Welcome to 2024! Many kick off the new calendar year by establishing a resolution. Maybe you have resolved to exercise more, eat better, or to engage in more purposeful study of God’s word. In the spirit of resolutions, I am resolving to lead better; specifically to lead more effectively and to lead through joy.
It is my desire that CSY have a joyful climate and culture; one that leads to a Biblical standard for joy, productivity and purpose.
The Bible actually says a lot about the topic of joy. In fact, the term “joy” appears approximately 165 times in the King James Version of the Bible. Starting in Genesis we read about the joy experienced by Sarah and Abraham at the news of the anticipated birth of Isaac. You may recall that Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100, so when God reveals He is keeping His promise to deliver them a child, their reactions revolve around praise and joy!
In the book, Seven Deadly Sins, author Tony Campolo writes that too many Christians have just enough of the Gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. In his words, “They know enough about the Biblical message to keep from doing those things which the world tempts them to do; but they do not have enough of a commitment to God to do those things through which they might experience the fullness of joy.”
Modern science now finds what the Bible has taught us all along, that joy is critical to hope. Research from Eastern Washington University found that feeling joy is strongly associated with well-being, and essential for people who flourish. As Christian’s this shouldn’t be new news! Paul shares with us in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Being a part of the CSY Community should be, needs to be, must be…FUN! The secret to productivity is fun…fun produces positive energy, positive energy leads to joy, and joy leads to purpose and productivity. When Work Feels Good, productivity and motivation take care of themselves. I believe our Savior was a fun guy!
There are several helpful tips we can all try to make our daily life more fun, joyful and productive…
-before we start our day, give thanks to God for this day and the opportunity to glorify Him-laugh at ourselves and with others
-keep the small things small
-simplify the day by asking “what is the most important thing, the one thing, I need to do today?”
-celebrate successes with others
-set blocks of time to work, rather than create a “to-do list”
-give God the glory for meeting your needs each day
If you find yourself in a season where joy seems lost or a distant memory, do not lose hope. You haven’t done anything wrong if you don’t feel “joy” in this moment. Instead, reflect on what your salvation means, meditation where we were headed without Christ and where we are going because of His love. Remember Abraham and Sarah, God answered their prayers, but His way and His timing are often not our way or our timing. Faith Will be revealed in the difficult times of life. May the words of the hymn written by John H. Sammis be an encouragement to you, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
While each year many resolutions are made and left unfulfilled, it is my hope that resolving to have fun and live with joy are resolutions we can strive for. May CSY be a place filled with faith, hope, love and joy.
In Jesus name,
R. Andrew Bell
Superintendent/CEO
Christian School of York