by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
All week, I have been working on the year-to-date expense report for S & S FAB and Welding, and if I am honest, my heart has resisted every minute of it. I would much rather write, dream, and wander through the creative spaces in my mind than sit with columns of numbers and receipts. Yet here I am, sorting, categorizing, and pressing forward.
Because of a banking error, I have had to complete this report by hand from February through April instead of relying on QuickBooks. The process has been slow and tedious, requiring careful attention and patience that I do not naturally bring to numbers. On top of that, life has not slowed down since returning from our Spring Break camping trip, which has pushed my writing into the late hours at home.
In the middle of all of this, I found myself in a dither, frustrated by the work and distracted by everything that felt more joyful. My mind has been busy and bothered, far from peaceful, even though I know the One I serve is the Prince of Peace. Yet today, something shifted as I sat back down with the report.
The joy of the Lord returned to me right there at the table.
It did not come after I finished the work or escaped it. It met me in the middle of it.
As I sat there, I began to think about Liam and what we are walking through together right now. His Language Arts average dipped below where it has ever been, and I found myself teaching and reteaching grammar, trying to help him grasp parts of speech that feel just out of reach.
As I worked through his papers, I noticed two things clearly: some of the material is above his developmental level, and his attention is often somewhere else entirely. Mixed in with those graded papers were the sweetest drawings—a meandering butterfly and the cutest little bee you have ever seen.
Mixed in between the graded papers and red marks were treasures I almost missed—a butterfly finding its way and a bee resting exactly where it belonged. And I realized my son is not failing to learn; he is learning in a language I must slow down enough to understand.
In that moment, I saw it so clearly. My son, just like his mama, would rather live in joy and creativity than sit in the struggle of what feels hard.
For Liam, Language Arts is his nemesis.
For me, it is numbers.
As his parent and his biggest fan, I have to pause and celebrate his creativity and his happy heart even while helping him grow in the areas that challenge him. I cannot crush the joy in him just to force performance out of him. I have to guide him with patience, love him in the process, and trust that growth will come.
Isn’t that exactly what Jesus does for me?
He sees my distracted heart, my resistance, and even my poor attitude toward the work set before me. He lovingly corrects me, not in condemnation, but in grace. He adjusts my heart posture on this side of judgment so that I have time to surrender, to realign, and to return to Him.
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Revelation 3:19, ESV)
Right in the middle of the hard parts, there is still joy.
Right in the middle of correction, there is still peace.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, even when He is disciplining me.
I can feel His kindness in the middle of my mess, just as I feel love for Liam in the middle of his struggle. I treasure his sweet spirit and his creativity, even as I help him navigate what feels difficult. In the same way, my Father treasures me—not because I get everything right, but because I am His.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness.” (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV)
So today, in the middle of spreadsheets and scattered thoughts, I found something better than productivity.
I found perspective.
Even if I never write another word or sing another note, my life belongs to Him. Every gift, every talent, every desire was placed in me by His hand, and I surrender it all back to Him. He is not asking for my performance; He is asking for my heart.
My answer is simple:
I love You, Lord.
You are my Champion.
You are my everything.
Have my life—every part of it.
Reflection
Where in your life are you resisting the very place God is trying to meet you? Consider how He might be using that tension to refine your heart rather than punish your effort. Ask Him to restore your joy in the middle of the work, not just after it is finished.
Challenge for the Week
Choose one task you have been avoiding and invite the Lord into it intentionally. Before you begin, pray for peace, focus, and a willing heart. As you work, pause to thank Him for His presence in the process, not just the outcome.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for loving me enough to correct me. Thank You for meeting me in the middle of my mess and restoring my joy when my heart drifts. Help me to surrender every task, every frustration, and every gift back to You. Teach me to walk in peace even when I am being refined. I love You. Amen.
Joy doesn’t wait for the work to be finished—it meets us right in the middle of it.
Hashtags
#AgingEnglishMajor #FaithInTheEveryday #JoyInTheJourney #ChristianWriter #MomLife #GraceAndGrowth #PrinceOfPeace #SurrenderedLife #GodInTheDetails #RefinedByGrace
Jennifer Greene-Sullivan is a writer, wife, and mother who shares everyday moments of faith to encourage hearts to find Jesus in the middle of ordinary life. From her tiny office in Middle Georgia, she writes about grace, growth, and the quiet ways God meets us right where we are—where spreadsheets, stories, and the presence of the Lord meet in the middle of everyday life.
The Aging English Major 