God Will Cover You with JOY!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You don’t see any with your name on it!  Well, I promise it’s there!

            Some days we may feel as if JOY is hiding from us.  The bottles of Joy Juice with our name on them seem to have been locked away, because we sure don’t feel very joyful. We may not feel the closeness with God that we once did. We may wonder, “If He really loved me, how could He let certain things happen?  Is He really a good and just God?”

            Or it might be that we’ve prayed and prayed for a certain desire of our heart…for years…..and still He has not answered that prayer.  Where is the JOY in those circumstances?

            When we get that place in our lives that we are focusing on all that we don’t have, instead of the countless things God has blessed us with…we will be in danger of losing our joy.  Remember God NEVER promised that our lives would be without trials and difficulties. The important thing to keep in mind is that God, Himself, knows what it’s like to watch His only Son die.  And He allowed that because of His love for YOU AND ME!

            So when you feel your joy slipping away, quickly focus on what God has done for you.  Find the JOY in relationship with Him….trusting that He knows best and that He has you in the shelter of His wing.  I’d suggest that you read the entire chapter of Psalm 91.  Here’s verse 4 to remind you that He is joyfully protecting you.

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.”

            Uncover the JOY that God has planned especially for you!

Trust Him...JOYfully!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You don’t have to understand all the details to enJOY its special flavor!

            There are Bible scholars and then there are people like me! :) I don’t profess to know everything I should about the Word of God.  And I certainly don’t understand all the magnificent ways of God.  I think the important thing is that we trust Him with child-like faith…accepting His ways without having to analyze and intellectualize. 

            Now, that doesn’t mean that we should not study the Bible and strive to hide it’s word in our hearts.  That is of utmost importance.  We can never read it too much and certainly the only way to know God’s commandments and instructions is to continually open the Word and dig into it.

            But let’s not get discouraged when we don’t understand every detail.  Only God knows all. And He has told us in Proverbs 3:5-6  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (NKJV)

The ERV (Easy-to-Read Version) says it like this:

⁵ Trust the LORD completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. ⁶ With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.

            God knows that we can’t possibly understand everything.  That’s why He is there to guide our steps and help us to go the right way. 

When you don’t understand what’s happening in your life, trust God to show you the next step. That’s how to live a life of JOY---trusting in His strength and understanding, instead of your own.

The New JOYful YOU!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don’t worry about what happened yesterday or even before that!  Start with a new batch of JOY today!

            The wonderful, joyful truth about giving our hearts and lives to Jesus is that we can start over….We can become like a new person, with a fresh beginning.

Ephesians 4:22-25

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

            When we come before God with a sincere, repentant heart, He hears our prayers of confession and is willing to forgive us…no matter what ungodly choices we’ve made in the past! The hard thing for many of us…. is to accept His forgiveness, to forgive ourselves and move forward to experience that “abundant life” in Him that He has promised.  Satan doesn’t want us to feel forgiven! Jesus said in John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly!”

          As long as we cling to the pain of our past as an excuse for our problems and a reason for being and staying the way we are, we will never experience God’s healing. That’s when we allow Satan to steal our joy! 

           Today let’s make a choice.  Choose to put off that old self! Choose to put on the new self.  Choose to face the day with JOY!

Too Busy for JOY???

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  If you will get into the habit of drinking it every morning, then you won’t find yourself losing your joy along the way!

            Wouldn’t it be great if joy came naturally and we could easily “rejoice, always”? The truth is we’re not always going to find ourselves in happy situations…but being “happy” is not what we’re talking about here! Having genuine joy is possible…even in the toughest of situations…IF we give our lives to the Lord and spend time at the feet of  Jesus.

            Luke 10:38-42 teaches what we need to do in order to have that genuine joy in the Lord.

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”

    “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

             Do you find yourself so busy that you don’t have time for the Lord?  Most of us will admit that we get caught up in the busyness of our day….doing good things and fulfilling our responsibilities of our jobs and our family. We find it difficult to carve out a few minutes to spend with the Lord.  Let’s pray and ask God to help us make that a priority.

