Tag: Self-Improvement

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 21

What is joy anyway?  The secular definition is generally considered to be “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness,” (https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/joy),  but, for our purposes we look to Christian pastor and author, Rick Warren, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 21 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 20

Yesterday I talked about exchanging thoughts.  Directed by the exercise for Day 19 in 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, the objective was to come up with three encouraging scriptures to memorize and substitue for negative thoughts.  That was good.  What I left out is, in my opinion, even better because it feels more doable in a crisis.  Have a … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 20 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 17

Continuing the Journey to Joy.  It takes concentration and focus.  It also requires a strong desire to change your mindset.  Satisfaction with the Status Quo will only result in more of the same.  God has been showing me that my thoughts about circumstances and people cause me more misery  than the circumstances and people themselves.  … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 17 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 16

The message on Day 16 of the book 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life seems especially appropriate for the times we find ourselves embroiled in on March 13, 2020.    Today the world is in frenzy around the health crisis brought on by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).  Schools are closed.  Disneyland is closed. Broadway is closed.  Even church … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 16 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 15

Tommy Newberry has talked about the importance of gratitude on many of the previous days of his book, 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, but today it’s a full-on smack down!  He gets serious about the lack of a heart of thankfulness in his “Profile of an Ingrate.”  He states that ingrates fall into one or more … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 15 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 12

On the 12th day of 40 days to a Joy-Filled Life, Tommy Newberry discusses marriage. His major premise in this book and in his other works is what he calls the 4:8 Principle.  Based on Philippians 4:8 (NLT), “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 12 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 11

It is almost cliché that we should live with an “attitude of gratitude.”  Every guru from the New Age to the pulpit of your local church expounds the need to keep a gratitude journal, count your blessings, give God praise for all He has done.  At the same time, however, our society urges us to … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 11 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 10

It is easy to believe that our thoughts don’t matter much; to put more importance on words and deeds. But Tommy Newberry points out on Day 10 of 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life that, “Minute by minute, hour by hour, in the hidden workshop of your mind, you are constructing thoughts of good or … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 10 →

40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 9

Today’s task is to take a vacation from yourself—at least from the negative critical parts of yourself.  Get away from judgmental thoughts, conversations about your health problems, gossip.  Spend some time in the peaceful place God has promised when we give Him all our worries and thank Him for all He has done. This will … Continue reading 40 Day Journey to Joy – Day 9 →