For the Joy Set Before You

Five and a half years ago, I said “yes” to the ministerial path—not because I had it all figured out, but because something inside me whispered, there’s more for you. I had no clue what that “more” would ask of me, or what it would bring up along the way. Turns out? Everything. Every bit of me. And still—for the joy set before me, I said yes.

This isn’t a story about easy roads. If you’ve ever packed up your life, your boots, and a tangle of spiritual questions and pointed your motorcycle toward something uncertain, you get it. That first year into ministry was the hardest self-work I’ve ever done. Old shame. Doubt. Judgment—of myself, of others. It all came up for healing.

But here’s the good news: We get to lay it down. Every weight. Every old story that tells us we’re not enough or that we’ve missed the mark. As Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us, we’re surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. We’re always being seen—and we’re always seeing. So, how are we showing up? With patience? With presence? With joy?

I’ve come to see Jesus not as the exception, but as the example. The one who took the harder road—not because it was dramatic or noble—but because it led him to a deeper truth. He endured not for suffering’s sake, but for the joy that was waiting on the other side.

Joy isn’t passive. It’s not fluffy. It’s a practice. It’s found in the silence. In a long breath. In the choice to yodel instead of judge (yep, I went there 😉). And joy doesn’t mean life is perfect. My life has teenagers. And goats. And a guinea pig. It’s real. But it’s also beautiful.

So I’ll ask you the same question I asked myself before packing up for this pilgrimage to Unity Village: Where is the joy in your life? And where could there be more?

If something feels off, maybe it’s not about changing the people around you—it’s about pausing, dropping into your heart, and asking: What’s mine to do here? And then, just maybe, giving yourself permission to say a wholehearted “yes.”

Because sometimes, all it takes is just one yes. 💛

This reflection is inspired by the message shared in “For the Joy Set Before You,” delivered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on June 18, 2023

#RevvedUpRev #ForTheJoySetBeforeYou #UnityJourney #HeartOverHead #ChooseJoy #PauseAndBreathe #DivineDetour