I wrote honestly last week about feeling exiled from joy recently.
A feeling that has been building over the past few months. And, as I indicated, I am doing many good and right things to address that reality. That continues.
One might even be released from such exile, but it will still take some time to return home. I think that is where I am right now.
And that has felt very much like a fight, which might be at least part of the reason I am feeling exhausted and wrung out a lot of the time.
So, I was grateful to a read a succinct description of the fight for joy in a new to me newsletter/Substack that a friend on Twitter/X (sigh) pointed me to this week (thank you, Mr. Perry! And welcome to him and other new subscribers). Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller calls it the “War of Rejoicing” and concludes his brief reflection on that topic by saying:
“Our joy is spiritual warfare.”
That is such a wonderful way to capture it.
There is a spiritual component to depression. That is not to diminish other components (our physical health, our emotions, our physiology, etc…), but to engage the entirety of our being into the fight. If we leave out the spiritual, then we have cleaved off a portion of our being. That is true for everyone.
So, I will keep fighting for what I call “the greater reality”.
But I also will not be surprised by the reality that sometimes there is a real struggle to get to that place of rejoicing. And I will be weary and fatigued a lot of the time.
As always, I appreciate your reading my thoughts and the encouragement I receive from my subscribers.
Reading Joy
As anticipated, I did finish the third book in the The Wingfeather Saga: The Monster in the Hollows. I really enjoyed this one, though it did not have the same emotional punch that book two had at the end. There was still quite a surprise and I was engaged through the entire book. I have procured the fourth book already, but want to read some other things right now.
I also finished the tenth book in the Mitch Rapp thriller series by Vince Flynn, Protect and Defend. I enjoy these books, but I do feel like they are mostly forgettable books. That’s not the best endorsement, but they are engaging and easy to read. Sometimes that is just what is needed.
On the Nightstand:
I started Amor Towles’ book The Lincoln Highway, which I have heard very positive things about. I know his book A Gentleman in Moscow is well regarded (I have all three of his novels in my library. There have already been several sections of prose that were particularly well written and just a few pages into the book, I am already engaged with the story and the characters that have been introduced.
I also started a book recommended by another Pastor and a friend, for obvious reasons: The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time by Alex Korb. On page 23 of 195.
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. Still on page 254 of 484. I read one chapter last night so that you, dear newsletter reader, would be proud of me. I kid. Sort of.
Still carrying around Harold Senkbeil’s the Care of Souls, but no progress.
Listening Joy
Here’s a song that came across my radar this week that I have absolutely loved:
Here in the darkness I see the night
The mist and the waves try to fill me with fright
My weary soul waits as the morning dawns
But I won't give you up, no, I won't give you up
No I won't give you up 'cause you're light leads us on
Leads us on
Seeing Joy
Fall is coming!
That means hiking weather is returning soon.
And, as I was writing my sermon manuscript for this Sunday, I remembered a particular hike from last November. I look forward to these kinds of views soon:
(Monte Sano — Huntsville, AL)
I plan on starting a new mosaic this weekend and hope to be able to share with you soon what I end up creating.
Pug Joy
I was scanning through my pictures to find the above pictures from my hike and was reminded of some “pugsies” I took with Maurice. Don’t recall if I have shared any of these previously, but here you go!
As you can see, not the easiest to accomplish.
I hope you will engage in the “warfare of rejoicing” in your life, as well.
And, maybe, just maybe, this newsletter is a small part of that.
At the very least, it is for me.
Thank you for reading.