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CHAPTER 1
JANUARY
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
— Psalm 119:105 NLT
January 1
The Gift of Today
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
— Psalm 118:24 ESV
Don't waste today worrying about things that happened yesterday. Today is a new day, and I am doing new things for you in it. As this new year begins, remember that I'm always with you and always working in your life. Don't let mistakes or failures take away your Joy — your mistakes do not decide who you are! This is the time to make a fresh start. I am an endlessly creative God — just look at this world I've made. Expect Me to do surprising and even amazing things in your life this year.
Today is My gift to you — because it is in today that I come to meet you, My child. Look for Me in this day that I have made. Search for all the wonderful details I've carefully prepared just for you. I want you to be filled with My Joy and to be glad today.
I have placed signs of My loving Presence all throughout your day — sometimes in surprising places. Do you see them? The smile of a friend, the gift of a small flower blooming in a sidewalk crack, a hug from someone who loves you. Thank Me for every gift you see. Your thankfulness will keep you close to Me and help you find Joy in each day.
READ ON YOUR OWN
Isaiah 43:18–19; Psalm 16:11
January 2
I Am Your Joy!
Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.
— Philippians 4:4 ICB
I am your Joy! Let those four words light up your life. Because I am always with you, the Joy that comes from being in My Presence is always available to you. All you have to do is love Me and trust Me. Try saying these words out loud: "Jesus, You are my Joy." As you learn to trust Me more and more, the Light of My Joy will shine down on you and inside you — it will light up your heart and soul. Think about all I have done for you and all I have given you. Remembering your blessings this way will help you through hard times.
When you decided to follow Me, I gave you My Spirit to live inside you. He is your Holy Helper, and He has unlimited Power. He can help you find Joy even on your worst day. I have promised that I am preparing a place in heaven just for you. And one day I will come back and take you to be with Me in heaven. Whenever your day is looking dark, fill it with light by thinking about Me. Take a deep breath and relax as you hear Me whisper, "I love you, and I am your Joy!"
READ ON YOUR OWN
Psalm 21:6; John 14:3
January 3
Be Still with Me
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be praised in all the nations. I will be praised throughout the earth."
— Psalm 46:10 ICB
Be still and know that I am God. You may have heard those words before, but do you understand them? They simply mean that I want you to take time to sit — still and quiet — with Me. I want you to think about Me. As you do, My Presence grows in your life, while all your troubles shrink and seem less and less important.
When you spend time with Me, My blessings flow into your life like streams of living water. So take time, make time, to be with Me. Your thoughts can get all tangled up like knots, but when you spend time with Me, I untangle those knots and help you see things as I see them. Remember, My Word is a lamp to guide your feet and a light for your path. My words in the Bible will show you the way to go.
It's so very important to know that I am God, and that I made you and you are Mine. You are like a sheep in My pasture. Sheep don't always understand what their shepherd is doing for them, but they follow him anyway. In the same way, because you are one of My "sheep," I want you to trust Me and follow wherever I lead you.
READ ON YOUR OWN
John 7:38; Psalm 119:105 NLT; Psalm 100:3
January 4
The Joy of the Lord
Don't be sad. The joy of the Lord will make you strong.
— Nehemiah 8:10 ICB
Find Joy in Me, because I make you strong. You will need My Joy in your life, especially when you are faced with troubles.
Whenever you are struggling through hard times, guard your thoughts and be extra careful of what you say. If you think too much about all the things that are going wrong, you'll only become more upset and discouraged — and you'll feel weaker. As soon as you realize that's happening, stop whatever you are doing. Turn to Me and ask Me to help you.
Take time to praise Me — yes, even when everything seems to be going wrong. Sing songs. Read Bible verses that tell you about My goodness and My Joy.
Remember that your problems are temporary — they will not last. I am eternal, and so is your relationship with Me. As you find Joy in Me and in My Love that never fails, you will get stronger. For the Joy of the Lord will make you strong — now and forever!
READ ON YOUR OWN
Psalm 66:1–3; Psalm 143:8
January 5
Pour Out Your Heart
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
— Psalm 62:8
When worry bubbles up inside you, let Me comfort you. Let Me bring Joy to your soul. Come and sit with Me. Pour out your heart to Me and tell Me all your troubles. Then sit quietly with Me while I comfort you. I will help you see things as I see them. I will remind you that you are Mine and that I have a wonderful plan for you. Remember that you are on your way to heaven. When you pour out your heart to Me, I will pour My Joy and Peace into your heart, mind, and soul.
