One Grand Adventure

The Joy of the Lord.

September 7th, Travel Journal:

Throughout my life, me of the most common phrases people have told me,including my mother, is “Choose Joy.”

For the longest time…I thought I did. I thought I knew what joy was and I would fight for it every day and try to make good things happen and a lot of the time I would get frustrated when it wouldn’t turn out the way I planned it to…but today…today I found my joy and my peace in Jesus once again.

Working here on the Zwartkloof private game reserve has been more than interesting to say the least. From pulling branches that contain camel thorns, have to clean tents, linens from the lodge (…I will never look at staying in a hotel the same again 🤭🤢😷), today we had to paint fences with this tar like paint to prepare for the rainy season. It got everywhere, makes you lightheaded, and burns like nothing else even while wearing gloves because it burns through the gloves. My team was designated to work in the lodge again but when I found out it was paint day, I was so excited.

Don’t get me wrong…my clothes, including my favorite shirt, are totally ruined and I still smell after 2 showers, lotion, body spray, and whatever else I could find, but it was the BEST day. Oh my heart was so happy and I can’t wait to go back at it again. I loved every single moment I couldn’t contain it and my attitude towards my team and everyone around me was the same.

Today…the Joy of the Lord was bursting from inside of me and that was only the tip of the iceberg.

After our work day, Jarco and Andre showed up to take us on a Safari tour of the farm and we got to see the lodge and all the animals that we haven’t quite gotten to see yet while we’ve stayed here. Hein surprised us with a visit, s’mores for desert on the Bri grill, and then we all sat around for stories, laughter, dancing, and singing.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been some rough days on this trip, but then again…each moment of bad is what brought me to this place of joy and has given me a greater appreciation of these Divine moments.

The joy of the lord is my strength…and the joy of the lord is all I need or will ever want. When you not only learn to choose joy, but you begin to live it out, Who God is will supersede all the trials and circumstances that lay before us.

Whether it is getting down and dirty with a tar like paint that ruins everything and burns like nothing else…God’s joy can make even the darkest day shine.

It’s the purest form of happiness that will never fade away, no one can take it from you, and nothing can destroy it. His joy becomes our rejoicing. His joy is our praise, so in every moment I will not seek but I will choose God’s joy and I will find the sunshine in every moment for the joy of the lord is my strength.

When He is all I have, He is all that I need.

Until the next adventure,

Megan☀️💛🌻