allow yourself joy

As we begin this journey together, I want to share what you can expect to find here.  My mission is to help you discover or rediscover your passion and live with intention and joyfulness. I want to encourage and empower you to connect with God, with yourself, and with women who will celebrate your journey to joy.

Before we really dig in, let's talk about how we can support one another. Women are nurturers by nature. As women, we often give of ourselves without taking time to refill and refresh. We pour out until we are empty, and then we try to keep going. How can we pour from an empty vessel? When we are empty, we see obstacles instead of opportunities. We feel invisible instead of treasured. We feel overwhelmed instead of grateful. And we feel stagnant instead of creative. We believe the lie we tell ourselves that others matter more and that taking time to fill ourselves is selfish. This lie drains us and leads us to think and act from a place of obligation rather than from a place of love.

Sparks of Joy is about embracing your value and learning how to fill yourself. A spark of joy comes when you recognize the fullness of your life in the present moment. It comes when you embrace the power and the gift of the present and give thanks for how it will shape you and guide you towards your full glory purposed by God. Living with sparks of joy is living with intention, gratitude, curiosity, and creativity. As we move forward together, we will explore how to live a life full of sparks of joy.

We will examine how to build your days so that you are intentional with your time, making the most of every part of your day. This doesn't mean you need to squeeze every last ounce of productivity from your waking hours. It means you become capable of building your day in a way that balances "doing all the things" with making time for yourself, for fellowship, and for rest. Living with intention is about living with balance and purpose. It is about owning your day rather than your day owning you.

We will practice gratitude and presence in our lives. We will learn how to fully be in the moment by living in constant appreciation. Practicing gratitude leads to greater contentment and self-awareness. It can also have a profound effect on your relationships and your ability to recognize opportunity in your life.  If you feel like you are going through the motions, just meeting the requirements of your life, practicing gratitude may just reopen your eyes to the beautiful world around you and the endless possibility your life holds. 

We will step outside our comfort zones in the name of creativity. Why creativity you ask? As humans, we are God's ultimate crowning piece of creation. We were imagined and brought to being by the ultimate Creator. Therefore, as we are in His image, we were created to be creative. Tapping in to our creativity connects us to ourselves, our world, and to God. Creative space is a place of discovery and innovation. When we find our creative flow, whether through visual art, writing, gardening, decorating, cooking, or playing pretend with our children, we unbound ourselves and begin to step in to what we are truly capable of. Exploring your creativity is terrifying, but this is the place to do it! You will be supported and encouraged and reminded that creativity is in your nature because you are a child of God, the ultimate Creator.

You are worthy of joy and worthy of being full. You are not selfish when you refill and refresh yourself, when you dwell in God's presence, when you fellowship with women, or when you explore your creativity. You are meant to live with sparks of joy -- with intention, gratitude and creative curiosity. Embrace the fullness of your life, and allow yourself to live joyfully.