You Can Thrive

“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.” –Isaiah 61:3c 

I stared at the missionary sitting across the table from me. 

 

“What would it take for you to thrive?” she asked me.

 

Several thoughts rolled quickly through my mind. 

 

Thrive? Are you kidding me?

 

I just want to survive. 

 

I’m just grateful I can finally manage the laundromat and neighborhood grocery store on my own. 

 

I just want to avoid any language disasters, getting lost in this city without cell service, or accidentally offending my host family. 

 

Thrive? Are you kidding me?

 

Of course, I didn’t say any of that to the missionary. I was a short-term volunteer, only there for a few months. Thriving was not on my radar at all. I just hoped to manage all the adjustments the best I could and do whatever good I could during my short time there.

 

Our conversation quickly took a different path that day, and I didn’t give the word “thrive” a second thought…for the next four years.

 

Then, one day, I picked up a book, and I was surprised when the author presented a different picture of thriving than I had ever seen. 

 

What do you picture when you hear the word “thrive”? 

 

I had thought of thriving as being at the height of success (whatever success is for you), like a garden in full bloom. To me, thriving meant being your best, doing your best, and living a life where everything was great! 

 

And that always seemed out of reach for me. 

 

What if I told you that the basic definition of thrive is “to grow well”?

 

Consider that – to grow well.

 

Not be the best. Not do the greatest thing you could possibly do. Not have the dream life. But simply grow well – regardless of circumstances, challenges, trials, suffering, loss, weakness, etc. The beautiful reality is that none of those things can stop spiritual growth. In fact, they can actually enhance our spiritual growth.

 

It’s in trials, hardships, and weakness that we are more likely to run to Jesus for His comfort, wisdom, and strength. The more we run to Jesus, the more He transforms us to be like Him. He grows us in grace, in truth, and in godliness.

 

That is thriving. 

 

In nature, and in our lives, thriving doesn’t only happen when conditions are perfect or when there’s no opposition. Thriving is something God implanted in His creation, with very few elements required. A little water, a little sun, a little time…and growing things grow. 

 

God created you and me to grow as well. We have the water of His Word and His Spirit. We have the Son of life living in us. We have the eternal God as our refuge and strength. We have everything we need to thrive! 

 

For me, it was my mindset that needed changing. I needed to believe that I can grow well by growing even a little every day. A little time in the Word. A little gratitude expressed. A little smile for others. A little whispered prayer. A little faith, like a mustard seed.

Sure, I’d love to spend a lot of time in the Word and have a lot of smiles every day. But when life is crazy, when the pain won’t relent, or when we get blindsided yet again…it’s the little things that help us keep taking the next step forward – that help us keep growing.

 

So, I’ll you ask the same question that took me by surprise years ago. 

 

What will it take for you thrive?

Today, right where you are, what will help you to grow well? 

What little thing can you do, believe, receive? 

Whatever you’re facing today, even if your only goal is survival – hold on to the hope that God created you to grow. And by His grace, He will keep growing you, little by little, day by day, for His glory. 

 

You can thrive.

 

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” –Philippians 2:13

 

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.” –2 Peter 3:18

June Book Recommendations

To my great delight, I recently found a whole stack of books on sale for $1 or less! I still read more ebooks than paperbacks, but it’s fun to hold an actual book in my hands sometimes. Here are some of my favorite book recommendations for summer reading. I hope you’ll enjoy them as well! 

 

Fiction – 

Picture Perfect (Weddings by Design Book #1) by Janice Thompson (KU)

This is a fun, lighthearted romance about two wedding photographers. Hannah feels like she’s in competition with fellow photographer Drew. Of course, sparks fly, and Hannah eventually realizes partnership is better than competition. Hannah’s character is also Irish, and the story is filled with humor and her family’s crazy antics and traditions. This is one of my favorite novels by Janice Thompson. If you’re looking for an easy-going, humorous, clean, Christian fiction book, you’ll enjoy this one! 

 

Non-Fiction – 

The “Do What You Can” Plan – 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better by Holley Gerth 

I so appreciate the approach of this book! It’s not easy to set and reach goals when life is crazy or during particularly busy seasons. This book helps us think smaller and take little steps forward one day at a time. This results in progress and helps us feel encouraged about what we can do, instead of focusing on what we can’t do. This is a great book to reread often and follow the little steps for whatever area we’d like to experience progress in. 

 

Children’s – 

Hippocephalus: A tale of hippo hope for kids facing medical challenges by Beka Burns 

This book is a great resource for families who have children with medical needs. It’s sweet and fun to read, while explaining in kid-friendly language about medical procedures and doctor’s appointments. It’s a somewhat long book, so it’s better to be read in installments than all at once. If you know a family whose child has medical needs, I hope you’ll pass along this book to them!  

 

(KU – available in Kindle Unlimited)

 

Living with All My Heart

I’m excited to announce that my friend Kati and I recently published a new children’s book!

https://gracepossible.com/product/all-my-heart-ebook/

The idea for this book came after I’d been reading in the Psalms, and I noticed the same phrase used often.

 

“I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart….” (Psalm 9:1)

“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart….” (Psalm 86:12)

“I seek you with all my heart….” (Psalm 119:10)

“Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.” (Psalm 119:34)

I started thinking about this idea of living with “all my heart.” Of course, I want to live that way! Of course, I can’t do it. 

When questioned, Jesus answered that the greatest commandment in the law is to love God with all your heart (and all your soul, mind, and strength). (Mark 12:30) However, Jesus didn’t say, “So, go do it.” Jesus knew that as sinful human beings, it’s impossible for us to keep this commandment. If we could love God with all our heart, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to come as our Savior. Praise God, Jesus did come and He fulfilled the law. He loved God and He loved others perfectly.

