While I was sitting in the Minneapolis airport awaiting my flight to come home this past week, I was in continual reflection. In that moment, I looked over at a guy about my age, maybe a little younger who looked anxious and depressed, a feeling I have had some experience in over the past couple of months. We struck up a short conversation and found we were both grieving for someone lost; he was in town for his mother’s funeral and was mightily struggling with it. I commiserated with him on our losses, we shared a couple of words, I couldn’t even tell you his name…

However, in that moment, I gave a short quip of advice that I hope he listened to as much as I hope I will continue to listen. Maybe it was spurred by some words at Coho’s memorial…maybe it was just a spin-off from a book Catherine and Jack loaned me…but I simply said to him, “Find the joy.” I have no idea if any of it even registered with him, but my advice has deeply resonated within myself. So often I struggle to find the joy in any and all circumstances that are fraught with heartache, pain, etc. Even though it is a struggle, I will try to seek it out more than I have so far in my life. So, I hope that you will join me in finding the joy not just now, but in every moment of our lives, because it is quite an important thing to do at all times.

Finding the joy is tough, it is not always apparent that there should or even can be joy in every moment, but I assure you it is there. Find the joy in your grief, find the joy in your loss, find the joy in your heartache, find the joy in your pain…simply FIND THE JOY! May God direct us towards a joyous spirit when we need it most, so that we can find the joy. Amen.

Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”