Wake Up to Everyday Joys

I believe we can find joy in our everyday life. To experience this everyday joy we must be present in our lives.

What do I mean by, “present in our lives” you may ask? Well, allow me to explain.

Frequently I find myself asleep to my everyday life. Asleep in the aspect of going through the motions of life without truly being alive in the moment. Letting the colors dull, the conversations slip by without engaging, and seeking the distraction of entertainment. All of this mutes my experience of life.

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When I find myself in this place I have to intentionally re-engage. Stop and take in the sights of what’s happing around me, truly allow myself to SEE the colors around me.

Focus on the conversation happening in the moment. Listen for the sake of hearing and understanding. From this place your able to have deeper conversations and relationships.

One thing that needs to be addressed in this awakening. Is the role of entertainment in our lives- specifically electronic media. Electronic books, social media, online streaming, etc.

Ah- my friend and foe – entertainment. I will admit to loving a good book or tv series and don’t get me wrong here.

BUT there needs to be a conversation about falling down the proverbial rabbit hole. You must create boundaries in your own psyche.

I encourage you to think about what is appropriate time spent on these activities and what is overindulgence. Everyone will be different, but this is important for you to figure out.

Additionally, I feel I should add a note about this time of self isolation because of Covid-19. It can be even more difficult to not to seeking out entertainment for undefined hours with no end precisely because you have so many hours stuck at home.

But I would say that makes intentionality that much more important for your mental health. You still need to connect with other people (even virtually); need to enjoy your favorite hobbies or start new ones; and need to maintain some semblance of routine with meals and cleaning the space your spending so much time in.

From creating your own boundaries you can intentionally be present in your own life. Personally I am constantly working towards this goal. And when I am “awake” in my life I find SO much more Joy!

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Live Joyfully

Hey guys! Rebekah Joy here. I wanted to start this blog off with my main idea. Living a Joyful life.

Now to be clear this Joy that I speak of is not of my own making. It comes from my relationship with the Lord. I acknowledge that not all who engage with my blog will have this same faith, but it is core to who I am and speaks into all areas of my life. So if you are someone that does not share my faith I hope you may still find value in my content and if you have any questions, I would love to answer them.

My faith in Jesus Christ brings joy into my life. Not just circumstantial joy, but deep abiding joy. Joy that is beyond human understanding and gives life even in difficult seasons.

As I write about life I will keep returning to this idea of Unreserved JOY.

Because it is a HUGE part of who I am. I love finding the good in life, because there is always good. No matter what we have reason to choose joy in life because of just that- we are alive. Life its self is a reason to be joyful.

I hope that as I share my life experiences, struggles, joyful moments and passions with you that this idea of finding Joy because of who we are in Christ resonates with you. Because Joy is a promise of the Lord. It is a fruit of his Holy Spirit that we can cultivate and lean into. [Now don’t get me wrong, I think all of the Fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control- are important and necessary for a deeper life with Christ. I just resonate with joy.]

Psalms 20:16 says “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

In the NIV Bible translation the word ‘joy’ is used 242 times. The repetition of this word shows me how meaningful it is. Not only is it used in times of happiness, but it is also brought to the forefront in times of distress. In James 1:2-3 it talks about considering our trials a ‘joy’ because the byproduct of our faithful joy produces perseverance. How encouraging this is!?! We may have joy in knowing we are being transformed.

I encourage you to commit to living a Joyful Life.