Book Review: "Living Joy" by Carson

Hello, today I'm going to tell you a book that I have read and re-read multiple times in the last few months. Living Joy by Chris Stefanick is a book that teaches us about the concept of finding lasting joy in this life, rather than looking for temporary happiness which will soon fade. A little backstory:

Once upon a time the Acostas were on a Florida trip around Christmas time. The church that my brother Tyler works at was kind enough to give a copy of Living Joy to every family in the parish. Some time passes and I find myself bored, so I read the book...

...and it was captivating! I read through the book very quickly. So what's it all about? First, it explains what joy is. In a few words, joy is real happiness. It's what we long for deeply, and what we were built to find. It's joy that we get a glimpse of in everyday bits of happiness, but the difference is that joy is a stronger, lasting happiness that doesn't fade, which we aquire through the grace of God. The book then goes through 9 rules for life (one for each chapter) that will lead you to joy, which I will briefly summarize here.

Rule 1: Give Thanks

A thankful heart is a joyful heart! Giving thanks in good times and in bad will make you more joyful by making your relationships stronger, as well as releasing happy chemicals in your brain, to name a few ways.

Rule 2: Practice Silence

We've totally busied ourselves in the bustle of everyday life that we don't make time for Joy. Silence is a way to replenish our minds, bodies, and souls, which builds joy in our lives.

Rule 3: Love Yourself

How can we be joyful and loving to others if we can't love ourselves? This chapter teaches about giving up the lie that we're not lovable, as well as doing things for yourself every once in a while to recharge.

See? We take care of ourselves, even while writing blogposts! 

Rule 4: Have Fun

What makes children so joyful? Well, they're having fun all the time. Do fun things you enjoy! Chris talks a little about a joyful priest he knows who loves metalsmithing and flying kites. Take up some fun hobbies you like (even if they are a bit meaningless) just for fun!

Trying out a homemade raft my siblings and I made for no reason, except for fun.

Rule 5: Engage Your Body In the Battle for Joy

Change your position to one of confidence, smile always, and exercise.

Pizza makes me smile.

Rule 6: Make Friends

Make friends around you to build each other up with joy! Deeper, more meaningful relationships equals more joy.

A joyful group of friends.

Rule 7: Rest

Hand in hand with rules 2 & 3, you can't be joyful if you're barely alive! Give yourself time to recharge and relax, because God said to!

Resting with the boys.

Rule 8: Serve

"To experience true joy, your heart has to shift from self-centered to other-centered... The only way to find joy is to forget your own quest and help others find it." - Living Joy

In the trunk on the way to build a house in Belize.

Rule 9: Frame your Mind with Faith

This rule is about how you should view the world for joy. If we have a defensive frame of mind, likely we'll end up robbing ourselves of joy because we're to busy thinking about what others think. Having a faithful frame of mind will lead us to joy.

Us with Fr. Scott in Belize.

Living Joy is a small-medium size book, so most people won't have very much trouble getting through it. I also have to note that the author, Chris Stefanick, is one of my favorite speakers and writers. He did the Chosen confirmation program that I went through, and I found it very engaging and powerful, which I wasn't really expecting. Chris adds lots of stories and fun facts into his presentations, and you can tell that he definitely is a joyful guy!

I hope this blogpost wasn't too long for you, and I hope you're inspired to read the book if you haven't! 

God Bless,

Carson