Don't EVEN try to steal my Joy again!

As I continue this journey, I am feeling the joy of my salvation once again. The presence of God is stronger in my life now because I have learned how to forgive those who have hurt and wronged me. If you are struggling with a distant feeling from God (as I have over the past several months), I'll be honest and say it has not been the easiest path to get back to this point. However, once I began to take control of myself , and not letting others dictate how I feel or act, then I began to feel like Jimmy again, and with that, I could begin to feel God's leading again.

This summer has been a great retreat for me; spending time at another place of worship, playing the piano again, hearing the Word spoken in a different way, meeting and spending time with good brothers and sisters in Christ. My spirit became renewed and now that my interim music work is over, I can return to my church with a fresh mind and heart. It has also given me the ability to hear God speaking about what He wants me to do. To use my gift of music again for the past eight weeks has been wonderful and I know I will need to begin using it again, somewhere. Just as preachers need to use their gift of preaching, musicians need to use their gift of music.

For the first time in a long time, I look forward to waiting on God to speak and not getting signals crossed by human emotions. There has been way to much talk centered around me these past few weeks and the resultant guilt which lent itself to 'stealing my joy.' I am now at a point where I have been at my lowest and it was a dark and lonely place where I will not let myself go again. The struggle to get back to Jesus was harder than anything I've done before and I will not allow anyone....anyone to steal my joy again.

To my fellow travelers, I tell you to keep strong in the Lord, keep your eyes on Him, let Him keep you in His arms and hold you tight. It's the most secure place imaginable.

And for today, my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy.