The Joy Podcast
A women's guide to living a joy-filled life. We are here to help women find their purpose and joy in the hard things of life by having real and raw faith-based conversations surrounding a woman's daily life. Topics include, motherhood, marriage, careers, friendships, and so much more.
The Joy Podcast
Reclaiming Peace This Summer
What if you could experience perfect peace amidst life's chaos? In this episode of the Joy Podcast, we promise to guide you through a transformative summer filled with peace and joy using practical advice and faith-based insights. We explore the profound teachings of Isaiah 26:3, offering strategies to maintain a steadfast mind on the Lord. Our personal stories reveal how starting the day with prayer and reflection can reset your heart and mind, helping you to let go of control and be intentional with your time.
Remember the pure joy of childhood activities like bike riding or bowling? This episode emphasizes the importance of breaking from routine to reclaim peace and happiness. We discuss how engaging in simple pleasures, such as family movie nights or spontaneous outings, can restore your spirit. Inspired by John 10:10, we delve into how striving for an abundant life filled with peace and contentment is possible, regardless of external circumstances. Our faith-based insights are paired with practical advice to help you find joy in everyday moments.
Finally, discover the joy of being a tourist in your own city! From relaxing by the ocean to visiting local botanical gardens like Airlie Gardens, we highlight the beauty of local attractions and personal relaxation activities. We share our favorite ways to pamper ourselves, like spa treatments at home or a fun coffee crawl with loved ones. This episode encapsulates the essence of embracing spontaneity and making the most of the remaining summer days. Join our community, share your thoughts, and don’t miss out on future episodes filled with purpose and joy.
Scriptures featured in this episode:
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3 NIV
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 NIV
“Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10 NIV
"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun." Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV
Welcome to the Joy Podcast, your women's guide to living a joy-filled life. We are your co-hosts, katrina Morris and Allison Jordan. We are grateful you joined us, as we have real and raw, faith-based conversations surrounding motherhood, marriage, careers, friendships and everything else in a woman's daily life. That's right, ladies, grab your cup of coffee and pull up a chair as we dive into all the things. Welcome back to the Joy Podcast.
Speaker 1:Today, we are talking about how to reclaim your peace this summer. So we are going to give you some practical advice. We're going to talk about what is peace and how we can find it this summer, maybe trying to do a few things differently than what we normally do. So, allison, will you get us started on just this episode and maybe start us with a verse of what does the Lord say about peace and joy and how can we find it this summer? Well, I love that we're talking about this episode about and how can we find it this summer. Well, I love that we're talking about this episode about peace, because so many are searching for peace and it's hard to find if you're looking at it from a human perspective. And so when we think about what God's word says about what is peace and how to find peace. I thought about Isaiah 26, 3, and it says you will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. And I love that because it says right there you will keep in perfect peace those whose mind is steadfast in him. And so when we trust in the Lord, when our focus is on the Lord, that's where true peace comes in. Because in this world we're never going to have, it's always going to be turmoil, there's always going to be hardship, there's always going to be strife. But we can have peace even in the midst of all of that. And the only way we do that is when we keep our minds steadfast on him. And so that's where we start with peace. So it is possible to have peace even if I mean, do you have everything in your life that's just perfect?
Speaker 1:No, as much as I've tried, I have tried and I think that kind of goes back to the work-life balance of last episode is, you know, it's the priority and nothing will ever be perfect and nothing will ever be fully balanced. We just have to prioritize and, like I said, fully give you know ourselves to the Lord, especially in the mornings. I think that's just so important. It really starts my day right To be in perfect peace with him and even if there's things that are going on or maybe I'm not, you know, loving the situation that I can give it to him and say, you know, ok, lord, just Bring my heart to a different place, create in me, you know, a pure heart and just find that peace, and it does reset you. You can reset every day because we need to, and it does reset you. You can reset every day because we need to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we need to, sometimes hour by hour, because I know there can be some days where you think everything is just maybe it started off wrong, and so you get your focus on the Lord and then, as you go about your day, things just start happening and you're like, there it goes again. So sometimes it's hour by hour and it's just a matter of putting my focus back where it needs to be and letting the Lord fill that peace within me that only he can fill. And I remember somebody saying one time sometimes God doesn't calm the storm, but he calms you in the midst of it. Oh, that's good, and I always think about that because there could be times when you have a lot of mess going on, and somebody will say how do you, how do you have peace in that? Well, there's no explanation for me other than because I'm keeping my focus on Jesus and he is my peace, and so you know what are some ways that you, you do kind of keep that focus on him. How do you, how do you do that throughout your day? So for me, again, the first thing is in the morning, and then, you know, just in general, I think, with, with being busy and having young kids and business owner, it is just very important for me to.
