This Friday Vicki at Windows to My Soul is hosting the Carnival of Beauty with the Beauty of Joy as the theme.
I am so pleased that the theme of Carnival of Beauty is the Beauty of Joy!!
I have a dear friend Jody who has always given her children and friends the encouragement to “Choose Joy”! Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have every reason under heaven to be filled with JOY!
Nehemiah 8:10, “…And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Psalm 4:7, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”
Habakkuk 3:18, “yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
Luke 2:10, “And the angel of the Lord said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Our Savior is the author of our Joy. He is the one that has put joy in our hearts by redeeming us with His blood. We have every reason to shout for joy to our Lord. The good news was for us and we need to choose joy! Even in the midst of struggles and defeat the joy of the Lord is our strength. We look ahead to the Hope that is set before us with joy for what has already been done for us and for what is being prepared for us in Heaven. This kind of joy will make us beautiful on this earth. When we reflect the joy of the Lord to those around us they will have joy, too!
So dear friends in Christ “choose joy”!
On Friday you’ll be able to click here and see more entries on this theme…
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
It is a choice! God is our precious source of JOY.
ellen – I loved this post. so uplifting, and definitely turning my eyes to where they should be looking!
I like that – Joy is a choice. Sometimes I think it ought to just be there or I have to do something to manufacture it, but it’s more simple than that. It’s a conscious decision. Making that choice today!
Say! Say!
Truly Joy is a choice. Thanks for a great post. Blessings.
Thanks for that wonderful reminder! This is my favorite part…
“This kind of joy will make us beautiful on this earth. When we reflect the joy of the Lord to those around us they will have joy, too!”
P.S. You’re a great example of this…love you!
Thanks for the reminder to choose joy. So, often we walk around busy and burdened . . . when our Father sits with pleasures untold at his right hand!
Also, welcome to the CoB! Thanks for being apart of it.
That photo is GREAT! I love those faces!! Much joy here! 🙂
Also enjoyed your post on joy—yes!, we can choose it!
Jesus is pure joy to me.
Love you, friend!
I do choose that Joy! It brings the confidence that my God will accomplish all that He has begun in my life and in those whom I love so dearly.
Wonderful!!
Others have said it but I will repeat it- we so need reminding that things are a choice. I am reminded of the verse ‘I have set before you life and death- so choose life’
How gracious is the God who gives us choices- and such blessed choices. As I struggle with the post birth blur I trust that I will choose joy……….not hormones! 🙂