Discover joy in the hard places

Welcome to the blog of JP Mills where you will find encouragement and belonging through reflective journaling and poetry.

Joyful Ruins

Discovering joy in the hard places

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  • Perfect Jesus?

    Was Jesus perfect in the sense that he never got angry, said the wrong things, never got sick or lost faith? OR was he perfect in that he relentlessly followed love, mercy, and justice? Because… Jesus got angry at his disciples and the pharisees. Jesus did not always respond in the perfect way. Jesus grew… Continue reading

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  • Ordinary God

    Ordinary God

    I was taught that God’s power would be found in miracles salvation answered prayers opened doors But that is not what God reveals to us Jesus did heal yet He spent His life working as a carpenter He slept He danced and He showed up in gentle ordinary ways He constantly told others that He… Continue reading

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  • Vulnerable Courage

    Vulnerable Courage

    Maybe it’s not that courage fails but that courage hurts and once we’ve taken that step of faith we are left with so much emptiness We’ve laid our heart on the table and we are exposed It makes sense we would feel vulnerable, sad, exhausted Courage is not easy but those who choose it are… Continue reading

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  • Let Joy be Free

    Like you can’t hold onto a butterfly without damaging it’s wings You can’t take advantage of Joy without losing the feeling What I mean is When those sun soaked moments come all you can do is enjoy them trying to make them last trying to grip them will only cause you to miss them Continue reading

  • The Other Face of Courage

    The courageous are the ones who suffer most Their reward may be inner strength or wisdom gained but so often this world and others may admire courage but they do not accept it or show it love I have sat with people I do not know when I could have chosen comfort only to have… Continue reading

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About Me

An obsessive journaler who loves meeting others along their journey and giving them a hand to hold through pieces of writing. I write about the heartbreaks of life and the joys, the ups and downs, and I often learn my greatest lessons and miracles from nature.

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