JOY! Magazine November 2021

“My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”– John 1:27 Have you ever had a thought or a spiritual dream that you just know is the Lord speaking to you? I have experienced this several times over the years. When the Lord wants to get my attention or turn my focus to something specific, a chain of events starts to take place. The Bible confirms the message It begins with the stirring in my spirit at the mention of something, be it a random discussion with a friend, a book that I’ve read, or a dream that is profound. The idea gets planted in my mind, and then suddenly it gets repeated many times in a short period of time. I suppose this is confirmation…

Although us doggies cannot speak actual human “words”, we do understand quite a lot. My Arnie (Aunty Trish) says that according to ‘research’ it seems to vary from about 75 to 250 words! Also, we can tell a lot by the tone of a human’s voice. Arnie tells me that words must be chosen carefully as they cannot be taken back once spoken. They can only be forgiven, not forgotten. She found this funny saying, “the tongue has no bones but is strong enough to break a heart,” and it’s so true! People must use their words carefully and build others – and us doggies – up. God’s Word teaches not to speak unnecessary and unkind words. Maybe that’s why He gave us two ears and only one mouth, so…

Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to keep letters to 150 words as we have limited space. I am a new subscriber Thank you – I have just received my first issue of JOY! Magazine as a new subscriber. It is an absolute privilege to support such a well-respected Christian magazine that broadens one’s perspective on controversial topics. Your superb service is appreciated. Charmaine Taljaard Thank you for your support Charmaine – we value our loyal subscribers who help us to keep God’s Word on the shelves in South Africa and reach…

Three sisters, aged 92, 94 and 96, lived in a house together. One night, the 96-year-old drew a bath. She put her foot in the water and paused. She yelled to her sisters, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?” The 94-year-old yelled back, “I don’t know. I will come up and see.” Halfway up the stairs she paused and yelled, “Was I going up the stairs or down?” The 92-year-old was sitting in the kitchen having a cup of tea, listening to her sisters. She shook her head and said, “I certainly hope that I never get that forgetful. Knock on wood.” Then she yelled, “I’ll come up and help you both as soon as I see who is knocking at the door!” MERVYN APPADU, the author…

SHORT MIRACLES FROM JOY! READERS: If you would like to have your short miracle featured – no matter how ‘big’ or ‘small’ – please email info@joymag.co.za and keep your word count to 400 words. My husband and I were attending a very prestigious function one Saturday, many years back. Circumstances necessitated that we needed to go in separate cars. When I arrived near the venue, I was met with bumper-to-bumper traffic for about two kilometres – moving at a snail’s pace. There was a dysfunctional robot that only let four cars through at a time. Halfway through the queue, there were a few cars turning off to the left onto a little dirt road. I realised that it was a shortcut towards the entrance, with parking on the outskirts of the…

There is a face lift that you can perform on yourself that is guaranteed to improve your appearance. It’s called a smile. Laughter is like changing a baby’s diaper – it solves a problem and makes things more acceptable for a while. A merry heart is medicine I believe that every time you smile, even much more so when you laugh, you add something to your life. A smile is a curve that helps us see things straight. Janet Layne said, “Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.” Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine.” A good laugh is the best medicine, whether you are sick or not. Adding to your face value The wheels of progress are not turned by cranks.…