Let’s Celebrate

GOD’S INVITATION TO CELEBRATE

God breathed life into Chronic Joy in 2016, though He had been working in our lives for many years, preparing us for such a time as this. What an exceptional invitation to celebrate! What if we paused to consider all the lives that have been touched by His kindness for those affected by chronic illness, mental illness, chronic pain, and disability? That’s you, which is truly a cause for great celebration!

God has invited His people into celebration since He first breathed life into them in the Garden of Eden. For six days, God created. On the seventh, before sin had even entered the world, God rested, celebrating the work of creation and calling it good.

How often do we celebrate the breath in our lungs, the shaggy bark of a birch tree, God’s Word in a language we can read and understand, and the gift of a caring friend, neighbor, or loved one? How often do we miss God’s small blessings, tiny triumphs, or quiet miracles? Today, what if we paused at a window, waiting without agenda to notice God’s fingerprints just beyond the glass?

What if we sat outside and listened to the birds calling, or people passing, or children laughing? What would happen if we entered each new day in anticipation of celebration? We might just find ourselves standing on holy ground.

In the words of Katherine Wolf, “Celebration can be an act of worship and an act of hope and perhaps, in a way, an act of joyful rebellion against fear.” Richard J. Foster, in Celebration of Discipline, culminates the book with a chapter on celebration. “Celebration is the heart of the way to Christ.”

At Chronic Joy, we’re celebrating the addition of new office equipment. It might sound a bit odd to celebrate a paper folding machine, but we’ve been folding the guides that are included in every mailing by hand. In the last mailing alone, there were about 3500 pieces. So, we are excited by the generosity of our donors, a folding machine, and the ability to send out even more #PenToPaper packets.

Together, we are learning to live a life of celebration amid this unexpected journey through chronic illness, mental illness, chronic pain, and disability.

JOIN US IN THE CELEBRATION

We hope that Chronic Joy has been a gift to you. Would you bless one, two, or three other people by introducing us to them with a note of encouragement, an invitation for You Get Mail, a link to a favorite post or printable, or information on a helpful resource? It’s easy to do! Visit our Get Involved page for everything you need to become a Chronic Joy Ambassador of Intentional Kindness. You will be making a difference one precious life at a time.

LET’S CELEBRATE