Alia Joy
About the Author

Alia Joy is an author who believes the darkness is illuminated when we grasp each other's hand and walk into the night together. She writes poignantly about her life with bipolar disorder as well as grief, faith, marriage, poverty, race, embodiment, and keeping fluent in the language of hope in...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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Comments

  1. Wow, beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing. I feel like I want to print this out and carry it with me everywhere. Seriously. I might just do that. 😉

  2. This is beautiful; it really reminds me of the verse encouraging us ‘to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’
    It’s lovely to read how you are pressing on toward your goal, whilst still being real about the brokenness and hard times. Thank you for being so real, and at the same time keeping and sharing a high standard.

    • It’s such a beautiful and delicate balance to admit the pain and brokenness and humanity of it all while still believing on God to be all things. That’s why His word is so important. An ever present reminder.

  3. Alia Joy,
    The Lord has certainly given you a gift with words…words you speak and whisper to your children and words that you write on a page. Nothing can be so incredibly uplifting and so unbearably damaging as words. Thank you so much for a beautiful reminder of the power of our words. May we use them in all instances to bring glory to God. Thank you for such an honest and heartfelt post.
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • Yes! Let us bring glory to God in everything. So blessed by you, Bev, and your words here. You’re always here encouraging us with yours.

  4. “I let them see joy and sorrow are not opposed.”

    And this: “I let them see beauty in the mess.”

    I try to be careful with my words and I have tried to teach my children to praise God in all circumstances…but this is a great reminder to offer our testimonies in every little thing, every day. Because it’s not always easy and it’s not always our first inclination. Thank you for sharing this today. :).

    • Oh my goodness, yes, it’s not easy. It’s pretty much never my first inclination. Every testimony when stripped down is only ever Jesus. He is enough. So whenever I feel like my world is spinning madly, I try to remember my testimony. Jesus is enough.

  5. Thank you, Alia Joy, for your words. They are beautiful and tender and rich. I love the authenticity of the statement, “I’m living wide open to the knowing.” That is, for me, the most peaceful place to remain. There is tremendous freedom in releasing the need to know and in simply allowing the journey of learning and discovering to unfold in the most “messy” and beautiful ways!

    Blessings,
    Lisa Murray

    • So true. It’s so hard to release control and the need to know, isn’t it? But you’re so right, there’s so much freedom in just knowing He is God.

  6. That husband of mine & I shared some “fiery words, weighted full of flesh” last night. Then we stopped talking. Ugh -the power of words spoken and unspoken. I’ve had a knot in my chest about the next conversation. Give me Jesus. He is enough. Glad I stopped over. {O}

    • I know all about those words. I have a sharp and fiery tongue that I’m constantly having to learn to tame. But it’s so important that while we learn restraint we also learn to make amends. To use our words to build up and reconcile and repair what was lost the first time around. Praying you’ll find the right words and know Jesus is close.

  7. I just have to say PRAISE GOD! Words beautifully written. They touched my heart and soul thank you for sharing them.

  8. When I think about some of the things that come out of my mouth, Oh, Lord. All I can ask for is grace. I needed this reminder today, especially as I find myself barking out orders and correcting my children with a little more starch than necessary. Thank you, Alia for unwrapping the truth in such a beautiful way.

    • Oh seriously. It’s always the days I’m trying to get posts up and get the kids on task with school and I’m juggling a million things and I’m reminded of what I wrote and how I’m so close to not living it even as I wrote about it. How much I need reminding of grace and gospel and kind words. Today was one of those for sure.

  9. I loved this. I guess it’s never too late to do better with speaking the ‘truth’ with our words. My ‘kids’ are 36, 40, and 42…and sometimes they still listen. 😉 I might do better with my 6 grandchildren (2-15)…the ‘apples of my eye’! 😉
    Thanks for the great reminder and all the ‘examples’ you’ve shared!
    May He continue to bless you mightily!

    • Nope it’s not. I still listen to my mom and I’m 36. 😉 She’s one of the wisest women I know. I hope my kids continue to listen to her as well. It’s so important to have older generations speaking into younger ones.

  10. Mercy what a post. This is stunningly honest and true. This is my favorite part, “I tell them this is not hypocrisy; this is obedience and there is a difference. Hypocrisy is born out of make believe and pretense, and there is nothing flimsy about this kind of faith.” Thank you for that.