            Let’s be a “Mary” today…and choose the way of genuine joy by sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Be JOYful.......ALWAYS?????

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today!  If so, it will help you to be joyful throughout the day!

            Do you have JOY in your heart?  The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:4 to “rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS”!  Is that possible?  1 Thess. 5:16-18 says: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

           Again, I ask you.....Is this really possible? If we believe the Word of God and if we truly are followers of Christ, then we desire to do what the Bible says.  But it’s not always easy to be joyful, is it?  As a matter of fact, I will go so far as to say that it’s humanly impossible…..

            Life happens…and there are some pretty tough circumstances that come our way.  Unexpected situations land in our lap and sometimes we truly do not know what to do.  If we try to “go it alone”….without God’s help…then there is NO WAY that we can get through the trial joyfully.   But the wonderful truth about our God, is that He doesn’t intend for us to go through it alone.  HE IS ALWAYS there…to walk with us through the good times and the bad.

            Let’s remember that a personal relationship with God is the only way to have  genuine joy in all circumstances.  You never have to face any trial alone. James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

            We CAN “rejoice in the Lord…always” if we allow God to be in total control.

Our God is an AWESOME God of JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It is AWESOME!  The JOY of the Lord, that is!

            One of the best ways to teach about the joy of the Lord is to truly grasp the awesomeness of God! You can see it in the beauty of His creation.  Just watch the sunrise or sunset.  Examine the intricate markings of a butterfly.  Enjoy the cool breeze after a summer rain.  Observe the ebb and flow of the waves at the ocean.  There is a limitless supply of examples when we are talking about our awesome God.

            Let's look at two of the many passages in the Bible that express the joy of God’s awesome deeds:

            Psalm 66:1-3 and 5 says:

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!”

Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!

And then Psalm 111:2…(“God’s Word” translation):

The Lord’s deeds are spectacular.
    They should be studied by all who enjoy them.

            Let’s not take the awesome ways of the Lord for granted.  And we should pass along our love for and awe of our God to our children and all those under our influence.  Point out the uniqueness of our fingerprints, the way a hummingbird flies and the countless other examples of the awesomeness of God.

             “The LORD’S deeds are spectacular”….ENJOY EACH AND EVER ONE!! Share them with others TODAY!

Choose to Drink and Serve the JOY of the Lord

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Make certain that you are drinking from the genuine JOY JUICE fountain.

            The world offers us happiness.  If we’ll just buy this product or go to the vacation destination, we’ll be happy.  The more “stuff” we accumulate, the happier we’ll be! Right?  Nooo!  If you are looking for satisfaction and fulfillment in material things, you will never find it!

            You see, happiness and joy are not the same thing.  I know I’ve told you that before, but please understand that happiness depends on our circumstances….so it’s temporary.  Genuine JOY can be found regardless of our circumstances, if we have a personal relationship with Jesus!

            Kay Warren writes in her book Choose Joy : "Here is the foundational truth that each of us needs to remember: GOD IS THE ONLY TRUE SOURCE OF JOY. God will be there when all else is shaking.  He will be there when the people you love let you down or leave you or die.  He will be there when the place you thought would make you happy doesn’t satisfy any longer.  He will be there when the possession is lost or gets broken.  He is the spring of living water that will never run dry."

            If this is the foundational truth that you live by each day, then your family has a great role model. 

           Choose to drink and serve the JOY of the Lord in all circumstances of life.  No greater lesson of JOY can be taught to our children.

Tired? You Can Still be JOYful!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Even if you’re tired, you need to drink it consistently!

            Those of you who are in the child-rearing stage truly are in one of the busiest times of life.  I remember all those constant chores that are not optional when you have little ones around.  It seems laundry is a never ending cycle and meal preparation is continuous.  There are appointments to keep, groceries to buy and more activities than you can fit into the day! You never feel as if your house is clean or that you are caught up on your chores.  At night you fall into bed exhausted, to get up early the next morning and do it all over again.