Speaker 1:I've learned that I needed to let go a little bit. We can't have control over everything, and so a lot of times during the day it's given that 90, 10, right, so you're giving 90 to wherever you are, but you leave 10 for the divine um appointments or just something in the day. That's not going to exactly go right. Yes, and you just have to understand too, like you know, when you know, when you become an adult, you don't get a summertime Right, when you're young and you have summer break and it's just, it's all fun and you get an entire few months to break, and so when you become an adult you don't get that luxury. I remember that movie, high School Musical. When it came out, oh yeah, summertime, you know, and the bell would ring. And I remember those days when I was a kid it was like that was it. Summertime was on, there were no worries. But you're right, adult summertime we can ring that bell, but it's going to ring again in the morning, keeps on going.
Speaker 1:And so I think that, especially the last couple of years, it's just been about being intentional. Of course we've talked about that a lot and that's just making the decision to do something out of my normal day. So we have a routine. I thrive on schedules and structure, but it's always nice to just throw something in there. So there may be an opportunity, especially in the summer. There's a lot more things to do.
Speaker 1:Of course, the weather is really really hot here in Wilmington, but maybe we go get ice cream in the evenings, maybe we go a couple of times a week, I don't know, you know, or maybe we do. We take a Saturday and we just go to the beach. We have some around here and you know, it's just doing a couple of things that maybe just look on your norm, and I think that is really so important. And so during the day, when you can't really go to the beach, you're working. You know, maybe there's, you know, walk outside, take a breath outside. You know, maybe there's, you know, walk outside, take a breath outside, you know. Or, like you said I think you had talked about, you know front porch time and things like that. So just trying to remember that we need to take breaths, often refocus back on the Lord always throughout the day. You know, I do, I, I do.
Speaker 1:Like you, we start our day in the morning with my cup of coffee and my quiet time with the Lord. Um, I love to take that time out on my front porch. Sometimes the humidity is a little thick. I will take, I will take a fan out there sometimes, but just a change of scenery to be with the Lord and just sit out in nature. But just a change of scenery to be with the Lord and just sit out in nature. That can also kind of get me reset back to where my focus needs to be Taking a walk. Yeah, just going for a walk. I mean I wouldn't suggest around here doing that about two o'clock in the afternoon, unless you want to have a little stroke or something like that. But a morning walk and evening walk with the family, yes, but a morning walk and evening walk with the family, yes, that is a good idea with the family or your girlfriends or something. Just to take an evening walk, and I think that's important. Or even you know what I would say even watching a movie, like, yeah, there's so many opportunities to stream movies, just make sure it's appropriate, right. So just to stream a movie and say, hey, do y'all want to have some popcorn and watch a movie tonight? And I think it's just.
Speaker 1:It's again that moment to reclaim some of our peace, because life, like you said, peace and joy, they're hard to come by, yeah, and so we really want to give you practical applications of how to find peace, especially in the middle of chaos. And you know, the chaos around you should not override the calm within you. And I think that's both peace and joy, because they're they're both something that needs to exist among chaos. And having the peace to say you know what it's out of my hands, recognizing what is out of your hands and taking that breath to say, okay, all right, we need to take a moment. There's a lot of times where and I didn't recognize this until most recently. When I'm resting or when I take that Sabbath day, or when I just take a moment away from whatever I'm doing, the refocus and the clarity brings inspiration. And if you are a creative person which we all are creative in our own way yes, it does bring some just creative juices to be able to flow in your mind. It brings you a level of calm.
