Devotions on 'Joy'

This week I was cleaning out some papers and found a stack that looks like notes on a challenge/project I must have done seven or eight years ago. The instructions (in quotation marks below) were printed at the top of the first page, then my notes below that, and the other 'devotional' pages, were handwritten. There is no date on any of the papers, but judging by the handwriting style, and the wording of some of my notes, I'd guess that it was probably around 2011 or 2012. I have absolutely no memory of doing it. I don't know if this 'challenge' was from a blog I followed, a book I read, a camp or conference I attended, or a church small group (Sunday School, Wednesday night youth group, or Thursday night college Bible study). In any case, the topic is 'Joy', and that has been something I've really been struggling with in recent months (years, actually). I thought the timing was interesting that I should find these papers now.
I decided to share these little 'devotionals' here. They are short, most of them just three or four paragraphs, and not 'polished' at all, but I want to record them anyway. A '~' marks the separation between pages.

~

"1) Read and meditate on 8 verses in the Bible that relate to being joyful.
2) Copy or print 2 of the 8 Bible verses and put them in a place that you'll see each day!
3) Journal one blessing per day that brings a smile to your face and reminds you of God's goodness and gift of joy.
4) Thank Jesus Christ for the joy that He has put in your heart. Pray that He will shine through the joy on your face and that He will use your testimony of JOY to bring others closer to Him.
5) Be prepared at the end of this month to post your thoughts, Bible verses on Joy, and 5 blessings that made you smile!!!"


Bestowed Joy -
Ecc. 2:26 - God giveth wisdom, knowledge, and joy
Zeph. 3:17 - joy over thee with singing
Luke 24:41 - they believed not for joy

Commanded Joy -
Phil. 4:4 - Rejoice in the LORD
Is. 24:14&15 - islands singing

Blessed Joy -
Ps. 126:3 - The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.
Is. 12:3 - with joy draw waters out of the well of salvation

Fellowship Joy -
Philemon 1:7 - great joy in thy love

Salvation Joy -
1 Pet. 1:8 - rejoice with joy unspeakable
Jude 1:24 - present you with joy

Empowering Joy -
Neh. 8:10 - the joy of the LORD is your strength
Ps. 16: - fullness of joy

~

Bestowed Joy
"For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy:..."
Ecclesiastes 2:26

This verse can be really convicting if we allow it to speak to us.
Everyone who has been saved may be considered 'good' in the sight of God, for their sin is covered by Christ, and He is what God sees. However, a saved person's actions are not always 'good'. Many times, though we are saved, we fall back into the ways of sin. Those times obviously are not pleasing to the LORD.
To me, the verse seems to be implying a message similar to that of James 1: If you want, truly want, the LORD to give us some good thing (like wisdom or Joy) we must ask. And we must be sincere in our asking. If we are saved but living like we don't care, dare we think God will just automatically bestow all these righteous qualities on us? Seems mighty presumptuous to me.
Let us live 'good'. Let our lives ask, and He will freely give all good things.

~

Commanded Joy
"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." 
Philippians 4:4 

Practice counting your blessings, and Joy will begin to come naturally. Make it a way of life! We have so many reasons to be joyful, period!, but what more wonderful reason is there to be glad than to think that Jesus, the Son of God, is our LORD?! There is none! Sure, difficult times come, and come often. We will get discouraged, hurt, or angered. But we aren't commanded to be 'happy'. Happiness depends on immediate circumstances. Joy looks to eternity. 
He is our Friend. He is our Brother. He is our Life! Rejoice! 

