Ambition is not a dirty word. It's a Godly word. It's a motivating word. At least, it can be. Let's model ourselves after Proverbs 6. Let's have ambition like ants.

When I was mapping out what I wanted FJBTH to look like, I knew I wanted to highlight a chapter on giving. Delwyn Collins immediately came to mind. For three decades he’s been buying Christmas presents for foster kids in central Florida. So far, over 15,000.

Bobby Lewis got to speak with pastor Kevin Stamper at Restoration Church in October 2019. They talked about Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines and how to find joy in the news! Bobby shared a crazy story about how a phone call with legendary football coach Bobby Bowden shaped the way he viewed news.

Psalm 1 lays out the road to blessing. It's not about accumulating 'stuff'. It's about leaning in to your Maker.

In 2016, Bill Orban died. That left his son, Marty, and grandson, Tyler, to run the poinsettia farm that had grown into such a special fixture in the West Florida community over a half-century. That year, Christmas just didn't feel the same. Now, in 2019, the story is repeating itself. Marty died on November 6. Tyler is at the nursery without two crucial loved ones. This is something we are all going to have to deal with sooner or later. Losing a loved one is a crushing event. It's happened twice in three years at a family farm in Bradenton, Fla. When I asked the Orban family if they'd mind being included in the #perseverance chapter of #FJBTH they said yes. It was a chance to share the story of how faith was guiding the family through a tough time after the death of Bill. Faith is still guiding them now that Marty is home in heaven, too. Consider the words of Psalm 18:29. "In your strength, I can crush an army; With my God I can scale any wall". That verse comforts me when I think about how to get through something difficult or overcome an enemy. Sometimes, our biggest enemy is our mind. We miss out on all the GREAT things waiting for us because we are stuck thinking about all the NOT SO GREAT things that crossed our path. The holidays can be tough for families missing loved ones. But, take heart! Psalm 18:29 tells us how to persevere. IN YOUR STRENGTH.... WITH MY GOD... Don't try to get through tough times alone. You'll be let down. Instead, allow God's strength to carry you to better days. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I pray you recognize the incredible blessings God has bestowed on you this year. It may not have been an easy year but it can still be a thankful year.

I learned a lesson in accepting God's timing and ignoring our itinerary. It's a message I KNEW, but I always love it when God shows us a new angle to a previously-known lesson. If I had gotten my way, I would never have been able to meet and uplift a man who was, in his own words, "hopeless". God knew. I am so glad I got to hand him a copy of Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines Get a copy for yourself at www.findingjoybeyondtheheadlines.com/shop

God's love is three things: UNENDING, UNFAILING, UNDENIABLE. See more at www.findingjoybeyondtheheadlines.com LINKS: IG: https://www.instagram.com/authorbobby https://www.instagram.com/fjbthbook FB: https://www.facebook.com/authorBobbyLewis https://www.facebook.com/fjbthbook TW: https://twitter.com/bobby_L https://twitter.com/fjbthbook

The Bible is full of passages about JOY, but you can find a GREAT explanation of how JOY is all around us in the form of God's presence just three verses apart in Psalm 16.

I've been asked why I wrote Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines a lot lately. The answer is quite simple: God asked me to. Now that it's done, I get to sit back and see what God does with this 256-page guide to finding joy all around us.