Speaker 1:You know, in the scripture verse we were talking about in Psalm I think you have that one, yes, it is what was that one? Psalms 46, 10, and it says cease striving and know that I am god. Another virgin says be still and know that I am god. And that really is key is to be, because we have to be intentional sometimes to to quiet ourselves in the chaos surrounding, and that it's hard to do. I love that version where it says he's striving, because I think we you know we talked about last episode I think sometimes we can be in that hustle generation and so we have to be intentional to say you know what? I have to quiet myself and put my focus back on the Lord for a minute. And when we put that focus back on the Lord, he minute, and when we put that focus back on the Lord, he's going to help us put our priorities back in line and that means, you know, spending that time with our family, maybe, like you said, going out for ice cream a couple of times a week. Okay, yes, ma'am, you don't get a Sunday both times, but you know you can get a little cone or maybe a sprinkle, or I mean like just getting out of the norm. It's that reset, that refocus back to where it needs to be and letting the Lord put our priorities back in line.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, we bring such peace. Yes, that's how we reclaim our peace. Early adulthood, whenever you have the fondest memories of summertime, or, you know, get out and ride a bike or any of those things that maybe right now, logically, we're like I could not do that, I wouldn't want to do that. Even bowling, right, I mean, that's something that my husband, I love to go bowling. You know we don't go often, but it's just doing something that takes you out of the regular, your regular atmosphere, and allows you to what do they used to say? Take a load off. Yeah, you know, and I think, because there is always, like you say, going to be something going on, and especially if you're watching the news, especially if you're in a political year. There's lots of news that's going on. That's not happy news. It can wear you down.
Speaker 1:Peace is easily stolen, and so in John 10, 10, it talks about that right, what is the? It says the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have an abundant life. Oh, that's so good. I mean, who does not want abundant life? Because the enemy is out there to steal, kill and destroy and we can't see him Right. But we feel all of that, and so God has promised us abundant life.
Speaker 1:And so when we put our focus back on him, when we reclaim that peace that he has promised us, that in him, that's where we have that calm, that's where our hearts get settled, even when there's turmoil all around us. And you know, when you were talking about different things, maybe from our childhood that we used to do, and you started talking about like bowling, I immediately started smiling because those are things. And riding a bike oh yeah, I remember going out with my friends in the neighborhood and riding bikes and, boy, we would be swallowing that because you know, you know you're laughing, you're carrying on. But that immediately brought a smile to my face. And so when I think of peace and putting my focus back on the Lord and reclaiming that peace, there's so much fun and joy in that. And so in all of that, we can think about things that we can have fun and do, but we have to have that focus on him to get that piece back under control.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because if you're in a time where you are just feeling unrest and you're chaotic and you're grumpy, you're not going to want to have fun or nobody's going to want to be around you because you're not going to be fun, right, and maybe you don't need to cook dinner that night. You just need to go out to dinner, yeah, and it could be chick-fil-a, it could be pizza, just it's. It's just understanding, and I love the cease striving, because I have strived so much and we all strive so much for our goals, for the next thing, for the next thing. And it's when we recognize that what am I striving for? Right? And John 10, 10 says really he doesn't say strive for, but he says I've come to give you abundant life. That's what I want to strive for is an abundant life, and that means having peace, having joy.
Speaker 1:And the reason we called this Reclaiming Peace for your Summer is because we know it doesn't have to take a year or two. You know we're this is July 2024. So we can, absolutely we can. We know that if you put certain things into place, that your peace can come fairly quickly. And it's not that everything is calmed down, it's not, but it's like what you said is, sometimes even through the storm he will calm us down and there is perfect peace in that. It is real and I have felt it. I know you felt it and I hope many of you have felt it.
Speaker 1:And if you haven't be prepared, because he's wanting to give it to you, and so we want to give some practical applications, we want to share some of the verses. You know that that's what he's talking about and that just means what are you striving for? Take a moment, take a breath. I've given you life and it's okay to enjoy the life that he's given you. That's what abundant life is. Abundant life in him is to enjoy the things that he's given us and it does not matter how much money it costs, it don't matter if you live in a townhome or a million dollar home, it doesn't matter. It's to do what he's blessed you with. Yes, and find contentment in that.
Speaker 1:Whether you're going on a summer vacation, or maybe that vacation is not in the budget this summer and you're staying home, there's a ton to do in your hometown, wherever that hometown is. Be a visitor in your own hometown. Find joy in that moment. Think of things that you can do right there, whether it is just going to a new ice cream place or visiting. I know we're here in a coastal town, so there's all kinds of things that we can do here that I wouldn't do on a regular basis. But if I wanted to do something out of the norm and make a memory with my family or my husband and go do something, maybe we just need some moments of intentional joy and make a memory with my family or my husband and go do something that maybe we just need some moments of intentional joy and fun. Yeah, we can do that. I mean, we can find them.
