Where does your joy come from?

Joy! What does that word mean to you? When I say joy, what comes to mind?

Here’s what Webster says:

Do you ever let yourself just stop and think about what in life genuinely brings you joy? It’s different for all of us. For me, my joy comes when I get to travel to new places. My joy comes in decorating my house for Christmas. My joy comes from cooking a big meal for my friends and family. My joy comes from this blog and the hope that I’m helping people. My joy comes from my family and having a peaceful home that is a place of refuge. My joy comes from working out. My joy comes in making my home inside and out a beautiful place. What brings you joy may be very different from me, but something brings you joy!

Stop for a second right now and grab a piece of paper and think about all the things that bring you joy. Write them down! Everybody talks about their why. I think if you take a second to write down the things that bring you joy, you might just find your why in life! Our why is what gets us out of bed everyday. Our why is what drives us when we feel like we can no longer go on.  If I am being totally honest here, I don’t think I have known my why, or been real clear about my why. Maybe you’re not like me, maybe you do the things that bring you joy on a regular basis. Do you? Do you do that which brings you joy?

Joy seems to be my word for the past year. You see, I lost my joy. I let life and events steal my joy. Ironically, Joy is my middle name. It never meant so much to me as it has this year. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible talks about weeping enduring for the night, but joy cometh in the morning. Joy just keeps jumping out at me everywhere I look. And I mean everywhere. Painted on various items on the street. On signs, on billboards, in quotes, in books, literally everywhere I look! I think somebody is telling me I need to find my joy again! Do you ever find yourself there? Have you let life steal your joy? As we approach the end of 2019, I urge you to take some time to just sit down and quiet your mind and think about the things that bring you joy. I urge you to focus on those things versus what is wrong in life. If like me you have lost your joy, I pray that you do whatever it takes to find that joy again! Life can be so very hard, but in the midst of the storm, we can still have peace and joy in our hearts! So let me end by asking you this question. What brings you joy?

With love for you all!

Shauna