not really be happy. I mean the feeling of knowing the end of the story, and it\u2019s a good ending, and its \u2018my\u2019 ending. Like I can read the last chapter and say \u2018oh, well then, I\u2019m good.\u2019 I seem to have been both, and it\u2019s hard to explain. Joy, to me, lasts longer. It seems to show up when you least expect and it is deep. The best part I have discovered as I have gotten older is it shows up and sometimes-you actually get to see the hand of God moving it. Maybe that is the best part. I think it comes with age and years of asking for things, maybe even joy, and not seeing it when it actually shows up. Now, here in this season, I can. I know it and I see it and its perfect.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Why?<\/span><\/h3>\nWhat changed? Why can I see it now and not when I asked for it? Because, I think, I was looking at it through my eyes and my wants. Sometimes, God and I are in sync, most of the time we\u2019re not. During my life, I wanted what I wanted. Not what Dad wanted. And whose idea of need might be better between Dad and me? Yeah, I get it. So, it has taken years-decades. Now, I ask and He knows my soul.\u00a0<\/em>He\u2019s in<\/em> my soul.<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHe\u2019s in your soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nSomehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nNot to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
I don\u2019t mean \u2018happiness.\u2019 That is different-at least to me. Maybe not. I think I can be joyful and not really be happy. I mean the feeling of knowing the end of the story, and it\u2019s a good ending, and its \u2018my\u2019 ending. Like I can read the last chapter and say \u2018oh, well then, I\u2019m good.\u2019 I seem to have been both, and it\u2019s hard to explain. Joy, to me, lasts longer. It seems to show up when you least expect and it is deep. The best part I have discovered as I have gotten older is it shows up and sometimes-you actually get to see the hand of God moving it. Maybe that is the best part. I think it comes with age and years of asking for things, maybe even joy, and not seeing it when it actually shows up. Now, here in this season, I can. I know it and I see it and its perfect.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Why?<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Why?<\/span><\/h3>\nWhat changed? Why can I see it now and not when I asked for it? Because, I think, I was looking at it through my eyes and my wants. Sometimes, God and I are in sync, most of the time we\u2019re not. During my life, I wanted what I wanted. Not what Dad wanted. And whose idea of need might be better between Dad and me? Yeah, I get it. So, it has taken years-decades. Now, I ask and He knows my soul.\u00a0<\/em>He\u2019s in<\/em> my soul.<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHe\u2019s in your soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nSomehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nNot to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
He\u2019s in your soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0God is there.<\/span><\/h3>\n\nSomehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIt seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nNot to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Somehow, God is there. In the room, in the truck, in my life at that moment\u2014saying nothing. It\u2019s almost as if He made those things for Him and wanted me to enjoy them as well, sharing them with me, just for this moment.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
It seems the last few days have been that\u2014joyful. Don\u2019t worry, things will return to shitstorms, but experiencing that, like the calvary coming over the hill at just the right time and realizing it was nothing more than asking for that contentment, and the item asked for actually appears, well, that leaves a smile on my face.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Not to the point of giggling, but its close enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n