Speaker 1:What are some things that you do to to promote fun and have fun here in the summertime? Well, I do love movies, so and of course this goes throughout the year we'll do popcorn in a movie night and it's just an oldie but goodie movie. It doesn't even matter, it doesn't have to be brand new and it's just sitting on the sofa. It's not even about going to the movie theater, it's about everything is off and we're engrossed for two hours into one thing you know, and that says so much to take your mind off of things. But we love the beach. I mean, that's why we moved here. Really the Lord told us to, right, he told my husband to is we love the beach and we have so many beaches close by. I think that's the joy of being a I wouldn't say we're a tourist at this point because we're residents, but we haven't lived here a whole life, so we're excited to try all these different beaches. So we have a goal this summer that we will go to each beach within a 45 minute time frame, and so that typically is on a Saturday or Sunday after church or something, and it's just a time the kids play.
Speaker 1:I do not get in the ocean because I don't like sharks or murky water or things floating between my feet. Yes, I feel that. But sitting in the chair and listening to the waves and watching your, watching the kids and grabbing some shells yeah, oh man, there's just been nothing like it. It's just been such a beautiful thing, um, but in the spring I'd love to also go to Airlie Garden, yes, which is and I feel like every city probably has a botanical garden or something that is beautiful that you can go into and spend some time. I had my Bible study girls. They gave me a membership to Airlie Gardens and I I mean, I was just for. I mean, I love it here. I've lived here for all of these years and never take advantage of that and I'm so grateful for that and I found such joy in that precious gift. Yes, so it's like. It's like a different world there. If you haven't been there, you need to go there.
Speaker 1:If you're not from here, like you said, being a tourist, even though you've lived here now a couple of years, but it's still fun and things to do. I mean whoever's listening to this on the other side? Maybe you live across the country, but think of different things that tourists would do when they came to your city and be a tourist in your own. Yes, you know what? Even for the wilman, what are they? Wilmingtonians? Wilmingtonians, I would say. So many locals don't come downtown. Yeah, we didn't a whole lot. Let me tell you what downtown is amazing. The Riverwalk, yes, the Riverwalk, I mean, it's one of the top ones in the country. Yes, yes, and Southern Living, I mean. So Wilmington is an amazing place. Wherever you live is an amazing place.
Speaker 1:If you can come to Wilmington, come, yeah, me and me, we'll meet, we'll do something. You know she'll be your tour guide. Well, maybe we'll let you be the tour guide, but we'll keep you entertained. But you know, downtown, the Riverwalk is such an amazing thing it really is. We have been down there in the evenings for dinner or something and it feels like a vacation, yeah, and we pinch ourselves and said do you realize? We live here? We're on the river, it's beautiful, the breeze is blowing, there's people everywhere and we've worked all day. And then we get to. You know, relax, like we talked about last episode. Just really be intentional to cut off that work time, yeah, and then focus on your family time and enjoy the moment of where you are. That brings peace when you can really focus on.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm going to have fun with my people right here. Or maybe you're solo and you're like you know what? I'm going to go out, I'm going to go to the library or to the bookstore and sit and get a coffee and read a book by myself. That sounds good too, doesn't that sound amazing too? I'm going to go see my daughter this weekend in her town and we want to do a coffee crawl oh what, in her town. A coffee crawl where you go to different. They have a lot of different coffee shops there. Oh, in Raleigh, and go to some different local coffee shops. We love coffee. Oh, that's fun. And do a little coffee crawl and try different coffee shops out. Oh, that sounds so fun. And so it's just about making memories and doing something fun out of the norm to bring some peace and joy into your life.
Speaker 1:I think about this passage of scripture in Ecclesiastes 8, 15. Let me read that because I love this verse. It says so I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad, and joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun. So we can have fun. We truly can have fun. That's part of that abundant life to do it all for the honor and glory of the Lord and loving on your people, taking care of yourself, taking care of the temple, your temple that God has given you, to rest in him, to put your focus on him and then to go out and enjoy this beautiful world that he's given us. Yes, and you know what else? I hadn't thought about this, but something else that I do to reclaim my peace.
Speaker 1:I love spa treatments and masks and all of that stuff, but you know, you don't always have a day to spend at the spa or the money to spend at the spa, and so I love just getting a mask and relaxing. You know, laying on the bed, just relax, and putting a mask on cucumbers on your eyes. And if you do love that, that pampering, you know you can. They have socks with lotion on them. It's like Aquaphor. I know this is this is TMI, but you can get it at CBS Walgreens, so it's even about a day of pampering yourself. Or if you have kids kids, they will love that. We go on our sister trip. Yeah, my sisters will get those um masks. Yes, and we've gotten the animal ones, and I mean we just laugh and have fun, so we're giving ourselves a little spot. Yes, they're in our hotel room and it may look like an animal and we just laugh and have a good time.
