Words to SPARK your Heart-Song from our co-founder Sherry Douglas.
#uplifting #positive #encouraging #motivational
Hi everyone. This is Sherry Douglas with Heart-Song. Isn’t it amazing to watch children run and play? They throw back their heads laughing easily and heartily. They bend over with big belly laughs. They look for fun in whatever they’re doing. The third theme of Advent, the time we anticipate the coming of Jesus, is JOY. Most children are great at it; JOY just oozes from them.
As people grow, though, we often see their joy fading. Responsibilities become burdens. Words become stones lodged in their hearts. They move slower with less enthusiasm. However, if we seek joy in all the right places, it can be lifegiving and timeless. It doesn’t matter who you are – the joy of Christmas is for everyone: the rich, the poor, the happy, the lonely, the forgotten, the heartbroken and grieving, and the greatly loved. A simple, childlike acronym of JOY, J-O-Y can help all of us remember the true source of joy.
J is for Jesus. We can intentionally talk with him, trust and love him and keep our hearts and minds turned to him. Jesus brings us JOY. Not necessarily the happiness we typically want, but the unspeakable joy.
O is for Others. We can choose to treat others with respect and love. We can seek ways to help and serve. We can use kind words. Joy helps us fix our eyes on Jesus and point others to Jesus because joy fulfilled isJesus. We can choose to share our JOY with Others.
Y is for You. When serving Jesus and Others, it’s also imperative you take good care of you. There’s a fine balance…not to be self-centered, but also that not to ignore yourself. Be who you are created to be. You bring JOY.
J-O-Y! You and I can choose to be JOY givers! It’s contagious! Psalm 47:1 shows us how! “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!” I hope our joy from and for Jesus overflows as we serve him and others with our uniqueness. Live the way you want to be remembered. Thanks for being here. Merry Christmas!