Happy 6 days until your Birthday!

Yes, today is six days before Lew turns 26! Yay....so my goal is to find a new way to encourage him each day leading up to May 6th. There are so many ways I can find to encourage Lew; when thinking about this I was honestly having a hard time narrowing it down to 6 things! Either way I hope you guys enjoy sharing in this encouragement.

So today.....the most prominent thing that sticks out to me in Lew, is his JOY! He has a joy that is not only contagious, but it just makes all who see it want to smile and sometimes laugh. Even on my most moody and grouchy days Lew can still somehow find a way to spread joy... and sometimes make me laugh, which is no small feat! In fact one such event was last Thursday. I was preparing for a huge exam for one of my most important and difficult nursing classes. He came over to help me study and as we were talking he shared one of those random "thoughts from Lew", those of you who know Lew well know exactly what I mean! So his thought was that if you were to look around at the other people in their cars when your driving home from work they all look pretty sad and depressed, as if they all just had the worst days ever. Well Lew's idea is that in order to spread the gospel without words he is going to be excessively joyful while he drives home. I am imaging Lew in his car dancing, smiling, and probably waving joyfully at these poor people who have had very long days.... just the thought made me laugh! But that's my Lew, and this is one of the reasons why I love him.

The best thing about Lew's joy is it isn't based on circumstances. His joy is rooted in the solid foundation of his salvation.... the cross. He reminds me of our Savior who "for the Joy set before him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12: 2). Lew isn't just rejoicing when he's having a great day and everything has gone according to plan...no, Lew is obeying the Philippians 4:4 command (rejoice again I say rejoice!) even when the circumstances are unfavorable and he doesn't necessarily understand what the Lord is doing. Why is Lew able to do this? It's not because he is just a joyful guy who has an optimistic outlook and always sees the bright side-- he is able to have a constant joy because the cross never changes. The message is the same from day to day-- that he is a sinner who was deserving of death but instead given life eternal and a promise for sins forgiven! Lew sees this message, he studies it, meditates on it daily, preaches it to himself....and the result....he lives it! So Lew I thank God for this joy and I know I am not the only one who benefits from it. I pray that God will help me to live with this kind of joy that celebrates in the truth regardless of my circumstances. Thanks for being a living example that the joy of the Lord is our strength!

" A joyful heart is good medicine." --Proverbs 17:22