Do you know the difference between joy and happiness? Joy comes from within and happiness is from the outside. That sounds a little confusing, so let me explain it to you in a story.

There once was a family of four: a dad, mom, son and a daughter. Their last name was Nelson. They lived in a nice house in a small town in the mountains. The dad owned a gas station, and the mom worked as a librarian at the library. The boy’s name was Micah and the girl’s name was Molly. Micah was 10 years old Molly was 7 years old.

Micah and Molly liked to go to school and loved playing outside in the yard. Their yard was big and had a sandbox and a tree swing. They also liked to go to the library when their mom was working because they loved to read books. Once a week there was story time at the library, and Micah and Molly loved to go to hear their mom read the story. All the children loved to listen to their mom read. She was a wonderful story teller and would make the stories come alive.

Everyone in town knows Mrs. Nelson, Micah and Molly's mom. Everyone loves her because she seems to be so pleasant all the time. Although she was a happy person, what people saw in her wasn’t happiness. It was a joy she had deep in her being, inside her. Her happiness came from enjoying many things around her like family, home, playing, food, and so much more. But it wasn’t these outward things that made her full of joy. Her joy came from inside her. It came from the Holy Spirit who lived in her. When she was a little girl, she had accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior. At that moment, the Lord Jesus gave her the Holy Spirit to live in her. The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons in the God head. For more information on the God head, look at the lesson on faith in Faith 3.

Mrs. Nelson knew that the Lord would help her through anything that came her way. Years ago, when Mrs. Nelson’s mom was sick and died, it was very sad and difficult for her. She trusted the Lord to help her through it. She cried and she missed her mom very much. Everyone was amazed she still smiled and even laughed during that time. That is because her joy did not depend on outward things to shine through and make her joyful.

Mrs. Nelson was a very giving person. She would make food and take it to people who were sick or injured. She gave Christmas presents to children who didn’t have much. She was always quick with a smile and an encouraging word.

A few years ago, there was a terrible snow storm that knocked out the power all over the mountain town. The snow fell all night long. When the people woke in the morning they realized they were trapped in their homes. The snow was over 10 feet deep and it took days to dig out and move the snow. As soon as the Nelsons were able to get out of their home, Mrs. Nelson went to a neighbor’s house to check on them. They were elderly and she wanted to make sure they were unburied and had food. She helped some other people dig a tunnel to their front door. She gave these neighbors a hug and words to cheer them up along with the food she brought.

As much as Mrs. Nelson was full of joy, Mr. Nelson was not. Oh, he could get happy. He would laugh at a good joke. He enjoyed playing softball. He liked owning his own gas station. He loved his family. But still something was missing in his heart. What do you think was missing? It was joy; it was the Holy Spirit. He had never trusted the Lord as his Savior. How very sad!

When the storm came and buried the town in snow, he was very upset. He couldn’t get out to open his gas station. He worried that they would lose too much money. He worried people would be angry because his station was not open. Mrs. Nelson reminded him that no one could get to the station so no one needed gas. She said they needed to be thankful for the time they had together. She said to be patient and enjoy this time of togetherness. Mrs. Nelson, Micah, and Molly played games by candle light and roasted marshmallows in the fireplace while Mr. Nelson paced the floor wishing the snow would melt. Mr. Nelson asked Mrs. Nelson why she wasn’t upset. Mrs. Nelson said it was because she couldn’t do anything about it so she would enjoy the situation. After one day of no power, the power came on again. They now had heat, light, and could cook food. This still did not make Mr. Nelson happy, he was still worried.  

When Mr. Nelson was finally able to open the front door, he shoveled snow almost nonstop so he could get to the station. As soon as he got there, he shoveled snow there and opened up for business. He was exhausted from shoveling so much snow. 

He would not leave the station because he said he needed to be there to sell gas and fix cars. Two days went by, and he still had no customers. He was beside himself with worry. If people didn’t stop and buy gas or have their cars worked, on he wouldn't make any money. He started keeping the station open around the clock. He set up a cot there for him to sleep on. He installed a bell system that would let him know if a car came into the lot or someone opened the door. His worrying caused him to sleep poorly and eat very little. Soon he got sick. Mrs. Nelson brought him food and told him not to worry. She tried to get him to close the station and come home for a good night’s sleep, but he was afraid someone would need his service. Mrs. Nelson knew the Lord would take care of them but Mr. Nelson didn’t have faith.

Mr. Nelson got so sick he had to hire someone to run the station so he could go home and rest. He didn’t get well, he got worse. The doctor said he needed to go to the hospital!

Mr. Nelson lay there very sick in the hospital. Micah and Molly came to visit him every day after school. They would sing him songs or tell him about their day at school. Mrs. Nelson was there as often as she could when she was not at the library. She would come in with a big smile and a kiss. He loved her visits. The nurses also looked forward to her visits because she always had a kind word for them too, and she was so pleasant. They knew she would never say a harsh word to anyone. When she was at the hospital, her children stayed with a neighbor.

One day, Mr. Nelson took a turn for the worse. Mrs. Nelson came right when she got the call from the head nurse. Mrs. Nelson rushed to her husband’s side. She smiled her big smile and hugged and kissed him, but he was unconscious and unaware of her presence. That means he was in a deep sleep and could not be awakened. Mrs. Nelson sat with him and prayed all night. In the wee hours of the morning she read aloud to him from her Bible. She continued to read to him until about 9:00 in the morning. She put her Bible down and rubbed her eyes. She got up, stretched, and drank the coffee the nurse had brought her. She was so very tired but didn’t want to leave his side. All of a sudden, Mr. Nelson’s right hand moved and he tried to open his eyes! Mrs. Nelson leaned over and said his name. His eyes did open that time! She was so happy he woke up.

Later that day he said he had some questions for her. She wondered what he wanted, so she leaned closer to hear him. Weakly he asked how sick he was so she told him. She explained how he had just come out of being unconscious, and he had been asleep for over 18 hours. He asked her if it was she who had been reading to him. He said he remembered hearing a voice. She said she had been reading the Bible to him. Mr. Nelson smiled and said, “I’ve been watching you all these years and you have something I don’t have. You have a peace, a joy about you all the time. I want what you have.”

Mrs. Nelson was overjoyed! She said, “Honey, it is the Lord. As you know, I trusted the Lord as my Savior. The Holy Spirit lives in me. The Joy you see is Christ’s love. He gives me peace.


Mr. Nelson said, “I want to trust Jesus as my Savior. I think He has been trying to get my attention for a while now. I was just pig headed and would not listen. I guess it took getting so sick to get my attention.”

They both bowed their heads and Mr. Nelson prayed, admitting to Jesus he was a sinner and in need of a Savior. He asked Jesus to forgive his sin and to come into his life. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were both crying, but they were tears of joy. Mr. Nelson now has the joyfulness down deep in his being just like Mrs. Nelson has. They both have Jesus as their Savior and the Holy Spirit living in them.

Boys and girls, aren’t you glad Mr. Nelson accepted Jesus as his Savior? I am too. Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? If not, please ask your parent, or Sunday School teacher, or your pastor to help you. I am praying for you.


Verses in NKJ unless otherwise stated. 

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