Marie Kondo has told us to part with any of our possessions that do not “spark joy.” Anyone who hasn’t been under a rock knows that a cluttered space robs you of your peace of mind. Clean fresh space, clean, fresh mind. At least that’s the assumption. On Day 39 of 40 Days to a Joy-Filled […]
Gratitude is a mainstay of joy. How can you be truly satisfied and content if you don’t recognize the gifts in the small, everyday blessings of life? Lack of thankfulness leaves you disgruntled and resentful as you look past the good things in your own life at the abundance you recognize in your neighbor’s life. […]
Throughout 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, the message from Tom Newberry has been that everything starts with your thoughts. To clarify, he states, “Because of thinking, we feel certain emotions. As a result of these feelings, we engage in certain behaviors. And these behaviors accumulate and produce the conditions of our lives.” This philosophy […]
Today in my quiet time, I was thanking Jesus for the things he has taught me about relationships. Many of the lessons were learned the hard way. Sometimes thought I had learned a lesson only to fail the test when given a chance to practice it again. I couldn’t understand why I kept meeting the wrong […]
As I began to read Day 35 of 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life by Tommy Newberry, I thought I knew where he was going with his analogy. He was describing his big family Christmas gatherings. I know about these as my three sisters and I, all our spouses and kids, my grandmother and parents made quite […]
On Day 34 of 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, Tommy Newberry tells us that thinking like God thinks makes us more joyful. Really? Isn’t God angry? Isn’t he hypercritical, watching us closely to catch us messing up? Isn’t he ready with his lightning bolts to strike us down when we fail? We know he is plotting his revenge for […]
What is your goal for the COVID 19 Pandemic? It sounds like a silly question. The survivalist in me just wants to live through it with my finances and relationships intact. On Day 33 of 40-Days to a Joy-Filled Life, Tommy Newberry offers another option. Newberry states that people are presented with a situation. This worldwide crisis would […]
Today you get permission to do all the things you love to do. No more worrying about your weaknesses either. According to Tom Newberry on Day 32 of 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, that is God’s intention for you. You were created to play a special place in His plan for history. You were gifted with […]
Self-discipline means choosing your actions based on your decisions and goals rather than letting your emotions run the show. That’s the word for today from Tommy Newberry in 40-days to a Joy Filled Life. He states, “Self-discipline occurs in the moments when intention defeats indulgence, when mission trumps mood, and when spirit conquers sentiment.” Without self-discipline, I […]
Here’s Tom Newberry’s challenge for Day 30 of his book, 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life: “Do not let others contaminate your mind with their pessimism and idle words. Your conversation must be full of the conditions you desire and the things God wants for you.” He advises you to escape conversations that involve cynicism, doubt, fear, […]
