Happy Now: Let Playfulness Lift Your Load and Renew Your Spirit

by Courtney Ellis

It’s time to get serious about playfulness!
When was the last time you felt really, truly happy? If you’ve ever longed to leave your exhausting days and fretful nights behind, look no further. Courtney recounts a courageous―and often hilarious!―experiment in joy and delight as she awakens to the truth that God doesn’t just want us to be holy, but happy, too!

A whimsical storyteller who combines witty humor and engaging research with unfettered honesty, in Happy Now Courtney Ellis is a wise guide on an uplifting journey from sad to spirited. You’ll discover there is almost nothing that playfulness cannot make a little bit better, a little bit easier, and a lot more fun. Lift your mood, lighten your load, and renew your spirit with the power of playfulness.

Happy Let Playfulness Lift Your Load and Renew Your Spirit is a rollicking, investigative, and thoughtful invitation to open ourselves to the joy and freedom of play all over again. It is designed to invite readers to let go of their most serious selves, grant them permission to engage in curiosity and wonder of all kinds, and delight in the release of its transformative creativity, innovation, delight, rest, and―above all―a more trusting relationship with Jesus.

Through wry observations, firsthand experience, Scriptural study, and broad research, Ellis addresses questions How does God invite us into play? What does it mean that we are created for curiosity? In what ways can wonder help us love our neighbors more fully?

The world can be a serious place. Because of Jesus, Christians don’t need to be. Dive deeply into the waters of whimsy, embracing the joy God offers. Sometimes that looks like welcoming holy laughter. Other times it’s learning to see mistakes as learning and innovation rather than mess-making. Play brings about transformation and rest and praise. And isn’t that just the reason God created us?

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Religion, Plays

256 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2021

About the author

Author, speaker, and mom of three, Courtney Ellis serves alongside her husband as a pastor in southern California. Born in the northern woods of Wisconsin, she graduated from Wheaton College, Loyola U of Chicago, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Her books include "Uncluttered: Free Your Space, Free Your Schedule, Free Your Soul," "Almost Holy Mama," and "Happy Now: Let Playfulness Lift Your Load and Renew Your Spirit."

Courtney's passions are to find freedom through practicing Christian simplicity, to give and receive hospitality, to play continually, and to live missionally while inviting others to do the same. She also loves candy and hates being told by her dentist that she should eat less candy.

Courtney's words have been featured in Fathom, Christianity Today, MOPS International, (in)courage, The Glorious Table, Huffington Post, The Mighty, Two Peas in a Podcast, Woven, More Than This, and more.

Find Courtney:

* Blog: www.courtneybellis.com
* Twitter: @courtneyellis
* Facebook: authorcourtneybellis
* Instagram: courtney_ellis_ellis

Reviews

[Leah Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty yellow book about play…with a paper airplane on the cover and “happy” in the title…that just so happens to release on my 12th anniversary? Well, yes, please! This book has “joy” written all over it, and Happy Now, by the effervescent Courtney Ellis, certainly lives up to its promise.

With wit, wisdom, and vulnerability, Ellis prescribes a solution to the complaint infecting so many of us in these difficult days: seriousness. Yes, these are serious, scary times, but as Ellis explains, “By seriousness, I mean a rigid, somber gravitas, a sense of over-responsibility, a desire to control, an unwillingness to experiment, and a profound fear of failure. Seriousness makes its bed with anxiety, anger, and frustration. It is a false grownupness that traps and binds us. It views even small matters as hills to die on. It is the opposite of wisdom, knowledge, and grace. It is utterly devoid of the whimsy, joy, and freedom of humor” (40).

