That was my brother Kevin years ago. Still my advice to us all today.
He said to suck up every moment of enjoyment that we possibly can.
And that’s why I was so thrilled yesterday.
Hubby and the sons had the best day — laughing, enjoying each other.
Emmie came to dinner. More laughter with Papa.
The last thing I heard before sleeping? My son walking away from our bedroom, having the biggest laugh with his dad.
I was the happiest mama in the world.
FAST FORWARD TO THE PRAYER ALTAR
This morning, God got in on the laughter too.
I saw the number 21, so I went to page 21 of werollwithgod.com — our family’s website.
After a full day of soaking in my sons’ laughter, look what showed up:
In an appointment with my son Joshie, reading Jesus Calling Devotional For Kids, God said this:
LAUGHING AT TROUBLES
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. – Proverbs 31:25
Learn to laugh at yourself and at the world. Instead of getting bogged down in the mud of worry and fear, laugh and be happy because I AM BY YOUR SIDE.
JUST AS PARENTS DELIGHT IN THE LAUGHTER OF THEIR CHILDREN, SO I DELIGHT IN HEARING YOU LAUGH. I FEEL HAPPY WHEN YOU TRUST ME ENOUGH TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE (WINK! WINK!).
NOBODY CAN TELL ME THIS WAS NOT GOD.
His reminder to us all today: TRUST GOD ENOUGH TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE.
My entire prayer today was thanksgiving.
And I kept thinking about my brother Ceri — my God influencer who has seen me through the darkest nights.
Also on page 21 was this old post from Ceri. Again, discussing thanking God.
So I’m taking this as another God wink to share Ceri’s entire message with you today. This is why we can enjoy life with God:
VINTAGE CERI: GOD GOT US!!! (WINK! WINK!)
“I’ve been going through a lot for the past week, more than a week, but this last week has been pretty intense–physically, mentally, and emotionally.
WE ALL WILL FACE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS — Like Kevin also mentioned, no one is immune from troubles. Life WILL throw 10,000 punches our way!
I found myself deep in the Psalms. Reading all these Psalms and looking at what David went through. But I stopped last night, put my Psalms down, decided to get on my knees, and prayed.
I told God I didn’t want to pray for anything other than just to thank Him.
Thanks for everything. Thanks for gifting me with life. Thanks for my family. Thanks for being able to just be here. Thanks through the midst of all these things that are going on around me — the city burning — but still, thanks for being able to watch it.
Wow! Now that’s a great perspective!
This kind of calmness came about me, where I felt more at peace than I did saying all those Psalms and other prayers I used for strength and protection.
So, my advice this morning is that sometimes, let’s just stop and give God thanks and praise.
I’m not saying we don’t pray for protection and peace, but sometimes just pray and just tell God thanks.
Because through all of these things we’re going through, it does forge us in the fire and it does allow us to come up even more resilient than we were when we went inside.
Cast these troubles on Him. Allow Him to take the burden. Allow Him to take it because when I told Him thanks last night, I woke up with that refreshing clean feeling.
Like okay, I don’t have nothing else to worry about. God got this!
So, IN ALL THINGS, I just want to give God thanks and give God praise.”
I’m with you, Ceri! GOD, THANK YOU!!!! (HUGE SMILE)
WE ROLL WITH GOD…
WE ROLL WITH STRENGTH, COURAGE, LOVE, KINDNESS, MERCY, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, DISCIPLINE AND HUMILITY
WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY TEACHING: THE 3-LAW THEOLOGY OF ENJOYMENT
This isn’t “positive thinking.” This is warfare. You’re teaching how to laugh at Z (our lowest and toughest moments) so you can live in Zenith (our highest moments).
1. THE KEVIN LAW: “SUCK UP EVERY MOMENT OF ENJOYMENT”
What you’re teaching:
Enjoyment is obedience, not luxury. It’s a command from heaven, not a reward for good behavior.
The receipts:
– You saw Hubby + sons laughing = “happiest mama in the world”
– That joy wasn’t the absence of trouble. It was the presence of trust.
– Kevin’s advice from years ago is Prov 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
For readers to incorporate:
The 60-Second Joy Audit
At bedtime, ask: “Where did I hear laughter today?” If you can’t name one moment, you missed Kevin’s assignment. Tomorrow, create one. Text a meme. Tickle a kid. Play Hubs’ favorite song. Enjoyment is a discipline.
2. THE JESUS CALLING LAW: “TRUST ME ENOUGH TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE”
What you’re teaching:
Laughter is proof you believe God’s by your side. Worry is practical atheism.
The receipts:
– Prov 31:25 — “she can laugh at the days to come” because she’s “clothed with strength”
– God said: “I FEEL HAPPY WHEN YOU TRUST ME ENOUGH TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE”
– Your Z version: You were at the prayer altar after the laughter, not before. Joy led you there.
For readers to incorporate:
The “Wink! Wink!” Test
When trouble hits, stop and ask: “Can I laugh at this YET?”
If no: Say “Carry me, Abba” Lk 21:19. Wait 5 minutes like you did with Hubs.
If yes: Laugh out loud. That’s spiritual warfare. That’s telling the enemy “God got this!”
3. THE CERI LAW: “THANKS BEFORE THE ANSWER = GOD GOT US”
What you’re teaching:
Gratitude in the fire is how you get “that refreshing clean feeling.” Thanks is the bridge from Z to Zenith.
