Your Journey into Joy
Fourteen Walks into the Land of Joy
by
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In the past decade or so publishing houses have flooded bookstores and American readers with a torrent of books highlighting the word “Joy.” One count showed more than 100 book titles using the magic word. Outdoor lovers can revel in The Joy of Gardening, The Joy of Jogging, and The Joy of Camping. For those content with the sometimes strenuous indoor sports there’s The Joy of Housekeeping, The Joy of Cooking, and, of course, The Joy of Sex. For the handful not attracted by this plethora of titles, there’s the most recent title, SUPER JOY, by Dr. Paul Pearsall.
To Americans of the new Millennium struggling with massacres
in our schools terrorist bombings, and drive-by shootings in what must be
called the Age of Violence, I should like to propose a personal Journey into
Joy, a careful re-examination of the
oldest collection of euphoric writings
known to man--The Bible.
Perhaps, like Ali Hafed in Russell H. Conwell’s lecture “Acres of Diamonds,” who unwittingly left diamonds in his own backyard to travel far and wide to find riches, we have sought joy everywhere but in our own backyard: the Sacred Writings of our own faith.
Joy Comes from Above
The Bible is a symphony of a rejoicing people. From its opening in Genesis to its closing in Revelation, the ancient and revered book abounds with the language of joy. And this emphasis unfolds in spite of its realistic panoramic portrayal of a war-torn land and a persecuted people. It seems clear that the gem of supernatural joy shines just as brightly on a tableau of human suffering--and even now it can shine in an Age of Violence and affluence.
The list of Biblical words in the jargon of joy seems impressive. They range from verbs: to bless, dance, praise, shout and sing; to nouns: of delight, happiness, joyfulness, gladness; to participles of exulting, dancing, rejoicing, and leaping for joy. Even a cursory glance suggests that the people of this book formed an excited and enthused crowd.
Creation’s Joyful Choir
This golden chord of rejoicing ties together the men and women of God in all ages, from the Creation of earth when the angels sang for joy, to the birth of the Savior when the angelic host announced “good tidings of great joy,” and on to the day that the faithful shall be presented to God “ . . .faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy ” (Jude 25).
If I appear to be overly enthusiastic, it’s because about 30 years ago as a disenchanted seminary dropout I began to examine this library of 66 books and 1189 chapters line by line to see what it had to say about the joy I didn’t have. Out of hours of prayer and searching and meditation came my first book on joy: How To Enjoy the Christian Life. Four chapters of that book were published in national Christian magazines: “Time Alone with God: The Gateway to Gladness,” “How To Enjoy the Bible,” “How To Enjoy Talking with God,” and “How To Be Filled with the Spirit.” Each of these articles were reprinted and distributed widely. Suffice it to say Joy hasbecome a theme of my preaching and my life.
My more recent search has included seven key words that I’ve named The Spectrum of Joy: bless, delight, enjoy, gladness, happiness, joy, and rejoicing. These words occur 1,225 times in the 1189 chapters of the Bible. If placed in every chapter, we’d still have 36 positive, euphoric references left over.
As we fly over these mountains of Joy, keep in mind that it would take several books to do justice to each passage. A sequel to this book is in preparation, tentatively titled, How To Be Joyful 365 Days a Year. Now let this journey introduce you to the Geography of Joy.
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About the Book
In 14 short “walks” Your Journey into Joy explores the rich roadways to positive Godly living permeating the Bible. Though not a “verse by worse” study of the 1,225 references, you will dip into what I call “The River of Rejoicing.” Journey does not, however, endorse the “Easy Believism” or “Easy Grace” view of Christian living. By exposing the joy spectrum of 7 key words: joy, rejoice, enjoy, gladness, happiness, delight, and blessed, we discover they wind their way through the Bible like a highway from Genesis to Revelation and lead directly to the Holy Spirit.
We examine together the ultimate question: Is the life of joy the heritage of every believer? Are we to dump emotions as a broken barometer even though our Savior told us to “. . . love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; . . .” (Luke 10:27)? Is the highway to joy a freeway or a tollway? Does free grace and salvation relieve us of our personal spiritual responsibility? If salvation has no strings attached, must we really take up His cross daily to experience joy? On this journey you will discover the source of true joy and how rejoicing can become a way of life.
About the Author
Born in Coleman, Michigan and raised on tenant farms in Houghton Lake and Farwell central Michigan, Don graduated as salutatorian at Farwell, finished at Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music as valedictorian, attended Dallas Theological Seminary, took his Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing at the University of Oklahoma, and earned his Master of Arts at Central Michigan University.
Don has had scores of articles in national Christian and education magazines. He has written three books on Christian living: Christian Heroes of Today, Enjoy the Christian Life, and Journey into Joy, and three books for educators: Good Morning, Lord, Meditations for Teachers, Stonesville U.S.A. and ABC’s for Educators. He and his wife, Doris, (married for fifty years), co-authored Happy Anniversary. Don’s latest religious poetry book, Fragments of Faith and Failure, an 8 ½ x 11 inch chapbook, was released in April, ’03.
Don is listed in five reference books of writers, three directories of community achievement including Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans, Who’s Who among America’s Teachers, ’98-99 and Who’s Who in America, 2003-2004. An experienced educator, Don taught 30 years at Houghton Lake Community Schools, and on the college level, at Central Michigan University, Kirtland Community College, and Mid Michigan Community College.
He has pastured churches in Michigan and Oklahoma. He is the founder and president of Living Water Ministries, Inc. and is available for speaking engagements on the subject of joy, and poetry readings in religion and education. He may be reached by E-mail at: twodmainprize@juno.com and by snail mail at 519 W. Higgins Lake Dr., Roscommon, MI 48653. Living Water Press is a profit-making publisher formed to expand Living Water Ministry, Inc.