Intro to Joy

by Heather Torosyan

There have probably been times in your life when you could say that your joy was full. Jesus is interested in this being your normal state of affairs .

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:9–11).

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and…you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

In this collection of short meditations, Heather Torosyan explores the theme of joy in Scripture and discusses how it applies to our daily lives. This is not an academic treatise, but a study meant to encourage the reader—that you also may be filled with inexpressible, overflowing joy.


Heather Wilson Torosyan was known for her overflowing joy in the Lord and her love for the lost. Heather was born in post-World War II Japan to Bessie, a Canadian missionary, and Jim, a U.S. naval officer who resigned his commission to enter full-time Christian work. Heather, too, pursued missions, serving in Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey before marrying Ararat Torosyan in Istanbul. God blessed them with three children and four grandchildren before Heather was called to her heavenly home to be with her beloved Lord and Savior in 2020.

Genres: Christianity, Audiobook

264 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Nia Nimmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great devotional book, a quick reminder of joy in the morning (or midday or night-whenever you read or listen)!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging read. Only thing…I started listening to it as an audiobook, not knowing it’s a 120 day devotional. Whoops! Still encouraged by it, especially the focus on Scripture.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a whole lot of reasons to be joyful, and yet it something that is often very hard to participate in. We could say with Lewis that joy is most clearly felt in a world fraught with pain and suffering. We could echo the thoughts of Solomon who said that Joy is indeed a good medicine. Or we could resonate with Schopenhauer who wrote that “Happiness of any given life is to be measured, not by its joys and pleasures, but by the extent to which it has been free from suffering-from positive evil.” For some, it comes easy and often. For others, in spurts that are mere breaks from depression and hardship. For many, it never arrives.

What the author does here in this series of 120 short essays/devotionals, is to reorient us to the subject of joy. From scripture, she pulls truths and applications to help us see joy for what it is, a gift of the spirit. As I write this, Hurricane Helene has already done its damage. Offering someone who was devastated by the hurricane an Ice cream cone and then when they turn it down, saying “don’t you like ice cream?” Can feel a bit like offering a book on joy to someone battling depression. “Don’t you want to be joyful?” But as the author points out, joy is not a bandaid for pain and suffering. To see it in that matter is to misuse its power. Good thoughts throughout the book.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've added a new shelf/tag/whatever Goodreads is calling it these days called Bathroom Books. You're in there for a couple of minutes, why not make profitable use of the time? A devotional book like this is perfect for purpose. No need to follow a long argument and no temptation to succumb to story grip. I've read other books in this category, but Intro to Joy will be the first official entrant on the list.

There was nothing earth-shattering in this collection of 120 meditations on joy, just solid little reminders to rejoice always because there are always reasons to rejoice. The author was no hypocrite here—she was ever joyful—so she's well worth heeding on the topic.

[S.G. Dewey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Split into 120 days of brief examples and explanations about why we should choose joy.