Speaker 1:But it's just about doing something different and something that it's okay to let your hair down, so it is, and it's okay to pamper yourself and if that brings you peace. But you can't go to the spa, you can get things at the local pharmacy or you know Ulta, sephora, all of those beauty stores. You can spend about 20 bucks and you can have a whole pampering session. That's right. And cut on some soft music and I guarantee you you'll have some peace in about an hour. Paint with fingernails a fun, bright color Always makes me, brings a smile to my face.
Speaker 1:So there's so many things that you can do and when we were talking about this, we wanted to kind of help you get those juices flowing of things that you think about, to spark some creativity, to have some fun maybe and I don't want to, I don't want to take up some time and I wanted to say you may be sitting there going you know what. I don't even know how to have fun anymore. I mean, I know there's some of you on the other side of the screen that feel like you have no peace and that you have no fun in your life and listen. Put your focus back on Jesus. He's the only one that can bring you true peace. Start there, my friend, just start right there, and then know that he has promised you an abundant life. And so it's okay to say you know what.
Speaker 1:I may be sad about this over here, but I'm going to do something that's going to bring a smile to my face, and maybe just by myself going to the bookstore or going to get a little face mask in or paint my fingernails, or just getting a fun coffee drink or whatever that is for you. Or maybe invite a friend that you haven't spoke to in a while just to go out and have dinner Maybe it is just at Chick-fil-A or the pizza place or whatever, or spending time with your family. But we wanted to kind of give you some things like all right, allison, Katrina, where do I start? What do I do? So, where do we start, katrina? Where would you tell somebody? What are some goals that we could start with? Well, you know, what I'm going to start with is spending time with the Lord, absolutely. So we always want to start there, and I think you know.
Speaker 1:Read the verses. We'll put them in the notes that we have read today, because they will get your mind right and they will let you know that it's okay to seek peace and to relax a little bit. And then I would say you know again I'm going to talk about do a little something to pamper yourself. Or maybe get on some roller skates and go to the skating rink. That wouldn't be safe for me but for you. Get some. Get some knee pads, yeah, some knee pads, but just do something out of your normal routine that you can think of, that you did as a child or as a young adult. That brings back some fond memories and just do it. Yeah, just do it. Be spontaneous. Plan that vacation if. If it's not in the budget right now, then dream plan for it in the future. Um, and until that day comes, do something in your hometown. Find something that you can do in your hometown that you would do if you were a tourist. That's another step.
Speaker 1:And then laugh. Maybe it's a movie, maybe it's a new book you're gonna read. That's funny. Or maybe it's a movie. Maybe it's a new book you're going to read. That's funny. Or maybe it's a show. In your town there's comedy shows or different things, a TV show. Do something that sparks some joy and makes you smile, because laughter is good medicine. That's in the Bible, it is, it is.
Speaker 1:And even when, you know, scott and I, when it was really hard a couple years ago and we were just got here, you know we would put on music and dance in the kitchen and you know that brought a smile to my face and just to know, at that time that's all I needed. Yeah, you know, and the kids are dancing or they're having fun, and so it's just putting on some music and dancing, get your body moving. You know, my husband and I love to wear, we love to match our clothes and, uh, we love to go to Disney. That's our happy place and so we have another trip coming up there. But we always like plan our matching outfits when we get.
Speaker 1:We went somewhere in town the other day and wore Disney clothes and we matched and, to us, that just makes us smile and it brings some joy to us. And we don't care if we're in our fifties, we're going to do it anyway, cause it's, it's fun. That's what brings joy to you. Yeah, and that's what matters to you. Yeah, and that's what matters.
Speaker 1:We don't do things because the world looks at it a certain way. Yeah, do things because that's what brings joy and peace into your life. That's right, and so that's our goal for you for this, this episode, is that you will have some times of peace and that you can have some times of fun as well, because they're out there. Don't forget. Jesus is your peace and God has promised that abundant life for you. So we thank you so much for joining us today. We can't wait to see you next week for another brand new episode.
Speaker 1:So thank you again for tuning in. We love our listeners. Get out, do some fun things, do something spontaneous and reclaim your peace before summer's over. That's right. Have a great day everybody. Thanks, guys. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Joy Podcast. Our passion is to help you find your purpose and joy in the hard things of life. Join our conversation by liking, following and subscribing so you don't miss the next episode. We are grateful for you and would love your feedback. Please leave us a five-star review wherever you listen to this podcast.