Being joyful changes the way you see the world around you. Even though you'll still notice bad things happening, you will also see My goodness shining through — in the way My children love and help each other. The Joy of seeing My goodness will help you face the problems in your own life. And you'll even be able to help others face their problems. You'll be able to comfort them with the same kind of comfort that I give you. Your Joy will spread, "infecting" everyone around you with Joy in their souls!
READ ON YOUR OWN
Psalm 94:19; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
January 6
Joy and Fear
Nothing can separate us from the love God has for us. Not death, not life, not angels, not ruling spirits ... will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 8:38–39 icb
Did you know that it's possible to be both afraid and joyful — at the same time? Think about this: When the women came to My tomb after I had been crucified and they saw the angel, they were "afraid, but they were also very happy." They were afraid because they didn't understand what was happening, but they were happy because the angel said I was alive!
Don't let fear keep you from feeling the Joy of My Presence. Joy isn't just for happy times or for when you don't have any troubles. My Joy is for all times because My Presence is with you today, tomorrow, and forever!
Don't let troubles or worries about what might happen in the future steal your Joy. Remember that nothing — no problem, no worry, no person — will ever be able to separate you from My Love.
Talk to Me about your fears. You can tell me anything, anything at all. Especially the things that make you angry, sad, or afraid. Trust Me with your troubles. Then ask Me to give you My Joy, which no one can take from you.
READ ON YOUR OWN
Matthew 28:8; John 16:22
January 7
Think About Me
He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!
— Isaiah 26:3 TLB
The more often you think about Me, the more I will fill you with My perfect Peace. Keeping your thoughts on Me is a challenging goal, but it's also a wonderful gift. That's because I — the Shepherd of your soul — am always with you.
Just as you must practice math or sports or ballet, you must practice thinking about Me. Train yourself by trying these things: When you see something beautiful, thank Me. When someone makes you happy, thank Me for that person. Write verses from My Word on your notebooks or post them on your mirror or refrigerator. Push yourself to see how many of My verses you can memorize.
By choosing to think about Me, you show Me that you trust Me. Even when you're sad or having a bad day, your troubles can remind you to talk to Me. Remembering that I am with you helps to keep your thoughts from getting stuck on your problems — you won't be going over and over them in your mind without doing anything to fix them.
What new ways can you find to help you remember Me?
Think of as many ways as you can. Because the more you think about Me, the more Peace and Joy you will have in your day.
READ ON YOUR OWN
1 Peter 2:25; Philippians 4:6–7
January 8
The Adventure
You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You cannot see him now, but you believe in him. So you are filled with a joy that cannot be explained, a joy full of glory.
— 1 Peter 1:8 NCV
In Me you will discover amazing Joy, a Joy that cannot be explained. You won't find this kind of Joy anywhere else — not in your best friend, not in winning the game, not in anything here on earth. You can only find it in your relationship with Me. So trust Me, My precious child. Yes, you'll still have troubles, and some of them may be big and hurtful and so very hard. But don't let them throw you off course or keep you away from Me. When you are with Me, you can have Joy even in the middle of sadness and trouble.
Your life with Me is an adventure, and there are always dangers in adventures! Ask Me to give you courage so that you can face your troubles bravely. Keep your thoughts on Me and on My promise of your heavenly reward. Your Joy will grow and grow — bigger than you could ever possibly imagine — when you reach your heavenly home. There you will see me face to Face, and your Joy will have no end!
READ ON YOUR OWN
2 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 13:12
January 9
A Treasure of Joy
In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept.
— Colossians 2:3 ICB
Do you ever feel frazzled or frustrated? Do you ever feel pulled in all different directions at once? Your parents want you to do this, but your friends want that, and the teacher expects this other thing. You find yourself rushing around all over the place and feeling ... frazzled. It can make your mind race with thoughts about how to make everyone happy, worries about what might happen, and wondering how to fix your problems. When you feel so busy that you can't breathe, stop and remember that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept in Me. Whisper to yourself, "Jesus, You are my Treasure. You're all I really need."
When I am your greatest Treasure, I protect you from feeling frazzled. If your thoughts start spinning in a million different directions, just stop and think about Me. Living near Me, enjoying My Presence, helps you to obey My commands — to live the way I teach you. I'm telling you these things so My Joy may be in you and your Joy may be complete — the fullest Joy!
