“It’s rebellious, in a way, to choose joy, to choose to dance, to choose to love your life. It’s much easier and much more common to be miserable. But I choose to do what I can do to create hope, to celebrate life, and the act of celebrating connects me back to that life I love. We could just live our normal, day-to-day lives, saving all the good living up for someday, but I think today, just plain today, is worth it. I think it’s our job, each of us, to live each day like it’s a special occasion, because we’ve been given a gift. We get to live in this beautiful world… I want to say, “What can I do today that brings more beauty, more energy, more hope?” Because it seems like that’s what God is saying to us, over and over. “What can I do today to remind you again how good this life is?”

– Shauna Neiquist, Cold Tangerines

Isn’t this beautiful? Shauna’s words have deeply resonated with me, and I find myself coming back to her books and her words over and over again for perspective and inspiration. I long to choose joy every moment of my day and of my life, and that’s one of my biggest goals and hopes in life. I want to honor God with my outlook and perspective; with my actions and words; with my love, grace, and joy to others.