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Today is the official first day of the Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study of Love Life Again: Finding Joy When Life is Hard! If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late! Just CLICK HERE for all the details and get involved with tens of thousands of women from around the world in studying God’s Word and learning to love the lives He’s given us!
I also have devotion running over at P31 today, How to Get Your Smile Back, which shares about a conversation with one of my children who saw through the happy mask I was wearing a couple years ago into the deep sadness that had burrowed into my heart. I’ve learned that when our spirits and hearts are crushed, that heaviness is evident to others no matter how big of a smile we try to paste on on our faces. It’s hard to feel joy in the midst of painful or hopeless feeling situations.
Hard – yes. Impossible – no. It just takes a commitment and perseverance, and a choice to intentionally make it happen. That’s why at the end of every chapter in my book, Love Life Again, I offer some reflection questions, a prayer, an action step to take, and a ‘smile prompt’ which is simply a specific suggestion of something to physically do to bring some joy into your heart and a smile to your face.
You see, we can read inspirational books all day long – but until we actually turn what we’ve read into action and implement what we’ve learned from the book into our every day lives, then those words can have no impact. True meaningful, life altering change requires effort.
The action steps and smile prompts are to help you start running after the joy you long for, especially if you have no control over difficult circumstances in your life, and give you some practical ways to make it happen in your life. And, the online Love Life Again bible study gives you a passionate group of believers to do them with.
Smiling makes all the difference in how you feel about your life. Even if you don’t feel like smiling today, will you try? Will you smile at the people you see in the store, in traffic, your neighborhood, or even at your dog if you’re at home? Smiling affects our mental state but also our physical bodies, so make a point today to smile big! I am confident you’ll feel the difference it makes inside of you, which will open the door for joy to start blossoming again from the inside out.
I want to give away a couple copies of Love Life Again today simply because my heart is so full!
To enter to win, leave a comment on the blog sharing one thing you like to do that brings joy to your heart and a smile to your face, even on those days when you’re feeling down.
(And then make yourself go do that thing today!)
**Have you joined my Facebook Love Life Again Community? Click here to connect.
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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.
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My kids are such a joy and a blessing to me. Watching them love and serve the Lord and serve others is probably the single greatest joy of my life.
I so happy to be able do the online bible study this time.Life is can be so hard and smiling can make you feel better.
What makes me smile is going to see my 5year old Granddaughter
My great grand daughters take all sorrow and pain away when at 3 and 1 yrs old they call me gramma.
Knowing that my son is happy brings joy to my life. I know our good Lord is blessing him abundantly.
The ministry I work in brings me joy. I’m looking forward to this study I’m ready to love life again.
I enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend. Talking and laughing together helps with the difficult.
I enjoy my day with my 2 rescue cats. They get me even when my husband doesn’t. Animals have an inner eye to our soul!
I Get Real Joy When Holding a Baby Especially a Newborn because When I Look into the Eyes of that Tiny Sweet Bundle of Innocence and See that Little Face Crack a Smile ; Everything that has Troubled me seems to Fade into the Distance and Hope Springs Eternal!!!! That’s how I felt When I Held my Very First Grandchild in my Arms. Pure Heaven !!! Pure Joy!!!❤❤❤❤❤????
Tracie, I absolutely love leading Bible studies for women because of the radiance that I see on their faces when they have that ‘lightbulb moment.’
Teaching my chair exercise classes at Assisted Living residences brings a huge smile to my face and to my heart!!
The time I spend talking to my savior, Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing is better!
I went through a very difficult time, but I realized that there was 1 thing I could do to help me feel better- that was to help someone else. God revealed many ways I could use my sadness as momentum to bring others joy, and guess what that brought me? Yep, joy does take effort, but it’s so worth it! ????
My grandkids make me smile. I also love talking to my friend Kelli. She always makes me smile.
One thing that makes me smile no matter what is my husband & son of coarse. But the thing that brings me great joy is my career. Being a caregiver & just being able to do what I love, helping people & serving them gives me great joy knowing I played such a big part in their recovery. No matter what I’m feeling I leave whatever is bothering at the those elevator doors & once I get to my department floor, I’m ready to charge on with the day. See the blessings God is bringing into my life meeting my patients & hearing their stories, them sharing their wisdom & experiences, caring for them along the way. I’m just so grateful for my job & for the wonderful people I meet each day!
