Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10
From a young age, I was blessed with two wonderful grandparents who inspired my faith. My
grandma demonstrated God’s love and joy to me in even the little things she would do daily. As
a child, I remember family gatherings of my grandma and her siblings; there was always
laughter, even in the midst of heartache. The family found joy in life even among the sorrow. I
often wonder where this joy came from because, in my immediate family, joy was very seldom.
My grandma’s family was of Irish descent, and Christmas of 2019, I had the privilege of visiting
Ireland with my sons. While there, I got to hear the stories shared by the Irish people and their
joy for life and their faith, which enabled me to connect family, joy, and faith.
The verse in Nehemiah 8:10, “the joy of the Lord is your strength” was my grandma’s favorite
verse. Therefore, let us remember that God gave us the gift of laughter and joy. Look around as
we start this new year, find the joy in life, and then go and share.
Suzanne Jones, Launch Team
