Finding Joy
Dr. Linda Settles
Hello Quarantiners!
Welcome to a new month-long devotion that will come to your inbox every day in October! I’m calling it: Finding Joy.
For some of you, this is your first time travelling with me in this way, so welcome! For others who've received my e-blasts over the years...she's baaaack!
I pray that you're staying safe during this time of COVID-19.
And I pray that you're staying prayed up during these trying times! It's been quite a year. But God is still with us! And don't forget - you are precious in God's sight! (Isaiah 43:1-4)
There's so many things that keep us on our knees, right? I think it's time to draw away for a minute and focus on the JOY around us.
Have you seen Joy?
Where did she go?
Someone took my Joy!
I don’t know if you’ve felt this way or not, but it seems that joy isn’t being talked about much these days. We talk about the weather, politics, COVID-19, racial unrest, and what’s on TV or Netflix or Hulu. And while all of these things are ok topics, I still don’t hear many people talking about joy.
So what happened to joy? Where did she go? I didn’t even get a goodbye! I looked around and joy was gone. Just up and left.
NO MORE!
We're gonna take back what the world is oblivious to and what the devil is trying to steal - JOY!
I want my joy back! I want to wake up with joy, go thru the day with joy, and go to bed with joy. I want to laugh with reckless abandon and make sweet lemonade every time lemons dare to come around. I want to learn "the secret" to being content (Phil 4:12) in any circumstance.
So here's the deal...for one month, October, let's look for joy. Each and every day. If we look hard enough, we'll find it. So who's with me? Who's going to join this JOY-full band of pilgrims on a search for joy? If that's you, then I need you to flood my inbox with stories of joy. Small, big, near or far, ordinary & miraculous.
Joy in grief, in tiredness, in love, in breaking up, in self-love...joy in children, in grandchildren, in parents, in siblings...joy in washing dishes, sewing, quilting, piano lessons, singing...joy in marriage, in singleness...get the picture? Joy is everywhere!
We all have experienced some amount of joy during this pandemic, and we've heard stories of joy. Maybe it was a cute video that gave you a laugh. Send them my way. Let's flood the gates of hell with moments of joy! In fact, let's flood the airwaves with so much joy that it becomes contagious!
We soooo need this! And I believe the world needs it too!
So let's get started - hit me up at settle4thebest@att.net (my ministry email) or drlinda@umcgt.org (church email) and let's get this party going! Future emails for this devotion will come from settle4thebest@att.net, so be on the lookout (check your Spam folder).
And one of the most JOYful things I know to do is…worship! We’ll be outside this Sunday (if the rain has gone!) at our NEW TIME: 10:00am. I know, this is our old time, but everything old is new again! Keep an eye on the weather, as will we, and if the rain has passed us by, we’ll be outside. You will receive an email or text if we need to cancel the outdoor part, in which case we will still stream online and celebrate Holy Communion.
And I know God has a sense of humor because this week’s sermon is titled: A Chance of Rain! We’ll be looking at the story of Job. Into each life a little rain must fall, but we don’t lose hope in the storm. God is with us! Let’s talk about it this Sunday, 10:00 am.
With Joy,
Pastor Linda