            See…I haven’t forgotten!    But I will tell you from experience… that stage of life goes by so quickly and before you know it, your little ones will be all grown up.  So, again, this grandma (GiGi) would like to remind you to find the JOY in each day. 

            All of us, regardless of stage of life, find ourselves tired and overwhelmed. It’s at those time we that we can “rest” in the assurance that we are not alone.  We can call out to our Father for His strength, His wisdom and perseverance to make it through our busy days. Joshua 1: 9 says: "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

            So tired mama; overworked dad; busy person who dreads all the responsibilities of today----------Drink in a hefty portion of JOY JUICE and know that God will give you the power to make it through whatever today holds. 

            Pick up your glass, heavy as it may seem, and gulp down your special serving of JOY JUICE. 

           

Accept the Gift of "Today" with JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today? Don’t neglect drinking it…or sharing it with your family!

            I fear that many of us have fallen into such a busy routine that we often take our family members for granted.  Do we tell them often enough how much they mean to us?  Or are we so busy making a living that we are neglecting enjoying our life together?

            Ask any parent who has lost a child; any wife or husband who has lost their spouse; any child who does not have a mom or dad to go to for advice or comfort.  LIFE IS SHORT and we should take advantage of every moment!

            “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.         

Psalm 118:24

            Sometimes our focus is on tomorrow or what’s to come next week or next month. Much of our energy and thoughts are on projects at work or things outside the family which may cause us to put our children or spouse on the “back burner”, so to speak. 

You’ve probably heard the wise saying: "Yesterday is History, Tomorrow a Mystery, Today is a Gift, That’s why it's called the Present"

           

            So let’s accept the gift of “today” with JOY; and be determined to do everything we can to be make it a day of rejoicing for those in our family.

            Let’s remember that THIS is the day the Lord has made! When we rejoice and are glad in it, we’re setting a great example for our family members, as well as making them feel loved and joyfully special!

Treat Others as JOYful Blessings

Have you had your JOY JUICE today? When you share with others, remember to start with your family!

            One of my dear friends told me about a sign she saw in a shop recently. It said: “Treat your family like guests and your guests like family.”  I was so impressed with that statement, I googled it to see who wrote it.  It’s from a book by Judy Baer entitled An Unlikely Blessing.

            I began to ponder the MANY times I have NOT treated my family in the special, thoughtful ways I would treat guests.  Do you fall into that same category….of treating your guests differently than family?  Of course, there will be differences because of the intimate way we know each other, but there are times that it would very appropriate to treat our family members like guests…and I’ll bet they would JOYfully accept the change.

            Think with me for just a moment about ways we can make our family feel like special guests:

• We can greet them with a smile and a warm welcome when they come through the door!
• We can be thoughtful and ask about their day, then listen attentively as they share.
• Maybe we could surprise them with their favorite meal….for absolutely no other reason other than we love them!
• Let’s be sure they are comfortable; and find reasons to laugh together.

Our homes should be inviting to everyone!  That not only includes special guests but our family members, too! Let’s strive to make our homes places of joy.

             As each person walks through your  back door, remember to joyfully treat your guests like family and your family like guests!

Try It! You'll Like It! JOY in JESUS!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today? Try it; you’ll like it!

            In the early 1970’s there was a commercial for a popular antacid whose main line was “TRY IT!  YOU’LL LIKE IT.”  Those five words are still often used as a flashback to that ad.  Today I want to use the phrase to encourage you to drink the genuine JOY JUICE of JESUS.  I can promise that if you will “taste and see that the Lord is good”, you’ll experience a peace and joy that is like no other.  TRY IT! YOU’LL LIKE IT!

            Proverbs 14:30 tells us “A heart of peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”   It doesn’t take us long to come up with personal examples to prove that truth.

