Why can't I find happiness in my life? Why must I be depressed, angry, and anxious? These are questions that come into our minds all the time, but everyone keeps saying "I want happiness, but I can't find it." The thing is happiness is actually a by-product of Joy.

Why would St. Paul make a point of instructing the troubled Roman church to practice this habit? Because it bonds people, connects them in love, and requires them to listen well and care for one another.

The point of this blog is to share about happiness, pancakes (or any other breakfast item on hand, but preferably pancakes), and a handful of people all rolled into one... which is also known as The Joy Breakfast!

Why is it that people say that? Why do they bring up the past and how bad or good their life used to be? Why can’t these people talk about how good life is right now?

The immense gratitude in her eyes was so shocking to me. In my mind, it was a simple, courteous gesture. If she was lost and I had the capabilities to speak to her in a language more familiar to her, I ought to, right?

What do you think? Does everyone suffer? Think of the most joyful person you know. Do they suffer?

By our crosses, we learn to rely on God more fully.

I rejected my friend’s view that optimism is somehow ignorance of suffering and that being joyful will pass when things get difficult enough. But what he said stuck with me and it came back most recently because things are happening in my life right now that are difficult, that bring tears to my eyes, and make my shoulders feel like I’m carrying a weight there. I mused on our conversation and decided to reconsider, think, look into my heart and see if he was right after all.

The second movie had the Joker in it, and he is just such a classic villain. My favorite part has to be the “Why so serious”part, I mean like come on, talk about quotable!

It’s so easy to trick ourselves by saying we are “active” or “healthy” when we are actually actively participating in an eating disorder.

I realized that day that I need to stop HATING CORONA! I need to love the virus.

God does not ordinarily speak in thunderbolts, unfortunately. So, what happens when God is silent?

Behind you, a “Honk! Honk!” from a car is heard followed by a teenager yelling these words: “YOU’RE AMAZING! HAVE A GREAT DAY!” A big black van with yellow lettering that says “You’re Amazing” zips past you with someone hanging out the window waving and smiling at you. For the first time all day, a real smile breaks out on your face. Suddenly the walk home in the cold doesn't seem so bad.

I miss my first-born daughter in a way no one else could possibly miss her. My relationship with her was unlike anyone else’s, and the void in my life and in my family feels so vacuous at times and it’s a very lonely and isolated place to be. The disbelief that the accident actually happened and resulted in Anna’s instant death washes over me again and again. How can it possibly be true?

There were so many things to look forward to in becoming a missionary, such as traveling, ministry, social skills, and job experience. But the thing that was always on my mind when discerning coming was being part of a community.

I learned to take the focus off me. I was afraid of messing up, stumbling, mispronouncing words, and embarrassing myself. I was standing up to read the Word of God and all that I could think about was myself.

Shame is not truth. Truth is giving it to God and accepting the mercy that He longs to give us. Truth is choosing to let go of shame.

If you work out, think about making your workout a Prayer Workout for someone who is struggling. If you want to work out but lack motivation, then try a Prayer Workout and do it for someone else.

If you got injured, who would you be then? If you got kicked out of school, who would you be then? If your family disowned you, who would you be then? Any of these things we typically associate ourselves with could quite honestly be stripped of us at any moment. Even our name!

Healing and forgiveness can’t happen by yourself. I was trapped in depression, isolation, and loneliness until I took the risk to let someone in. For 12 years, I didn’t tell anyone what I had been through as a young girl.