Once a month my kids get out of school early. On those days, I pick them up from school and we go to a neighboring town where there is an animal shelter with two rooms full of cats.
Now I know not everyone is a cat person, so if you need to switch the word “cat” in this story to “puppy” to get the most from this story please be my guest.
But we stay in this room packed with cats for over an hour. We pet them and hold them, and give them all the love and attention they are craving as they wait to find their people.
The cats love it. The boys and I love it.
The truth is, it’s kind of my happy place. I realize that might sound ridiculous for a grown woman to say a room full of cats is her happy place.
But the truth is, I love seeing my kids’ faces light up with joy at the kittens’ silly antics as they wrestle each other and fight for our attention. Or to watch them roar with laughter at the cat who spends the entire time bounding and leaping as fast as he can on a giant hampster-like wheel.
That’s the thing about happy places. They are incredibly unique to each and every one of us. They don’t have to make sense to anyone else. The key is how these happy places make us feel.
My happy place may be a room full of cats, but that could be your worst nightmare. Your happy place could be a weekend full of scrapbooking or gardening, but that doesn’t sound fun at all to me.
And that’s what points me back to Jesus. Our uniqueness and the specific way He made each and every one of us.
Each and every “happy place” you and I have — whether it’s physical locations, experiences, adventures or hobbies — was created by Jesus.
In our uniqueness and the different ways we all find joy, we can get a glimpse at Jesus.
Because Jesus loves these happy places too. He created them, and then He created you and me each unique in how we find joy, so we can enjoy all these different happy places with Him.
So embrace your own uniqueness.
What brings you joy, even if it might sound weird or bizarre to other people? Where’s your happy place, where you feel pure joy and freedom?
Here are some of my own happy places to get you thinking:
- The animal shelter
- The local coffee shop
- Our patio
Find your happy place and then go there as often as possible with Jesus, because He loves it too.
This doesn’t have to be anything formal or rigid. A simple prayer will do it. “Jesus, want to go to the coffee shop with me today?”
It’s a glorious invitation! One I would love to get from a friend. How about you?
To wrap up, here are your action steps to find your happy place:
- Spend some time thinking about when you feel your most happy and free.
- Make a list of these “happy places.”
- Schedule a time on your calendar to go to your happy place with Jesus. Actually write it down or type it into your schedule so it’s more likely to happen. (Here’s some help if you are too busy.)
- Invite Jesus along. “Jesus want to do/go [insert happy place] with me?”
- Enjoy.
This is prayer people!
Enjoying life and taking time to embrace the creation and joy God has created for you is the epitome of joy and relationship with Jesus.
There are many ways to pray, but this is one of my favorites. Find your happy place then go there with Jesus and see how your relationship blossoms.
