A Year for Joy

A Year for Joy by Meagan Taylor

“a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing…” Proverbs 17:22 At just 6 weeks old babies start smiling. At such a young age, they’re able to communicate when they’re happy, glad and content. After my recent 6 week appointment with my second son, I was amazed as I realised just how incredibly God created us. He created my son in way that allows him to show joy and gladness – one of his first ways of communicating when everything else is just basic survival. He created my son in a way that allows him to recognise and show gladness to us, his caretakers. From the very beginning of his life… My son can show me his gladness and content! How amazing is that? It got me thinking… God didn’t create humans like this by accident. He created us like this for a purpose… The purpose, as I like to think, being glad and joyous in Him and Him delighting in us! He created us to experience gladness and joy first and foremost. I want to encourage each one you to find joy and gladness each and every day. God loves you always and He created you intentionally and purposefully and has goodness planned for you! Make a decision today to enjoy your life, to laugh at yourself and to find joy in the things that frustrate you. He put joy in your heart from the beginning and made you to smile radiantly! Nothing you’ve ever done will ever take away from the pleasure God experiences from your joy and smile. With this in mind, I pray that we enter into the New Year with pursuing this joy! That this joy in the Lord will be our strength, our hope and our desire going forwards. May you and your families have a blessed and joyous year. | 17