Book Review: Choose Joy by Kay Warren

Happiness is elusive.  Dependent on circumstances.  Fleeting.  I feel happy on Christmas morning, at the gates of Disneyland and sitting down to a plate of homemade lasagna.  

Problem is that when those circumstances change – when I’m walking into a hospital, in the midst of an argument, sitting in line at the dump or the DMV  my emotions switch. Happiness is gone and in its place are feelings of fear, annoyance, sadness.  Happiness is fun but grossly fickle.

There is a different way. In her book, Choose Joy, Kay Warren warmly shares her life’s journey through hard places to how she learned the secrets of Joy. Joy is the peace of God and assurance of His love. Joy can happen at birthday parties and funerals. While paying bills or baking cookies. On your best days and your worst. I love Kay’s book because it shares practical steps to learn how to live your days in Joy.  

A few of my favorite quotes:

“We are going to experience joy in this lifetime, there’s only one possible way: We will have to choose it. We will have to choose it in spite of unbelievable circumstances."

"Those who love lavishly, extravagantly, find their souls flooded with joy.”      

“When trials expose our faith-life, will others see us embracing both the joy and the pain of our life? We do not need to live out one and deny the other. Those around us need to recognize that both of these elements are part of life, and both give us hope for heaven.”   - Kay Warren

Kay Warren sent me two copies of Choose Joy and a copy of the CHoose Joy Devotional to give out to readers. I'll be drawing winners tomorrow from the Quirk-Email subscription list.  If you haven't signed up yet do so now to be included!  Click HERE to sign up.

You can buy your own copy of Choose Joy at the link below.