Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough [Hardcover]

Kay Warren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

Ever wonder why some people seem to experience joy in their daily lives--even in the tough times--and others can't seem to find it no matter how hard they search? Is a joy-filled life really possible?

The answer is yes! And it's possible for every woman, no matter what her circumstances may be. In this inspiring book, Kay Warren teaches women what joy really is, where to find it, and how to choose it in the good times and the bad. With compassion and wisdom, she shows readers--even those who live with the constant companions of discouragement and depression--that true joy is deeper, richer, and more accessible than they might think. Perfect for small groups or individual reading, Choose Joy will empower women who feel like their emotions and well-being are at the mercy of others by helping them understand the life-giving truth that joy is within their grasp--every day.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Everyone knows how to be joyful in the peaks of life.

I've graduated!
I'm engaged!
I've been hired!
I'm having a baby!
I'm cancer-free!

When all your fondest hopes and wildest dreams come true, and your heart nearly explodes with happiness, it's easy to feel joyful.

But what about the valleys? When nothing seems to go your way? When everything is falling apart? When God is silent, and you feel all alone?

Where does joy fit into those moments?

In Choose Joy, acclaimed author and Christian leader Kay Warren shares the path to experiencing soul-satisfying joy no matter what you're going through. Joy is deeper than happiness, lasts longer than excitement, and is more satisfying than pleasure and thrills. Joy is richer. Fuller. And it's far more accessible than you've thought.

Joy comes from God . . . and it can be yours! Today. --From the Inside Flap

Why are some people--even in the toughest times--always filled with joy, while most of us can't seem to find lasting joy no matter how hard we search? Do joy-filled people know something we don't?

The answer is yes! And in her warm, candid style, Kay Warren shares that life-transforming truth with you. --From the Back Cover

This is such an encouraging audiobook and so easy to listen to that I finished it within a couple days of downloading it. Kay Warren narrates herself and comes across like a very good friend who empathises with you all the way through. She also helps you sort out your problems and doesn't just tell you to pretend that bad things aren't happening in your life. She has experienced a lot of pain and fear herself so is speaking from personal experience. She is very honest about her fears which really made me warm to her throughout this audio. My favourite chapters are the ones about Jesus being a man of joy, legalism and grace, and about looking after yourself by making your life simpler and taking time for yourself.

I would recommend this audio to every woman as there is so much encouragement here that we all need everyday. Although I must state that it definitely isn't just for people who are struggling and need encouraging. I haven't listened to any other audiobooks by this author before, but I would definitely listen to more after this excellent recording. Thanks to christianaudio.com Reviewer's Program for this free copy. --Nicki; March 12, 2012 --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From the Inside Flap

Everyone knows how to be joyful in the peaks of life.

I've graduated!
I'm engaged!
I've been hired!
I'm having a baby!
I'm cancer-free!

When all your fondest hopes and wildest dreams come true, and your heart nearly explodes with happiness, it's easy to feel joyful.

But what about the valleys? When nothing seems to go your way? When everything is falling apart? When God is silent, and you feel all alone?

Where does joy fit into those moments?

In Choose Joy, acclaimed author and Christian leader Kay Warren shares the path to experiencing soul-satisfying joy no matter what you're going through. Joy is deeper than happiness, lasts longer than excitement, and is more satisfying than pleasure and thrills. Joy is richer. Fuller. And it's far more accessible than you've thought.

Joy comes from God . . . and it can be yours! Today.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 259 pages
• Publisher: Revell (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780800721725
• ISBN-13: 978-0800721725
• ASIN: 0800721721
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

KAY WARREN cofounded Saddleback Church with her husband Rick Warren in Lake Forest, California. She is a passionate Bible teacher and respected advocate for those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, as well as orphaned and vulnerable children. She founded Saddleback's HIV/AIDS Initiative. Kay is the author of Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough, Say Yes to God and coauthor of Foundations, the popular systematic theology course used by churches worldwide. She has three children and five grandchildren.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking Discussion About Joy March 29, 2012

By nzfastbunny

Format:Audio CD

Choose Joy by Kay Warren is a book I wasn't sure I would enjoy because I am not a naturally happy, outgoing person and I thought the book would be written by an outgoing woman telling everyone that they should be joyful just like her. However what I discovered as I started listening was that Kay was very similar to me and had encountered more trials than I probably ever will but had chosen to be joyful despite her circumstances.

