The Joy Refuge | Q&A | Week 1

A reminder: our Virtual Q&A is Today at 5:30pm PDT!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the Part One of Longing for Joy. I am really looking forward to connecting with all of you later today. If you haven’t already, register for the 30-minute Virtual Q&A on Zoom. It starts at 5:30pm PDT.

Don’t worry if you’re behind on your reading: you’re still welcome at the Q&A. You can sit and listen in or ask whatever questions are on your mind.

Joy is an ever-present possibility. The reality is that we are always living on the threshold of joy. Think about the stories I told in Chapter 1: Presence. They are simple and ordinary: the joy of a bird visiting our lunch break, the joy of dancing, the joy of forgiveness, even the joy of nature.

Here’s an exercise to try:

Take some time this weekend, even just a few minutes, to reflect.

First, be still. Quiet your mind and soul. Repeat this invitation of Jesus to yourself a few times, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you, abide in my life.”

Second, ask the Holy Spirit to help you look backward. Think about your own story: When did you last experience joy? What happened? Think about your past week: Were there small moments of joy that you noticed or even overlooked? Think about your soul: Are you experiencing joylessness, longing for joy, or experiencing joy?

Third, ask the Holy Spirit to draw you closer to the possibility of joy.

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May we have eyes to see joy and hearts ready to be apprehended by her.