As an elementary art teacher, I often see how the seriousness of this age affects our children. They’re afraid to experiment, afraid to fail, and afraid to get their hands dirty. I look at other adults and at my own anxious heart and realize that while we spend so much of our time and money trying to amuse and numb ourselves to the pain around and inside us, we’ve forgotten how to play, how to rest, how to just do a thing for the sheer joy of doing it. Ellis shares a humorous but painful anecdote about her inability to enjoy a meal at a Michelin-star restaurant in Paris where a friend is treating her and her husband. Her discomfort is multiplied by gastrointestinal issues when the chef makes a mistake with her food restrictions, but the real ache concerns not being able to settle down and just delight in the moment. Later, during the experiment with playfulness that prompted this book, she has the opportunity to celebrate with another extravagant meal at a friend’s birthday party, and this time, she lets go of her pride and diffidence: “I realized there was a great opportunity before me to get off my high horse, where I had been really quite stuck, and accept the gift of the banquet before me. To surrender to joy. To lay hold of delight.” Choosing joy makes this dinner the antithesis of that other fateful meal. Ellis writes, “Turns out playfulness and savoring are a perfect pairing.” (145)

Savoring. It’s just the right word to end my review, because I’ll be savoring Happy Now for years to come. I can already tell that I’m due for a reread, and I believe it’s a book I’ll return to cyclically when the journey gets difficult and my joy doesn’t feel full like Jesus intends. Ellis is a gifted pastor and speaker, and like the best sermons, Happy Now is the perfect blend of gospel-centered exhortation, humorous storytelling, playful eloquence, and the unexpected gut punch of pathos and Spirit-breathed conviction. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook, read by the author herself. I can’t wait to share it with my circle. And I’m already starting to respond to some of the "10 Invitations to Playfulness" Ellis so brilliantly lays out. Happiness, like the whimsical paper airplane that graces the cover, is on the wing, ready to be caught. My hands and eyes are open.

[Joelle Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing that grabbed me about this was that it was just straight up FUN to read! If you're reading a book about playfulness, it helps if the author writes in a witty and plainly hysterical style. She had me laughing out loud so many times, as I related to either her stories, or her personal observations. My own husband has announced more than once, probably through gritted teeth, that my stubbornness is the strongest he's ever encountered. Courtney is living proof that stubborn people will have the most fun, in the end, because we held out for the best stuff.

Or so I am going to say next time he rolls his eyes at me, and just wants to know WHY I have to do it my way.

The second thing about this book was that it completely reoriented my life. I have a disability that involves chronic, unrelenting pain, and for the past five years I have been bedridden because of it. When I lost the ability to do everything I used to do before - going to the store randomly, play dates, going to church, even cooking - I fell into what I can only describe as a "black hole". I was completely convinced I had lost everything about ME that I ever was. In the past year, though my pain has not abated, I've been trying to not live so much in the past, but enjoy the present. However, I am often forcing myself to live these moments. I crawl out of bed for that birthday party, dreading every moment of having to explain that it IS possible to not want to exist, but yet still smile when you see a friend.

As I read Courtney's words, I felt new life flowing into me as they were breathed over me by the Holy Spirit. I have felt the guiltiest because I can no longer play with my son; she removed that guilt. My new mantra has simply become, "I can do this for 10 minutes." Even if it's not anything complicated we're doing, I can engage in playfulness for 10 minutes with him. I can, through the power of Christ, do this.

I am a reader as well, but instead of feeling guilty if I take time TO read, I feel guilty if I DO NOT read a certain amount every day. What is the good of reading if I'm dreading everything I'm reading?! So I give myself permission to keep skipping over my TBR pile, and to keep adding in interesting books, no matter how silly they look. (Kindle Unlimited and my library's HOOPLA app may be the best inventions ever.)

I give myself permission to be silly if I want, and not care if people wonder if my pain is really as bad as I claim. I give myself permission to find ways to engage in playfulness that work with my disability, and not have to conform to any other expectations. I give myself to begin to engage back in community, to find hope, to find life. I am what you would call an extraverted introvert, and I give myself to enjoy being around my friends, for whatever amount of time my pain allows.

