Joy isn’t the same thing as happiness.

Happiness depends on circumstances. Joy goes deeper; it settles into the soul and stays there, even when life feels cold, dark, or unfinished.

As a resident of Central Texas, every spring, I’m reminded of how bluebonnets survive the winter. They don’t rush winter. They don’t panic when the soil is cold or the days are gray. They stay rooted, waiting for what’s already been promised.

When we’re in a hard season, joy doesn’t shout.

It whispers. It reminds us that spring is coming—even when we can’t see it yet. Scripture doesn’t tell us to pretend everything is fine. It invites us to hold joy with grief, alongside uncertainty, inside endurance.

If you’re in a winter season, joy may feel buried. That doesn’t mean it’s gone. God knows how to bring life out of cold ground. He always has.

Remember. Spring is coming.

Something New Is Coming In January

As this season continues, I’m also preparing a evening of reflection, worship, and shared hope on January 31. More details soon, but for now, you’re invited simply to hold the date.

Stay Connected

If you’d like to keep walking with me through updates, new tools, and reflections, and have access to a downloadable worksheet for each week’s Advent Theme, you can join my list here.

Pray • Share • Give

If this reflection encouraged you, would you take a moment to:
– Pray — that Faith in the Fog finds its way into the hands of those who need its message of hope and healing and that I listen to God’s voice in all that I do.
– Share — this post with someone who might need the reminder that they’re not walking alone.
– Give — if you’d like to help make it possible for Faith in the Fog to reach those who need help navigating the fog of healing, you can do that here.