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.

There are some terrible headlines in our world. Thankfully, there is also plenty of JOY, courtesy of a loving Heavenly Father who created you for greatness. Psalm 112:7 says "They do not fear bad news; I confidently trust the Lord to care for them."

"It's more than just a meal". Mike Abramowitz is not kidding. Since 2015, Mike has helped give away over 70,000 PB&J sandwiches to the homeless in our area. It's why Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines has partnered with PB&J for Tampa Bay Inc to donate MORE meals to people in need!

Meet Brent Kraus of Ella Bing Bow Ties, who is in the love chapter of Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines.