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The JOY Challenge: Day 36 - Along the Way
I'm deliberately finding joy for forty days. To start from day one click here.
Congratulations to Katie for winning the journal giveaway! She'll get to choose any journal she wants from DaySpring.com. And all of you can get 20% off with my friends and family discount (holley20). I love these journals and helped create many of them! Click here to see the whole collection.
We're getting close to the end of the Joy challenge (I know--it's been a lot longer than just forty consecutive days!) and I've learned some things along the way...
Joy is a choice - I don't think there's been one day I've woken up and said, "Woo-hoo! Joy!" I think joy is a bit like exercise. You put your heart in motion and head that direction then God gets the rest of you up to speed.
Joy is everywhere - Once I started looking, I discovered joy was all around me. It still is. I'll admit some days I get bogged down and don't choose to focus on it. But when I do, it's always there.
Joy is a glimpse of heaven - In those moments when joy is incredibly real, I always find myself longing for heaven. I think joy reminds us we were made for more than this, more than here and now.
Joy is a Person - For some reason we tend to think of Jesus as really serious. But he's joy itself. And I've discovered when I truly feel joy, I feel his presence in those moments too.
Your turn! Just fill in the blank. Joy is...
The bottom line for me is: No matter what happens to me here on earth, it doesn't matter. I belong to Jesus and I will be with Him in heaven. Therein lies my joy and my hope.
Posted by: ~Grace & Peace | October 27, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Joy is....an attitude...
Posted by: Fiona | October 27, 2009 at 04:03 PM
....moments alone to remember I am more than someone's mom. I am myself.
Posted by: thegypsymama | October 27, 2009 at 04:35 PM
...knowing that no one can steal it from me. I am responsible for joy!
smooches,
Larie
Posted by: Larie | October 27, 2009 at 06:45 PM
Yes, yes to all of the above Holley. I have loved doing this with you. I'm a day behind (and likely to stay that way) because of my Dad's ill health, but I am going to finish. I can't decide which of the things you've learned I like the best. I think I love the most that Jesus is joy!
Posted by: Linda | October 27, 2009 at 07:48 PM
As is quite apparent - I don't follow directions very well :-)
Joy is Jesus-Others-You!
Posted by: Linda | October 27, 2009 at 07:49 PM
Here is a bit of a post I wrote recently on joy:
"Joy is as powerful to a hurting life and a hurting world as music is. Both music and joy are waves of the voice of God! I must let Him make His joy ring out in me . . . in spite of circumstances . . . because of His love . . . forever and always, AMEN!" (http://upthesunbeam.blogspot.com/2009/10/joyful-noise.html)
I love your thoughts about how Jesus is not so serious as we think, but is literally joy personified!
Posted by: Shaunie Friday | October 27, 2009 at 08:35 PM
Joy is watching 2yr olds play or when they give you hugs or learn to sing. Joy is having christian friends to hang out with. Joy is in a sunset or cooler weather with no rain and blue skys. Joy is knowing God loves me in spite of my flaws. I have lovved these almost 40 days. Thank you again.
Posted by: Nancy | October 27, 2009 at 09:16 PM
...knowing God is there. Looking back over my day I see so many joy moments, joy in spite of the tears, and a peace that passes understanding. Today as I watched my brother and his lovely family slip out of sight past security, to fly to their home on the other side of the world, there was joy in spite of the tears. Joy to see the peace on their countenance, the anticipation in the children's faces in spite of the goodbyes, mingled with a deep awareness they are where God has called them. The peace they reflected by God's grace was a reminder that there is joy in following and living out God's leading. God is where we are and that is joy, for it comes from Him.
Posted by: Linda | October 27, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Joy is... the beauty of a dandelion, a smile, when he looks at me not through me, a real kiss, when he says the word "mommy", watching my angel sleep,knowing that my son who has autism and profound mr has taught me more about life than any teacher or professor. He used to hold a single dandelion in his hand for hours... I decided to closely look at the treaure in his tiny hands... it was beautiful. A weed that we all take for granted is joy. Many things people take for granted is miraculous joy to me: when my son said "mommy" for the first time at 13 and knew that I was mommy! watching him at speech therapy try so hard to learn the words that should be his natural language... his zest for happiness... joy for me is everything you all take for granted... I am lucky enough to experience some things like no other ... nothing short of a miracle!
Posted by: Sue | October 27, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Joy is God loving me and forgiving my sin!
Posted by: Janet F. Broyles | October 28, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Joy is a new path on which to walk on a cloudy day!
Yesterday, I had the blessing of exploring an old "train stop." After looking at the stop and taking
a few pictures, I continued walking along the railroad track. The colorful leaves provided many lovely sights. At a couple trestles, I looked down at roads upon which I often drive - new vantage points! Nice!
One trestle stopped me with "No Trespassing" signs. Thus began my joy-filled return trip. Praise God for
His spontaneous gifts!
Posted by: Cindy Fox | October 28, 2009 at 08:03 AM
- the glory of creation, spoken in flower and color and song, poured out over us who still wear skin. It says "All is well, and all shall be well. Heaven is near, and the wall that divides us from it is so thin that we are a breath away."
Posted by: Cassandra Frear | October 28, 2009 at 08:56 AM
God reminding you of how much He loves you.......
Posted by: Katie | October 28, 2009 at 09:45 AM
... choosing to wait on God (not on situations or people) and being renewed with HIS strength! (Isaiah 40:31)
Posted by: Mrs. H | October 28, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Joy is a relationship with God
Posted by: Kathy | October 28, 2009 at 04:45 PM
I like your last touchpoint on Joy: Joy is a Person.
Why haven't I heard that before? .. So true.
Posted by: Faith Barista Bonnie | November 02, 2009 at 11:43 AM
JOY is an integral aspect of our design. We were created to experience JOY... it is evident when reading all the unique expressions of JOY people are experiencing on your blog. I agree with those sages who say we have to learn to listen to our GOOD conscience because this is associated to that Mustard Seed that connects us to the Image of Christ, reflected in our original nature.
Posted by: Susan | July 02, 2010 at 09:08 PM