            If we are jealous and envious of something that someone else has, we are not at peace…as a matter of fact, we grow bitter and resentful; critical and judgmental.  But when we learn to be content with what God has given us…as Paul speaks of in Philippians 4:4-7, we’ll be overflowing with peace and joy from God.  Paul tells to:

^“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

             “TRY IT! YOU’LL LIKE IT!”  I’m talking about the JOY and PEACE that will come from drinking the JOY JUICE of JESUS!

Forgiveness Leads to JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  As you drink in your JOY from the Lord, ask Him to give you a forgiving heart.

            In Matthew 6 we find the model prayer…often called the Lord’s Prayer.  In verse 12, Jesus says that we should pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”   We all desire to be forgiven. But do you want to be forgiven AS WE forgive others?  Have you totally forgiven everyone who has hurt you, sinned against you in the past?

            It’s our nature to want to retaliate when someone offends us…to get even.  There’s a new TV show called “Revenge” and it’s successful because many people can identify!  But be assured that NOTHING works out JOYfully when you are determined to get revenge!   Romans 12:19 tells us “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

            When we harbor unforgiveness in our heart, we become bitter. When we become bitter, we become judgmental. When we become judgmental, then we’re vulnerable to hate. And then we build walls that cut us off from other people, even the ones we love. It actually takes a physical toll on our health; and the anger, bitterness & stress can age us more quickly! Now, that’s not a joyful thought!  

             As we pray the “Lord’s Prayer”, let’s pray with genuine forgiveness so that our lives may be filled with the JOY that comes from being totally forgiven by our Lord.

RADIATE HIS JOY! :)

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  I can tell by the expression on your face whether you’ve had your daily recommended dosage!

            There’s an obvious connection between what’s in the heart and what shows up on the face.  Not so long ago, I was quietly brooding over something that had just happened.  I was sure that I was hiding it well, because I was not talking about it.  I was SURELY thinking about it, though.  I was hurt and little angry…but I wasn’t going to let on to anyone that I was not “joyful”.  After all, I’m the JOY JUICE lady!  I’m supposed to “rejoice in the Lord…ALWAYS”---just like I tell YOU to do!

            Certain that I was masking my feelings, I ran into a dear friend who I had not seen in weeks.  Her first question to me was, “What’s wrong?”  “Nothing!” I quickly responded….not so truthfully.  “Oh, yes, there is.  I can see it on your face.”

            Immediately, I broke out in a grin because I knew that this dear friend had been able to peer straight into my heart.  Without going into specifics, I asked her to pray for me and my attitude.  Only God could move my thoughts from the upsetting situation to other things which would lead me to find JOY in Him.

            Next time we’re going through one of those difficult times, let’s open our Bible to the book of Psalms and meditate on David’s words:

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

            May your facial expression RADIATE His JOY!

Get BETTER with JOY....Not BITTER with Rage!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today? Have a large serving so that you’ll be “better” not “bitter”!

            Ephesians 4:31 is very clear in what we should do regarding bitterness.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”

Does that verse say “hold on to”? Get rid of most?  NO!  It specifically and clearly tells us to GET RID OF ALL bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander and malice. If we don’t, instead of becoming a better Christian….growing in our spiritual walk with Him, we will become bitter and have little positive influence on those around us.  Our outlook will become negative and the words that come from our mouths will be full of criticism.

There are many circumstances that present themselves in our lives that could easily make us bitter.  I know a precious young couple who have recently lost a baby to SIDS.  Of course, they are devastated and don’t understand why God allowed such a tragedy to come to them.  BUT they have chosen to continue to trust in Him.  Instead of becoming bitter, they are growing daily in their relationship with God…allowing Him to turn this horrific experience into something beautiful that will glorify His name.

They find comfort in passages like Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

May we  “get rid of every bitter thought” so that we'll be drinking the JOY JUICE of Jesus and becoming “better” not “bitter”!

A Bitter Batch of JOY JUICE? NEVER!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You don’t ever have to worry about getting a bitter batch JOY JUICE!