 

Now, since we do have Him as our Savior, and we do have the Holy Spirit living in us, we can grow in this way of living wholeheartedly day by day, (though still imperfectly). I think the key to this kind of life is explained in 1 John 4:19: “We love because he first loved us.”

 

God’s love for me is perfect. It is unlimited. It is powerful. It is eternal.

 

The more I understand and experience God’s love for me, the more my heart responds with love for Him, and the more I live out of love instead of selfishness or self-reliance. Understanding God’s love for me more and more leads me to loving God more and more. It leads to living more with “all my heart.” That’s how I want to live. 

 

We hope that our new book encourages children and helps them understand this simple truth – that they can live each day with all their heart, as the last line of the book says,

“Because my heavenly Father loves me always with all His heart.”

May Book Recommendations

Here are this month’s book recommendations. I hope you’ll be blessed by these! Please share about some of your favorite books in the comments.

 

Fiction – 

Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La by Robin Jones Gunn (KU)

Five years ago, I got to visit Paris. It was the fulfillment of a dream that was planted in my heart after reading this book many years before. Paris makes a wonderful setting for a light-hearted adventure for two childhood friends who reconnect later in life. As they experience unexpected joys and sidetracks, they learn more about themselves, each other, and God’s goodness. I recommend all the Sisterchicks books, and this one is a favorite!

 

Non-Fiction – 

Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus (KU)

This book is packed with biblical wisdom and thought-provoking questions. There were so many powerful truths, that I ended up underlining several lines on almost every page! The chapters follow the story of Jonathan when he invited his armor-bearer to go with him against the Philistines. Even though it’s a relatively short story in Scripture, the author unpacks a lot of godly principles and wisdom from it. While this book isn’t “light” reading, there are personal stories and illustrations throughout that make the truths relatable for the reader. McManus’ writing always makes me think more deeply and see things from a different perspective. I felt encouraged, challenged, and inspired as I read this book. It’s the kind of book that’s worth rereading each year, it’s that good. I hope you’ll give it a try! 

 

Devotional – 

40 Days of Jesus Always – Joy in His Presence by Sarah Young (KU)

This devotional has 40 short readings. Each one is written as if Jesus was speaking to you directly. There are verses listed at the end of each devotional as the foundation for the daily reading. I found the topic of joy in His presence encouraging and uplifting. It’s good to be reminded in a conversational way of truths we know but can easily lose sight of. 

 

(KU – available in Kindle Unlimited)

 

Choose Joy Today

I bought this piece of décor several years ago after unearthing it in a clearance bin. I needed the reminder on it – Today I Choose Joy. Then I noticed how it was scratched, smudged and slightly dented. And that’s when I knew it was perfect for me. 

It’s easy to say, “Choose Joy” when life is going well and good things are happening. It’s much harder to remind ourselves or anyone else to choose joy when life is full of pain, suffering, heartache, and disappointments. What we want instead is sympathy, comfort, and deliverance. 

The wonder of our great Savior is that He offers all of that to us – plus joy. 

Joy comes from knowing Jesus. 

Joy comes from seeing Jesus in others.

Joy comes from receiving from Jesus.

Joy comes from trusting Jesus. 

Joy comes from partnering with Jesus.

Joy comes from worshipping Jesus.

Joy comes from being loved by Jesus. 

 

My belief is that anything that brings true joy in this life somehow finds its source in Jesus. 

 

When we have Jesus, we have the source of true joy. 

 

That’s why we can choose joy today, in spite of the scratches, smudges, and dents of life. We can choose to focus on Jesus, to receive from Him, to worship Him, to partner with Him, to trust Him – allowing His supernatural joy to shine in us and through us. 

 

There is so much we can’t control in our lives. But by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, we can control our choices. We can choose joy. Today. Tomorrow. Each day as it comes. 

 

I hope this reminder was helpful for you today. Maybe you can send me a reminder once a while too, so we can both continue to choose joy. 

 

Blessings,

-Joanna

 

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy….” –1 Peter 1:6-8

 

April Book Recommendations

Happy April! Here are this month’s favorite book recommendations. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these! Please share in the comments about some of your favorites as well.

 

Fiction – 

Paige Torn by Erynn Mangum

This novel about a young woman trying to find her way after college is heart-warming and hilarious. I laughed out loud in several places, (especially the scenes with the youth pastor’s antics, which are very realistic based on the youth pastors I’ve known, lol!) I liked the main character and appreciated that she lived out a daily relationship with Jesus, even when she was too busy and had a lot to learn. I’ve read this book more than once, and it gets better each time. If you like light-hearted but substantive Christian fiction, give it a try! 

 

Non-Fiction – 

A Pair of Miracles by Karla Akins

For anyone with autistic kids in their family, this is an invaluable resource! It starts out reading like a memoir, then it transitions into more of a guidebook. The author includes stories from her own experiences (raising adopted twins with autism) that show her difficult journey, her relationship with God through it all, and her empathy for others. She also includes practical tips and tools, lists of resources, and biblical wisdom about how to handle some of the unique challenges of raising autistic kids. I think readers will feel seen, understood, encouraged and equipped by this book. I highly recommend it!  

 

Devotional – 

Unshakeable by Christine Caine

This 365-day devotional contains a Scripture passage, a short reading, and a brief closing prayer for each day of the year. These quick, easy to read devotions are still encouraging and challenging. Christine encourages readers to find unwavering strength in God’s Word each day.