I get joy by watching my children giggle and thinking of the love our family has for each other. Also I get joy when I hold my husbands hand. It lets me know Jesus loves us!
Baking brings joy to me and puts a smile on my face especially when I see the reaction of the person I’m giving the treats(cookies,muffins,cupcakes or cake) to. There’s just something about being in the kitchen working with my hands that gives me peace.
My daughter is a senior in high school this year. Seeing her mature and grow in the Lord is such a joy. A competitive game if ping pong with her brings a lot of laughs too.
I enjoy sitting on our screenporch each morning with coffee and my devotions… talking with the lord and hearing the birds sing! My other joy are my 3 grandchildren and 3 grand dogs! ❤️
It brings joy to me when I can encourage someone else, especially on the hard days.
I have 5 adult children, 4 1/2 grandchildren (one is due to make her appearance today, we hope) and a 16 year old at home. My joy is them. No matter how down on life I feel they are my why in life. We have a lot of fun when we get together and it makes that beautiful sunrise look that much more beautiful.
One of my dreams in life was to play the piano. My folks didn’t have the money when I was young. I gave this gift to all my children as a parent. Now, as an older adult I’m learning the piano. It gives me extreme joy. While I practice (almost) daily “if” I have a bad day or am going through a difficult time, I play the piano and it puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Ps 71.23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you.
My joy is waking up each morning..knowing that I have been given more day to do good in my small but wonder world of family and friends.
I’m uplifted by my sweet church family. Our pastor sends a daily scripture verse by email and when I hear the ding of my phone, I’m reminded that God loves me and has given me a loving church family.
In the early evening I know I will be smiling because that is the time I am usually cooking dinner. I so enjoy having a glass of red wine, listening to my music and cooking dinner for my family. An extra big smile when I am trying out a new recipe. :0)
Helping others always puts a smile on my face and takes me away from my problems or concerns.
My son has always given me such joy, no matter the situation may be. Getting older, I am very thankful for the man he has become and greatly thankful for each and every day that allows me the opportunity God’s work and allow Him to guide me through life.
Spending time with 3 year old granddaughter. watching her get so much joy and laughter out of the simple things in life like chasing the waves at the ocean pure joy
I go for a walk and get close to nature. Makes me feel closer to God, clears my head and warms my heart ❤️
What brings joy to my heart and a smile to my face? MUSIC!
When I’m down and discouraged I turn on my favorite contemporary Christian artist playlist. It makes me happy!
My go to “smile” place-the thing that always brings a smile, even in my deepest place of crushing, is to Dance! I dance to the LORD – to the song, “Your a Good,Good, Father” by Chris Tomlin
My dog always makes me smile! Even though he has only three paws, he is 15 pounds of something else!
Thanks for sharing your heart and faith with us!!
Reading scripture, singing praise songs and thanking God for all He is and has done for me. Remembering I am blessed, loved and highly favored by Him. This refocuses my thinking towards the joy that is found in my salvation.
This is really hard for me. I chose not to be a victim of life’s circumstances. I want to have joy that is reflected everyday, on my face as well as in my heart. Seeing my granddaughters makes me smile, but I can’t see them often. They don’t lice near me. I will look at their pictures to help me smile more
I found joy this weekend doing a puzzle with my child. Simple activities can be so calming and stress relieving. God bless you for reminding us to smile.
Upon smiling I can feel an immediate response of lightness in my body.
I am grateful that my daughters have learned that smiling doesn’t cost them anything, neither does saying good morning as they walk past people. In a world where people may be hurting a smile and a good morning may go along way as we acknowledge others. Have a blessed day.
Holding my granddaughter bring me such joy and can put a smile on my face even if it’s a difficult day! We have had much heartache in our family so spending time with her is a true blessing from our Lord!
My daughters and grandsons bring me joy and I’m starting to canvas paint again ! ????????❤️
Going through the drive-thru at McDonald’s or other type of drive-thru restaurant and paying for the person behind me. It brings a smile to my face knowing that they will have no idea they will be receiving a blessing when they go up to the window to pay. You never know what day someone is having and that one small bit of kindness not only gives them a blessing but makes you feel good too. 🙂
My 3 dogs bring me smiles. When I walk in the door and they are so happy to see me.