Courtney is real, honest, and faithful to Scripture; you can see her pastor's heart leaping off the pages. I have been hearing the word "liturgy" constantly, and she truly shows us the liturgy of playfulness. I remember the old adage, "We're called to have joy, not happiness." What a terrible adage for Christians to adopt! God enjoys our happiness; He longs to share in deep moments of happiness with us. The Psalms speak of God collecting our tears in a bottle, of weeping with us; it stands to reason that He would also laugh with us - from chuckling to deep belly laughs that leave us red, crying, and gasping for air.

*I was given a sneak peek of this book, as part of her launch team, in exchange for an honest review.*

[Lyndsey Medford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this book so badly. It's not a "just cheer up!" type thing; it's not about bypassing the hard stuff in life. It offers real, doable practices for choosing life and each other in the midst of busyness and even struggle. This book has honestly been a lifesaver as I am considering what I want my life to look like going forward from these crazy couple of years.

[Elizabeth Blood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully-written book -- deep and delightful, warm and witty and always engaging.  It is full of humor and honesty and is, at turns, both poignant and hilarious. I am grateful for Courtney's deeply-relatable and personal story-telling and gentle invitation to pursue joy and playfulness.  As someone who veers towards being a bit serious, I appreciate her consideration of playfulness being a source of renewal and refreshment. At the end of each chapter, there are wonderfully thought-provoking discussion questions.  This book was an especially welcome read after our year-plus of global pandemic -- could be an excellent choice for a book study! 

Full of wisdom and honest acknowledgement of the challenges of life, this book doesn't offer a superficial approach to happiness, suggesting that we ignore reality while whistling past the graveyard. Rather, Courtney proposes that playfulness can be an antidote to heaviness and despair and open us to ingenuity, transformation and possibility.  As she writes: “the paradox of play is this: it is not because life is easy that we engage in whimsy, but because life is difficult.” Courtney offers thoughtful encouragement to pursue curiosity, fullness and abundance in life.  She skillfully weaves scripture throughout the book, showing us that God invites us to pursue wonder and joy. This book is full of heart and grace, humor and hope -- I highly recommend it! 

[Katie Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what my soul needed after this crazy year of global pandemic. Courtney has a beautiful way of weaving together encouragement and humor to lift my spirit. It's the perfect summer read!

[Lisa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtney helps us to see a life through a lens of playfulness. I didn't realize how much I needed this book until I started reading it. This past year has left me feeling anxious and depressed. I wanted to find more whimsy in my life. I was a bit nervous at first because I thought this book had the potential to be about the power of positivity, and just thinking about rainbows and puppies. I am so grateful that I was wrong. Courtney points out that it is because things are hard that we need to be playful - Playfulness does not take away the hard times but makes them bearable, helps us focus on simple pleasures. She reminds us that "Happiness can be welcomed, but it can’t be manufactured. Much of our task is simply to receive it with open hands when it knocks on our door." Courtney walks us through 10 invitations to playfulness that we can incorporate into our lives and gives us reflection questions to reflect on. Also, as a fellow Wisconsin girl, I appreciate the midwest humor and stories that she sprinkles throughout.

[Ellie Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, the book cover will grab you. So pretty! It even looks playful. And who doesn't want their life to include more play?

Courtney's personal stories are relatable. Everyone reading will want to be her friend.

[Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous book! The concept of “playfulness” keeps reverberating inside me. I loved all the practical ideas and personal touches that Courtney included. I highly recommend this book!

[Megan Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtney talks about the various benefits and importance of play. She explains various ways to play including resting, connecting, seeking adventure, and doing useless things while giving scriptural backing that reminds us God wants us to do more than just follow rules, he wants us to enjoy life.

I saw myself in some of the reasons we give not to play or rest and was grateful for the evidence that it’s important to my well-being and creativity.

[Mary Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtney Ellis, mother of three, pastor and writer, spent much of 2020 locked down in her home like many of us. Just before things shut down, she had just completed the first draft of this book.

