A Penny for Your Thoughts: Lifting Shame & Building Community
“I am Ashley Pennington and this is “A Penny for your thoughts.” I am a wife, mom, and lover of all things Christ. As someone who has struggled with alcoholism and disordered eating, I have found healing and redemption through Christ who continues to move in my life. By using my personal story and testimony of faith, I want to connect with you. I want to create community during times of isolation. And Most importantly I want to validate you, in whatever season you find yourself. Let this be a place for you. A community for you. A place to conceptualize your thoughts. And a place for you to truly be you.”
A Penny for Your Thoughts: Lifting Shame & Building Community
Achieving Selfless Joy in a Selfish World
"Less of me, More of God"
I love this season. The holiday season always brings me such intense joy. But with this joy, I started to think about selfless joy. This feeling of less of me and more of God when giving my time, effort, and energy. In a selfish world, where we are surrounded by the enemy who tells us that if we give, we are inclined to receive, what if we humbled ourselves to selflessly give without the anticipation of receiving?
My grandma, Matilda, is someone who fully embodies selfless giving. With raising 10 kids, she continues to selflessly give to others without the anticipation of receiving. Acts 20:35, Jesus said '"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Joy is finding enduring gratitude for the Lord in my heart. Even when I feel as though my world is falling about and there is chaos all around me, I am going to be joyful and rejoice in the Lord because he has a plan for me. The apostle, Paul, is a prime example of someone who endured selfless joy while in prison because he knew that the Good News was still being preached by others and his belief in the Lord.
Selfless joy embodies love. Unconditional love for others. Gary Chapman studies the 5 Love Languages: Gifts, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. I invite you to learn about your love language and your partners love language to be able to fully appreciate giving and receiving love.
In Philippians 2, the concept of "selfless joy" is highlighted by Paul's instruction to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility value others above yourselves" (Philippians 2:3), essentially encouraging believers to find joy in prioritizing the needs and well-being of others over their own, mirroring the selfless sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the ultimate example of humility and love.
Are you selflessly giving in humility? Or are you giving to receive recognition?
This holiday season I invite you to give differently. Give with the Holy Spirit in mind. Give like Jesus gives. Selflessly give without the anticipation of receiving.
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