What is True Joy?

John 15:7-12 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing... If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As my father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Hola! Buenas noches from Tambo Grande! Man, do I have some thoughts to share with y'all today! I hope you're ready and have time, because tonight it is just me, my computer (a charger), and lots of stars. Our time in Tambo Grande has been about as perfectly scripted as it could go. I keep telling Will and Alex I am waiting for something to go wrong because this can't be a perfect trip. I mean I am working with new people, building friendships, getting my tan on, and growing in my walk with Christ. I just don't know if it can get any better. Also I am lobbying for Will to play football again. This kid has some hands on him. Lets be honest, if he can catch my wobbly passes on a consistent basis here on the futbol fields of Peru, there is no telling what him and Johnny Football can do teamed up together! Excuse me one second... I just threw up in my mouth! Just kidding... I can support Texas A&M now. I mean they did run off to the SEC because of our tv network that is in a whopping 300 homes across America. Definitely helping our recruiting ;) but that is enough of that rant.

You are probably thinking I put the scripture from John 15 in my blog today because I am working with tree branches and mangos and lots and lots of fruit. Yeah that was initially what stood out to me. But after going into a deeper place of thought and digging into this scripture something else stood out to me. Verse 11 says, "I have said these things so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." I think we all can grasp somewhat the joy of His. I think Jesus finds joy in seeing us live by the gospel. I think he finds joy in seeing us love the less fortunate, or choose him over something more pleasing to our worldly flesh. I know Mikah 6 says, "Seek Justice, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with your God" (paraphrased), and I believe a walking man of christ looks like that exactly. And THAT, is something that brings joy to our Savior. But Jesus goes on to say, "that your joy may be complete."

Have you ever imagined yourself actually sitting in a room talking to Jesus. I mean literally close your eyes and go to that place. (Well, open them back up real quick and read this. Then I suggest you do this technique right after). Go to a place, I like to think of a huge library, full of books. Tall shelves, elegant lights, nice comfy chairs, and sweet statues. Each book is about something in your life. Hobbies, childhood stories, nightmares, church sermons, football stadiums you've played in, parties you've gone to, girls/guys you've dated, books you've read, and the list goes on. Isn't that cool? A library of your own. Design it however you want! This is your own "Inception movie", create it how you want! But one factor is important. Standing there waiting for you when you walk in is the man you had scheduled an appointment with that day. That man is Jesus. Y'all walk through your library and then take a seat over in the corner. He then looks at you and asks you in his deep yet calming voice, "My beloved child, where are you finding your joy in this world?"

That is where I was when I read this chapter. It was an awesome tactic my new friend Micah was talking to me about a few nights ago. When I really could feel that situation, and I could look at all these stories about me in my own "library", I really had to ask myself what I find joy in. Initially I had to be honest. I have built football up in my life so large that it had become an idol and everything revolved around it. So I instantly thought I find joy knowing that I was the last qb for a long time to storm Kyle Field and win the most monumental game I have ever played in. As I replied that back to Jesus, he gave me a look that basically said that's about right, that's why I put your tail in Peru all summer. But then I started searching the depths of my heart. What do I truly find joy in? I find joy in making my two brothers proud! Nothing makes me more happy than one of them telling me they love me, proud to be my brother, or anything along those lines. Something about sharing blood with those two and being the youngest, I constantly do all I can to make them proud to share my name. I find joy in hearing my mom pray. I always give her a hard time by asking her to keep it short before meals, but honestly I can see a woman who is devoutly chasing after her Daddy. I always took it for granted waking up in the mornings early before a 6 am workout in high school, when I would look over the railing down into our living room and the lamp would be on, a cup of coffee on the side table, and my mom reading her bible. She is the ultimate definition of joy in my life. I find joy having a Dad that tells me how much he loves me on a day to day basis. Do you know how unheard of that is? I never knew that until I got to college and had teammates that never did and never will experience that. I find joy in getting a text from my best friend back home, Jordan, that said this...

Jordan: I wanted to tell you that I contacted my dad last week and asked him if he wanted to come have lunch while I'm back... So he's coming into town and we're gonna meet and have lunch! Pretty crazy news, so I've been getting my mind right and praying hard on it!

Me: Broooo, that is sooo awesome!! Man I'm freakin pumped for you!

Jordan: I know man... My mind has been trying to comprehend it all and get stuff in perspective... I am not going to go about this in a harsh revengeful way but in a forgiving way. I just feel that after this lunch I'd like to move forward with our relationship and not look back!

