logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
45m 18s

Joy | Advent E1

Practicing the Way
About this episode

Are you happy? Many of us aren't. Yet Martin Luther once said "a Christian should be happy." And Rick Howe argued that "the pursuit of joy is a moral obligation." In a world filled with sorrow and grief, John Mark shows us how the coming of Jesus gives us a path to pursue joy and how we can hold it in tandem with the pain of our lives.


Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-20


This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Autumn from Austin, Texas; Joshua from Shreveport, Louisiana; Hollie from Meridian, Idaho; Derrick from Portland, Oregon; and Cadyn from Sachse, Texas. Thank you all so much!

If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

Up next
Yesterday
Community as Confrontation (ft. Alex Rettman) | Practicing the Way Vision Series E9
When we live in community, conflict is inevitable. But how do we handle conflict well? Alex Rettman—former Bridgetown pastor and now Lead Pastor of Saints' Hill Church in Newberg, OR—explores how conflict—when done in love—can be one of the primary ways we move from disillusionme ... Show More
48m 29s
Aug 18
Community as Family (ft. Bethany Allen) | Practicing the Way Vision Series E8
What does it really mean for a church to be a family? Bethany Allen unpacks a powerful vision of community not as an optional add-on to the Christian life, but as the very environment where transformation takes place. Bethany explores why community is both beautiful and broken, a ... Show More
53m 30s
Aug 11
How We Change: Community | Practicing the Way Vision Series E7 (Re-release)
Can we follow Jesus alone? John Mark explores the essential—but often overlooked—role of community in spiritual formation. Drawing from the life of Jesus and the early church, he shows how transformation doesn’t happen in isolation but in the messy, beautiful tension between the ... Show More
44m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
Thankfulness
It’s Thanksgiving week, and this week’s episode is a little different! Janet and Jocelyn interview each other about all the goodness and grace that God has shown to them this year. We hope you enjoy this more informal chat as we praise our Good Shepherd for the amazing ways He ha ... Show More
47m 22s
Mar 2024
EP.108 The Cost Of Following Jesus
What if God told you to leave everything you're used to, to go into the unknown? As we continue to walk with Jesus, we run into hard decision moments where we are asked to sacrifice our comfort, desires, pleasures, and sometimes even our lives, however, the question is: WILL YOU ... Show More
1h 19m
Nov 2023
Thanksgiving: Four Favorites
Thanksgiving is a time when we set aside a special episode to rejoice over the Lord’s blessings in our lives and to give thanks to Him as the Giver of all good gifts! For our Thanksgiving special, Janet and Jocelyn share and explain their current favorite… Book Sermon Song Bible ... Show More
54m 48s
Dec 2023
Can You Define Happiness? (with Dr. Jennifer Frey)
What is happiness and how do you get it? This question has been at the forefront of humanity since the beginning of time. Mike Gormley and Dave VanVickle are joined by Dr. Jennifer Frey to discuss happiness and the role virtue plays in attaining it. Snippet from the Show The reas ... Show More
56m 59s
Dec 2023
The Christmas Miracle — with Brent Aucoin
Jesus has many names, but one of His Names that is mentioned most at Christmas is Immanuel, meaning “God with us”. Where does this Name come from, and how are we supposed to understand the prophetic work of Isaiah in light of the Christmas story? Janet's husband Pastor Brent ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2018
Keep Your Joy
Are you letting the little things steal your joy? We all have opportunities to get upset and go around frustrated each day. But in the big picture, most of the things that are upsetting us don’t really matter. Joel wants to teach you how to keep your joy no matter what goes on ar ... Show More
31m 56s
Nov 2023
“Grace for the Small Things” by Jasmine Williams
In today’s episode, you’ll hear a devotion written by Jasmine Williams based on 2 Peter 1:2, which says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (NASB).We hope today’s devotion encourages you to generously extend grace to others as God ... Show More
5m 42s