Joanne Heim

On the road again!

Mom and Dad are heading out of town for a couple of days to attend a cowboy music festival in Westcliffe for much of the weekend. Maddie and I are staying home together, which is getting much easier now that I can drive and am so much more independent!

They are coming home on Sunday afternoon to get Maddie and me and our stuff loaded into the camper. We will drive to Cheyenne on Sunday evening and spend the night before driving a bit further north and east to see the eclipse on Monday morning. From there, we will follow the Oregon Trail east bound and then head up into Iowa and down the Mississippi a ways before ending up in Lake of the Ozarks for Labor Day weekend and then about a week in Branson since I've never been there. We'll head home through Oklahoma, I think and be back in mid-September in time for me to start Bible study at my new church.

###

Back in April when we returned from Arizona, Mom and Dad encouraged me to find my own church now that I can drive myself and don't have to go with them. I've been attending Mission Hills Church in Littleton ever since and really like it a bunch. I went to high school for a couple of years with the worship pastor and know a bunch of other people there too. It's big church and reminds me a lot of my church in Phoenix. I'm looking forward to getting involved in the singles group this fall and am excited to start Beth Moore's Entrusted study on September 14 and make new friends there too.

I don't have any other plans for the fall but will start looking ahead to our time in Phoenix again when the weather gets cold. We will be in Surprise for four months in the winter after finding a great little house to rent for January-April.

###

I'm not planning to take my computer on our trip in the next few weeks, but will post updates on Facebook as  we travel. If you send me a friend request, please also message me to let me know you're a blog reader so I know to accept it!  Thanks.

 

In other news, I am walking so much and feeling stronger than I have since my stroke SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO! Your prayers have meant so much to me--thank you from the bottom of my heart!

 

Look at his---TWO BLOG POSTS IN ONE DAY!!

 

With great love, 

Joanne

Living Proof Live notes: Taking Happy Back

(Tuesday morning)

I promised that I would post my notes before the weekend ended, but it didn't happen. Sorry. Yesterday was full to the brim and it's only now that I have some time to sit down and get my notes on paper (or screen, I suppose!). My physical therapist is on vacation so I am home this morning before going downtown for my massage (on Tuesday this week to accommodate my massage therapists need to help her dear mama tomorrow on my usual massage day of Wednesday).

Mom and I drove up to Greeley on Friday afternoon and checked into our hotel before heading to the venue about 6 to find seats before the event began at 7. Despite the crowd of 5,000, the venue was huge and there were plenty of empty seats from which to choose...

Here are my notes from the whole event (both Friday night and the two sessions on Saturday morning).

TAKING HAPPY BACK

 

The conference in a nutshell --

I have the biblical right and responsibility to fight for a happy heart in Christ!

Beth taught through six main points in the lessons--

1. Happy is not bad in the Bible
   
   In fact, most of what is translated as blessed in the Bible is literally happy--about 2,000 times!
   The gospel is the good news of happiness ( Isaiah 52:17). It's a good message of great joy ( Luke 2:8-11)
   Beth recommended two books: Happiness by Randy Alcorn and The Sacrament of Happy by Lisa Harper
   
   
2. We have a gospel responsibility to rebel against our misery (which is more than sadness due to circumstance) and the misery that surrounds us both in the church and in the world.
   When faced with misery and without access to a happy heart, we as Christians can go in one of two directions--we can become carnal or  curmudgeonly. Our testimony and witness is at stake because the good news will fall on deaf ears if it's coming from miserable people.
   
   
3. We are on our way to happily ever after  and can reach forward in that hope to borrow happy for today and today's circumstances.  This is anticipatory joy and never subtracts from the balance of that future joy and happiness.
   
   
4.  Many of the obstructions to happiness are ours to move by the power of Jesus in us.
   Other obstructions are ones we cannot move on our own and require ministry, such as grief and lament. We need to grieve and lament when it's necessary and appropriate. Jeremiah and Lamentations both give good direction here. And I think the Psalms do an excellent job of expressing the gamut of human emotion. It's always good to read the psalms!
5. No happiness on earth is like the happiness of God and man when the feeling is mutual--mutual joy and happiness found in relationship together. Never forget I am completely loved!
   
   
6. A heart predisposed to happiness knows how to cry and how to laugh.
   
   

I have lots more Scripture references and notes scribbled around the edges of my notes, but I was so focused on listening well, that it's a bit jumbled. If you were there and want to add anything I missed, please comment! It's difficult to write quickly enough and still listen well to all that is being said.

It feels good to give my blog some new material and to say hello; I have more to share about life in general, so stay tuned!

Have a happy day! With love,

Joanne
xoxo