Julie Gillies

Hi Sweet Friends,

Can you believe it’s the final week of our study? Our time together has zoomed by, but let’s finish strong and make the most of the time we have left. I wanted to end on a high note and knew we had to end by praying about joy. We could all use more joy in our lives, right?

Many years ago I chose an email name that was the exact opposite of how I felt—the opposite of what I actually was. In a miserable marriage, unhappiness and oppression hovered around me like dust clouds hover over Pigpen (the Peanuts character).

But I yearned for more. And Romans 4:17 resonated in me—the part that says God gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

So even though I felt miserably unhappy, I chose to create a name that, each time I read it, reminded me that God was at work. Even though no joy existed in my soul, I knew He could bring it into being.

And so, Joyfulone was born. Because deep down, I longed for joy. In reality, I was anything but joyful. But I believed God could change my reality or change my perspective, and that until He did, He could flood me with His joy.

Do you need a fresh outpouring of joy in your soul?

Your Week 8 assignment is to…read Chapter 11, My Joy. My fervent hope is that as you pray this week, the Lord will cause your heart to bubble over with His amazing joy--in spite of any circumstances that try to keep you down.

Chapter 11 Excerpt from Prayers for a Woman's Soul

(Page 64) …What if the hard circumstances we’re currently facing are really opportunities to find joy in an unlikely place? What if, instead of expecting everything to be perfect, we looked for the remarkable in life’s imperfections?

This week’s verse:

You have made known to me the ways of life; You will enrapture me [diffusing my soul with joy] with and in Your presence. (Acts 2:28)

This week’s questions:

Do you long for life to flow smoothly and everyone to be happy—so that you can have joy?
Are you willing to ask God to help you to find joy in the unlikely places of your life?

Joy is a precious commodity—one the Lord knew we’d need to get through the tedium, the difficult moments, and the heartbreaking events of our lives. It’s a gift that I believe God wants every one of us to experience daily. As I say in my book, sometimes joy is a matter of perspective. All we have to do is look for is look for it. This week, I hope you find it (and His presence) often.

I will be praying for you as you pray about joy this week. Meet me on the Prayers for a Woman’s Soul community FACEBEOOK PAGE any time during the week and share how God has given you His joy!

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