Hey Everyone! I'm Joanna.
As Julianna mentioned in my bio, I love singing. I remember when I was a
child my parents left the huge living room/dining room open for me to have as my very own music room. I would dance, sing, play musical instruments and perform the occasional
musical in which I would make my parents pay admission and the necessary popcorn I had popped all on my own.
When I sang, I felt joy. Genuine joy that would make my heart feel like bursting.
Let's now fast forward to today -- I am
about to turn 30 in 5 days. Talk about a milestone. To be honest, it didn’t really get to me until July 6, 2011 when my husband turned 30. It got
me thinking; 30 is a good amount of years! It’s 3 whole decades! Now, don’t get me
wrong, I understand that it’s still young and to be honest I am very happy to
get OUT of my 20’s. But still, it's kind of a reality check for me, so I decided to write out some years of my life
and the main happenings- where and who I was at that time. You know, to reminisce.
However, it turned out to be a bit daunting.
You see, before the age 26, I
lived my own life without Jesus. I was a mess. I was lost. I was seriously
depressed and I didn’t know why. Looking back at that time I
saw that life happened and joy and happiness disappeared.
I
couldn’t help but begin to feel that I wasted 25 years of my life. In tears from
being bogged down with regret I got on my knees and cried to God. It
was then that He reminded me of the verse He showed me earlier that day, “Sing
to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy” (Psalm 33:3).
He reminded me and reassured
me that even during those years He always had a plan for me. There was never a time He wasn't guiding or directing my life.
He had a new song for me to sing.
In that moment, I lifted my
tear stained face and began to sing my new song. I picked myself up, having the revelation that a “new song” means
more than an actual song. Through Jesus, He offers a new life, a new start, a
new JoAnna.
And that is exactly who I am.
“I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their
trust in the LORD.”
~Psalm 40:1-3
What’s even more awesome is looking
back at the years in the past DID include Jesus, He was always there, I just
didn’t notice Him then. But now I do. My life is a new song.
And I am singing it joyfully! Happy 30th Birthday to me!
What is it missing?
What new song are you singing today??
Love,
