Joy in the Rain

Written by Josie - Serving in Northern Ireland

It’s been exactly 12 days, 12 hours, 57 minutes, and 14 seconds in Northern Ireland, and the first thing that has stuck out to me has been my rain boots (or wellies, as they are called here). Yes, that’s right, my boots. Not the beautiful green hills, sheep, and cows, but my boots. You may be thinking, “That’s a weird thing to say.” Well, yeah, I wouldn’t disagree, but just hold on and I’ll explain.

You see, in Northern Ireland, it rains a lot. And for me, the first thing to get nice and chilly in the rain is my, you guessed it, toes! So, when I stepped out of the airport into rainy weather, I couldn’t help but praise the Lord and thank Him for my rain boots! They kept my feet nice and dry and were the first blessing of so many to come. I loved the lesson in that, the joy of the little things, like extra whipped cream, a smile returned on the sidewalk, or toasty toes! The Lord wants our cups to be overflowing with joy, but we, as humans, tend to look past many points of joy in our days. The simple but profound joy of waking up in the morning is one we often take for granted.

I have had many times of joy in my first two weeks here, and most of those moments are surrounded by people: the Arnolds (my host couple), my new church congregation for the summer, the ministers throughout the city, and the kiddos I’ve met. The Lord has provided joy in every situation and truly put me right where He wants me. I believe wholeheartedly that the Lord works to redeem every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. There are plenty of things that are different here in Derry, but one thing that is always the same is the love and joy of our Lord. And I praise Him for this opportunity to worship with the people of Derry this summer!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

This passage tells us to persevere, to let go of the shackles that keep us in the same old cycle of sin, and push forward with joy in Christ! We are called to run the race God called us to in life - to love and live for Him, and spread the good news. I want to encourage you as I have been encouraged here in Derry; you are not alone. You are not alone in your faith, in your struggles, and in the in-between. God gave us community for a reason; lean on those around you and embrace the joy of today! Even if the joy comes from something as small as a pair of boots.