while back, the Lord gave me a scripture that I knew I was supposed to take special note of. Have you ever had that happen? You read a scripture or hear someone say one, and it just jumps out at you in a significant way? Like, He’s saying, don’t pass this by, I have something for you in this verse that I want you to pursue. So I wrote it down in my prayer journal and would go back to read it from time to time. Then, He put it on my heart that I was to speak this scripture out loud over myself in the morning. So for quite a few months during my devotional time, I would read it out with my name added in:

He was preparing me for what was to come, as this was all leading up to and during the year 2025. He was making me a promise every time I recited it. This is who I will be for you in this season, Ashley. After all the loss occurred, I read it out with a whole new perspective and several times with tears streaming down my face. Because I realized how intentional God had been with me.

One day, a couple of months later, I felt the Lord really encouraging me to embrace laughter and joy more. I had been focused on the first part of the verse, and He reminded me that there is a second part: “joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” It was almost like He said, I want you to laugh more. Take advantage of every opportunity to smile, giggle, or laugh out loud. Lean into it.

So I did. If something was even remotely funny, I just went for it. I realized you can allow yourself to smile and release joy or choose to let the moment pass. If you embrace it, it seems to pour out even more. Like a snowball that gains volume as it rolls.

What if we took God literally here? What would be the ramifications if we really believed that joy actually makes us stronger? I know it has helped me immensely. Solomon speaks of joy’s importance this way in Proverbs:

Joy is one of three things mentioned in Romans that make up the very kingdom of God:

So, how do we go about adding more into our lives? Well, the good news is, joy doesn’t come from us anyway. It is a fruit of the Spirit. Our job is just to partner with what God is doing. For me, this meant taking every opportunity to smile or laugh. Our kids give us a lot to work with when it comes to this goal. My husband has a wonderful sense of humor, too, so his jokes gave me many opportunities to let out a laugh. I began subscribing to and following comedians. There are plenty of hilarious Christian comedians and influencers nowadays who focus their humor on family life. Even something as simple as looking up jokes on your phone when you have a minute or two of downtime. I know it sounds silly, but try it and see if it doesn’t brighten your mood and lift your spirit!

God speaks to us all the time to help us become who He wants us to be. He knows exactly what we need and will help us every step of the way. All we have to do is listen and follow. I’m so grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness in this season. If you’re walking through something really hard right now, I hope that encourages you. No matter what we’re facing, God wants to make Himself bigger to us than our circumstances. Ask Him to help you see how He’s at work and what He wants you to focus on, so you can get through it.

I remember how, at one point, I needed to return to the hospital where we said goodbye to Joshua Graham just a week or so prior. On the way there, I was dreading having to re-experience it. The Holy Spirit gave me this thought, “Instead of remembering the pain of this loss, why don’t you focus on how loved God made you feel in the middle of it?” That was the key. Instead of rehearsing the trauma, my way forward was to rehearse the tangible love I felt from heaven instead.

shley Wiggers grew up in the early days of the homeschooling movement. She was taught by her late mother, Debbie Strayer, who was an educator, speaker, and the author of numerous homeschooling materials. It was through Debbie’s encouragement and love that Ashley learned the value of being homeschooled. Currently, Ashley and her husband Alex are the publishers of Homeschooling Today magazine. Ashley is the Co-Executive Editor and a contributing columnist as well as one of the hosts of their podcast, Homeschool Boldly. Husband and wife team, Alex and Ashley are busy raising and homeschooling their three children while running the family business together.