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Merriam Webster dictionary defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.”
Biblical joy is "choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives." Christianity.com
Joy is a perpetual gladness of the heart that comes from knowing and experiencing Jesus. "Joy is a gift from God available even during the hardest seasons of life." Words of faith hope and love
"Joy is that extraordinary happiness that is independent of what happens to us. Good luck can make us happy, but it cannot give us lasting joy. The root of joy is gratefulness. We tend to misunderstand the link between joy and gratefulness. We notice that joyful people are grateful and suppose that they are grateful for their joy. But the reverse is true: their joy springs from gratefulness. If one has all the good luck in the world, but takes it for granted, it will not give one joy. Yet even bad luck will give joy to those who manage to be grateful for it. We hold the key to lasting happiness in our own hands. For it is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.“ Brother David Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness
“Joy, collected over time, fuels resilience - ensuring we'll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things do happen." Brené Brown
"Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls." Mother Teresa
"Joy is an inner feeling. Happiness is an outward expression. Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose. A person pursues happiness but chooses joy." Compassion International
The focus for our September sermon series and all our events this month is "The joy of the Lord is our strength" Nehemiah 8:10. We invite you to join us each Sunday for a message on joy, to Wednesdays at church as we study the book of Philippians a.k.a. "the book of joy" or for any of our upcoming events, there's a LOT happening this September, and it would be a JOY to see you!
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