There are three devotions today. Click on a button to jump to the devotion you want to read.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024:
Joy in the Gospel (morning)
Luke 1:13-15
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.”
Pondering Point
While John was filled with the Holy Spirit, his mom and dad were filled with joy over John and His birth.
Who celebrates you being filled with the Holy Spirit?
And who do you thank God about being filled with God’s Holy Spirit?
Pray aloud
Father God, as John the Baptist became a joy and delight to his parents, may we also have “parents” (natural and/or spiritual) who find joy and delight in us, celebrating our birth and place in the world for You!
Five Minutes
Use your GO TO JOYS and ANTICIPATED JOYS to fill a 5-minute window. Remember: use an alarm. If necessary, review the explanation.
Read the identity in Christ
statement aloud
In Christ, we become part of a family who celebrates our life with joy and delight. Like John the Baptist, may we live filled with the Holy Spirit!
Close with thanks to God and ask for His blessing today
Thank God and ask Him to bless your day…
then GO, in JOY, with JOY, and anticipating JOY.
Story Time
In honor of Zechariah’s muted story-telling episode, (Luke 1) let’s highlight the power of story-telling in general: One of the most important habits we can form is that of storytelling. We are specifically referred to sharing brain-friendly “joy stories.” These are practiced tales of times we faced upsetting emotions without being overwhelmed or times we got overwhelmed initially but were able to recover. Collecting such stories constructs a framework for resilience in our brains.
~ The 4 Habits, Warner, Coursey, page 21.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024:
Sometime During Your Day
Level 3: Savoring joys from the past.
Luke 1:44
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Pondering Point
Try to picture the scene between Mary and Elizabeth, two expectant moms with miraculous pregnancies. Elizabeth’s son John – still “in utero” – kicks at the presence of the Savior Jesus. What a story of joy for both women for years to come!
About the Sometime-During-Your-Day Sessions
Your Sometime-During-Your-Day Sessions will focus on joyful or appreciative memories of your past. They can be a recent as yesterday or far back into the days of childhood. This part of our Joyful Journey focuses on compiling Joy Moments into a list (in your journal or on your phone). We call them Golden Moments.
These sources of joy can be one-time events or repetitive experiences. More specific tasks will arise with these memories as we go. You will be instructed to write a few key words to trigger these positive memories later in what we call Joy-on-Demand moments. If possible, include memories where You sensed God’s presence in the moment. As you recall them now, Invite God into the thoughts about joy you’re recalling. Notice body sensations, attitudes, heart rate, etc.
Note: If your childhood (or other season of life) happens to be full of joyful memories, then absolutely include some of your joys from that time. If that period of memories is painful, avoid that arena for this week. We can draw joy memories from other seasons of life.
Journal Prompt:
Joyful memories involving a birthday celebration:
Key Words:
Contagious Joy (evening)
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Evening Sessions provide opportunity to reflect on the day with joy and gratitude. Moments can be drawn from that day or reaching back longer if needed. We meditate on the same bible verse from the morning. Gratitude, when offered to God, is a form of worship. It also teaches your brain to look for joy. The evening sessions functions like this:
Luke 1:13-15
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.”
Pondering Point
Whose presence makes you “leap for joy?” Take time to celebrate these people with God. Thank God that He lights up to see you. If you are so moved, tell those individuals (who leap for joy over you) how much you appreciate them.
Pray aloud
Thank You God for the gift of life today – in me and in others who brought me joy today.
Now lift up to God names of people who come to mind:
Review
Scour the day for ANTICIPATED or SURPRISE JOYS. You are training your brain to look for joy. This builds the habit. Recall the body sensations and emotion
Read the identity in Jesus
statement aloud
In Jesus, we become part of a family who celebrates our life with joy and delight. Like John the Baptist, may we live filled with the Holy Spirit!
Evening Prayer
Thank God for blessing the day, ask for peaceful rest, then GO to sleep – in grateful JOY, anticipating new JOY tomorrow under His grace.