How to seek joy every day with Jesus?

Be generous with yourself
I'm my worst critic most of the time. I feel like we women are harder on ourselves than most men. But this space is not the time to be modest!

I know that as Christians we don't want to be proud, and if that's something you struggle with, then maybe skip to the next section. But if you are like many who struggle to see yourself in a positive light, I would challenge you to brag a little in your journal!

What are the gifts that God has given you? Are you a hard worker? Write about a project you can't wait to see finished. Do you feel that God has given you in evangelization? Write about your success by sharing the gospel. Are you hospitable? Write down how well you think a meeting you planned went. God made you good at something, and it's okay to be excited about that thing.

If you struggle with body image, for both men and women, this could be a great time to notice and write down some awesome things your body can do. King David reminds us that we are all "wonderfully and fearfully made" (Psalm 139: 14). It's something we often hear when we talk about babies, but it's not something any of us grow from! We are no less fearfully and beautifully made as adults than we were as children.

If you have a hard time seeing your body this way, take some time to write down any small wins. Your beautiful time of day may have been your legs taking you on a nice long walk. Or your arms wrapping a friend in a hug. Or even a new shirt that you thought made you look really cool! Without coming to this from a position of pride, just try to see yourself the way God sees you: loved, beautiful, and strong.

Share the good things with another person
I love telling people about this diary. And I was thrilled a few weeks ago when a friend told me she had started keeping a journal to write down good things every day!

I really like sharing this idea with others for two reasons: first, it is a joy to share the joy with others! Talking about some of the good things I've written about or started noticing more often can help others start thinking this way. And everyone can use a little joy in their life - if you see something nice, let us know!

But I also like to talk about this project to encourage others. The whole idea grew out of a struggle with anxiety and fear. In that season of life, God placed 2 Timothy 1: 7 on my heart. It says "Because God has not given us a spirit of fear and shyness, but of power, love and self-discipline." God doesn't want us to walk around in constant fear. He has given us his peace, but sometimes we find it hard to recognize and accept it.

Nowadays, many of us are struggling with anxiety, depression and general fear. Taking the time to share something that has helped me with a friend can be a great blessing for both of you.

And one final note about sharing good things with someone: you can also share good things with God! Our Father loves to hear from us and prayer is not just a time to ask for things. Take some time every now and then to praise God and thank him for the things in your journal, big and small!

A prayer to seek joy every day
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for every good, beautiful, and commendable thing in this world! God, you are such a magnificent creator, for giving us so much beauty and joy! You worry about the smallest details and forget nothing about what is happening in my life. I confess Sir, I often focus too much on the negative. I worry and stress, often about things that don't even happen. I pray that you will make me more aware of the little blessings in my everyday life God. I know that you take care of me physically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally. You sent your Son to earth to free me from my sins and give me hope. But you have also blessed me in so many small ways to make my time on earth enjoyable. God, I pray that as you help me notice these beautiful things in my daily life, I would turn my heart back to praise you for them. I ask these things in your name, Lord, Amen.