Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the live-inspired podcast with John O'Leary for this week's

Monday moments. We create them to help start your week on fire with a quick burst of inspiration.

One of my favorite writers, Dutch theologian Henry Nowan, once shared that joy does not

simply happen to us.

We have to choose it and then continue to choose it each day.

My son, Henry, recently reminded me of this great truth when he said to me,

If you give me your phone, I'll be happy.

You see, my son is five years old,

was bribed me and assumed that happiness is what I wanted for him.

He was wrong.

I'm actually not that into him being happy.

Happy is fine, but happy is dependent upon things going our way.

Playing with dad's phone, getting more ice cream, staying up late.

These are great ways to feel happy.

They're also extremely fleeting because the phone runs out of batteries, the ice cream

melts, and the body needs rest.

So then, my friends, it's not happiness we should strive for. What we truly

desire is joy. Joy is not relying on getting what we want. Conversely, joy is the ability to be

lit up each day regardless of challenges, setbacks, and struggles that we may face. Joy is a choice,

and joy will not happen to us.

We must continue to choose it each day.

So, my friends, put the phones down, let the ice cream melt, and make that choice today.

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