Count It All Joy

 James 1:2 count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds  

At the beginning of 2024, I created a joy list with the intention of using it to help me daily dig myself out from depression. I worked with my therapist to come up with a list of activities and items that bring me joy. Most are little  things that take very little money or effort to enjoy. 

Here’s my list:

Candles, soaps, spray deodorants, hair care products, all items with great scents. 

A shower

Music

Routines

Written gratitude

Put on fun earrings, or a cute shirt. 

Speak affirmations out loud to myself 

Play video or board games 

Listen to a book

Go on a walk, or to the park for a hike

Get a haircut 

Take a mini vacation 

Take Sunday drives

Coffee

Doodle and color 

Create art

Eat cherries 

Each of these brings me joy. I came up with a mantra to remind myself to find joy. The mantra consists of the idea of a wandering Sunday drive and eating cherries. My mantra is ‘Cherries and Wander”. 

I made my list fun using stamps and stickers then I hung it on my wall at my desk. 

Half way through the year, I started studying the book of James. Well if you know me at all, you know I like to dig deep and listen to God speak to me in what I study. As usual, there was a lot to glean from God in James 1:2-9. So I have learned to count it all joy when I face trials of many kinds because the testing of my faith produces perseverance. 

I have had a myriad of trials this year from flu that hit my whole family, to my husband having a widow maker heart attack and surviving. 

I have added the word ‘trial’ to my joy list and here’s why. Perseverance in trials makes me more mature and complete, not lacking anything. I’m not alone in these trials, I have The Holy Spirit inside me, guiding me and I have Jesus interceding on my behalf with God, so that I can experience a relationship with Him, and that brings me the greatest joy!  

I challenge you to make a list of ‘Joy’, but make sure you include God in your list!

James 1:2-9 (NIV) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.