WEDNESDAY’S WORD ON THURSDAY – JOIE DE VIVRE – Sadell Bradley 04/20/17 New Life Covenant Cincinnati

On Tuesday night MORTAR, the small business incubator where I work, celebrated the graduation of its 8th and 9th class. It was blissful to see great entrepreneurs taking the next step in achieving their dreams. I was on such a cloud, I didn’t remember that Wednesday had passed until last night, lol! One thing I love about my job is that my co-workers, who are all younger than I, have such JOIE DE VIVRE – literally, ‘the joy of living’ or exuberant enjoyment of life. This describes the environment at MORTAR, but does it depict our own quality of life? or are we bogged down by trials and misery?

 

This Saturday, at 10:00 am, I’ll be hosting a Women’s Breakfast. The topic will be, “Say Hello to Joy”  REGISTER HERE  According to the Mayo Clinic, “Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.”  There are times in women’s lives that can trigger melancholy, hopelessness, or despair. No matter our gender, circumstances attempt to rob us of the JOY Jesus Christ came to give us. He told His disciples, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10, AMP) Does that characterize your life? Joy is to be a fruit of God’s Spirit within you. (Gal. 5:22)

Sometimes we’re so busy ‘adulting’ that we’ve forgotten how to be joyful. If that’s you, you’re

missing out on one of the awesome benefits of being in the Kingdom. Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) Joy and celebration are a huge part of who we are. Why? Our sins have been forgiven at the Cross. We’ve received mercy and not the penalty that we deserved. We now have a renewed friendship relationship with God our Father, and a family in the faith (2 Cor. 5). We’re going to Heaven at death (John 3:16) and we can LIVE in His presence where there is FULLNESS of JOY (Psalm 16:11) The JOY of the LORD is an access point of strength, (Nehemiah 8:10) and we can dip in to it over and over again. Paul wrote “REJOICE in the LORD ALWAYS, and again I say, REJOICE!” (Phil. 4:4) So, if you’ve been down, JOY again!