God wants us to experience joy in this life. God created the world, and He created us. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10. True joy is only found in Jesus. Every day we have the opportunity to live for ourselves or to live for Christ. Every day, we face challenges, but with Jesus, we can choose joy. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience real joy in all our relationships as we put Jesus and others before ourselves. God loves you. Will you live for Jesus, and will you choose joy today?

The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians from - of all places - prison. He was in prison for being a Christ-follower. Yet, the entire book of Philippians is all about Joy. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi - a church he planted in Acts 16 - and the church had always supported him. Nineteen times, Paul uses the word “joy” in these four chapters. Paul did not plan to be in prison, but He trusted in God and exuded faith in the challenges. Because of Paul’s obedience to Christ, countless people were impacted for eternity. Life will not always go as planned for any of us, and we will all have decisions to make about how we respond - Choose Joy.

God’s vision for your life is to know Jesus personally, to be a part of His Church and to live in the Spirit. This is where we experience the full life God desires for us. We are God’s Church today. God has a vision for us to be devoted disciples. Our God is doing something truly special at Rolling Hills. This is our time to be His devoted disciples reaching out, growing up and giving all for His glory. What if the greatest era of God’s Church is not behind us but ahead of us? Let’s not miss it. Let’s live out God’s vision for our lives and for His Church today.