A Joyce Slap

if you know me you know I’m not a big fan of most the big name ministry stuff—but don’t worry this isn’t a bitter rant and rave.  In fact, the opposite.  Of anyone who has a big profile ministry with multiple millions of dollars coming in, etc etc, Joyce Meyer is probably the one person I respect the most.  She just strikes me as someone who is legit…like she somehow flies under the radar with a humble, honest, real nature about her and avidly avoids the entrapment of pride amidst her success; quite unlike the thorn & wheat mixture many in her league sadly develop (ok, that’s my only blurp against that I promise).

But tonight, Joyce managed to reach her hand through the t.v. and slap me.  Fo’ realz yo’.  She was talking about all the times in her life when she allowed things to really get her down, sometimes for a long period of time.  Some of them were major things, other were minor.  And you’ve likely seen her on t.v. or heard her talk at some point, so I don’t even need to explain her nature (southern bell accent, impersonation mannerisms of herself and others in a strongly sarcastic way, crazy jokes and the likes) to you…but needless to say it was funny, transparent, and annoyingly bringing things up to my conscience.  What was it that allowed her to get over all the stuff that bothered her so much?  In her words, “GET OVER IT!”  I think she also told the crowd (me) stuff like “stop being a wussy” and “don’t give up that easily” and the like…

Again, I could elaborate much more on this.  But, point being is that I was soon after this pondering a lot of very personal things…and realized I’ve let way too many things and way too many people say or do things to me that have robbed me of joy.  I’ve actually kept a list this year (not kidding) of all the things that have flat out sucked.  And I remind people of those things often, thinking that “woe is me” will somehow bring comfort to me….funny thing is, no matter how much I vent on my friends, no matter how much I hear people say kind things about how “you didn’t deserve that” etc etc…none of it fulfills and I am essentially left to continue my slavery to any word or deed someone has said or done against me.

But tonight I think Joyce slapped some sense into me.  And, I’d really like to try to be more joyful, and let go. If you’re my friend, I invite you to go on that journey with me and help me do that.  Call me out if I’m being a pessimistic punk. I don’t know that it is as easy as just wish it & want it and it’s yours, but, I know that at the least trying to be optimistic sure won’t hurt.  Cheers to that, with a half-full glass…

p.s.  soon after this Joyce butt kicking, I listened to “There Will Be a Day” by Jeremy Camp about 100 times (I’m really not exaggerating).  I’ve never bought much of his stuff before and don’t normally care for it…but I’m telling you, it will be the best 99 cents on iTunes you’ve spent in awhile.  Complete, total hope just gushing from that song.

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