The Strength That Joy Brings To Our Homes

What is the difference between joy and happiness, and why does it matter for your home? In this Marriage After God podcast episode, Aaron and Jennifer Smith explain that happiness is a temporary, earthly feeling while joy is eternal, rooted in hope and the fruit of the Spirit, and that the joy of the Lord is the strength of a home (Nehemiah 8:10). They share stories of joy with their young kids and practical ways to cultivate a habit of joy: building forts, a "one minute of crazy" dance and scream session, pretending to be asleep, hiding under the covers, ambushing the kids with marshmallows, and not stressing over messes. For marriage, they point to inside jokes, adventures and drives, and playful physical touch as joy-builders. They also share a favorite quote from For Better or for Kids by Patrick and Ruth Schwenk.