Perhaps it might seem that the seriousness of the pandemic would overpower her positive message. To the contrary, Courtney and her family discovered that a renewed sense of playfulness was the key to emotional and spiritual healing. She writes, “Play and Jesus got us through.” Humorous and candid anecdotes illustrate her point. One example: a son’s request that they turn the back yard into a homemade “water park” turned a day of drudgery into improvised joy involving wildly spraying hoses.

She’s not talking about simply putting on a happy face. She calls out our culture for valuing outward cheer while many are “quietly struggling to experience, embrace, or encounter any deep, lasting joy.” What brings joy will vary from person to person and will take some introspection to discover. She advises that “Play is about being able to sit with yourself, wondering and noticing what brings you actual, easy joy.” In her case, she purchased modeling clay and reclaimed her childhood creativity. And there is always time to make a paper airplane!

Playfulness most definitely belongs in church. Ellis cites the Bible and biblical scholars to suggest that we should embrace playfulness as a gift from the God who wants us to rejoice in what he has created for us.

There are paradoxes here that might seem difficult to understand. We need whimsy because life is hard. Sad feelings coexist with playful joy. Ellis tackles her subject in a confident, conversational, well-researched way that illuminates these deep ideas and gives her readers practical suggestions for living more joyfully. Highly recommended.

Questions and Bible references at the end of each chapter make the book a good choice for group study.

[Aprilelise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud, cried a little, and was reminded of a basic truth - being playful spreads joy and connects me to people I cherish.

Having already read (and enjoyed!) “Uncluttered” by the same author, I enjoy her relatable humor, thoughtful storytelling, and honesty.

I also appreciated Courtney Ellis’ premise that to play requires good rest. Amen.

And that we can start small - right where we are.

“Play begins with a first, simple yes. When a smile is offered, do you smile in return? When music plays, will you dance?” (I do dance, but this is metaphorical - you can dance/play in your own way) :) Re-discover what delighted you as a child - or maybe through the eyes of a child.

Love this - kaizen our way to more joy through approaching life playfully.

If you are weary - or just want a refreshingly funny read that is timely & practical & human - pick up the book Happy Now: Let Playfulness Lift Your Load and Renew Your Spirit.

“Playfulness invites us to take delight in the moment that is right in front of us, remembering that we are loved. It gives us permission to be silly, have fun, and enjoy simple pleasures.”

[Trevor Atwood]

I love me some playfulness. I used to consider my playfulness something others had to endure- and something I needed to mature out of. I now understand it as healthy and life giving- to me and others.

Ellis makes some great points and challenges throughout her book.

I could use a few less “mom and wife” stories- but I get she is sharing about her life.

All in all- an important and undervalued topic in life of serious Christians. Appreciate her bringing attention to it.

[Julia W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Now Review

About half way through 2020, I realized I was hungry for a Courtney book, that the world needed a Courtney book. I love her books, because she makes me look at the Lord through fresh young eyes, I learn things about myself that I needed to see, and she is refreshingly funny.
So when I finally was able to read this happy book, it broadened my view that the Lord Jesus is dying to bless His children, to make us happy, and that indeed, He died to bless us, to give us joy, which by the way, is the second fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and is mentioned in Scripture more than 200 times.
I highly recommend Happy Now because the stresses of life and the demands of our days can lead us to believe this life is too hard, because it is. But, as we reflect on the Lord’s promise of eternal life, and all that is before us, because of what He has accomplished on the cross, we must not be glum and ungrateful for the wonders that are already ours. I hope you will have as happy a time reading this book as I did.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelous book! After almost two very hard years between COVID and personal stresses and tragedies, this book was a timely reminder to find the joy and playfulness in life, especially as I prepare for what will almost certainly be a third hard school year. After describing the need for playfulness, Ellis gives ten practical ways that we can find playfulness in both big and small ways in our ordinary lives.

In the words of the immortal Larry the Cucumber, "I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob."

