{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Episode 40 :: Dawn Barton :: Fighting for Joy in Suffering","description":"Today we have one incredible woman on with us: the one and only Dawn Barton. Dawn is a self proclaimed joyologist who believes about fighting for joy in the most unlikely places. Dawn has a Job-like story of experiences of loss piled on loss, but still has learned how to experience the miracle of joy no matter the outcome. Dawn is not a person who proclaims that life isn\u2019t hard and you just need to be happy, she stands firm on the promises of God as we walk through seasons of unbelievable loss and grief and confusion and how He can and will make Himself known in it through joy. Her book Laughing Through The Ugly Cry: And Finding Unstoppable Joy details her life experiences and how the Lord met her in it in such an authentic and hilarious way, and she shares much of that in our conversation today as well as how we can walk out fighting for our mental health, our sanity and our joy during this unbelievable year that is 2020.  Dawn never could have imagined that her book, which released about a month ago, would come out during a time of global grief, but as my friend Katie says \u201caint that like the Lord.\u201d We talk about what it looks like for people to rally around you when you are in the depths, what happens when you believe in that season you don\u2019t have the resources, and practical thoughts about how to take care of yourself during hard seasons and crisis to make way for joy.  Radical obedience is following after God, even when it feels crazy. We get to decide what we put out during this time, and what we allow into our heart for out of the heart the mouth speaks. Fighting for joy is an act of radical obedience. Dawn isn\u2019t encouraging us to gloss over what the Lord has for us in the low seasons, she is encouraging us to not be where we drown because we buy into the lie that joy is impossible. It's not, dear ones. Let\u2019s take care of one another friends. The grace we could share with one another could be day\/experience changing for someone that we encounter along the way. Let\u2019s make space for the sad and the hard and the grief, and then let\u2019s remind one another it is OK to laugh, and then do it. It's good for the soul to hold both. You matter, your story matters.  Resources: Mental Health resource, and a way to find a counselor in your area Mary Kay Cosmetics My conversation with Lauren Ruth Martin, licensed therapist on Simply Stories. You can also find A LOT of additional mental health resources in the show notes of this episode Interview with Steven Furtick and T.D. Jakes about Soar Adjustment disorder Scripture References:  The story of Job Nehemiah 8:10- The joy of the Lord is your strength Galatians 3:26- You are a child of God Romans 12:18- You are responsible for your response  Lamentations 3:23- New mercies and new day tomorrow John 10:10- We are called to an abundant life Ezekiel 36:26- To transform you from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh  Isaiah 43:16-19- He makes a way  Luke 16:10- To who is faithful in little is faithful in much  Galatians 5:22- Joy is a fruit of the Spirit  Matthew 11:28-30- Come to me Luke 11:37-54 -An example of one of Jesus\u2019 woe to you\u2019s (this wikipedia page lists all of them) John 13:34-35- The command to love one another  Mark 12:31- Love your neighbor as yourself  Hebrews 12:2- For the joy set before Him Isaiah 61:1-3- Beauty from the ashes Psalm 30:11- Turned my mourning into joy Connecting with Dawn: Instagram Facebook Website Find copies of her book Laughing Through the Ugly Cry: And Finding Unstoppable Joy Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast: Instagram (Em life \/\/ Podcast Life) Facebook Twitter Blog  *Intro and outro music by music by audionautix.com ","author_name":"Simply Stories Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/simplystories.libsyn.com\/website","html":"