Hampton, VA: Summer 2012
I was recording a video in this picture. Right before I hit play on the feedback, I thought “Gee…I look awfully joyful”. Then I realized I was. Not everything in my life was the way I wanted it at that time, but I was still filled with joy for reasons I still cannot understand today. The beauty of it all is that I didn’t even realize I was overjoyed.
My smile is my ministry. Not because I think I’m hot or I think I have a beautiful smile. But because of the story behind it.
For a long time, I didn’t smile. Looking back, I know now that Satan rejoiced daily over this – because that’s exactly where he wants us to be. Sad, miserable, suicidal, angry with God, ourselves and anybody else that crosses our path. I’m not saying I was any or all of those things – I wasn’t. But we can easily get there when we can’t smile or appreciate life. But then something amazing happened. God got me all by myself. He showed me that I had a lot to be grateful for. And He showed me in a way that humbled me instead of making me feel ashamed.
I used to look at people who smiled a lot and think they were off or crazy. But now I know I have a lot to smile about. I know who God is and He’s restoring all those years I felt like I couldn’t smile. He’s restoring all those years I didn’t know that He was calling me to be a woman with a purpose and a mission.
Doesn’t mean I don’t get sad or need some time to myself to process what just happened to me. But it does mean that I finally understand why the joy of the Lord is my strength. It means when you don’t have anything to be happy about…you find joy in the fact that God is with you and that He is who He says He is.
My smile is my ministry. It is all the joy God put inside me, and I can’t help but share it.
