The Joy of the Lord – Special Release
Written by Brooke Hamel
I have a song in my heart, and I can’t seem to stop singing and dancing.
Last night, I went to a group at church. It had been a busy day and I was drained but I really just wanted to feel joy deep in my soul and reflect the light of God.
And when you pray for joy and expect it… be ready. Because when God shows up, it’s more than you can contain.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
– Romans 15:13
It started with a quiet song in my heart and moved to dancing — I couldn’t sit still. I stood and danced the whole night, and at one point I was on the floor, consumed with laughter. The light I had asked for shone through me — and it touched others too. One woman even asked me to teach a dance class! I honestly couldn’t tell you what I was doing, I was just in the Spirit. And I thought, How wonderful would it be to walk in the Spirit like this every day?
River of Life – Mac Powell
I woke up this morning still overflowing with joy.
Someone at small group mentioned it too — how different I seemed from the last time I came. That night, I was under attack from every direction. I cried through the whole group while my church family surrounded me and held me in my pain.
But “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). I pressed into God through the tears and the heaviness — and He met me there. He took my pain and replaced it with faith, hope, and joy.
The best part? Joy overflows. It spreads. It made others smile, and I saw the light in their eyes — that’s what I want for you.
I pray you are filled with the joy of the Lord today. That you laugh. That you sing. That you dance, not because life is perfect, but because you are deeply loved by a God who is. Even if things are hard, even if you’re weary, God is with you. And He wants good things for you.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)
You might be wondering — did those attacks go away? No. In fact, they’ve grown. My life, my children — we are still in the midst of the battle. But even here, God is good. He gives me peace, and joy, and so much hope.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Romans 15:13)
And even when things don’t make sense, I trust His heart for me.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”
(Jeremiah 29:11)
What burdens are you carrying today?
What’s weighing you down? Are you fearful? Worn out? Under attack?
Write them down. Lay them at the feet of Jesus.
If you need a safe place to process your thoughts or begin creating a plan to move forward, I created a private online journal just for you. You can log in and write safely, knowing your story is protected and seen by God.
👉 Click here to access your journal
Pray this with me:
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for loving me, thank you for walking with me each and everyday. Today I feel _______. Take my (pain, depression, fear, anger, grief, etc.). Fill me with Your Joy and Your peace. Let Your light shine in me that I may be overcome by Your love and happiness, that I may be a light to others.
Amen
As I prepare to send this out to you, my thoughts and prayers are with you. God loves you so much and I am so thankful you are here.
Much Love,
Brooke
Written by Brooke Hamel
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