Everyday Encouragement: He is where the joy is!

Hiiiii! Happy Wednesday!

I hope your new year is off to a joyful start!

Today’s blog is an “everyday encouragement” post and speaking of the word “joyful”.. I’m talking about Jesus being where the joy is found!

At the beginning of each year, I like to set a plan for what my quiet time will look like, which devotions I will read, etc.

This year, I am walking through The Bible recap. I’ll have my daily prayer journal- just a place I jot down prayer requests. I’m also using the “Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart” devotional by Lysa TerKeurst- which only contains 50 devotions. I plan to incorporate this once at the beginning of each week!

I’m linking everything, here!

Today, let’s focus on The Bible Recap. This walks you through the entire Bible in one year. I’m sure many of you have heard of it! I decided to pick it up this year because well.. my faith is strong but my Bible trivia is not.

There are a lot of books about the book, but it’s also important to read “the book”- THE BIBLE!

I am loving the Bible recap so far because it’s in chronological order, in which all the Bible events actually happened and it covers every single book, chapter, and verse. It tells me specifically which passages to read in my Bible each day and the recap helps me connect the text- because let’s be real, some of it is confusing!

At the end of each “Bible Recap” page, it says “He is where the joy is!”

That means it is quoted 365 times in this book.

I wanted to focus on that for my first “everyday encouragement” post of 2026.

At the beginning of each new year, we’re all setting goals in hopes to bring more “joy” into our lives…

We’re exercising more to feel better, we’re saving + planning trips for excitement, we’re planning projects that make us happy..

All of these things are great! But don’t forget, HE is where the ultimate joy is found. Only Jesus can bring the everlasting feeling of peace, contentment, and JOY!

Invite him to be apart of your new year!

I’ll share where I currently am in The Bible Recap:

I’m reading about Job. He had it ALL- family, wealth, health. Then, it was all taken from him. Job was suffering but his faith never wavered because he knew the God He served is good + almighty.

I’m nearing the end of Job now and beginning to see God restore his fortunes.

Job’s story is also a great reminder that no matter where you are in life or what this year may bring, keep the endurance, keep the faith, there is purpose, He is where the joy is.

Let this be a year of journeying through life with Jesus and I promise, there will be lots of JOY!

I’m going to end today’s post with some joy filled moments from winter break & start to our new year!