SPEAKING JOYFULLY
Hometown Church Heart-Coming
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com My hometown church wasn’t the biggest, the fanciest or the wealthiest in town. But a lot of love was there. Love for God and love for each other. The simple cross and stained-glass windows clearly identified it as a house of...
Winnie the Pooh Thoughts and Word Treasures
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com What pops in your mind when you think of Winnie the Pooh? A childhood book? An animated film? A Disney ride? For almost a century, Winnie the Pooh has been climbing into the hearts and minds of children (and adults) spreading...
The Great Cleanout
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Under the surface of our beautiful water feature, debris can pile up causing decay. In order to keep it running optimally, an annual cleanout is needed. During the fall, countless leaves find their way in. They discolor the water,...
The Word to Focus On
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com The new year stirs the desire to set goals, to release things from the past, and to declare intentions. One activity that has become more widespread in place of those rarely completed resolutions is picking an overarching word for...
Decorating the Tree
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Strewn about on the floor near the brightly lit tree lay a variety of Christmas ornaments. Each one carrying the memory of a place, a person, or experience. The bird in the tree painted as a childhood project with my mom. The...
Why Give Thanks?
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Thankful. Grateful. Blessed. That’s the message my lightweight, midnight blue, long-sleeved shirt carries, but the meaning isn’t lightweight at all! When we are truly thankful for the grace we’ve been given and the mercy we’ve...
What Falling Leaves Show Us – Release to Renew!
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Fall reminds us of the value of release – of letting go. As the leaves turn colors, change is taking place and prompting action. Leaves falling show us the need to release that which once brought oohs and aahs in order to make room...
Who’s Knocking on Your Door in Costume?
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Who’s knocking on your door – and what are they wearing? Adults, children and even pets are taking part in what’s become a widespread October costume party. Retail experts expect $2.9 billion will be spent this year for adults and...
What’s the Queen’s Tea Got to Do with Me?
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com “How did Queen Elizabeth stir her tea?” That was one question on the “Queen for a Day” interactive quiz I shared at a women’s tea event in September. I added three incorrect answers to go with the right one: In a circular motion...
17 Quotes for Hope and Growth
©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com Speaking Joyfully turns five this month due to the goodness and guidance of God. Without His Word and all the Wonder He’s put in our world, it would not be possible for me to talk or write about experiencing a life that’s full. A...