I am sick, isolated, feeling hopeless. The world tells me I am unwanted, unloved, worse; unneeded. That I am useless, a drain on society’s resources, on my caring husband’s time. A waste of space and breath. It does not say these things out loud or in full, but nevertheless I feel the hot breath of…
As we approach the holiday season, the word “joy” will be more prominent as we celebrate Jesus, who brought joy to the world. As you read this issue and contemplate the writers’ words, consider your won definition of “joy.”
Joy is a central theme in Jesus’ teachings, but how do we grasp it when his Father and ours sometimes seems so far away?
We are full of good cheer and big smiles. All good things come from God and it’s these milestone moments that are memorable, but were they moments of joy?
Joy is loud. We sing. We shout. We process in celebration. We dance. Our hearts thrill. We share.
Is God really leading me to this place? What if something goes wrong? Am I really going on this trip alone? There was at least one moment where I told the Lord in tears that I didn’t want to go; having at least one travel buddy would be more fun even though I had been longing for some alone time with God.
What if joy is a spiritual emotional quality—something that our physical senses are numb to without Christ—and that with Christ we can begin to become aware of overtime?
If we’re running around looking for joy, we need look no further than sitting at the feet of Jesus.
As our writers take on the topic of The Contemplative Life this month, ask yourself how you can be more intentional about your soul care today.
Contemplation involves being still, or perhaps walking leisurely through nature, turning off the music or the podcast, and spending time focusing on God and his Word and what it means.
Our words have power. When we use words, we are in control and control others. But if we stay silent, who has the power? Who has the control? Humans are desperate for control and forget that God is always in control.
Reading wasn’t even an option. For someone who longs to always be learning and engaging, that felt strange. However, I knew my body and mind needed the quiet. During those first few days, I lay in silence. But God’s whispering voice spoke loudly into it.
When we go through life curiously exploring all the spaces God has given us to wander, and we pay attention to the details left for us to notice and find, we can experience the “continual discovery of Christ in new and unexpected places”
When our heart posture aligns with his, beautiful moments of relationship arise. But we must first be open and willing to hear from him.