READ ON YOUR OWN
Colossians 2:2–3; Revelation 2:4; John 15:10–11
January 10
Thirsty for Me
God, you are my God. I search for you. I thirst for you like someone in a dry, empty land where there is no water.
— Psalm 63:1 NCV
Be careful of thinking too much about things that don't really matter. When your mind is wandering, it's easy to start making plans for the future before you even really need to do so. You try to take control of your life, and that's a waste of time. Often, you'll just end up changing your mind or forgetting what you hoped to do. Yes, there's a time to plan, but it's not all the time — and it's not even most of the time.
Live in this moment, the one you're in right now. That's where I am. I am right here beside you. Let My Love soak deep down into your heart and soul. Relax and stop thinking about your problems. Give your attention to Me so that you can be filled with My Love.
Even though you may not realize it, your soul is thirsty for Me — more than you would thirst for a drink of water on a hot summer day. Sit with Me. You don't even have to say a thing. Just let Me lead you beside quiet waters. I will guide you ever closer to Me, and I will satisfy the thirst in your soul.
READ ON YOUR OWN
Ephesians 3:17–19; Psalm 23:2–3
January 11
A Right Time
My times are in your hands.
— Psalm 31:15
There is a right time for everything. Everything on earth has its special season. When you try to live close to Me, I will guide you. I will show you the next step, but sometimes you have to wait until the right time to take it. Don't rush full speed ahead without checking with Me first. Wait for Me to show you when to take that next step. I understand how hard it is for you to wait, but trust that I know the perfect time for everything.
There is a season, a time and place, for everything that needs to happen. This means that even the very best times in life must end so that something new can begin. Some of My followers can't wait to get to the next new thing in life. But others don't want anything to change. I understand that change can be uncomfortable, and even scary, but trust Me — hold on to Me in your thoughts and prayers. Be ready to follow wherever I lead you and whenever I choose. Your times are in My hands, and I will take good care of you.
READ ON YOUR OWN
Ecclesiastes 3:1 ICB; Isaiah 43:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17
January 12
Have Courage!
Jesus quickly spoke to them. He said, "Have courage! It is I! Don't be afraid."
— Matthew 14:27 ICB
Don't be terrified or discouraged. I am with you wherever you go. It's easy to look at bad things happening in the world and feel afraid. Just thinking about the troubles you see and hear on the news can act like a poison, making you feel sick inside. The cure for this poison is Christian courage. And that comes from Me — from believing that I am always with you.
It's so important to remember that what you see of this world is not all there is. I am here! There was a time when the prophet Elijah was upset and discouraged because he felt like he was the only person in Israel who still loved God. But that wasn't true. There were thousands who still loved Me and hadn't bowed down to the false god Baal. But Elijah's feelings kept him from seeing that. Another time, the prophet Elisha's servant was terrified because he thought their enemies were about to kill them. But the servant couldn't see what Elisha saw: an army of angels with horses and chariots of fire all around who were protecting them.
I love you, My child. I am with you, and I have unlimited power to help you. Don't just look at the troubles of this world — look at Me. Hear Me saying, "Have courage! Don't be afraid."
READ ON YOUR OWN
Joshua 1:9; 1 Kings 19:14; 2 Kings 6:17
January 13
Faith — Another Way to See
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."
— Mark 10:27 ESV
All things are possible with Me! Let these powerful words light up your mind and bring Joy to your heart. Don't be afraid because of how things might look at this moment. I'm training you to live by faith, not by sight. That means don't worry about the troubles you see; instead, trust Me to take care of you.
Your eyes are an amazing gift from Me. Use them with Joy, and thank Me for them. But don't be hypnotized by all that you see around you and then forget about Me.
Faith is another way of seeing — one that keeps you close to Me. It is choosing to see Me and not just the world your eyes show you. It's also daring to trust Me and My promises no matter what is happening.
I'm your Savior and your Friend, but remember: I am also God. When I lived on this planet, I did many miracles, and My disciples put their faith in Me. Even today, I continue to do miracles in your world. So trust Me. Do My will by doing the things I say in My Word, like being kind and putting the needs of others ahead of what you want. Try to see things through My eyes. Show your faith in Me by asking Me to do big things — and then watch to see what I will do.
READ ON YOUR OWN
2 Corinthians 5:7; John 2:11; Micah 7:7
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Jesus Always"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Sarah Young.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
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