~ 

Blessed Joy 
"The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad."
Psalm 126:3 

The joy and thanksgiving that the Psalmist felt here is just flying off the page. You can feel his enthusiasm, his gratefulness, and his worship of the One Who blesses. 
This verse in itself has been a blessing to me, for it expresses so simply, yet so adequately, the emotion I often feel. 
Great things! He has done great things for us! And we are glad. 
But here's another thought. He blesses us abundantly - but do we take time to thank Him for those blessings?
This may just be my interpretation, but I think that an inseparable part of true joy is it's expression - and what higher way to express it than to be thankful to Him Who gives it in the first place?! If someone is not thankful, they are not truly joyful. They may be happy - but not joyful. Take the story of the 10 lepers in the Bible. Jesus healed them all, and they were all glad. But one was truly joyful and he had to express it

~

Fellowship Joy 
"For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." 
Philemon 1:7 

It almost seems as if Paul here is writing what we'd call now-a-days a 'friendly letter' to Philemon. This dear friend and brother in Christ was evidently a very righteous man, someone who could be depended upon, and of a loving, compassionate, nature - an encourager. 
Paul and Timothy had been blessed and comforted in his love. And not only in his love toward them - but also because of his love toward "the saints". Sometimes it is just as much of a blessing to experience friendship for others you love, as it is to be given friendship yourself. 
Whatever the case was, Philemon was a believer who brought Joy to other believers. 
Personal application: I am blessed with several dear friends who I can truly say I "have great joy and consolation" in. They are my brothers and sisters in the LORD, and we are family! The LORD has increased the joy in my life through the love of these dear friends. 
Am I a friend who gives others Joy? 

~

Salvation Joy 
"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" 
1 Peter 1:8 
(ideally, verses 3-9)

It is almost necessary to start back at verse 3 to get the full context for this verse. Peter is encouraging the believers in the "temptations" or trials they are going through. These things are only for a little time and are relatively insignificant when compared with the awesomeness of Salvation, our unworthiness as recipients of such a gift, and the indescribable magnitude of eternity with Christ!
He has raised us from the lowest, most despicable position that such vile, repulsive creatures could come to and given us an incorruptible inheritance, shared with the most holy and pure being ever to exist - His Son. 
Considering this, it is totally reasonable that He seek to "try (our faith) with fire" that it may be found at the end, to glorify and honor this One Who gave Himself to give us Hope! And though we have never seen Him, yet we believe He has accomplished all - this belief caused (for the believers addressed here) a joy that was "unspeakable" with it's magnitude. 
Now for the personal application: I began to think on these verses, and was struck with this thought, 'When have I been so amazed and grateful for the Salvation He has given me that my joy was "unspeakable"? How often have I been speechless in the presence of such sacrifice? Not often enough. 

~

Empowering Joy 
"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." 
Nehemiah 8:10 

This is an interesting verse to me. The meaning of this phrase really hit me only a few days ago. I think that most people probably think - even unconsciously, like I did - that it's saying, in effect, "Be joyful, for the LORD will give you strength". But it doesn't! It says, "The joy of the LORD is your strength"! Their strength was in their Joy! It was their strength! Once I realized that, it was so neat to think of it that way, and really provided some 'food for thought'! 

~

Book Review: "Powerful Prayers for Your Son" by Rob and Joanna Teigen

Powerful Prayers for Your Son: Praying for Every Part of His Life by Rob Teigen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Powerful Prayers for Your Son” is the second book I have read by Rob and Joanna Teigen, and I was even more blessed by this one. I read “101 Prayers for My Son” a couple of years ago, and enjoyed and appreciated it immensely. When I saw the newly-released “Powerful Prayers for Your Son”, and “Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter”, I knew I wanted to read them, and have not been disappointed in the “Son” version! “Powerful Prayers for Your Son” is like an expanded, fuller version of the pocket-sized book “101 Prayers for My Son” by the same authors.

Full of meaningful and heart-felt prayers, and including encouraging stories and helpful advice, this book is a wonderful companion to Bible study or personal prayer time for the young men in one’s life. Even if you have no personal sons, this book is still excellent to use as a guide in how to pray for any boys or young men you may know. This book covers thoughts and prayers on almost any topic or challenge a young man will face. I will be recommending it to my friends who are parents of sons!

