The calendar flipped to November in a blink. Seven Saturday’s until Christmas. A handful until Thanksgiving. The to-do lists jog onto two, even three pages. Life’s abuzz with the excitement of the holiday season—a season of joy and gratitude and God’s goodness.
But in the busyness, joy can slip through our fingers.
The pressure to perform and produce can leave us feeling weary in the marrow of our being. Smiles become forced. Sparkling eyes grow dim.
In Fight Back With Joy book and Bible study, I share what began as a journey of joy and soon became a terrifying expedition when I was diagnosed with cancer. Tortured alive through brutal experiments, joy felt so out of reach.
But somewhere along the way, I discovered that more than whimsy, joy is a weapon we use to fight life’s battles.
You see, the Bible resounds with a sacred call to live in joy. We are meant to radiate joy everywhere we go.
Here’s one proven tactic that you can practice today to bump up your joy-o-meter:
Sidle Up to The Lighthearted.
With all the responsibilities that come with a busy fall, it’s easy to give into a getter done, check-it-off the list mindset. Everything and everyone can soon become projects. Levity disappears. That’s why it’s so important to spend time with people who remind you not to take life, ministry, or yourself too seriously.
Who tells the best jokes, makes you laugh the hardest, and lives as a bundle of joy?
Make a list of names. Pick up the phone and schedule time to get together and just laugh. Enjoy each other. Allow their lightheartedness to rub off on you.
Need an extra-special boost of joy?
Volunteer in the kindergarten room at church. Play with a group of children. Toddlers have lots of joy and I bet they’re willing to share.
This week, we’re giving three people the chance to win a copy of my sweet friend, Ann Voskamp‘s newest Advent devotional, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas. What a perfect opportunity to take time during this Advent season and share in the joy of your grandkids, nieces, nephews, kiddos, and friends.
This week, we’re giving away The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas and Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp.
The Greatest Gift: Hundreds of thousands of readers have already fallen in love with Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts, and this Christmas, Ann invites readers into the rich and meaningful celebration of Christmas we all long for — a celebration of the complete love story that’s been coming for you since the very beginning.
In what is certain to become an instant holiday classic, Voskamp reaches back into the pages of the Old Testament to explore the lineage of Jesus — the greatest gift — through the majestic advent tradition of “The Jesse Tree,” each day featuring its own exquisite ornament highlighting the Biblical story (free download of each of the 25 ornaments available from Voskamp’s website, annvoskamp.com).
Sure to become a holiday staple in every Christian home, The Greatest Gift, a New York Times bestseller, is the perfect gift for the holidays and a timeless invitation into the richness of the true meaning of Christmas.
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: Based on the overwhelming success of The Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp has expanded her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree so families can celebrate together. Each day, families can read the provided Scripture passage (in connection with the original book), engage with a specially written devotion to help children of all ages understand the Advent theme for the day, and participate in suggested activities to apply the theme.
This special edition is beautifully illustrated. It can serve as a precious guide to help recapture the sacredness of the Advent season and to help the entire family understand and celebrate the epic pageantry of humankind from Adam to the Messiah.
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The three winners will be selected and announced on Friday. Each person will choose which book they would like.