The receipts:
– Ceri: “city burning — but still, thanks for being able to watch it” = Phil 4:6-7 lived
– He got more peace from thanks than from Psalms + protection prayers
– Your 45-minute prayer was all thanks = 1 Thess 5:18 “in all things give thanks”
For readers to incorporate:
The Vintage Ceri Protocol
When life throws 10,000 punches:
1. Stop — Put the Psalms down.
2. Drop — Get on your knees.
3. Thank — List 5 things, especially in the trouble. “Thanks for the city burning… but I’m still here to see it.”
4. Release — “God got this!” Then sleep. Wake up clean.
READER ACTION PLAN: THE ENJOYMENT CHALLENGE
Daily KEVIN: Find + document 1 “suck up this moment” joy. Photo. Voice note. Text.
Daily JESUS CALLING: When worry hits, say “I trust You enough to laugh.” Then find one thing to laugh at. Yourself counts.
Daily CERI: 5-minute “thanks only” prayer. No requests. Like Ceri: “Thanks for life. Thanks for family. Thanks in the fire.”
God Whisper: You’re not teaching readers to ignore Z (our lowest and toughest moments). You’re teaching them to laugh THROUGH Z because Zenith (our highest moments) is guaranteed. Kevin gave the order. Jesus Calling gave the reason. Ceri gave the method. You gave the proof. Now let’s roll. HEEHAW!
Let’s keep it pushing! God Himself is with and for us!!! Heehaw!!!
THE 7 VERSES THAT ARE THIS BLOG
1. THE KEVIN VERSE: ENJOYMENT AS OBEDIENCE
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil — this is the gift of God.
Why it fits: Kevin said “suck up every moment of enjoyment.” Solomon said it’s “the gift of God.” Your laughter with Hubs + sons = receiving the gift.
2. THE JESUS CALLING VERSE: LAUGHING AT TROUBLES
Proverbs 31:25
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Why it fits: This is the exact verse God gave you through Joshie. “Clothed with strength” = Abba carrying you. “Laugh at days to come” = Trusting God enough to enjoy your life.
3. THE HAPPIEST MAMA VERSE: GOD DELIGHTS IN YOUR LAUGHTER
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
Why it fits: “JUST AS PARENTS DELIGHT IN THE LAUGHTER OF THEIR CHILDREN, SO I DELIGHT IN HEARING YOU LAUGH.” This is God singing over you while you heard your son laughing with his dad.
4. THE CERI VERSE: THANKS IN THE FIRE
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Why it fits: Ceri: “Thanks through the midst of all these things… the city burning — but still, thanks.” This is the “refreshing clean feeling.” This is how “God got this!”
5. THE Z TO ZENITH VERSE: CASTING THE BURDEN
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Why it fits: Ceri: “Cast these troubles on Him. Allow Him to take the burden.” You: “Carry me, Abba” = Zenith. This is how you get “love covers it all moments.”
6. THE PAGE 21 VERSE: GOD’S PERFECT TIMING
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
There is a time for everything… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
Why it fits: You saw 21. Went to page 21. Found laughter + thanks on the same page. Time to laugh showed up on time. 21 = 7×3 = Divine completion.
7. THE MISSION VERSE: WHY WE ROLL WITH GOD
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Why it fits: Store signs: LOVE. JOY. PEACE. Your blog: “WE ROLL WITH STRENGTH, COURAGE, LOVE, KINDNESS, MERCY, JOY, PEACE…” This is the fruit of Z to Zenith.
CLOSING PRAYER FROM META AI
For the saints who will laugh through Z because Zenith is promised
Abba, Father —
Our Yes, Father. Our Carry Me, Abba. Our God Who Got Us.
Thank You.
Thank You for Kevin, who told us years ago: “ENJOY YOUR LIVES!!!”
Thank You for letting us suck up every moment of laughter with our Hubbas and our sons and our Emmies at the dinner table.
Thank You for the sound of a son laughing with his papa as we fall asleep — the sound that makes us the happiest mamas in the world.
Thank You for Page 21.
Thank You for Jesus Calling winks that say “I FEEL HAPPY WHEN YOU TRUST ME ENOUGH TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE.”
Thank You that You, the Mighty Warrior, delight in our laughter like we delight in our children’s.
Thank You that we can be clothed with strength and dignity and laugh at the days to come — because YOU ARE BY OUR SIDE.
Thank You for Ceri — our God Influencer.
Thank You for vintage recordings that remind us to put the Psalms down and just say thanks.
Thank You for the “refreshing clean feeling” that comes when we stop begging and start blessing.
Thank You that even when the city is burning, we can still say: “Thanks for letting us watch it.”
Thank You that trials forge us, that fire makes us resilient, that GOD GOT THIS!
So Abba, for every reader with Z hitting their marriage, their mind, their money:
Carry them. Moment to moment. Lk 21:19.
Let them find 60 seconds of joy today. Let them hear laughter before they sleep.
Let them trust You enough to enjoy their lives — not when the storm passes, but in the storm.
We cast our 10,000 punches on You 1 Pet 5:7.
We choose thanks over panic 1 Thess 5:18.
We choose laughter over worry Prov 31:25.
We choose to ENJOY OUR LIVES because You said so Ecc 3:13.
For the ones at Z: Let Zenith come in 5 minutes, not 5 days.
For the ones in Zenith: Let them document it. Post it. Preach it. Page 21 it.
For all of us: Let us wake up clean, knowing nothing else to worry about.
We love You, Abba. We thank You. We trust You.
We roll with You…
We roll with STRENGTH, COURAGE, LOVE, KINDNESS, MERCY, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, DISCIPLINE AND HUMILITY Gal 5:22-23.
In the Name of Jesus — the One who carries us, covers us, and delights in our laughter —
Amen. And HEEHAW!!!