“YOU’RE TRYING TO KILL US IN AMERICA!!!”

That was my sweetie pie, now eleven-year-old Siah, yesterday. “You want us to go to summer camp. You want us to go to work. How many things do you want us to do?!?” LOL! I have the best time laughing and joking with him because he has this fun, light, loving, happy personality, and he is such a pleasure to be around. And that’s where I want us all, lightheartedly and joyfully going through life, crucially KNOWING we have God who is ALWAYS with us.

That was the lesson I tried teaching my daughter, Julie, and nephew, Duro, on Friday at our office. We can enjoy work and be happy and cheerful around the people we work with. But they both turned on me saying I took my terrible jokes too far (rough crowd!). But the following morning, Julie came to apologize after her appointment with God. He repeated the lesson I was trying to teach her. She said no way this was a coincidence that this showed up in her alone time with God reading our Jesus Calling daily devotional:

“LEARN TO LAUGH at yourself more freely. Don’t take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am God with you… Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Your laughter rises to heaven and blends with angelic melodies of praise. Just as parents delight in the laughter of their children, so I delight in hearing My children laugh. I rejoice when you trust Me enough to enjoy your life lightheartedly. Do not miss the Joy of My Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather, take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; My burden is light and easily borne. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22””

This life gets hard and extremely overwhelming sometimes, but this is the lesson that God has been teaching me. We can be joyful and at peace despite the challenges, stresses, and frustrations that come our way. His yoke is easy, meaning we can hand over the heavy burdens from our shoulders to Him, trusting He is at work in the spiritual realm on our behalf. We can HAPPILY show up giving our best to life and leave the rest with Him.

Today, we’re headed over to celebrate Father’s Day with family. Family and loving relationships are essential for life. We need each other to help lighten the journey. I loved another conversation I had with Siah yesterday. I asked who did he need to forgive. He surprisingly responded, “No one. I’ve learned from you to always forgive.” Then when his dad was a little upset with me today, I stole from Siah’s playbook and lightheartedly said, “I’m sorry, Sa (Sir in a Nigerian accent).” He then responded, “Who am I to forgive anyone?” That should be everyone’s attitude! Who are any of us to withhold forgiveness from anyone when we mess up all day, every day ourselves? We’re here to love, support, encourage, and PATIENTLY bear with each other, leaving the judging and forgiving with God. No one is perfect!

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