Pre-Owned Courageous Joy: Delight in God Through Every Season (Other)

I will not sign up for a Bible study unless I have time to be ALL in. I have learned that you will only get out of a study what you put into it. So, when I do a study I make sure that I do it all the way. I saw a post on Facebook a few weeks ago from Revell looking for people who were interested in being on a launch team for the book Courageous Joy by (in)courage. I had just finished up a study on Psalms and couldn't decide what to do next, so when I saw this, I was like "this is it, who doesn't need more joy right now?" This has been one of the best decisions that I have made this year. Mary Carver is the one who wrote and put this book together, although quite a few women gave input and shared their stories (it takes a village). While you will not see her name mentioned as the author I want to give her credit because she did a FABULOUS job. She had never written a Bible study before and I think that is HOW God used her, to give us ALL a fresh perspective on things that we have read so many times before. She has, however, written a book on joy before, called Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts, so she was/is very familiar with the topic of joy. The Courageous Joy Bible Study is a 6-week study, five days a week. Each week is a different theme relating to joy. Each day might take about 15 minutes, depending on how fast/slow you read, and how much you put into it. Each day starts with a story that goes along with that week's theme, followed by some questions that are great for self-reflection, looking up verses that pertain to that topic, and ends with a daily prayer. Today I finished week 5 day 2. Usually, by this point in a study, I am ready for it to be over. Some studies just seem to drag and I just want to move on. I am not at that point with this book! I want to slow down and savor it, I am SO not ready for it to end. Usually, when I am on a launch team I want to read the book/devotional quickly so I can do my review, but I refused to do more than a day at a time with this study, I did not want to rush it! There has been something EVERY DAY in this study that has spoken to me. I have been challenged, convicted, wrecked (in a good way), emotional, and in awe of God. I am thankful that He brought me this opportunity just when I needed it. I am thankful for all the workers at (in)courage for producing studies like this one. I am thankful to Mary Carver for being willing to step out in faith, not knowing how this study would come together, but trusting that God would do what needed to be done. What is joy to you? What does it look like? How do you express it? Do you understand that it has nothing to do with our feelings and everything to do with having Joy IN the Lord? Do you have the joy of the Lord down in your heart? If not, I invite you to grab a copy of this Bible study and get started today! I would recommend this study to anyone who wants more joy in their lives.

This study reminds us where our true joy comes from. It is not the world, it is not our family, friends, our children or even our spouses. Our true joy comes from the Lord God. Are we putting idols in front of the Lord? Are we worshipping him fully or are we distracted? Has life gotten too heavy and we cant even speak the words anymore? Finding joy even when its difficult or is a sacrifice can be unsettling but the Lord God is there to walk through it with us. Start your day off with a few minutes each morning as the writers of this study give us a piece of their own journey and point us back to the one and only who has His arms open to give us joy that can never truly be found in anyone or anything but him, Jesus!