That Your Joy Be Made Full

The past few weeks I have been very down and discouraged with life.

Nothing too serious. Just life in general.

Fear.
Anxiety.
Overwhelmed.
Stressed.
Angry.
Depressed.

This weekend I was starting to feel a bit better.

Like maybe. This will all work out.

Then it happened.

I was making dinner and I heard the pitter patter of the rain.

Then a downpour.

There is nothing.nothing better than a summer rain.

I called to the kids and said "lets go!"

We ran into the yard and played in the rain.

We ran around to the back and picked strawberries for our dinner while it poured down our backs.

Rhianna, scared, soon ran inside.

Riley was cold and he too dashed indoors.

Reagan was alone splashing on the sidewalk.

I ran over and grabbed him.

We danced together in the rain, for just a moment.  He giggle down at me as we twirled together through the raindrops.

He wiggled down, drenched, ready to go it.

I, however, was not ready.

I stood in the yard, for quite some time, with water running down me.

I was soaked.drenched.inundated.saturated with water.

And it felt good.

As I stood there I prayed that God would wash away all the doubts and fears I had accumulated the past few weeks. I prayed that with these showers would come a washing away of the things that Satan had brought me.

I started to feel hot tears run down my cheeks. Mixing in with the cold of the raindrops.

I stood there and felt all feelings of worry and stress wash away. I was being cleansed. Made whole again.

I kept praying. And crying. Begging God to show me He is still gently leading me. Asking Him to show Himself to me.

At that instant, with the rain still pouring and the thunder still crashing, the clouds broke open in a splendor of glory.

Like the doors to Heaven itself opened.

I stood there in awe. In amazement. In adoration of my heavenly Father.

...ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

(Check out what my Father gave me. I'm so spoiled!)

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Psalm 57:10