James 1:2-3, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

I awoke this morning with a nearly immediate clarity. My mind was working in overdrive putting the pieces of an odd and humorous dream together in sequence. I shake my head at the absurdity of it all.

I was standing before a crowed room with a microphone in my hands. There were so many sets of eyes that they began to blur together and I knew in my heart I was the odd one out among the masses. There was a murmur throughout the crowd as they awaited the opening remarks that were to come from my mouth.

As I turned my body around to take in the entirety of the room, I noticed that I was standing in the wrong place. Yes, I often public speak- standing before a crowd is something I have grown accustomed to- but this was no crowd awaiting a girl who would bare her soul in order for her saviour to be glorified. I was standing in the middle of a comedy club and the crowd was growing restless waiting for me to make them laugh.

I remember experiencing emotions in my dream. The emotion of fear overcame me for I knew that I would fail at being their kind of funny. I was fearful of being lost for I did not belong there. And I was fearful that what I desired to share would be lost upon deaf ears. I dropped the microphone and laughed at myself while I trotted away from the crowd. I am a child of a very big God who did not give me a spirit of fear.

I then recalled the very last thing that went through my mind before I feel asleep last evening. It was a message from a close friend. She had a scripture verse on her heart and desired to share it with me:

Isaiah 41:10, fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Fear is but one emotion we can experience, but emotions are just fleeting pieces of ourselves that are reflections of our daily life. I do believe that emotions are a gift from The Lord because they help us to navigate our way through life. We must understand though that our emotions are not always reliable, and they do hold the power within them to cause damage and destruction when not used properly in our humanity.

And today, as I have spent hours hovered over The Word and my computer screen preparing for a conference this coming weekend, I realize that this is another opportunity The good Lord is giving me to stand in the sanctuary of vulnerability. I am speaking on how to recognize and own joy during a most hectic season of life.

Yes, emotions have the ability to define our very being. So easily are we able to identify someone who is an angry person, but how difficult it is to identify someone who is a joyful one? It is of little wonder then why the Apostle Paul urged the church of Philippi to press into all that is good and just:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

The things we think upon create emotions within us. Thinking upon things that are godly and just create reliable emotions. Only standing upon the promises of God are reliable. Standing upon His Word- and authentically living it out– is our greatest weapon in overcoming every obstacle that threatens to overwhelm us. And only the power of Jesus can give us the strength to drop the microphone and allow our actions to speak louder than our words.

Father, thank you for your reliability and firm foundation. Thank you for your affirmation as we lift up our adoration. And thank you for always listening- for filling our souls with great peace when we feel threatened by great fears. Amen.

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