The Joy Challenge

Thank you NetGalley and Nelson Books. I received this ARC for free and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

I signed up for this because I have been stuck. Many changes in my life are happening. After 26 years, I am becoming an empty nester. I was always busy driving kids around, involved in ministries at church to support youth, working as a teacher. Now I find I am in a very weird place. Life has thrown curveballs as I have had to deal with issues involving my parents and my children. I have been more withdrawn, and not sure what I’m supposed to be doing, and then I get anxiety about not doing enough! So when I read the blurb for this, I thought I’d give it a shot.
I am so glad I did! I read through the entire book, and just took it in! Then I began to read it again, taking it slower, and journaling and doing the challenges.
This book does not give answers, but guides you into delving into God, and understanding your relationship with him. Then it draws you to grow closer to Him, while also increasing in joy so that you can draw closer to others. I highly recommend this book!!

"The Joy Challenge" is a delightful read, largely because of the tone Randy Frazee sets and the verses shared from Philippians. Just reading through this book brought me joy and a sense of wellbeing as I remembered the importance and achievability of a grateful mindset. Highly recommended if you need encouragement. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #TheJoyChallenge #NetGalley

The premise of the book is that we feel happiest when the life we are currently living, is closest to the life we Expect to be the happiest. Americans tend to believe they will only be happy at the fulfillment of life at the top. Circumstances, people, the past, and worry can all steal our joy. The book provides practical suggestions and activities to help find joy in each circumstance. I think this could be a very helpful book to many people!

I am doing a group buddy read with this book on Instagram, and it has been such a joy’! This is a perfect book for churches and small groups to tackle together—the exercises lead to wonderful conversations! As part of this study, we’ve been identifying a moment of joy each day, and it is amazing how much delight you can find in a day when you’re actively looking for it!

This book is very deeply rooted in religion and is probably not one a non-religious person would enjoy. There are other good joy books for that purpose. But for people who want to spend time with God while actively pursuing joy, it’s a great one to pick up.

This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won't be my last! I read this with a book club and it was a powerful and in-depth study on the book of Philippians.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is that every chapter had a section that shows how medical science proves everything that Paul wrote about how to find joy. Science backs up Scripture.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants more true joy in their life!

“Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it”

“The secret to our independence is our dependence on God, pure and simple”

This book takes us on a deep dive through the book of Philippians. Randy uses scripture memorization and daily Bible reading to remind us that it is possible to have joy in all circumstances.

Paul wrote this book while imprisoned and spoiler alert his life did not have a happy ending from an earthly perspective. But we know from God’s word that he is with Him for eternity and that’s the best ending there can be.

I particularly loved how Randy pointed us back to the truth that God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives and that we can trust Him and have joy regardless of what is happening. The hope for those of us who belong to Jesus is a life free from suffering with Him forever but while here on earth we WILL face trials. The choice we have is how we will react to them.

I loved how Randy broke this book down into sections and principles that made it easier to digest the many different themes in Philippians. There are journaling prompts and also action prompts at the end of each chapter to put into practice what we learned.

I particularly loved how he started out each chapter pointing us to God’s word and its truth and then segued into a section that would include up to date neuroscience and psychology information that backed up scripture. The science was just bite sized enough that my brain could handle it (I am not a STEM person!)

He also included antidotes that pointed to books, movies, and other stories (fictional and nonfictional) that really drove the point home and made the book feel more engaging than your typical nonfiction read.

This book was so beneficial for me as someone who struggles sometimes to see the good. I tend to focus on the negative and I know that isn’t good for me and doesn’t glorify God. This is a book that I will definitely read again and take more time to journal and participate in the “do” prompts my second time around.

Thank you Nelson Books for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #thejoychallenge #netgalley

The Joy Challenge by Randy Frazee is an uplifting and well written book. I participated in a online Bible study with The Joy Challenge as our group walked through Philippians. The author writes in an endearing, kind and inspiring way. I was challenged to change my mindset and choose joy no matter my circumstances.

I will be referring to this book in the future and thankful for all I have learned. I highly recommend The Joy Challenge by Randy Frazee.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review. .

The Joy Challenge gives you new perspective on what really bring you joy in life? I like how Randy Frazee shows you twenty principles to walk through and how to apply to your life. Twenty principles based Paul and Philippians chruch on what the true mean of joy in your life was amazing example. You can truly live out of this joy that God gives you. I recieved a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Joy Challenge was a good book. It helped me understand how to live a joyful life without worry. When I read the book, I thought about leaving my job because I wasn't happy and trying to obey and follow God's words. After reading the book, I understood I could still find joy when God is in it.

The Joy Challenge by Randy Frazee was a refreshing read through Philippians while also giving us twenty simple principles to help reset our mindset as well as practically walk out joy in our everyday lives. Simple, yet profound. I highly recommend this for everyone, especially those who need encouragement or guidance. I especially enjoyed the 'joy cube' exercise along with the scripture memorization aspect.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

I really enjoyed this deep dive into the book of Philippians and some specific ways to become a more joyful person. I appreciated how Randy Frazee shared the Scriptures, the background, and how we can learn from the apostle Paul. The challenges for each section were great and I would like to go through the book again and journal through the questions.