Mid-week Message

Greetings,

For this third week of Advent, our week celebrating joy, I commend to you this devotional titled Choosing Joy from the Henri Nouwen Society.

“‘Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.’ - Romans 12:12

“I am convinced we can choose joy. Every moment we decide to respond to an event or a person with joy instead of sadness. When we truly believe that God is life and only life, then nothing need have the power to draw us into the sad realm of death. To choose joy does not mean to choose happy feelings or an artificial atmosphere of hilarity. But it does mean the determination to let whatever takes place bring us one step closer to the God of life.

“Maybe this is what is so important about quiet moments of meditation and prayer. They allow me to take a critical look at my moods and to move from victimization to free choice.”

https://henrinouwen.org/meditation/choosing-joy-2/

May the presence of Christ lift you into joy this Advent season.

Grace and peace,

Rev. Sarina