Choosing Joy

What is joy? Ask ten different people and you'll get ten different answers. Yet if you asked: a man who grew up fatherless and destitute in the slums of Atlanta a young widow who decided to bring a neglected garden back to life in spite of agonizing physical pain and a deeply wounded spirit or author Dan Lord himself, ex-frontman for a popular indie rock band each would point to the one source of their joy: Jesus. They made the choice for joy, against all odds, and so can you, though the obstacles might seem insurmountable. Worry and anxiety, pain and suffering, the daily grind -- all these and more can block your path. When faced with such challenges, is it possible to get past the barriers, let go, and experience God's joy? When you look around, you might wonder -- although joy is a fruit of the Spirit, it doesn't seem to be hanging visibly from many Christian boughs. Choosing Joy aims to change that -- and change your life in the process -- as it helps you discover the key to this most attractive but seemingly elusive gift. Choosing Joy will help you overcome the obstacles and focus your heart, mind and strength on God so that you can receive the happiness and peace that the world cannot give.

"Sara's story only grew louder, braver, bolder with her death. It's a story that we all need to keep hearing." -- Lisa-Jo Baker, bestselling author of Surprised by Motherhood Sara Frankl knew she had a terminal disease, but she didn't let it stop her from living. In the face of immeasurable pain, Sara chose joy -- again and again. Her unforgettable message of hope and purpose lives on, even after her death, in her words. Choose Joy is a compilation of the lessons Sara learned while she was dying, written in her own words and sewn together by her close friend Mary Carver. It is a reminder to see the beauty in life, even when it looks nothing like you hoped or planned. In a world full of tragedy, choosing joy is no small task -- but, as Sara knew, the importance lies in the choosing. Once you learn to make that choice, every day, no matter what happens, joy will come.

Relax and enjoy a creative approach to gratitude with this beautiful coloring book for adults filled with breathtaking illustrations and inspirational quotes from writers, hymns, and Scripture. In today's hectic, stress-filled world, taking stock of our blessings and truly experiencing gratefulness isn't always easy, but this coloring book offers a beautiful and unique way to find moments of peace and quiet to meditate on gratitude. Each beautifully illustrated page features an original design from one of seven talented artists that illustrates a corresponding quote. Features include: Large format 9.75" x 9.75" (25x25cm) pages 45 single-sided coloring pages High quality, bright white paper stock--heavy enough to use pencils, pens, or markers Quotes from the Bible, hymns, and variety of inspirational writers, such as Charles Stanley, Henry Ward Beecher, Maya Angelou, Louisa May Alcott, Martin Luther King Jr., Shauna Niequist, Bob Goff, G.K. Chesterton, Mr. Rogers, and more A link to the "Gratefulness" playlist to help set the mood for worship, contemplation, creative expression, and a spirit of gratitude Illustrations by Holly Camp, Jennifer Tucker, Ann-Margret Hovsepian, Katie Howe, Laura Marshall, Bridget Hurley, and Radha Carlson--all artists previously featured in the bestselling Whatever Is Lovely and Everything Beautiful This coloring book will take you on a journey towards deeper gratitude. Whether you are embarking on this journey by yourself or in a group, pick up your favorite art supplies and color your way to a new understanding of what it means to be truly grateful.

An eye-opening shift of perspective on the secret of authentic happiness: how surprisingly simple, everyday acts lead to lifelong joy and fulfillment, from the experts at Live Happy magazine. We are all increasingly hungry for soul-deep happiness. All over the globe, from the hallways of Harvard, where the university’s most popular course is a class on positive psychology, to the United Nations’ resolution naming March 20th the International Day of Happiness, the question of how to be authentically happy concerns millions of lives today. But what if the secret of lasting happiness is actually . . . simple? Now, in Live Happy, the editors of Live Happy magazine, the first lifestyle publication dedicated to the timeless quest to achieve authentic happiness, reveal that true happiness is all about the big impact of small acts of everyday happiness. Organized around the key components of a happy life, from gratitude to attitude and play to purpose, Live Happy brings together illuminating real-life happiness stories, eye-opening examinations on the science of happiness, and simple and inspiring everyday “happy acts” to empower readers to achieve big happiness breakthroughs. Authentic happiness is within reach—and Live Happy shows readers how they can manifest it not only in their own lives but also make a positive and lasting difference in the world.