            When your heart if full of love for the Lord and others, there truly is no room for bitterness or resentment.  But I will have to admit, when my thoughts turn away from God and I focus on how I’ve been mistreated by someone, that old sin of bitterness easily begins to take root.  If I don’t immediately throw some weed killer on it by reading scripture and asking for forgiveness, then the fruit begins to grow and show itself as anything other than good, sweet fruit!

            Hebrews 12:15 instructs us on this subject:

^“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it may be defiled;”  

            When we allow that “root of bitterness” to grow in hearts because of a grudge or anger or unforgiveness, it will be evident that the enemy has stolen our joy. He delights in causing trouble and he laughs over broken relationships.  Satan is busy seeking to “devour” us…that’s straight from the Bible, people!  Be warned! And be ready!

            How do we combat the enemy? By doing what the scripture says in Proverbs

 4:23… “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

We guard our hearts by guarding our thoughts and making sure we are focusing on the right things…NOT things that will make us bitter!  Make sure your thoughts are filled with JOY in the Lord!

       Pour up a batch of JOY JUICE and test it to make sure there is not one seed of bitterness trying to ruin the flavor!!!

Wait for the Lord and Gain Strength....and JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Take your time! There’s no need to be impatient!

            Like little children lining up for a treat, most of us are impatient when it comes to receiving God’s blessings!  We pray…and then we want an answer immediately…or at the least, very soon!  Well, God doesn’t always work on our time schedule. He often makes us wait, because He loves us and His timing is so much better than ours. He knows what is best for us!

            Isaiah 40:31 says: “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

            Is there something you’ve been praying about, asking God to give you and you are getting impatient that He’s not answering in the way you think he should?  We must be very careful not to fall into the trap of “making things happen”…manipulating our circumstances to make things work out “our” way.  Joyce Meyer writes, “There are multitudes of unhappy, unfulfilled Christians in the world simply because they are busy trying to make something happen, instead of waiting patiently for God to bring things to pass in His own time and His own way.

            In order to “wait for the Lord”, we must humble ourselves before Him, accepting His plan and His joyfully perfect timetable. 

            Let’s wait on the Lord so that in His perfect time HE may pour out His JOY JUICE into our lives as His will comes to pass.

Let Us Not Grow Weary in Being JOYful!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don’t lose heart…keep on keeping on drinking that JOY JUICE!

            The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” One translation says: “Do not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right….

            We all would probably admit that it gets hard at times to keep on keeping on.  Even if it’s good things we’re doing, often we feel like quitting because we’re not seeing a lot of results.  It may be that we feel under-appreciated and that no one would notice if we did quit.  Discouragement begins to seep in and take control of our thoughts!

            The Bible teaches that we are to persevere, push forward, and not complain about it!  Do you remember how immediately after being baptized, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested and tried by the devil for 40 days?  Did Jesus complain?  Did he become discouraged and depressed?  Did he “lose heart” and give up? No! 

            I know what you’re thinking…..”BUT HE WAS JESUS!  Of course, he didn’t give up!”  Well, let me tell you a little secret…..We have the SAME HOLY SPIRIT available to help us!  Rom. 8:26 says, "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness…"

          Let’s encourage one another by staying strong in our faith and praying that any discouragement will be replaced with  JOY in the Lord!

Life Ain't Always JOYfully Easy!

           Have you had your Joy Juice today? Determine to meet the challenge of drinking it every day!

     There are countless challenges that come our way that....if given a choice, we would certainly turn down! But most of time we are not given that option.  As parents often tell their children, “Life ain’t always easy and sometimes we have to do things we don't want to!” 

      Take for example when a child is sick and needs a shot and/or medication.  At the doctor’s office, the young child screams, "Mommy, please don't let them give me a shot!!!!!" or “Daddy, if you love me you won’t let them do this!” And parents respond,   "Yes, I know it’s going to hurt, but you need this to make you better. And because I love you, I'm making you do this. "

        Hmmm….Sounds familiar in another way, doesn't it? Have you ever begged God to take you out of a challenge because you truly didn't want to face the unpleasant   circumstances?  "Please, God, if you love me, you won’t make me do this!" And He answers, "It's because I do love you so much that I am allowing you to grow through this!"

