Pursue JOY!

Pursue JOY. Chase JOY. Run after JOY, Choose JOY.

Verb to your mother. (Do you see what I just did there?)

It’s an action. Something you have to DO!

Webster defines joy this way:

A feeling of great happiness, a source or cause of happiness, something or someone that gives joy to someone, success in doing, finding, or getting something.

Being joyful is a choice. No matter what your circumstances are – there is always something to be joyful about!

Divorce. Death, Disappointment. Focus on joy. 

Oh, yes you can!

How? Well, thanks for asking!

Be grateful.  You have so much to be thankful for! Record those things that bring you joy and reflect on them.  If they were that good, go back and do them again!

Pray. Pray that the Holy Spirit indwells you with JOY! Pray away the negative stuff and bad attitude crap.

Smile. Turn that frown upside down!

Quit worrying. Just stop it!

Eat good, exercise, and get enough sleep. I think we have all heard that before but it’s true!

Do things (short of sin) that make you happy.

Pay attention to the minutia in the mundane. (Savor your coffee and look your kids in the eyes when they are sharing their day with you.) It’s the little things!

You have to consciously choose to pursue joy.  It won’t come chasing you. Pursue.  Just like relationships – you need to pursue… chase… want… desire…  go after joy! Don’t sit around and wait for your happy to walk in the door – go after it!

Joyful people are not always rich people, or skinny people, or CEOs of companies. They are just ordinary people with extraordinary attitudes.  

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart to stay!  (That’s the little Baptist girl coming out in me right there!)

How do you pursue JOY?  Please share with me!