The word joy appears over and over again in our language here at Ascension. It is seen in the many faces of those who grace our campus. And our mission is to ensure that it leaves in the same manner and is shared to others in our community.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul speaks about joy and about the Christian’s duty to rejoice over and over again. For example, he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4a). This is one of those biblical imperatives, and it leaves no room for not rejoicing, for Paul says Christians are to rejoice always—not sometimes, periodically, or occasionally.

So, how is it possible to remain joyful all the time? Paul gives us the key: “Rejoice in the Lord always”. The key to the Christian’s joy is its source, which is the Lord. If Christ is in me and I am in Him, that relationship is not a sometimes experience. The Christian is always in the Lord and the Lord is always in the Christian, and that is always a reason for joy. Even if the Christian cannot rejoice in his circumstances, if he finds himself passing through pain, sorrow, or grief, he still can rejoice in Christ. We rejoice in the Lord, and since He never leaves us or forsakes us, we can rejoice always.

Let us rejoice always as we move forward together as ONE family in the Lord this year.

As part of our 2020 “Room for More” initiative, take a look at a montage of “joyful” photos from the year 2019. Each one of them not only has a story, but also has the power to spread joy to those who need it the most.