        Romans 8:28 is a good a dose of medicine for when we don’t understand WHY God is allowing trials in our lives. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  When we come to understand and accept that truth, then we will also be able to confidently say:" I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! "

         Today I extend the challenge to faithfully and consistently swallow your daily dose of JOY JUICE!

A Counterpunch of JOY in the Lord!

     Have you had you Joy Juice today? It's just what we need today...and every day to keep us from giving up!

     We all have those days when discouragement starts to set in! Often we are tired and are carrying a heavy burden. We've done everything we know to do and things still don't seem to be getting any better. We may feel like "throwing in the towel".
   

What does it mean to "throw in the towel"? This expression was derived from the sport of boxing. When a boxer is suffering a beating and is ready to stop the fight, he literally throws in the towel to indicate that he is admitting defeat!

             Do you ever feel as if you are in a boxing match? Well, YOU ARE! We all are in a battle with a determined opponent....Satan.  And you better believe, he's got on  his boxing gloves!

     Scripture tells us in Ephesians 6:12 (New Living Translation, 2007) "for we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

        In His letter to the Ephesians, Paul was warning believers that our enemies are NOT the people we can see.... those with whom we get angry and irritated and feel like punching in the breadbasket! Our real enemy is the one we cannot see! So instead of taking our frustrations out on other people (even when we really think they deserve it), let's remember that the devil wants to cause dissension and division. Let’s pray for God to empower us so that we will not “throw in the towel”.

     When you sense that a boxing match is brewing, step out of the ring and get on your knees in prayer. Give the enemy a counterpunch of JOY in the Lord!

Prevent Wrinkles in Your JOYful Soul!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s not made from the “Fountain of Youth”, but it IS made with genuine Living Water!

             No matter where we turn these days, we see advertisements, infomercials, and even friends telling us how to look younger, feel more youthful, and add years to our lives.  While we certainly want to pursue a healthy lifestyle, we don’t want to get depressed about the aging process.  We have a choice: Our outlook can be joyful, thanking the Lord for another year to serve Him….or we can choose to dread that next birthday!

            This quote by Samuel Ullman which made me ponder the depth of truth in his simple statement.  He said: “Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.  We grow old by deserting our ideals.  Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. "

            As Christians, we have the answer for preventing wrinkles in our soul!  The wrinkle cream can be found in Romans 12:2 and prescribed by “Dr.” Paul:

 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

            Allowing God to transform our thoughts will help us to focus on His good, pleasing and perfect will.  And I’m pretty sure that His will does NOT include us pouting about getting older.  We should be praising Him for each new day & more opportunities to spread the JOY of the Lord.

            Slather on the wrinkle cream called the JOY JUICE of Jesus and prevent any wrinkles in your joyful soul!

1000 JOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today! RADIATE with JOY as you serve others and pour it out as an offering to God.

            This week we’ve been celebrating the goodness and faithfulness of God by finding ways to share our JOY JUICE with others.  Today, in particular, I’d like to encourage you to pour out the JOY of the LORD onto as many people, in as many ways, as many times as possible. Let’s RADIATE His love, His JOY, His hope and His praise. 

            Today as we celebrate the 1000^th JOY JUICE radio message, may I remind you that the heartbeat of JoyJoy Ministries is to share a “double portion” of His JOY with others.  We do that by being genuine followers of Christ and by obeying His instructions in the Word….Shining for Him! That has nothing to do with our social status, our age, material possessions, or our success by the world’s standards.  It has EVERYTHING to do with our personal relationship with Christ, our commitment to serving Him and sharing His JOY with others.

     Paul’s challenges us in Philippians 2:15-18 to  …shine like stars in the universe  as you hold out^] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”

            Email me at joyjoy01@windstream.net and tell me how YOU shared your JOY JUICE today!