The Happiest Thing in My Life: 18 April

Every Easter, I take the opportunity to talk about my faith here on the blog. And each time, if I’m honest, I feel nervous to do so. I care what other people think, and I know that many of you reading here do not share my beliefs. Some of you practice a different faith tradition, while others don’t believe in God at all.

But every year I keep coming back to this moment because I believe so deeply in what I’m about to say.

I seem to find myself waiting until the last minute for inspiration on what to share. Last year, I was inspired by a quote from magician – and outspoken atheist! – Penn Jillette. This year, it came from a joyful, toe-tapping song by Matthew West called Amen.

It’s okay. I’ll wait while you go take a listen. I dare you not to smile!

Some lyrics that stood out to me were:

If you got that feel good in your soul
That hope they won’t let go
If you’re feelin’ what I’m feelin’
Let me hear you say, “Amen”

I was initially conflicted about “hijacking” my usual Happy Things Friday post. But then it hit me – why not share Happy Things as usual? After all, I want joy to be the heartbeat of this space. And the greatest joy in my life comes from my faith in Jesus Christ.

I’ve got that “feel-good” in my soul. I’ve got a hope that “won’t let go.”

Let me be clear: I’ve faced plenty of life challenges. I tend to lean toward pessimism, and I often wrestle with doubts and questions. But even in those moments, I hold on to an unshakeable hope.

And I want you to know where that hope comes from.

I may feel awkward and inadequate when it comes to sharing my faith. But I also recognize the privilege and responsibility of sharing parts of my life online. While I know many (most?) of you don’t share my beliefs, if even one person is nudged to consider Jesus in a new way, that would be a very Happy Thing.

A few weeks ago I posted a question: What would you want inscribed on your tombstone? For me the answer is simple:

She loved Jesus.

That’s what I want to be remembered for. Not how neat my drawers are, or how many books I read this year. Not how many stamps are in my passport, or how often I’ve volunteered, or whether I’ve mastered another language (alas, I haven’t – but it doesn’t matter).

All those things are beautiful gifts from God, yes – but they’re not what ultimately matters. I believe the only thing of eternal consequence is how we choose to respond to Jesus’ call on our lives.

There’s a quote I think of often and I’ll paraphrase it here: There’s a God-shaped hole in the heart of everyone that can’t be satisfied by anything on earth. If you’ve ever thought, “There must be more to life than this?!” – even when everything seems good on the surface – I believe the answer to that yearning is Jesus.

I respect the diversity of faith traditions represented in this space. You may agree with me, doubt what I believe, or outright reject the Jesus I love. You may believe that life is temporary, and that death brings a complete end to our existence. We all get to make our own choices about what we believe and where we place our hope.

I’ve made my choice – and all my hope is in Jesus.

Everyone has a story. My story isn’t your story. But with ever fiber of my being, I hope your story involves coming face-to-face with the Jesus I love.

His presence in me is my Happiest Thing.

Amen!

BONUS HAPPY THINGS

• Umbrellas on rainy days.
• Long naps. (I set a 25-minute timer, forgot my watch battery was dying, and woke up nearly 2 hours later to a dead watch and a very rested soul. Highly recommend.)
• Michelle’s dollhouse is all decked out for Easter. Do yourself a favour and go check it out.
• Falling asleep as soon as I turned out the light.

• The colourful crocuses on one of my walks.
• Listening to the kids laugh.

• Switching out my home manicure. (Drop the Beet by Sally Hansen)
• Hot showers.
• Empty laundry baskets – I’m all caught up!
• The satisfaction of finishing a good book.

• Freshly popped popcorn. A covered glass bowl, 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels, a drizzle of oil, five minutes in the microwave. Bam. Inexpensive, delicious, and healthy-adjacent (I add a liberal amount of melted butter).
• Jenny has another delightful Figgy Friday post.

I’ll be back on Tuesday. Until then, if you ever want to talk more about faith – or if you have questions, doubts, or just need a listening ear – I’d be honoured to hear from you. Feel free to send me an email.

Wherever you are in the world, and wherever you are on your spiritual journey – wishing you joy and a very Happy Easter Weekend.