Watching my 22 year old son interact with his 2 week old newborn daughter! (And his wife too!!) 😉
When I am down, I try to make time to sit at my sewing machine. Sewing and quilting are the best therapy for me. I love to make beautiful gifts for others. During the process, I can pray for the person the gift is intended for. Fills my heart with joy!
I focus on my blessings, and how I am a child of God who knows my heart.
Losing my husband 5 months ago has been hard on me to find my joy. I feel blessed that we have 3 children together that are good, loving kids.
My family brings me joy. I’m so blessed that God brought my husband and I together and that He gave us 2 amazing sons.
Going to see my 5 year old Granddaughter and spending time with her.
I have forgotten how much I liked to listen to music and sing, I am taking every opportunity I have, to do that, I have noticed I do my “chores” in a better mood and with a more gracious attitude towards others, especially when I am doing my kids’ chores ????
I thankyou for this amazing opportunity…I am soo in need of help..I am the past victim of child abuse, which is still soo much a part of my life..I have lost my dreams and creativity..I really have no idea how to find me again.
God Bless
Sharon
I never knew how sad i rally was after my husband died. I was looking through some pictures that were taken probably 3 years after he died. It should have been a joyous occasion, my youngest daughter’s birthday. She has a dazzling smile, while i looked like it took so much effort to tune the corners of my mouth up. Yes, I would love to read your book. Even though it has been 10 years, I am still pursuing joy. Thank you for sharing.
I have found myself in the middle of an unwanted separation from my husband of 18 years. Life is honestly a struggle right now and it’s hard to find joy. What truly makes me smile is being present with my children…just listening to my boys’ giggles and watching them play reminds me of God’s provision and that He gave me the two greatest blessings of all. They are what keeps me going
The thing that ALWAYS brings a smile to my face and an abundance of love in my heart is when one of my grandkids come and crawl up in my lap ????
The one thing that ‘never ever fails’ to bring a smile to my day & a spring in my step is to see a baby smile! In the grocery store, in church, any place…. that innocence is so sweet, and in a baby I see the miracle that only God can make! No matter the colour, of their skin, the beauty shines with their joy. The joy of seeing a baby reminds me that we were all born with this pure beauty, and that it was this thing called l-i-f-e that tarnished that innocence. Babies are a precious gift of God and their smile never ceases to make me smile. Thank God for sweet babies!
I had not of this, but when babies smile or giggle it definitely brings me joy and a smile on my face too and I even carry it into my day for awhile.
Even though life is very difficult right now, and getting up in the morning is very hard, being in my class of first graders helps take my mind off my own problems. Their zest for life and joy is contagious, and helps me give thanks.
Joy, to me, is walking first thing in the morning, talking with God and enjoying His creation.
Amen to that
My children are my greatest joy. Hugging them and talking to them about what is going on brings me joy and a smile to my face.
After many years in ministry and over 20 years of marriage, my husband chose to betray me, enter recovery and then repeat the process 5 times in 6 years. Now we are divorcing and the legal bills are overwhelming because he won’t take responsibility for his actions. I smile when I see how God has surrounded me with loving caring friends.
My kids…21 and almost 25…still are at home. I try to enjoy them daily since I know it won’t be much longer they are at home. I enjoy being married. I enjoy my cats. But i really enjoy, and smile when i have it, is my Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea!!! Yum! Love this whole topic of smiling even though. I needed this today!
Knowing that I am L????VED by the Lord, unconditionally, and that I am his child….well, THAT brings a HUGE SMILE ???? to my face & heart
Looking at pictures of my grandchildren can always bring a smile as does helping others when they need it making you forget your own problems!
My children’s smiles & love they share with me each & every day are what bring joy & happiness to me even when I am facing hard times, trials & tribulations. They are my blessings & purpose in this life & thank God everyday for blessing me with them.❤????❤
I honestly don’t feel like I find a whole lot of joy in anything I do. Having lost two adult children (accident and suicide) and then my husband to brain cancer, it’s hard to truly enjoy anything, because the pain is always lurking. I would say being on a beach brings me to a happy place, though.
Once thing that gives me joy is when the Holy Spirit connects me with another. Whether it is at a grocery store, in church, at some social event or through social media. My faces lights up and I get goosebumps. I want to dance, and shout praises, right there, but I reserve myself to a quiet thank you Jesus.
It is hard to choose one thing, that makes me smile. Knitting and spinning makes me smile; especially if I am able to bless someone with finished project.