    • Yeah, it took me a long time to come to that place because often when I was feeling down I thought it seemed fake to worship. But now I know worship begets faith. It builds it. So when life gets hard, I praise the hardest right there. My kids have seen my faith grow with each passing word.

  11. Gah… how much I love you, friend! And this gift of words that you pour out – and oh how I know it costs you… and I am ever grateful that you are willing! #InsertGushingCommentHere

    • Not gonna lie. Read this comment earlier today and cried. I’m so glad you always have my back and check up on me. You bless me big time, friend. Love you.

  12. I am always speechless after I read your posts. This was so beautiful. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve prayed this very prayer “This is the faith that says Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Thankful for your words here!

    • Thank you Chandra. You don’t know how much that means to me. And yes, we share that prayer. So many times. On repeat some days, the cry of my heart.

  13. Oh Alia Joy…This moved me beyond words. What a gift He has given you. Your words, “When we cannot bear the brokenness we start with lament.” “Lord, have mercy.”
    Of late, I have been so grieved over all that’s happening in our world. My thoughts get cloudy and I begin to worry, shed tears–what kind of a world are we leaving for our children and grandchildren!?! It has been overwhelming. And to think that it will grow darker still before the Light dawns.
    But…We have Hope. And we give that Hope to the ones we love most when we reveal that even though we may feel discouragement, even despair at times, we DO also and always have The Truth before us–the eternal Truth of Christ and His Word. Yes! Words have great power, especially the words of the Lord Himself–“Fear not. I have overcome the world.”
    What you are doing for your children? There is nothing greater you can do! You’re giving them wisdom and above all, Hope.

    • Yes, I feel that too. I am one prone to despair, it’s so important to face it with truth. That is one I cling to. He has overcome the world. Redemption awaits us. Hope.

  14. Alia, I love your line tucked up close in his presence. So true about some days I can only start the day with just “Lord have mercy and grant me Grace.”
    Thank you for your post.

  15. Thank you. For the last 6 years my kids have seen me cry more than laugh, grieve more than celebrate, hurt more than hope. This post filled me with encouragement.

    • That is such a hard place to be. I know it. We have seasons of grief and sorrow, but I truly believe they can exist in the midst of wild hope and even joy. I pray you find that too. Every day I’m looking for it in Him and some days are better than others so grace abounds. I’m so glad you stopped by and shared.

  16. Alia,

    Beautifully written! It is true that we must tame the tongue. Words can hurt deeply. I need to learn and work on building people up not tearing them down!

    You are a blessing to your children. They should see us cry, laugh, grieve, etc. They need to understand good and evil and know the Bible! Thank you for teaching them!

    Blessings 🙂

  17. Hi. Visiting your blog for the very 1st time and what an inspiration! Very beautiful and heart-string pulling piece. I’m at a place where my kids(aged 5-16) are constantly driving me to distraction. At times I just whisper, “help me Lord” and find a place to hide. I need His grace now more than ever before and your piece fills me with hope and encouragement. I CAN DO THIS NY HIS GRACE ALONE!!! Thank you… Will visit again.

  18. Alia, I READ your BLOG Today for the First time, and enjoyed everyone’s Writing Immensely, YOU are truly ‘A BlESSING’ !! Thank You GOD, for ALIA! You are Truly a Servent of GOD!!

  19. Thank God for you, Alia. At age 89, it was such a blessing to read your message for the first time today. My “kids” are 68 and 70, and I was not a perfect mother. But teaching them about Jesus and learning to trust Him was a great experience. My husband of 70 years was gently taken by Jesus in his sleep recently, and it was a blessing to have him go that way. My heart aches for mothers of today who do not all have the blessing of a loving husband. I am never alone even now as I sense the presence of Jesus day and night. God bless you in your writing.

  20. That is soo true we all need gospel on repeat. That is just what I was thinking about the last few days.

  21. It is soo good to read words in plane language like this in such a time as this. I pray i am able to sing and praise God in impoverishment as u do.

  22. Thank you so much. I can be my worst enemy and tell me things I would never, ever say to another human. It is a nice reminder that the enemy wants us to think we are no good but in Christ Jesus we are made whole! He loves us more than we can ever imagine and if you have been taught either by example or self taught to mistreat yourself you need to stop. Reflect on the love God has given you and you are beautiful in His eyes.