In 2011, one of my best friends, a person that I love very much, introduced me to Chris Tomlin's rendition of "Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy)." It immediately became one of my favorite songs. In fact, I listen to it all year long. It is so fun to host a party in July and have a friend ask me, "Is this Christmas music?" Ha!
I loved the concept of "unspeakable joy." His chorus lyrics are "Joy...unspeakable joy....an overflowing well, no tongue can tell. Joy...unspeakable joy...rises in my soul...never lets me go." To me, the idea of having something so incredibly overwhelmingly joyful, something that you cannot even begin to talk about in words is incredibly powerful. I think, when that happens, we, as humans, are getting closer to God. In my opinion, when mere human language isn't enough to express the feeling of hearts bursting with happiness, we've allowed God into our hearts and can feel the energy and power coursing through our veins.
As my life progresses into happier and happier days, I've started using the words Unspeakable Joy. Over the last couple of years, as I've talked, emailed, posted happy life events on social media, etc., it has become my thing...a byline of sorts...a byline to my life. I have begun to look for joy in every place that I can.
In an effort to be more deliberate in my intentions, to look for the JOY in the world, I thought I'd start this blog. I hope that it will be a gratitude journal of sorts. I see people on Facebook posting things that they are grateful for every day in the month of November, and while I've never participated in that, I've always loved the idea. In fact, I love it so much that I want to take it to the next level. I want to deliberately look for things to be grateful for every day of my life.
Some days, it is harder than others. Some days, I feel disconnected from God, from my Source, from all that is. And, on those days, JOY seems to hide. So, that's when I'm really going to try to change my focus and become deliberate in my intention to stay connected and feel as good as I can in every moment. I believe, with every fiber of my being, that feeling joyful and grateful means we are connected to God. When we are angry, sad, scared, or not taking the time to appreciate the joys in our lives, we are failing to see the world through God's eyes, and we are missing out!
It's hard to flip the switch when it feels like the world is full of unhappiness. But! I am going to try! I am going to reach for a better feeling place, ask God to help me discover and encounter the world with the same unconditional love. It won't be easy all the time, but I believe I can do it! That's when it is so necessary...to stop focusing on the negative...and start putting energy into being positive and grateful!
I plan to share big things, little things, and everything in between that brings me joy. I would love to have the time to do it daily. But...to be realistic, I will start with a goal of posting a couple of times per week. I hope that my posts inspire others to discover the happiness, love, and joys in their own lives.
There will be simple joys...all the way up to the big Unspeakable JOYs in this blog. May it bring you joy and inspiration.
~Avra
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