“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

http://bible.com/116/psa.30.5.nlt

I think there’s a difference between happiness and joy. I can be sad and joyful at the same time! Happiness is an emotional response to a particular circumstance or situation, whereas JOY is a state of being or the way I approach life. For instance, in my last job there were many days of anger, frustration, disappointment, and sadness about how me and my students were treated by the administration. However, I believed that God was/is with me and that He had/has a plan for my life…to prosper and not harm me despite the situation that I was in. Therefore I still approached my life in joy. I smiled and I spoke life to my students and colleagues because I knew that trouble would not last always. Yes, there were days when I was unhappy with the situation and my life, but I didn’t let that stop me. I focused on the parts of my life that reformed the joy of my life. My students. I’m fortunate to know that mentoring is my purpose and passion. I have students, family, and friends who say some crazy things to make me laugh and forget about the troubles so that I can focus on living in Joy. Now when I look at my life, I’m grateful that I am living in the morning…in the moment. I’m experiencing freedom living on an island! I am truly embracing each day for what it has to offer!

Joyfully yours,

Stassi Nicole