JOY

We are not promised an easy life, and yet, when moments of happiness come, we often lay claim to them as though we can make them last forever. We hoard these moments, hoping to preserve them, only to watch as they slip through our fingers. Beauty fades, wealth diminishes, and even the joys of family life are fleeting. Grief, it seems, is ever-present.

Yet, the Apostle Paul and Tolstoy both recognize a profound truth: sorrow and joy are not mutually exclusive. These two realities coexist, interwoven into the fabric of our lives. “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart” (Romans 9:2), and yet we are called to “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We do not hold sorrow without joy, nor do we rejoice without sorrow. This paradox reflects the tension of living in the in-between—the time between Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection, and His promised return.

We rejoice because we have been set free from the bonds of sin and death. Christ has liberated the captives, established His body on earth, and filled us with the Holy Spirit. This is a glorious truth, and yet, the effects of sin still linger. The enemy continues to disrupt and mar our efforts until the day when Christ returns, the final trumpet sounds, and death is no more. Only then will sorrow truly cease.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This paradox, as Tolstoy describes, mirrors our Christian experience. As we move into the third week of Advent, our focus turns to Joy. My prayer for all Heritage Christian Academy families is that we capture the essence of this unceasing joy. It is not a fleeting emotion tied to our circumstances, but a deep, abiding reality grounded in Christ’s victory and His promise to return.

I feel so blessed to be part of this community and to have the opportunity to teach and lead your children. Together, we strive to embrace joy and cling to the hope we have in Christ. May you and your family be richly blessed as we draw nearer to the celebration of His birth, the blessed day of Christmas!