My husband. A smile from him, holding hands, looking out the kitchen window from a house he built after work at the gardens he has planted. 48 years together in marriage.
I love to go swimming with my grandson! When I am grumpy, feeling bummed out, I throw on my swim suit and we go to the pool and jump and play and swim for hours. It always makes me feel joy, happiness and I cannot help but laugh and smile with him!!!
Enjoying time with my family brings JOY to my life!!!
I work in an academic library and this time of year always brings me joy. Seeing new students come in, happy and excited about college and un-jadded about “adult” life. I love it and love working with the students. So many of them have such a unique perspective on life.
What gives me joy on difficult days is reading God’s Word, reading my prayer journal and seeing how He has answered my prayers in the past and giving thanks to the Lord for being in my life. Also, listening to my favorite Christian songs and praising the Lord truly encourages me. Holding onto His promises helps me to keep my mind on things above, rather than on my problems, and that gives me a new attitude and a new song to sing.
Happiness and joy combine when I see my grandchildren and interact with them. I smile all the time as they are so vocal and active, giving me hints of how blessed I am to have them in my life. Life is not without its low spots, but I choose to face my trials with cautious optimism that the Lord is working through the dark times and will be my constant Companion as I trust Him and maintain a cheerful outlook.
A talk with a good friend, some quiet time reading or a nice long walk bring me joy.
Getting out in nature and see all of God’s Great Materpiece is soothing to my soul and brings me joy!
Reading inspirational quotes and bible verses is what brings joy to my heart. Thank you for this bible study. I am ready to get started!
Talked to my daughter from WA state for two hours! Am so grateful she takes the time to connect!
I enjoy a bike ???? ride with my pandora radio ???? blaring out Christian music ???? from the basket on my bike. I say hello ????and smile at anyone I pass and it just fills me with hope knowing our God makes all things possible!! It helps to give me a new perspective on my life and concerns and then hand it all over to Him that is greater and capable of more than I will ever understand.
What makes me smile and motivates me out of bed in the mornings is my devotional in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in the other???? And yes I’ve already done that today.
Catching up with my husband after a long day of work, cuddling with our pooch on the couch, chatting on the phone with a supportive, loving friend and steaming out stress in the sauna-all bring me a smile at the end of the day.
I have many reasons but will only mention a couple now. Last month was the 13th anniversary of my throat cancer surgery which culminated into being declared being cancer free on 10 Dec. 2010. With that said today my wife, Donna, and me celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. God is so awesome. Praise God for so many gifts and miracles. I could share for some time.
With my prayers. Amen.
My toddler boys and I have a YouTube playlist of Christian songs that we have a dance party to in the living room. It is so joyful to see their faces light up when I say “dance party?”
When it’s raining or when we’re not having the best day, this is the best way for us to change our moods/attitudes and put a smile on everyone’s face! ????????
What makes me smile when I am down it my niece or watching a funny clip.
My grandson who’s on his way over now. ????????
Loom Knitting on a project for someone always makes me smile.
Singing praise songs makes me smile. Being with my family makes me smile. And when my dog smiles at me it’s impossible not to smile back! God is good!
I enjoy spending time with my husband now that I’m retired. I laugh at his sense of humor.
My recently deceased loving mother taught me as a child the meaning of JOY -Jesus first, Others next, Yourself last, which I have tried to live by and share with others. Also, having recently moved close to our children and grandchildren, has given me much joy! Family is such a blessing.
I love to just sit quietly in an empty house or on my deck in the mornings and just be still and breathe 🙂
Listening to worship songs and dancing along with them, especially when I use “an element” of worship, which for me is using a veil when I dance and praise the Lord is one thing I like to do that brings joy to my heart and even a smile on face, even ch on those days when I’m struggling and feeling down. I also like to search for one thing during my day to thank God for.
Watching and playing with my grandchildren. They are so happy go lucky children. It brings big smiles to my face and heart.
Quiet mornings with nowhere to be but sipping coffee and reading scripture, bible study or a good book
My wonderful husband makes me smile everyday plus walking up to Gods glorious world
Holding my babies brings the most joy to my heart. The miracle of children is a priceless joy.
Simply sitting by a campfire and reading my Bible or having conversation with God.
When I first stir upon waking in the morning, my rescue dog “Hitch” immediately starts to kiss all over my face, almost as if he has waited all night for this moment. It makes my heart full of joy and I look at him and smile. I can’t say for sure, but he looks to be smiling back! To think that Gods love for me is more than this, simply overwhelmes! My cup runneth over!
