Women of Faith - Contagious Joy

Contagious: Spreading or tending to spread from one to another; catching.

Joy: A condition or feeling of high pleasure or delight.

I love when one unexpected word comes together with another unexpected word, and in the marriage of the two, they bring us a whole new dimension of understandinglike in the case of contagious and joy.

Contagious for me always brings to mind my sons, who during their childhood, were riddled with measles, chickenpox, or some other illness. Then there were the annual notes from school warning parents of outbreaks of head lice, which prompted me to dig through their curly locks in search of trouble.

Instead of connecting contagious and disease, how refreshing to think of contagious teamed with joy. Then instead of fearing an outbreak, wed embrace contagious, because who do you know wouldnt love a case of contagious joy?

We believers have the commission to spread joy in this world in order to combat the insidious spread of hopelessness. Now dont misunderstandwhen I say spread, I dont mean like smearing peanut butter across a slice of bread. I dont mean that we should try to apply joy onto others. No, true joy spreads as we live out Gods way in our lives with such credibility that others move closer to purposely catch it.

I dont think there are many qualities that are as winsome as joy. Think about itdo you know a joyous person? Do you not want to be with them at every opportunity? I know I do.

Joy-people are popular, in demand, hired first, applauded, appreciated, and sought out. Joy makes hard days easier, dark days brighter, optimism possible, and friendships a pleasure.

My friend Mary Graham, the president of Women of Faith, is a pleasure and an authentic joy bubble. She radiates warmth, demonstrates faith, and her perspective on even difficulties is a bright lantern. I have seldom, if ever, seen Mary stuck in the muck of daily challenges or entwined in the webs of ornery folks. Joy has created a large space in her heart for a diversity of people whom she receives with unbridled enthusiasm. I have watched Mary choose to believe the best and leave the rest to the Lord.

I say, sign me up for a big fat case of that!

Actually, thats what you have decided to do when you commit yourself to this study, because it has been written in such a way that the truth will cause us to sidle up to joy and learn from it. And trust mejoy is an appealing teacher.

And Im not talking about any syrupy substitute of overdone nicenessyuk! Im speaking of joy that burbles up from your relationship with Christ. Joy that will cause your toes to tap, your heart to giggle, your dreams to return, your spirit to be refreshed, your vision to expand, and your dance card to fill. And what fun to have a case of something others want! You wont have to convince others about joy, because joy will cast her net of authenticity and draw in even the reluctant. Joy is just that appealing.

So, sharpen your pencil, open Gods Word, and get ready. Youre about to break out into contagious joy! May you never recover!

Joyfully,
Patsy