It doesn't have to be that way

From the time we are small, our world teaches us that happiness is built on circumstances and comes and goes. It's no wonder that so many of us deal with anxiety, worry, and overwhelming sadness. Raise your hand if you have ever felt the depths of a low only to experience the mountain moment of a high sometimes in the same week. Life is just a series of up and down moments, right? Our emotions just flow like the circumstances around us.

But it doesn't have to be that way!

My kids and I have this special thing where we have a matching tattoo. On my left wrist I have a sparrow to match my daughter. I am reminded that God's eye is on me and he knows me. I am reminded that I sing because I'm happy and because I'm free. On my right wrist I have four symbols that stand for "God is greater than my highs and lows" to match my son. Honestly until now, I didn't realize how much these aligned much like a triangle. I want my kids to know that they are loved and value and their lives are meant for more than their highest and lowest moments.

Recently I made a vision board and added 8 seemingly impossible things to accomplish. But I sat down and I was intentional about thinking how I could impact the world and other people. It made me think about the fact that my existence is bigger than me. I was created on purpose and for a purpose. Knowing this gives me joy, and joy is different than happiness!

Joy sustains through the highs and the lows. Joy is knowing that no matter what is physically, mentally, or emotionally happening right now in this moment, I still have purpose. If I believe that I have purpose then I believe that I was created with intention and have a gift that only I can give. For a long time I didn't know what that was, but suddenly I'm realizing that everything I have experienced and even the things that have caused me pain are a gift to be used for something greater.

Your story, my story, may be the key to unlock someone's freedom. Knowing that makes me smile when I wake up every morning.