I received this book from Revell Reads free of charge, in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "Breaking the Power of Negative Words" by Mary C. Busha

Breaking the Power of Negative Words: How Positive Words Can Heal by Mary C. Busha

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Mary C. Busha does an admirable job at both challenging and encouraging her readers in this quick-moving, easy-to-read, helpful book. I began it a little skeptically, not wanting to wade through the false flattery of another ‘you are so wonderful’, ‘you deserve better’, ‘you can just surround yourself with positive thoughts and things will all be turned into sunshine and roses’, ‘you are a fabulous human being and are in control of your own sparkling destiny’ ego-fluffer of a self-help manual. Though Ms. Busha does weave in the message that all human beings are wonderful creatures, she does it from a carefully Biblical standpoint, noting that humans are wonderful because of the skill and love of their wonderful Creator, not because of some natural goodness’ of their own. I appreciated how Ms. Busha continuously pointed her readers back to God, using teaching from the Bible as foundation stones and reasons for every message she sought to convey. The words we speak to others, the words we speak to ourselves, the words others speak to us, the mindset we have towards those who have hurt us with their words, forgiveness, wisdom, choices – all these issues she presents and discusses from both a practical standpoint and a spiritual one.

There were a few negatives that I found with this book. First, in spite of her seemingly extensive experience with scripture, Ms. Busha mis-applies several verses. In one example, she cites Proverbs 3:15 as if it speaks of a beautiful woman, when by reading a few verses before, we can see it is metaphorically describing the attribute wisdom. The beautiful description in this verse can most certainly be obtained by a Godly woman, but I feel that Ms. Busha is hasty/careless, or even intentional in her misuse of several verses, perhaps being more concerned with finding scriptures that seem to support her points, than with finding verses that actually support her points.

Second, I also was alarmed and saddened to come to the last few pages of the book, and find that Ms. Busha used a story involving a woman ‘pastor’, with no hesitation or acknowledgement of the fact that the practice of women pastoring goes directly against Biblical teaching.

Third, Ms. Busha uses a story to portray ‘sympathetic words’ (versus ‘faith-building’ words) as negative words. In this particular story, perhaps sympathetic words were not the best choice, but in general, words of sympathy certainly have an appropriate place in efforts to lift others up! Perhaps it appears I’m splitting hairs, and that readers should be able to make the connection automatically, but I feel that she should have been more careful of her presentation if she was trying to make the point ‘be discerning about what kind of encouraging words to use for individual situations’. The point came across more as, ‘speak words of strength, don’t speak words of sympathy, to those who are suffering’.

Lastly, and least important (but still necessary to mention to complete my honest review), there were a small handful of grammatical and punctuation errors, as well as instances of incorrect term usage.

Overall, I would recommend this book – I just would recommend it be taken together with a Bible and a dictionary as helpful references.

I received this book from Revell Reads free of charge, in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "The Wounded Shadow" by Patrick W. Carr

The Wounded Shadow by Patrick W. Carr

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the third and last book in Patrick W. Carr’s ‘Darkwater Saga’, but the second that I have read.

‘The Wounded Shadow’ jumps right in where ‘The Shattered Vigil’ left off. Literally. In the middle of a scene. This technique can be both a positive and a negative one to use in a book series. For a reader who just finished one book and has immediate access to the next one, it creates a wonderful feeling of expectance. But it can also be very disjointing and confusing, causing an unfamiliar reader to have to read whole chapters before gaining any kind of idea about what’s going on.

Overall, this was an intriguing and enjoyable read. It was a well-crafted story (complex characters, intricate world-building), quite a page-turner, with many interlocking parts and weaving details that the author was able to keep straight admirably! However, there were a few aspects I found unpleasant.

One of the most irritating aspects of the story itself was the shameless way that the character Gael presented herself in several situations. It seemed that she possessed very little dignity, decorum, or self-respect in her provocative mannerisms, as well as little respect towards her fiancé’s desire for decency and honor in their relationship, or compassion toward his struggles. Though supposedly one of the ‘heroes’ of the story, she seemed to have a lot to learn about being a real one.

A couple of other negatives I found were the many women in religious leadership positions, the vaguely nagging ‘danglers’ left at the end (What ever happened to Lelwin? Why did Ealdor reach out to Willet in the first place, and were Willet’s unanswered questions to him ever answered? Was Modrie’s ‘mind’ ever restored and the sentinel race reestablished?), and – at the risk of sounding like I’m splitting hairs - the font size was small and painful to try to read, as in the previous book (I would rather be able to read the words without squinting, even if it means a thicker book).

