In order to feel joy we have to know the feeling of opposition. When we are feeling those burdens of life, we are being given the opportunity to be humbled, to strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father, and to rely on the gift Jesus Christ has given us through His atonement. It is through trial that we feel the presence and strength of Christ in our lives, and there is no greater joy than that.
Josie is married to her soul mate and together they have three children, with a fourth on the way. She enjoys being outdoors and staying active. Josie is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and promoting it to those around her. She enjoys traveling, hiking, photography, theater, and serving others. Faith, love, and her relationship with Jesus Christ motivate her to be better every day and share the light of Christ to those around her.
How would you describe the attribute of joy?
The attribute of joy is knowing and remembering that our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ love us and will guide us through the light and dark days as long as we put our faith and trust in them. Finding goodness in all circumstances and situations can be difficult to do with the stress we each endure every day. Family, work, and church obligations can easily overwhelm and wear us down. Medical, physical, or emotional stress can take over and leave us feeling hopeless. How is it possible to find Joy in these darker times? The answer is the atonement of Jesus Christ. Joy is using the atonement so graciously gifted to us by leaving the burdens we are carrying with Him so we can feel his love and light in our lives and share it with those around us.
Have there been any particular people or experiences that have helped you develop joy?
I always felt there was a dark cloud that followed me around most of my life. As a child I grew up in a home with an alcoholic father who was both verbally and physically abusive. He abandoned my family when I was 14-years-old, leaving my mom with four daughters to raise on her own with a minimum wage job. We went without heat in our home and exchanged Christmas gifts that we got at the local food shelf. I learned responsibility at an early age when having to get a part-time job in high school to help pay bills and buy groceries. When I graduated high school, the money I received as gifts went to help my family. The cloud continued to darken when my oldest sister nearly died from an eating disorder, whittling down to 80 pounds and resisting medical help. My youngest sister, also diagnosed as an alcoholic, went into a treatment program at the age of 21. Throughout all these trials I watched my mom become more bitter by the day. There were days she didn’t want to go on, days where she blamed her children for burdening her, days where all she could do was cry. It was very difficult to find joy in my life. I looked for an escape and married at the age of 21-years-old. Adding to the darkness in my life, this escape proved to be the wrong choice very quickly; but I was too weak and scared to get out – where would I go? What would I do? The only thing I had to go back to was the life I left where they were waiting to tell me “I told you so”.
Through my employer I was able to go back to school and finish my degree. I found confidence in myself, and the voice of my father telling me I was stupid started to soften. I found the strength to end the marriage that should have never been. I was still broken and now had two children to parent by myself, but I was starting to feel the light of Christ break through those thick clouds.
In 2013, joy enveloped me when I met my husband. It was with his unwavering love, support, and guidance that I was able break free of the dark clouds that followed me around. Troy showed me what true, unconditional love is and how to accept it. He showed me that I was deserving to be loved and feel the love of Christ. He is also the reason I continue to feel the joy of Christ each and every day because of our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Christ rescued me by sending me one of his angels on earth and allowing me the opportunity to learn of His atonement and the power it has.
Looking back to the “dark” days of my life, I can now see times when Christ was trying to show me joy – to have me feel His love. My heart was hardened and I was too focused on surviving the anxiety and hopelessness I felt to see His work in my life. I am extremely grateful for my path of life, no matter how difficult, because it has gotten me to where I am today. I am a child of God, sealed to my eternal partner for time and all eternity, and a mother to three amazing children with another on the way. The lessons of joy I have learned will never diminish because I feel His love and presence each and every day.
What are some daily or regular practices that bring you joy?
Each day I continue to communicate and build my relationship with my Heavenly Father through prayer. This keeps me focused on the bigger picture in life, the eternal perspective. It is easy to fall into the trap of Satan’s work, but I find strength in my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and strive to live my life according to His will. I also take the time to stay connected with my family. Each night at dinner we go around the table and take turns listing three good things that happened during the day. Focusing on the good continues to keep our hearts full and helps us feel joy. Taking the time to recognize the Heavenly blessings in our life is so important. I also read my scriptures – there are many answers just waiting to be read in those verses. The more time I spend reading my scriptures the more I understand and the clearer I see that joy is all around me.
How do you stay joyful when opposition arises?
Feeling joyful during times of opposition is difficult. It is hard to find joy when you are feeling angry, sad, frustrated, lost, etc. There have been many times when I remind myself that there is a reason for the challenges. In order to feel joy we have to know the feeling of opposition. When we are feeling those burdens of life, we are being given the opportunity to be humbled, to strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father, and to rely on the gift Jesus Christ has given us through His atonement. It is through trial that we feel the presence and strength of Christ in our lives, and there is no greater joy than that.
What role has Jesus Christ played in helping you develop this attribute?
Jesus Christ is Joy – without my relationship with Him I would never have understood or felt what ‘real’ joy is. Joy is not something that can be purchased, and you cannot pretend to have joy in your life. It is only through your humble love and relationship with the Savior that joy can be felt and then shared with others through service.
“And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.” –1 Nephi 16:5
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