Little Book on Joy: The Secret of Living a Good News Life in a Bad News World

by Matthew C. Harrison, John T. Pless, Kurt D. Onken (Illustrator)

The author embarks on a quest to rediscover the joy of being a Christian. It is perfect for use with the Bible because it has study questions that follow each chapter. It is also a prayer guide for "The Great Ninety Days of Joy after Joy." Daily texts with prayers to gladden the heart from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost makes this book a perfect devotional guide for Lent and Easter.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity

232 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 1905

Reviews

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little book to gladden the heart filled with solid theology. I especially enjoyed working through the Lent and Eastertide meditations at the end!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decidedly not a self-help book

I highly recommend this book to all, Lutheran or not. While not a how-to book, it fulfills its promise to tell us the Secret of Living a Good News life in a Bad News World. Anyone who is suffering from the ills of this world would certainly benefit from a prayerful, worshipful reading of this. It would also make good family devotions, or reading group material since there are hymn suggestions and questions to ponder at the end of the chapter. The hymn suggestions are from LSB so it might be time to get your own copy of that too. To really cap off this excellent book, Harrison makes Luther's 'A Simple Way to Pray' understandable and doable for today's Christian and then provides us with 90 days of readings to refocus our minds on the joy of living in Christ. If you are down in the dumps, there is no antidote as powerful as the Word of God.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm delighted that I took the time to work through this devotional book. It consistently points to Christ, His Word and Work, and how those affect/infect our lives with joy in spite of the misery and chaos that also shows up in our lives.

PLEASE remind me to read this again early next year! I want to finish the main portion of the book before Ash Wednesday so that I can "do" that portion, "90 Days of Joy."

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pastor Harrison writes a funny, moving, insightful book about joy - a quality that can be lacking in a Christian's life in the midst of a sinful world.
Each chapter focuses on a place to find joy: first in the Lord, and then in the places where the Lord has placed you (family, marriage, life, in our weakness, etc.). Chapters usually begin with a humorous story from Harrison's own life, which then ties into the theme of the chapter.
Many, many verses of the Bible focus on joy, and this book helps the reader focus on that fruit of the Spirit. "The joy of the Lord is your strength!" (Nehemiah 8:10)

[Jeremy Serrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an ok read. It is very good in that it used lots of scripture. The main claim of the book is that the secret to Living a Good News life in a Bad News World is a matter of perspective. While it talks about instances of finding joy in different circumstances, it gave no real tools on how to actually cultivate that perspective.

[Josh Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little read which lists the many types of joys in a Christian's life. I liked it well enough, though there wasn't much that was new or thought-provoking for me. Mostly, it served as a reminder of the many reasons we have to be thankful (a worthy purpose to be sure).

[Edward Durand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Book on Joy was very encouraging to me and has helped me see the joy in my life. I used it devotionally. A chapter a day... I meditated on what I read and used the questions at the end of each chapter to help focus my thoughts.

[Molly Poppe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the chapters were on point and enjoyable. I must confess I skipped through a few because I felt they got “lost in the weeds” and strayed too far from joy, delving into apologetics or theological topics.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

DELIGHTFUL reading in every way.

[Jim B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrison describes how he badly messed up a football play in high school, and how the team scrambled to recover from his mistake. They brought something good out of his mistake -- the only points scored all game. He compares that to how the Christian church works with each other when we sin -- how we scramble to help, to bring something good out of it. He then concludes that when others mess up, "I find myself thinking about how I've been in the same boat, or easily could be and will be, and I'm ready to scramble and cover others' weaknesses. That's what it is to live mercifully and the secret to living joyously in the company of the church and family; amidst the mishaps and mistakes of life." (Page 54)

Harrison writes with the joy promised on the cover. It was a rewarding spiritual read.

I thought I would finish this book easily, unaware that the last section of the book is a series of Bible texts about to meditate on throughout Lent and Easter season (90 days of joy). BONUS! I got to that section 1 week before Ash Wednesday. He describes a method for meditating on passages and then doles out a passage, a focus thought, and a beautiful prayer. It was a delight to fill your mind with these Scriptural thoughts.

Unfortunately, this book went on the back burner when I lost it while traveling before I could finish it. :(

[Jeremiah Gumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

2013 Review: Great little devotional that helps the reader find real joy in Christ and in all his daily blessings. Highly recommended!

2025 Update: I picked up this book again shortly after my father departed this life. What a beautiful book that helped me to find joy in Christ even in sorrow! The lectionary resource for the 40 days of Lent and the 50 days of Easter provides an excellent devotional tool during those holy seasons of the Christian church year. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

[Stan Bartkus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is a Pastor and also the President of LCMS (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod).

He gives a personal as well as historical view of happiness within the church & our missionary work. Not even half of which I was familiar with even though I was born a Lutheran 68 years ago.

A small group of us read 5 chapters a month, and discussed those chapters after church, once a month.

I found the whole experience very helpful.

[Minte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful reminder of all the reasons to be joyful. The focus was, of course, Christ, which was as it should be. Also some helpful notes about how it's okay NOT to be joyful sometimes as well as how joy can be expressed in different ways. Unfortunately, it's so poorly edited that I had to put it down a few times and come back to it. The terrible editing really distracted me from the material, which is a shame, because the material is so encouraging.

[Elizabeth Knaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrations always make a book more fun to read. Theologically sound Biblical information and advice. Everyone needs more of that. I trust this author as the President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod LCMS.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to read and reread to keep my focus on the cross. . .

[Emily Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved lenten devotions at the end.