Hello! What brings me joy and a smile to my face is helping the residents at my work. Some have dementia and can be so thankful for just someone to sit and listen to them and connect with them. I smile and feel joy when they are telling me stories of their younger years and they are happy and laughing! ♡
Hi, the thing that brings me joy is my family and during Sunday School I rock babies and I just light up when I see those sweet faces!
The love from my pups (2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels) always makes me smile! My kids are grown and have their own lives now, so when I get home from work, no matter how my day has been I can always look forward to my 2 pups giving me unconditional love and licks!
At the grocery store I make an effort to smile at people, especially the elderly. I try to be aware if they are needing help (reaching items on the shelf, holding doors, unloading their cart). Such simple things make them smile — I’ve had some great conversations with ederly people just by reaching out and showing love.
Singing songs brings a smile to my face. One of my favorites is appropriately called JOY by For King And Country. My husband & my kids bring smiles to my face too.
I like to do something nice for someone I don’t know. Give a cold bottle of water to a road construction worker as you drive by. Pay for the order behind you in a Drive-Thru. Keep a few $5 gift cards in your purse to give to someone you see who could use a pick me up.
Of course my kids almost always make me happy and smile but one thing that will always puta smile on my face is to crank the worship music and bake! It’s my happy place.
I know I will smile if I go out on my porch and watch the birds at my feeders. I just love nature, so being out in it makes me smile and relax.
Greetings….I so appreciate the time you must commit to writing and sharing your thoughts and revelations. In response to this article……I know that life’s circumstances can dictate how we feel and respond to life…we are biological beings. Sometimes those hormones are out of whack and may need healthy choices or even medical intervention…all comes from the creator. He wants us to live full lives…accept help. Then , there is the need to address our spiritual condition and here is how I do this.
Whenever I “feel sad or defeated I aspire to put my feelings into Gods hands. Then I act by walking forward with the Holy Spirit asking Him to reveal someone who needs a smile or a hug or an ear. Then I listen and pray to be available to lift someone up through Gods love.
What an adventure that is and what a healing to my heart and a change in perspectives.
I don’t want to miss these opportunities. God always gets the glory…you cant help but give Him credit.
When my first husband was diagnosed with kidney failure, we had no idea what God was going to do. During the many times of hospitalization, I would sing as I was leaving ‘Yet, I will praise You, the God of the morning, the Lion of Judah, the deserts cool spring…’ and a smile would come over my face and my heart was lifted!
I would like to find that one thing that would bring back the joy that I had in my heart prior to my daughter “cutting off” our family. I want to love my life again, and I do know that Jesus is the only answer. I have other friends and family and even another daughter (who lives out of state), but to “have” my family around me is impossible (I am divorced), so there are days that it is only me after work and on the weekends. Those are the toughest days. Life is hard, God is good. All. The. Time!
Singing along to songs I love and connect with happy times and people I love. My daughter is the one thing I can genuinely smile about as she makes my heart smile everytime I think of her.
Being kind brings joy to my heart even when I’m down or grumpy. It brings a smile to my face to see how just one small gesture can impact another. It can being as simple as asking the cashier at the grocery store how her day is going when I see she is tired and struggling. To see her face light light up that someone took an interest.
I praise God every day that I am alive. I ruptured my spleen followed by surgery to remove pancreatic cancer. That was four years ago. It was truly a miracle from the Lord. At the time, I didn’t have any grandchildren, even though I had older adult children. This miracle has allowed me to live long enough to see my first two grandchildren who make me smile even when I am not with them and we are expecting a third in March. I have many down days and often don’t smile due to a long running depression, but I can look at pictures of those babies and they will bring the smiles out.
The face of my daughter. Never fails to make smile.
I am so excited about getting into this book and bible study, I am a few days behind but i am catching up! I am in a very sad time and I want to be happy again…..God will get me through.
My children and my job make me smile!
When I’m looking to bring joy back into my heart, I look at pictures of my son when he was tiny and remember the gratitude and joy we felt when he was born! The fact that God chose us to raise him and live him is the greatest joy of all!
“Unplugging” and paying attention to the beauty and sounds of God’s creations allows me to crack a smile, and be grateful! It is my “go-to” for joy! (Okay – unplugging except for this blog! Lol!) ????