I loved the chapter focusing on how Jesus was a joyful person because images of Jesus are normally either very timid, emotionless portrayals or images of pain on the day he died. Also the focus on personalities being an excuse for not being joyful was a common opinion that Kay effectively debunked.

This book is written for women and there are a few references to women but all the principles are just as applicable to men. As a man, I found it extremely useful and the fact that being joyful is a choice is something that I intend to practise in the future.

The narration at first I found a bit difficult because Kay has a very strong accent but the further I got into the book the more I got used to it and found it to be quite good. The added advantage of the author, Kay Warren, reading the book is that she knows the tone, emotion and expression that she intended the book to have, making it flow smoothly.

This book was a very interesting and helpful book that I intend to put into practise in my own life to become more joyful despite my circumstances. It is essential reading for people going through trials or just generally lacking in joy.

This audio book was gifted as a part of the christianaudio Reviewers Program in exchange for my unbiased review of this work. More information can be found about this and other Christian audio books at christianaudio.com.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book written for women that every man should read! March 21, 2012

By Kurt H. Myrmel

Format:Audio CD

This is a book written for women that every man should read. Although Kay Warren wrote this book as an encouragement to women, I think that her studied revelations about how God interacts with us personally on a daily basis are extremely valuable to men and women alike.

I often imagine the author of audio books through the voice of the narrator and in most cases; you can imagine the author through a good narrator but you really don't know if the author actually sounds anything like the narrator. In this case, Kay Warren narrates her own book so we really do get a feeling that we are sitting with the author. She does a great job in the process and I hope that she is an encouragement to other authors to narrate their own books.

It is obvious from this audio book that the author has a strong and dependent relationship with God. A common question by those who do not have a personal relationship with God is "Why would this tragedy happen to me, or to that innocent person." I have attempted to answer that question for several bloggers with very little success. We, as believers have but a tiny understanding of the mind of God and those without a faith in God have little or no understanding of the how and why of God's actions.

Kay does an excellent job explaining how she believes God works in our lives both in the good times and the bad. I appreciated the quote that she used that if we ask "Why me?" in the bad times, we should equally ask the same question when something good happens in our lives.

I was also struck by her admission about a missed opportunity with a neighbor in distress as it reminded me of a business client who was reaching out to me for the peace (from God) that he saw in me. I was too busy to stop and talk and when I went to see him again in six months, he had already passed away. I live with the memory of a missed opportunity but believe that God ultimately determines who else may have had that conversation with this man that I missed. Both Kay's experience and mine reinforce my determination to listen to God's direction when He asks me to have that conversation.

I received this audio book free from christianaudio.com Reviewers Program in exchange for posting a review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging Read March 23, 2012

By Daniel

Format:Audio CD

Big Idea of Choose Joy
The book is obvi­ously writ­ten for women. (I am not a woman). Nonethe­less, the con­tent and sub­ject mat­ter is applic­a­ble and appro­pri­ate for men and women. Choose Joy describes what joy is, and how to choose it, regard­less of one's life circumstances.

"You, my friend are in charge."
At the begin­ning of the book, War­ren writes, "The level of joy you expe­ri­ence is com­pletely and totally up to you...You, my friend are in charge." These kind of state­ments made me a wee bit skep­ti­cal from the start. Thank­fully, she redeemed the book with more solid chap­ters that refo­cused the reader's atten­tion on true bib­li­cal joy. I did find myself wish­ing that she drew greater atten­tion to sal­va­tion by grace as the source of joy.

"Books that are approachable."
Kay War­ren said "I like to read books that are approach­able. I wasn't writ­ing a the­o­log­i­cal book." Thus, the book is win­some and light, not pen­sive or deep. Even though War­ren says it's not exactly the­o­log­i­cal, there is enough applied the­ol­ogy in the book to make it palat­able for thought­ful, theologically-inclined peo­ple. Rec­og­niz­ing that "joy is a choice" is not sig­nif­i­cantly pro­found, but is nonethe­less true.

Choose Joy Audio­book Narration
I much pre­fer lis­ten­ing to the author nar­rate his/her own book. The audio ver­sion of Choose Joy from christianaudio.com is nar­rated by Kay War­ren, pro­vid­ing a lis­ten­ing expe­ri­ence that is gen­uine and poignant.