Our Journey Into Joy

Hearts Minds Bookstore's Best Books of 2015, Memoir Steve Hayner was serving as president of Columbia Seminary and was healthy and fit when he found out he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He and his wife, Sharol, embarked on a journey together with their children that soon included tens of thousands of visits from friends and acquaintances via the CaringBridge website. The overwhelming response to their posts on this website attested to the surprising and engaging way that they chose to live in the face of death. As a result they uncovered the remarkable truth that God, our good Shepherd, provides a feast for us when we are in the valley of the shadow of death as well as in the green pastures. Steve was always known for signing letters and emails, "joyfully." These pages, including reflections from some of those closest to Steve and Sharol, offer us a hope-filled glimpse into what it means to walk with God in honesty, with joy, even through great pain.

Msgr. Stephen Rossetti—acclaimed expert on religious and clergy—has developed ten fundamental building blocks for priestly holiness, reminding his readers that the priest is a man who is full of God and full of joy. The Ten Steps to Priestly Holiness Cease any serious sin Renew the Sacrament of Penance in ourselves and in those we serve Pray more Dive deeply into the Eucharist Nourish good friendships, especially with priests Love the Church; love your bishop Practice gratitude Embrace your crosses Relax and trust Abandon yourself to God

We are all broken. It's a unified human experience. And we all need a hope that doesn't disappoint, a love that anchors us, joy that survives in unthinkable conditions, and a perspective shift that goes beyond our circumstances. Some days we feel the perfection of sunshine and a light breeze. Other days hold wet, gray skies with drowning grief. In the wake, comes promise of new growth. Still other days a cold winter frost catches us by surprise, halting our journey toward fruitful blooms. We step back, reeling at the damage from this frost. We question the system and environment we grow in. We can exist in this garden dictated by the changing weather patterns. Or, we can see a different kind of brave living-that which exists beyond our fragile stems and dainty leaves, living instead deep in our roots. This book is for those sitting in the deep-down dark, traveling with grief as a constant companion, and anyone whose life path has taken an unexpected turn. Bekah shares the heart break of a fatal diagnosis for not just one, but both her children. As she journeyed through dark valleys of death, it was there she experienced Jesus in a whole new way-in deeply broken places. Her journey holding pain in one hand and joy in the other is vulnerably scribbled out on these pages as she tore open the wounds in her soul to share how Christ created beauty and goodness in it all. It was in this journey, she learned to see wholeness in cracks, courage in the broken-hearted, and bravery in the act of letting go. May you discover the Life-Giver of joy, see your beautiful bloom, and know that hope is always worth holding on to, because redemption is coming--and in fact--is already happening here and now. "Can't Steal My Joy is an honest, real-life account of a life storm that drops down right on top of you with no warning - and the unspeakable beauty that blooms from the wreckage. Bekah's heart beats in every page, every word. To read her story from start to not-yet-finished, it's only natural to wonder how anyone could survive something like this. But the truth is that Bekah and Danny have done much more than survive. They have thrived. And as for the how? Jesus - only Jesus. God's grace weaves seamlessly throughout each moment of confusion, devastation, hope, surrender, and triumph. You cannot read this book without seeing the Creator and longing for all things new." Anne Riley, author of Voyage to the Star Kingdom "I had the absolute pleasure of being able to read Bekah Bowman's book, Can't Steal My Joy, before it hit the bookshelves. I honestly have not read anything so moving and soul stirring since, The Shack. Whether you are in a season of mourning or grief, or in my case, struggling in the heaviness of life to find peace and joy within, this book helps lift the veil of sadness to reveal God's promise that He never leaves you. God makes his presence known everyday in little ways if you only stop to look for the joy outside the pain. Bekah is a gifted writer and I'm so excited to share this book with my friends and family." Melinda, founder of WhenLife Co

In a world dominated by stress, worry, depression, and fear, what does it take to generate joy and reclaim the life you were created to live? In this compelling and thought-provoking book, author Talasi Guerra addresses the joy crisis facing our culture today. Having struggled to personally reconcile the difficult experience of her day-to-day life with the biblical mandate to choose joy, Talasi explores the critical connection between joy and suffering and offers a profound view of how intentional joy can revolutionize the grueling journey up the mountain of life. She combines the raw experience of her personal mental health battles with rock-solid biblical teaching to reveal the secrets of life-changing joy in the heavenward journey.

This unique, richly illustrated, full-color book uses the concepts of the traditional Stations of the Cross to express the joy of the resurrection using Scripture, reflection, poetry and prayer. The meditations help to redress the balance between Lent and Easter, and to recapture for the Church something of the energy and grace experienced by the apostles.

Can You Imagine More Joy in Your Life? Read About How Other Women Created Joy & How You Can Too! A Journey to Joy is sometimes ordinary to the naked eye, but to the critical observer and the woman who lived it, her journey is one of magnificent courage and perhaps a leap of faith into uncharted waters. Within the pages of this uplifting anthology book we share an array of intimate and heartfelt stories by real and inspiring women who have found true joy and freedom through the living of everyday life, as well as those who are still finding their way on this path. Each journey is unique - and not always pretty - but you will surely see the beauty through their words. A Journey to Joy is sometimes accompanied by stepping out of one's comfort zone and always accompanied by life lessons. The newly acquired wisdom is sometimes hard-won and yet it often becomes the sweetest to savor. These stories reveal the depth of the lives of these incredible women - the bitter and sweet, the fruitful and lost, the hard-fought battles and the ease of allowing. There are as many paths to joy as there are women. Enjoy, celebrate and discover your own joy through these touching, true stories. Discover these Joyful Lessons and Savor the Gifts: * Dedicating yourself to your life's purpose is a gift to the world * Healing from unspeakable tragedy comes with many gifts * You attract who you are, not what you want * Financial abundance doesn't bring joy; emotional abundance does * Angels are all around you; all you need do is call on them * How to live life and even thrive after the loss of a loved one * When the student is ready the teacher will appear * Rays of sunshine are ever-present - even behind the clouds * Creativity lives in each of us and we can consciously awaken it * Forgiveness forges its' own path to love and joy * You were born worthy and deserving of great good

Embedded in the Bible is an underused handbook for moving step by step through real life with real joy. This is a guide to that journey. It will take you through each of the 15 steps from disappointment to rejoicing. Along the way you will discover how to follow God in family life, in church, at work, when people hurt you, when you need help, when you need a laugh, and more. The Psalms of Ascent were designed to make us happy pilgrims through the test of life without faking it and without failing it. Read this book and embark on a journey to joy.