One thing I’ve learned: joy is contagious. And one of the best ways to proactively fill up on joy is to give it to someone else.
One evening I caught that contagious joy in the McDonald’s drive thru of all places. I had dropped my kids off for Wednesday night activities at church and needed a diet coke before starting my own Bible study. As I pulled up to the McDonald’s window, I felt God prompt me to pay for the order of the car behind me.
Now we had done this kind of thing all through December. We call it the Days of Joy Project. It started four years ago, after Dan died and we were staring at what should have been the happiest time of the year while our hearts wrenched with grief.
We desperately needed joy. I needed something to help us put one foot in front of the other; to do more than just make it through the holidays. My heart was so crushed, the gnawing hollowness so persistent – I wondered if I’d ever feel the warmth of joy again.
Jennifer Dukes Lee says that kind of happiness is “warm and bright on the inside” like you’ve “swallowed a star.”
That’s what our December needed. To capture joy by giving it away.
So we started the Days of Joy Project, looking for ways to bless others.
- We set out cookies and a cooler of drinks for the garbage collectors.
- We packed bags for the homeless and spent an afternoon ringing the bell for the Salvation Army.
- We made dozens of cookies, the only homemade goodies some prisoners would get over Christmas.
- We took coats and mittens to a collection and hot Krispy Kremes to our firefighters.
But when I turned into the MacDonald’s, it was no longer December. The Christmas decorations were packed up in the attic and we’d returned to our regular school and work routines. The Days of Joy Project was over.
But, of course, surprise acts of kindness aren’t just for Christmas, though that’s when our family gets intentional about it. And when I sense God’s prompting, I’m learning to listen. So I paid for my diet coke and the order for the car behind me and headed back to church.
That’s when the real joy started.
As I pulled out of the MacDonald’s and waited for the light to turn green, another car pulled up beside me. Window down, a woman beamed at me as her children leaned forward from their seats with excited grins and MacDonald’s bags. This mom could not get over that someone had paid for their meal.
“Nobody’s ever done that! Did you really do that? I can’t believe it! Bless God! Bless God!”
The light turned green and they went straight as I turned. In the silence of my own car, I realized immediately: I was smiling. Not just with my lips but my whole heart. I was filled up; warm and bright on the inside.
And I saw – joy is contagious.
And something else – God compounds the joy we give. In the economy of God, my small gift had been returned and multiplied.
“Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” Luke 6:38 (The Message)
While blessing others in our brokenness doesn’t cure the pain, it comforts the places that hurt.
While grief pulls all my thoughts and focus inward – so needed to process the emotions – giving away a bit of kindness turns my thoughts outward, to the needs of others.
And when grief threatens to keep me paralyzed at home, giving away a bit of happiness gets me up and moving.
This year, we’re just now starting the Days of Joy Project. We’ll sit together later today and brainstorm all the ways we aim to bless others this season. My youngest two are getting older and coming up with their own ideas. With the busyness of December, I have to be very purposeful to plan it out or I’ll miss it altogether.
If you’d like your own Days of Joy Project to cultivate contagious joy, I’ve got some things to get started:
Note cards to write a message along with your small act of blessing: Style 1 and Style 2
100 Acts of Kindness list from Courtney DeFeo
Our first year with the Days of Joy Project
Our second year with the Days of Joy Project
Dear Lisa,
This is Mark Natirboff. I was looking through Laura’s emails looking for a real estate email that somehow got sent through her email instead of mine and I came across your Days of Joy Project blog and loved it. You are one cool sister in Christ!! Way to keep the faith!
Love in Christ,
Mark
So good to hear from you, Mark. Focusing on doing for others to find the joy every day saved us that Christmas. It made it so much more than just bearable. Thank you for your encouragement. 🙂
Our family of seven took a few of your ideas last year-giving cookies and a tract to our garbage man, USPO carriers, UPS driver; caroling around our dark AK “neighborhood” in the cold, sharing Jesus’s❤️-and quite honestly, this is all I remember about last year’s Christmas. It was wonderful sharing with others, praying a Christ-seed was planted or tilled. Thank you, and may you continue to be a blessing in Him to others this year!
Jen, so good to hear! I love it…to think Days of Joy are happening from Florida to Alaska is giving me a huge smile! Blessings to you and your family.
That made me cry!! and that is what I want to do………..be the Lord’s heart to someone these days when my heart hurts.
So thankful for you, Lisa!!!!
I love it, Irene. Who knew there was such power in small, simple surprises?!
Love this, and shared it with a friend this morning and will be sharing with my daughter and daughter-in-love, let’s spread this joy far and wide 🙂
So thankful for a season that reminds us to be purposeful about this, Paris Renae. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa – I love this! Just last night God spoke these words to my heart – “we are blessed to be a blessing.” Now, here I am on your site reading the same thing again! I just love when God does that! Thank you for being His special messenger to deliver and confirm His message to me once again! Now, off to spread some joy…
I love that picture, Leigh Ellen…of you off spreading joy with your family. I love it when God confirms His word to me as well!
Oh Lisa, I needed this. Some challenges the past few days have me down, but oh you’re reminding me of a great source of joy. Thank you. I love that you encourage us to do this. So good always to remember that focusing on serving and helping others helps us find healing.
Betsy, I see you doing this so much in your life. From your words of encouragement to how you reach out to the people God puts in your life. Love watching you bring such joy all year round.
This is wonderful! The Bible says we reap what we sow, so this project makes perfect sense. I’m open to the Lord’s prompting to spread joy.
Joy is definitely contagious and I love the ideas of a Days of Joy Project! I’m smiling ear to ear just reading this post. Love you, sweet friend.
Thank you Lisa for your encouragement. I lost my husband suddenly just over a year ago and your posts and blog have been a great source of encouragement and kept me strengthened through our Lord. Joy and love to you and your family and many, many thanks.
Kia ora, Julie
I’m so sorry for your deep loss, Julie. The second year is hard in its own ways. I’m praying now you’ll feel God’s strong comfort this month.