Joy: A Godly Woman’s Adornment is the latest offering in Lydia Brownback’s series of On-the-Go Devotionals. I read and reviewed Contentment so I was excited to be offered the opportunity to read Joy.
Like Contentment, Joy is compact, a mere 104 pages. There are 42 devotions, each of them obviously brief, perfect for the woman “On-the-Go.” However, do not mistake brevity for a lack of spiritual depth or instruction. Also like Contentment, Joy will totally get in your business, exposing the real reason for our lack of joy, and carefully pointing the reader to the only source of true and lasting joy: Christ alone.
In the Introduction, Brownback writes:
Some of us find a perverse satisfaction in our gloom, much like a baby pitching a tantrum to get what she wants. But God doesn’t respond to tantrums. Our moodiness dishonors God and robs us of the happiness that lies right at our fingertips. If we want to change—to live with perpetual joy—we must pursue it, and in Christ we are guaranteed to find it.
The whole of the book emphasizes this pursuit. True, joy often seems elusive because of the difficulty of our circumstances. Brownback addresses the issues of Joy in Hard Things, Joy from Failure, and Persevering for Joy (all chapter titles). Brownback is careful to provide biblical support as she encourages her readers in the pursuit of God-glorifying, Christ-saturated, true and lasting joy.
I highly recommend Joy!
Wife and mother, Bible teacher and blogger, Lisa loves Jesus, coffee, dark chocolate and, of course, books. Read more of her reflections at Lisa writes…. Lisa thanks Crossway publishers for providing the review copy of Joy!
Having just read “Purity” I can imagine that Joy is a GREAT devotional book! Didn’t realize that there was one out on this topic. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!