Rejoice! I say it again, Rejoice!

You know how I know when I'm in the right Bible Study? When I live what I learning just as I am going through each lesson. You see God knows me more than anyone (even myself) - I am a hands on learner! I told you all about how I experienced the first fruit of the Spirit that of love. Well this week we completed the second fruit - that of joy.

I confess this lesson didn't move me as the others and I was a bit disappointed as I didn't have a life lesson...well, at least I thought - until I was leaving our study. First, before I explain I have to remind us of why we have joy and the source of our joy.

1. Joy is the result of realizing that our names are written in heaven.


2. Joy is the result of discovering the person, power, and plan of God in our multitude of circumstances.


3. Joy is the result of restoration.


4. Joy is the result of "remaining" in Christ.


5. Joy is the result of relating God's way to God's people.

I have to confess when I did my homework for point #5, I was so thankful and full of confirmation. I LOVE talking with God's people, worshipping together and serving together. I LOVE it, and find it is a source of my joy. Even updating each of you through this blog, I experience joy. I am thankful for each one of you and how we can share our lives together.

But God let the Archibald experience how joy is the result of discovering the person, power, and plan of God in our multitude of circumstances today! I am reminded through my struggles of how victorious and mighty our God is, and it is through that discovery how I find joy. It's not that the crisis is over, but how God revealed himself. I can remember a time when we were in mediation over a situation we were totally unaware of in our "buyer beware house", and during that time Courtney was recovering from major surgery and because of our house stuff and the length of the mediation, it caused Courtney to remain in need of medical attention. It was her physical suffering God used to win our case, but in the end we saw how God opened the door right in front of us as HE won the case. That was two years of suffering - not only physically for Courtney, but financial, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. We felt we went through the ringer and we rejoiced when it was over!

If you take the time to read through all our many posts you'll see the trial we have been through with the adoption of our son. You'll read about so many spiritual battles we were in - how it was so hard to have patience, and at time I doubted if God was even listening to our pleas. I even wondered at a couple points, even recently (though I didn't post it) how I questioned if I heard God right...because frankly it all didn't make sense. However, as I sit and am reminded of this journey, I see how my faith in God is stronger than ever before...and for me that is worth being joyful! But today we discovered we have our court decree! WE ARE OFFICIALLY PARENTS OF A 3 YEAR (SOON TO BE 4) LITTLE BOY IN LIBERIA!

The joy we are experiencing is so over whelming. (I wish you could have seen Katie run through the halls at school!) But why are we so joyful? Perhaps some because we actually have a document we have been waiting for since the beginning of the year, but mostly because how God has revealed Himself to us. You see for the Archibalds - God is the source of our joy! And in order to experience God and learn more of Him, I would do this all over again and even if it takes as long as it has.

So today we Rejoice!!!!! I say it again, Rejoice!