A Caldecott-honor winning picture book biography of the mother of Emmett Till, and how she channeled grief over her son's death into a call to action for the civil rights movement. Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history. In Choosing Brave, Angela Joy and Janelle Washington offer a testament to the power of love, the bond of motherhood, and one woman's unwavering advocacy for justice. It is a poised, moving work about a woman who refocused her unimaginable grief into action for the greater good. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son's life mattered. Timely, powerful, and beautifully told, this thorough and moving story has been masterfully crafted to be both comprehensive and suitable for younger readers.

Choose Joy features fifty inspiring stories of people ages 62-100 years who are making the most of their retirement. They aren't doing huge things like climbing Mt. Everest or founding nonprofits. They're simply making conscious choices to live with joy and meaning. Most of these choices require no money to pursue - they just take time and cultivation of a mindset. Each story is a bite-sized illustration of how one person has chosen to live in this phase of life. After each story, a "Try This" section offers an action step, you can take to sample an activity like the one in the story. Putting these three key areas together will help you be happier, healthier, and have stronger connections with the people you care about. Find out how you can invest your retirement time with joy.

Kay Warren's Choose Joy helps readers discover how to live with joy despite their circumstances. The Choose Joy Devotional helps put those joy-filled principles into focus each day. Each of the thirty entries begins with an encouraging Scripture, followed by Kay's wise words on how to live with joy even when life is challenging, our plans are shattered, our health fails, or it feels like we are walking through life alone. Each devotion ends with a short prayer to help bring the reader closer to the true source of all joy--their loving God. Perfect for anyone who wants to experience joy in daily life, the Choose Joy Devotional also makes a thoughtful gift.

Life, by turns, overwhelms us with joy and sorrow, with fullness and emptiness, with compassion and indignation. We have all the feelings, the prayers, the hopes that come with a heart that is full and overflowing. Only God can calm or uplift our spirits in an eternal way. These short devotions explore how He brings balance, rightness, and guidance to the day as it comes. FEATURES • 60 devotions paired with Scripture • Full-color interior design • Presentation page for personalization • Ribbon marker • Content appropriate for gifting or keeping

Choosing Joy by Helene Berger is a book of hope, a personal journey from a woman who was determined to stay positive in the face of her husband's diagnosis, and an inspiration to other caregivers. Helene Berger began this book unwittingly, pieced together from a journal she began keeping after her husband Ady's diagnosis with Alzheimer's. It describes her real life experiences - the mistakes and the successes that allowed the couple to build the best life possible in the face of this terrible illness. When Helen consciously chose to seek joy every day, both for herself and her husband, Ady began to experience a remarkable and unprecedented regeneration. During the last two years of his illness, he did what is often considered impossible: played Mozart on the piano, solved Sudoku puzzles, drew pictures, and wrote nightly love letters to his wife. Without downplaying the negative effects of Alzheimer's, Helen writes about how she was able to craft a truly beautiful life for both of them. In addition to chronicling her individual journey, she offers the unthinkable to an Alzheimer's caregiver - hope. She imparts strategies and advice for other caregivers to help make the final years of life together as positive as they can be. Ranging from to tips for avoiding confrontation to dealing with inappropriate behavior, these techniques serve to make life as an Alzheimer's caregiver not only more bearable, but truly joyous.

“Perfection is exhausting at best, defeating at worst. In Breaking Up with Perfect, Amy is the trusted friend who comes to help us knock down our walls of fear to rebuild a more doable, sustainable, God-honoring life.” —Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author of The Best Yes and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries An inspiring and thought-provoking guide to help you abandon the pursuit of perfection and become comfortable and more confident in your own skin. We’ve all been in relationships that were bad for us...whether with a catty girlfriend, a selfish boyfriend, or a coworker who undermines our best efforts. But there is one relationship that steals the potential of all other relationships—including our relationship with ourselves and, ultimately, our relationship with God. And that’s our relationship with Perfect. Perfect is a bad friend. No matter what we do or say or give or bake or create...it’s never enough. Perfect always demands more, but it’s never satisfied. Never. Whether you are a “good girl,” who always tries to be what you think everyone else wants you to be, or a “never good enough” girl, who’s desperately hiding your past and shame behind attempts to measure up—this book will help you find the beautiful, loving, fulfilled woman God created you to be. Imperfections and all. Breaking Up with Perfect will help you: • Experience authenticity as the antidote for isolation • Trade the Lies of Perfection for the Truths of God’s Love • End the pursuit of perfection, so God can begin His powerful perfecting work in you After reading this book, you’ll be able to end the never-ending stress that chasing Perfect brings and live a life filled with joy, peace, and spiritual fulfillment.