Joy

"For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." - Isaiah 55: 12-13
 

Seventeen months ago, we experienced joy unlike anything else we had ever known.
 
After months of waiting, Annie realized she was having contractions. We grabbed our bags and it was off to the hospital! Once we got there the contractions slowed and the excitement dissolved into frustration. Nine months of anticipation and preparation had led to this moment. We were so ready to meet the new addition to our family, but there we were. Stuck. Waiting again. 
 
Over the next 27 hours there were ups and downs, pushing and waiting, fear and sleeping. But then, early on a Thursday morning, a tiny cry broke through the hustle and bustle of the hospital maternity ward. 
 
So much of our time is spent waiting. Waiting for the next new job, waiting until we can buy our next house, waiting for our next paycheck. Waiting for a baby to be born. It’s easy for us to fall into the trap of believing that the waiting steals joy … sometimes believing that we're not happy now, but we will be when the anticipation ends.
 
The Joy is not just in the end, it is in the journey that takes us there. The beginning of a journey is often fraught with fear, but every day with a child is a new joy for us all. Let's focus on carrying that joy with us through this season, and throughout the year.
 

Annie and Josiah Brock
Crescent Hill UMC
Heartland District