[Lucy Kaiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading Happy Now and I couldn't be happier that I did. I have read Courtney's two prior books and her third did not disappoin!! Her writing style is relatable, uplifting, encouraging and based in a faith that fills you with HOPE!! It is so easy to lose your sense of playfulness as you get older, let alone while trying to understand and navigate a global pandemic. Her book is a reminder that we are all in this together and we can all use a little playfulness to lighten our loads and our spirits. I encourage everyone to read this book because no matter who or where you are in your life, there are applicable and enriching lessons to be learned here. I PROMISE you that Courtney will have you laughing and nodding your head in agreement the whole way through! We can only hope that she will continue to share her gift with us through her words for many more years to come!

[Valerie Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Happy Now: Let Playfulness Lift Your Load and Renew Your Spirit, and I loved it! It is a well-timed invitation to lay aside our sometimes stifling should-dos and give ourselves permission to embrace the fun and whimsy that is available to us if we only free ourselves to look for it. I needed a break after experiencing this past ultra serious year. The author makes a good case for adding an attitude of playfulness to life. She even has a list of 10 ways to do so, if lists are your thing. Courtney’s heartfelt experiences and witty and wise storytelling provided a great jumpstart for me on my mission to continue to seek the joy and playfulness available to me in even the smallest parts of my life.

[Lisann D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Courtney Ellis’ new book, Happy Now! A fun, easy read with a great reminder we don’t need to be so serious in life and that it’s okay to be playful. I always enjoy Courtney’s vulnerability, honesty and her wit. 😊 This book does not disappoint!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a timely book and I think society would be in a better place if we took Courtney's point to heart about making playfulness a regular part of our lives.

In this book the author weaves together research studies, personal anecdotes, and her Christian faith into a thought provoking work about the benefits of playfulness and how it can help draw people into deeper connections as we are fully present to those around us. At the end of each section, Courtney offers questions and ideas for readers to immediately engage with play in their own lives and work as a study guide for book clubs or reading groups.

Give this book a read and see how entering into the various aspects of play change your perspective and draw you into deeper connections with yourself, your neighbors, and with God.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would guess that something as simple, as...well, childish, if you will, as playfulness can transform your life?

How many times has too-seriousness taken hold of me and caused a rift between me and others? And now that I'm armed with playfulness, how many times in the future will I be able to lighten a tense situation, even if it's just for me, with this new tool?

Courtney Ellis shares stories of times in her life when playfulness saved a situation for her. She reveals that she is not a naturally spontaneous and light person, and I can identify with that. It's apparent, however, that lightness can move us through a lot of difficult situations in life, and I'm determined to take this on as a new strategy.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The paradox of play is this: it's not because life is easy that we engage in whimsy, but because life is difficult."

Courtney Ellis has written a delightful book full of wit, humor and honesty. Through her personal story-telling, readers are invited to pursue joy and playfulness as a way to raise us from the doldrums of life and buoy our spirits. Happiness can be welcomed but it can't be manufactured, which is why the second half of the book is full of practical ways to add joy into one's life. 

After all society has endured with the pandemic, Courtney's book is exactly what we need. As adults we are often too serious, and "too much seriousness is linked to hopelessness [which] robs us of joy and causes us to remain stunted when we are designed for growth." May we all become more like children - playful, spontaneous and seeking whimsy after reading Happy Now! 

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 18 months of stress, worry, and seriousness during the Covid-19 pandemic, I needed this book. Courtney Ellis's yellow-covered book is just as joyfilled and full of delight as the outside of the book makes it appear. I resonated deeply with her concerns about the over-seriousness of American culture, and her call to receive the invitation to play is just the reminder I needed.

I hope to use this book in a small group study in the future because I believe every person would benefit from being urged to delight and play more in their lives.

[Zeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really pleasant surprise. Wouldn't have picked this up based on the cover or description but enough people I respect on Twitter recommended it that I checked it out and so glad I did. Have never considered a theology of play and playfulness before and Ellis is a winsome and insightful voice calling us away from the systemic self-seriousness of the world. What if we as Christians were a people known for our play?

