Winter Joy
Winter: coldest and darkest season of the year
Joy: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness
Using the words Winter and Joy in the same sentence sounds like an oxymoron but it is true to have JOY in the midst of a very dark and cold season of your life. I've gone through several different Winter seasons of life and the tips below are ten ways I was able to keep JOY during those challenging times.
1) Despite how you feel always get dressed for the day even if you are a stay-at-home mother or retired it will help lift your mood instead of staying in pajamas all day.
2) Go be a volunteer! Schools, assisted living homes, and Churches are often looking for volunteers.
3) Pick up a hobby, it could be painting, cycling, walking, cake decorating, gardening, do something you wouldn’t typically do.
4) Commit to saying aloud what you are thankful for, there’s power in hearing your own voice list what you are grateful for.
5) Contact a Joyful friend, schedule a time for you all to talk, facetime, or grab lunch together, trust me it will do wonders for the soul!
6) Find a local church, research has shown that people that are part of a church community tend to live longer, healthier and happier lives. Community is essential!
7) Get up early to spend alone, uninterrupted time with the Lord. There’s nothing more peaceful than watching the sun rise as you offer praises and thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior.
8) Read the Bible in a translation that you can understand, the Word of God will help keep us rooted and grounded especially during difficult seasons.
9) Pray without ceasing, (I Thessalonians 5:7) no this doesn’t mean to stay in your home from sunup and sundown and pray all day long, unless you are retired and don’t have any other obligations then it probably won’t be feasible to do-lol. This scripture means is to constantly have a prayer in your mind/spirit throughout the day. It’s vital that we keep our mind and hearts stayed upon him because it will help to keep the cares of life at bay.
10 Surrender your life to Christ, 100% give him your dreams, aspirations, fears, worries, give everything to him and let him direct your life. Often times we are trying to hold on to our cares instead of casting them upon him. Let's be intentional in casting every care (big or small) upon him because he truly does care for us! He is a personal God that loves each of us very much! It is possible to have JOY in the midst of your winter! Winter JOY!