How crazy is that? A guy who wants what I have always had and am just now realizing how much joy it actually does bring me! May our prayers be with my boy Jordan, as he goes about his day with his dad tomorrow! I know where his heart is and know what he wants. He finally has found his Father in Heaven, but for the meantime he needs his daddy here on this earth!

Another thing I find joy in is helping people. I love putting a smile on peoples face. There is just something about seeing someone with much less than I have, for one small instant, feel more blessed than I am. I guess what I am trying to say is I love having compassion for people. Not only does it bring joy to them, but also lots of joy to myself. I am reading a book called Tattoos on the Heart the power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle. The best story of compassion for me comes from one of Jesus' miracles. In this book "G" rights a meaningful paragraph...

"Compassion isn't just about feeling the pain of others; it's about bringing them in toward yourself. If we love what God loves, then, in compassion, margins get erased. "Be compassionate as God is compassionate," means the dismantling of barriers that exclude.

In Scripture, Jesus is in a house so packed that no one can come through the door anymore. So the people open the roof and lower this paralytic down through it, so Jesus can heal him. The focus of the story is, understandably, the healing of the paralytic. But there is something more significant than that happening here. They're ripping the roof off the place, and those outside are being let in."

We are called to be the men ripping the roof off and lowering people into the house to experience Jesus. So often we just talk about helping the less fortunate, or say things such as, "I'll get to that when the right time comes". Who are you to decide when the right time is? This blog is not to toot my own horn by any means, but I can say this is the worst time possible for me to be in a foreign country. But when God stirs in your heart a prayer to pray Anything, then you better be willing to pack your bags! We are tearing roofs down daily! Our job is to let people inside that house! And it won't get overcrowded trust me. As we see, He will move to another house, a much larger house if needed, only expecting and wanting us to come rip the roof off it! Because that is where he finds joy as well! Are you catching this metaphor?!?! I hope you are. But by no means do I find joy in showing compassion for my own good. Yes it makes me feel all warm and gushy inside, but there are plenty of other things that can cause that same feeling. I am in Peru because that is where I believe we would have found Christ today. Literally in Peru? Maybe not this exact town in Tambo Grande, in this exact hotel, working in this exact field, but I definitely believe he would have been somewhere serving someone less fortunate than him. I read an interview between Mother Teresa and Times, when asked about her greatest hope for her work in India, her response was short and simple, "To give Jesus to all", Times then shot back by saying, "But you do not evangelize in the conventional sense of the term." Mother Teresa had it figured out, she replied, "I'm evangelizing by my works of love..." That my friends, is breaking down the roof! Tearing it piece by piece, causing a commotion because you are not scared, you are not shy about your God, you are not worried what the others already inside might think! No, you know that when Christ looks up at you through the roof, it won't be the look that I got in "my library", but more so a look of "Well done, my good and faithful servant!"

But do you want to know what my ultimate true joy is? All these are great, but all these will come and go and be blown away by the wind. My true joy was found while sitting in that library. I could hear my saviors voice! I could see his face! I just wanted to reach out and hug Him! You are probably thinking that I am smoking something over here or just plain crazy, and maybe I am crazy, but after I read that scripture I was in a place I had only been one other time in my life. I could honestly feel the presence of God all around me! Nothing in that moment mattered except my eyes focused on him. My heart sank into my chest, and I was full of joy. That is true joy friends, being in the presence of Jesus. I can't wait to be in Heaven and live in that joy for eternity! Singing and dancing and praising the one true king!

The problem is, I'm still on Earth, in South America, in Peru, in a small town called Tambo Grande, working in an even smaller town called Malingas, cutting down trees... That sounds like the opposite of heaven haha. So for the time being, these other joys shall hold me over until that day comes. A day that I hope to be a celebration. A day I will join up with my grandparents and cousins that have already passed on.

I am all about action. It is great if a coach draws up the best play, but if it doesn't work, the crowd is booing him (or boooing me). So after reading this blog today, I hope you actually take a look into your life. What are you finding joy in? To find out if it has to do with Jesus, ask yourself this. Think of everything in this world you love! Think of Heaven, paint it in your mind. What you visualize will be the best there is He has to offer, because that is what He promises us. You see the streets of Gold, you see the Kingdom and the Gates (I play a lot of mindcraft so this is really easy for me). Put it all together and ask yourself this, "Would I accept a free invitation here for the all eternity knowing that Christ would not be present?" Where your joy lies, so does your heart! Lets start tearing down roofs, Ready, Set, Go!

P.S. It is not letting me upload photos on here so feel free to follow me on Instagram! @CaseMcCoy6 Will thinks he is a professional photographer so we are having fun with the camera throughout the day.