For weeks, I’ve been buzzing with excitement about writing again. I dreamed of tackling big ideas—meaningful conversations that cut through the noise of the internet. But life had other plans, and last night, it reminded me why I needed to start this journey now.
You see I am like most people and I have experienced deep loss, deep tragedy, deep sorrow and many other unpleasant deep emotions. But that was in the past. I had found my resolve as well as my coping strategy, and I had made the conscious decision to choose joy at every moment of life. However, you see the thing about choosing joy is that it is easier when your life is joyful. It is easier to peppy when you have no troubles. It is easier to be bright when tomorrow seems hopeful. But when all of that comes crashing down in a singular moment, from whence comes faith?
The Night That Changed Everything
Last night I was hit with news that pulled the rug from underneath me. It took all the plans and hopes that I had for the future and just wiped it all off like a dusty chalkboard. Last night, the news hit me like a punch to the gut. I sat there, numb, as the room seemed to shrink around me. Tears blurred my vision, and the weight of it all made it hard to breathe. Praying felt impossible—like shouting into a void
The Muscle of Joy: Building Resilience
See what I am learning is that although it is easier to be happy in the happier moments, happiness like most things is a muscle. If you have experienced seasons of intentionally choosing happiness then you are better able to choose it in the moments of darkness. I do not presume to have found the cure for depression, I have just found what makes my depressing moments a little easier to navigate and a little quicker to pick back up from. My hope is that it works for you too.
Choosing joy is like training for a marathon. In the beginning, it feels impossible—your legs ache, your lungs burn, and every step is a battle. But over time, your body adapts. You learn to push through the pain, and what once felt unbearable becomes manageable. The same is true for joy. Each time you choose it, even in small ways, you strengthen that muscle.
How Faith Helped Me Through
Overnight and into this morning, the little things started creeping back up in my mind. The muscle of joy started stretching itself again. I remembered the Bible verses that I had read previously and thought of as “nice reading”. However, today they were weapons and armor. I felt God asking me, will you only have faith when it is easy to have faith? Or will you come to me even when it is hard. I remembered the verse that states that we should celebrate our weaknesses because God works best in those.
‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ – 2 Corinthians 12:9
So, here’s to celebrating our weaknesses and finding joy in the unexpected. Welcome to The Next Page—a space where we navigate life’s challenges together, one choice at a time. Stay a while, and let’s see where this journey takes us