All of the above aside, there were quite a few positive points. Allegorical tints to the story were much more evident in this book than in the previous one. Also, the development of young Mark’s character and Elieve’s redemption were probably my favorite aspects of the story. Their interaction was a fascinating and well-written situation. Mark’s determination that Elieve be rescued, his honorable conduct, and his unwavering dedication to her recovery in the face of huge odds, represent some of the most lacking (and yet most desirable) character traits in young people today. Perhaps we would see more ‘miracles’ happen now, if there were more people willing to sacrifice for others, work hard, and stay committed until the goal is accomplished, as Mark did.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.




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Book Review: "Quick Tips for Busy Families" by Jay Payleitner

Quick Tips for Busy Families: Sneaky Strategies for Raising Great Kids by Jay Payleitner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Mr. Payleitner writes with a fun and engaging style that is as effective at keeping his readers turning the pages as the short, quick, and straightforward ‘strategies’ (instead of ‘chapters’) are.

I am not married, and so therefore do not have children of my own. However, I work at a school and consider my students ‘my kids’ to a large extent. I chose this book hoping to use it as a reference and aid in discovering how to better help, serve, and deal with my students’ issues and needs. Some of the tips and advice are obviously more applicable to home life and/or ones’ own children. But much of the material can also be adapted to be useful in settings and situations like my own, for adults simply wanting to be a blessing to children they spend a generous amount of time with – baby sitters, grandparents, day care workers, Sunday School teachers, school staff, etc.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

Book Review: "Wings of the Wind" by Connilyn Cossette

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Once again, Mrs. Cossette delivers a fascinating story. Good descriptions, fast-moving scenes, and believable characters make this another thoroughly engaging book.

The author’s imagination is displayed in vivid detail through her creative writing, though the convincing evidence of thorough research is probably the most valuable point in ‘selling’ her work.

That having been said, there were a couple of negatives for me. One was the graphic and disturbing nature of some of the events described. I recognize that this period of history in this area of the world was extremely dark and demonic. However, there were scenes that it seemed could have been a little less graphically descriptive, but still gotten the point across. The second was the interweaving of some of the fictitious characters’ lives with those of actual Biblical/historical figures. This, I suppose, is just a personal preference, but there seemed to be an excessive amount of liberty taken in how the imaginary and the real people were related.

Overall, I enjoyed the second book in this set better, but, if you are interested in Biblical history, or (like me) enjoy romances between husbands and wives, this was a story worth reading.

I received a free copy from the publisher. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

Book Review: "Tough as They Come" by SSG Travis Mills

Tough As They Come by Travis Mills

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


“Tough as They Come” is the inspiring story of one of only five soldiers to survive quadruple amputee injuries as a result of his service in Afghanistan. This story is another reminder of why the title “hero” is so incredibly appropriate to describe our servicemen!

Sergeant Mills writes with an openness, honesty, and humor that keeps the pages turning. Coming from a family that has several servicemen in it, I was both humbled and encouraged – Sergeant Mills’ selflessness, positive attitude, and the love and support between him and his family were wonderful to witness throughout the pages.

At one point, someone asked him, “I hear you’re doing a lot of public speaking lately. What do you have to speak about anyway, dude?!”
He replied, “Nothing really. All I do is walk into a room full of people and say, ‘Hey, everybody, snap your fingers and wiggle your toes.’ They snap and wiggle, and I say, ‘Okay, your life’s not so bad.’”
Great mix of humor and humble challenge!

Negatives: Though Sergeant Mills stated that he believes in prayer, God, right and wrong, the Bible (“at least as it pertains to helping a person live his life better”), and that “faith can help a person along in life”, I was saddened that his Faith did not seem to go much deeper than those simple acknowledgements. He mentions a verse that helped reassure and inspire him during his recovery, but the Lord was plainly working in his life in such larger ways than just through that one Bible verse! Perhaps he simply chose not to speak about his Faith in greater detail; I don’t know. I do hope and pray that he knows Jesus Christ for himself, in more than just generalities.

There were also several instances of crude or foul language.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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