joy in giving

I wake up this morning with a mellowness (I am sure that is a word, right?) that is unusual for my morning spirit. I am not sure of the root of the emotion, but it is running deep. I actually think it started yesterday morning.

We currently have a team serving alongside of us and yesterday we took them to our village church. The photo below is a great picture of the different instruments that are used during our morning worship. But what this "snap" doesn't reflect is the joy that is expressed while they are being used. I definitely can say one of my most favorite times of the week is the morning "offering" at church. I know I have expressed before to you how I love that people dance forward as they bring what they have to offer to the Lord and to each other.

But I think when a group is here, I can start all over again with the "newness" of things here in Jos. I also think that maybe my "pit" or mellowness is stemmed with yesterday during the tithes and offerings. Currently, I wonder if I have lost some joy. Until you see it in someone else or you begin to feel it return, you might not even know it is gone. What a bummer to see something that the Lord freely gives can be so quickly pushed aside.

I also think that the key is found in the expression of giving. Maybe I am holding back and don't know it? Maybe I have lost the intimacy of giving, the intimacy of a natural, deep connection with God that the natural overflow of my heart is giving.

Either way, I realize it is connected with my Lord and my loss of connection due to my side of things. I also realize He is still there waiting to joyfully give to me Joy. Hah, I should follow his example. Hmm, there must be something in the joy of giving. I think I might try today to offer myself to the Lord and see what He does with it.

I do wish you could hear this music and fellowship live and in person. You can't help but jump up and give in anyway you can.

This is a picture of us in church before others got there. It was raining, so the attendance was sparse as most everyone walks a while to get to church. That is also majority of the team that is here this week. As the service went on, the small, humble building became full and the energy in the room multiplied. I would imagine that is why their is strength in numbers.... the desire to keep on, keeping on is strong when others are locking arms with you.

Yesterday was a great day.