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The paradox of play is this: we engage in whimsy not because life is easy, but because life is difficult.”

Courtney Ellis provides the antidote we all need right now to getting back to “normal.” Normal was never so great, with all its stress and rush. Ms. Ellis teaches us how to stop tasking our own selves so seriously and to slow down for play. She provides solid research on the need for adults to play. As we reenter our worlds in whatever capacity, her insights into how and why we can do so with new lenses are so needed.

She addresses the human need for slowing down and finding joy, and then she gives us specific ways to do that that fit our own lives and personalities. It’s not a over-sweet optimistic book that tells us play will fix everything. What it is is a strong argument that it will help—a lot. And we have nothing to lose but stress.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Courtney Ellis since I read her previous book, Almost Holy Mama, so I was thrilled to learn about her latest book. I was not disappointed when I read this. Chapters are easy to read, filled with simple suggestions for making yourself and your family a little bit happier RIGHT NOW. She also suggests how to step outside of your comfort zone and provides examples of her own hits and misses as single person, as a wife and as a parent. I related to her examples so much and laughed often as I pictured myself doing the same things. Get the book now - you won't be disappointed!

[Brooke Fradd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this book fun to read, the author knows that happiness can be work. Happiness is also a holy quest and worth the effort. I appreciated the principles, each with its own chapter. Rather than vague references to spiritually (as some books in the genre tend to produce) Ellis provides study questions and related scripture to read at the end of each chapter.

[Robert Fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtney Ellis has crafted a book I didn't know I needed with "Happy Now". For so long I've taken most of my hobbies - whether it be drawing, writing, gaming - and at least flirted with the idea of monetizing them, thus sucking the inherent joy of play out of them.

Ellis smashes my notions of joy, fun, and happiness. As someone who has struggled with faith recently, this book was spiritual experience. I think for me, it's taught me that there are simple pleasures out there to be had if we just keep our eyes peeled for the little moments in everyday life. Not everything has to be monetized and scrutinized into oblivion. Sometimes, it's enough to just be in the world and see in others and ourselves what happiness has to offer.

Her book has challenged me to look at those weary moments and see that - maybe - there is something else there to experience: happiness.

I give Happy Now 5 stars.

[Kindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s beautiful about Courtney Ellis’ “Happy Now” is that she asks her reader to rediscover play on the heels of her own journey to do the same. She’s not a play therapy expert and her book is not about big sweeping gestures or overhauling our lives. It’s about bringing out the delight in our everyday moments. It’s about noticing and being intentionally present.
I experienced “Happy Now” as audiobook, and as I listened, I could almost swear Courtney was smiling as she read it to me. Happiness from start to finish. It was a reset after a tough season for world.

[Bekah Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for the new year because work has drowned out so much joy in my life. With practical examples and suggestions, Ellis reminds readers that celebration is a spiritual discipline, and play time is holy. It was an overall refreshing read in a time where every little thing must be taken so seriously. A lot of Ellis' illustrations from her life come from her experience in marriage and parenting, which made it hard to relate at times as an unmarried, childless person. Despite that, this is still a valuable read that invites us to embrace the playful in our everyday lives.

[Sarah J Callen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a tendency to be overly serious. For much of my life, I’ve thought that joy was frivolous. But in this book, Courtney makes it clear that joy is important to every area of our lives. And, the even better news is that it’s more accessible than we think, even overly serious folks like me.

Though vulnerable stories, insightful thoughts, and witty delivery, she makes it clear that we can indeed be happy now. This is a joy to read and one I think I will revisit often.

[Fayelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love most about Courtney's book is that the case is well made for playfulness in all our different situations but does not try to avoid or make light of real grief or lament or pain. This is not a, "just be positive" bunch of junk. I hate those books. This is reality and really inviting God in with a playfulness that can uplift many moods/situations without trying to sugarcoat them. So good.