Joy in a Culture of Despair

True joy stems from an inner work and a choice to adopt a joyful attitude, with the presence of God as its source, cultivated through practices like prayer, scripture reading, and worship. It acknowledges the reality of sorrow and grief, encouraging surrender to God and finding hope in His promises, while highlighting gratitude and intentional thought management as key factors in fostering joy. Personal experiences of loss and grief provide context for exploring joy amidst difficult circumstances.

References:

• A Grace Disguised Revised and Expanded: How the Soul Grows Through Loss, by Jerry Sittser

TRANSCRIPT

Fasting & Prayer

Throughout this series we encourage you to participate as we collectively fast and pray on Wednesdays. This practice could look different depending on your season of life, but we encourage you to fast breakfast and/or lunch and spend some time in prayer in the morning or during your normal lunch break. This will be a renewing opportunity for all of us as a church. If you would like to be reminded via text, we can send you a weekly prompt.

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