Weekend Preview | A Generous Life – Part 1
By Matt Dawson
Finding JOY in Christmas
Joy is a word that we often hear during this awesome season of celebration and life! Christmas time is a time of Joy for most people. Whether it’s the decorations, the gift exchanges, or simply the gathering together with friends and loved ones – we have many opportunities to experience JOY during the Holidays.
However, sometimes that Joy is only seasonal. The JOY most people experience during the Christmas season has everything to do with the circumstances and external influences of the season. This explains why many people struggle to find that same joy throughout the year without having some external stimuli driving them towards JOY.
I believe that a DEEPER JOY can exist in one’s life. I believe that it can feel like CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR LONG to those who know the secret to experiencing lasting Joy!
What is this secret key that many struggle to find…a generous life!
Generosity is the KEY to a Joy-Filled, Fully Satisfied Life!
Many people who say they are struggling to find joy in their life would tell you that they ARE generous… especially during the Christmas season. I believe them.
However, generosity is not something that we DO, it is something we ARE.
The Christmas season simply gives us all “a taste” of the expression of generosity through time together, gifts exchanged, and love poured out on others. It’s an example of what life could look like if every day were Christmas.
For those who understand generosity – every day IS Christmas! Every day is joy-filled. Regardless of circumstances, every day they experience a fully satisfied life!
Paul reminds us of Jesus words in Acts 20:35 – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Together over the next few weeks at Journey Church, we are going to be discussing the true meaning of this verse. We will discover that generosity is not simply “giving.” We will share our struggles with how we caught in a crazy reality of worry and stress over money that keeps us from experiencing the TRUE JOY that Jesus has waiting for us.
Together we will see the long-lasting power that Joy can have in our lives when we embrace a generous life, and that every day can be Christmas to those who choose a “Blessed” life!
Join us at 9am and 11am on Sundays at Journey Church this Christmas season. We will also have 2 Christmas Eve Candlelight Services at 5pm and 6:30pm and a 10am Christmas Celebration service on Sunday, Dec. 25th.