Intro - "Discovering Joy"

Hey, friend. Can I share with you the introduction to my latest devotional book, "Discovering Joy: Amid the Chaos" which is still being written?

Maybe this sounds familiar. I chuckle every time I read it which is why I couldn't put this on video. I seriously can't stop laughing at the way my mind works!

Many things in this world can work to bring us happiness. Let me give you an example.

One night, my husband says, “Hey. Why don’t we go out for dinner tonight so you don’t have to cook?” Unable to turn down food prepared by someone else's hands, I immediately responded with "Yes!" and smiled. At that exact moment, I felt happy.

But then something happened as we entered the restaurant.

Almost immediately, the kids began to fight—arguing, hitting, and yelling at one another, oblivious to the fact that their debacle was beginning to draw the attention of the entire restaurant. They know this kind of behavior in public grates on my nerves. Why didn't they fight the car before we arrived? Then, we all could have gotten our screaming match out of the way in a more secluded area.

It’s almost like they wait. Right? They looked at me and thought, “Oh, she looks too happy. Also, this evening out is taking us away from our precious video games. What could we do to ruin her night?” I know they devised this plan to spoil my evening before they stepped out of the car. Ugh!

Wait! What just happened? I went from feeling elated to hating everyone around me. Can I share with you how my mind pictured our night out?

There we stood, dressed in our finest attire, as we strolled into the restaurant, hand in hand. Our waitress, whose name was in French, seated us at the table where a candlelight dinner awaited us. We asked for the finest wine because money is never an option. We opened our cloth napkins. One child placed his napkin in the lap of the other. We stopped to pray and thanked God for this lovely evening. Everyone laughed and began telling stories of their perfect day. After dessert, we left with a peaceful smile, full bellies, and anticipation of our next meal.

My mind created a completely different scene than what happened at the restaurant. I began the evening feeling happy, but my happiness quickly faded when I witnessed Monday Night Raw occur in the middle of the restaurant instead of in an arena. Then, I felt anxious.

My friend, that is precisely how happiness works. Circumstances can cause us to feel content for a moment, but then sin creeps in. All hope seems lost as the world comes crashing down around us.

I am here today to share with you that there is hope, and you can find joy in this dark world through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. When you discover joy, you feel happy even when wrestling matches and worldly drama surround you.

Join the "I Choose Joy" Challenge and discover a new you in 15 days.