Perhaps you have heard of the praise song entitled, “I have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in my Heart.” The students and I sang this song in order to emphasize that a Christian is filled with joy and is not gloomy or sad. We discussed how Jesus wants us to be joyful in everything, even when things occur which are unpleasant or hurtful.

I asked an open-ended question which stated, “Why do you think Jesus wants us to be joyful?”

The answers I received were mature and amazing. Students answered as follows:
“When we are joyful during bad times, the Lord can then bless us.”
“Jesus wants us to be filled with joy, because Satan cannot get into us.”
“Being joyful helps our faith to grow.”

I was very impressed with the insightful comments. I hope you are too. It is very special to be able to talk about spiritual things and things that really matter in life.

We pray you are joyful in all that you do. Remember, being joyful builds your faith, won’t let Satan in, and gives you more blessings than you can imagine.

Susan Zimmermann