The Olsens: Serving In Ecuador: Serving with JOY!

This is my favorite photo I have ever taken of a group of interns. The five of them served with us at El Refugio the summer of 2015. I love the picture so much because of the sheer joy you can see on their faces. They enjoyed being together, they loved what they were doing, and in this moment things were just funny. I was blessed to capture the moment with my camera!

I think in ministry sometimes we can forget to enjoy ourselves. At times we can take ourselves too seriously.

The truth is, we should enjoy what we’re doing and make sure we’re having fun, laughing, being silly from time to time, and living into the JOY that Christ offers us!

In Philippians 4:4-7 it says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We should be in a constant state of rejoicing! In a world filled with so many people suffering from anxiety and stress, we need to remember that God cares about us, he wants to hear our prayers, and he offers to guard our hearts and minds. He wants us to enjoy the world he has blessed us with, and he wants us to be filled with JOY!

Now, I recognize there are difficulties in life. In Romans 12:15 it says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” And we should! Just as Christ goes with us into those darkest, hardest places we go through, we should do the same with those we’re living life with. We don’t deny the difficulties or pretend everything is fine all the time. At the same time we can look around in our every day lives and recognize that there are blessings and things that should fill us with joy all around us.

So, take a moment to laugh today! Praise God for the ministry you’ve been called to! Tell a joke to a co-worker, or share a funny moment that happened to you recently. Tickle your kids! Roll around in the grass with them! Step away from the computer screen and your ‘work responsibilities’ and connect with someone. Play a game, go for a walk, or read a good book.