I curse you with joy. May every day be filled with laughter and happiness. May your heart overflow with love and compassion. May you find the beauty in every moment, in every little thing. I curse you with joy. May your smile be contagious, spreading happiness to those around you.
I hope one morning when I utter those words, I won’t have to think twice about them. I hope they will roll off my tongue with ease. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting there. Like Proverbs 16:24 says,
For one week, I would pray a prayer of blessing over my enemies, in the hopes that it would not only change my perspective on the situation, but also my heart. I Curse You With Joy includes stories of how Haddish uses comedy to metabolize pain and turn it into art, auditioning for Saturday Night Live before being the first Black female comic to host it, how the trauma in her own life has made her more compassionate, and her complicated relationship with her father, whom she reunited with after 20, Amistad s announcement reads in part.
May your smile be contagious, spreading happiness to those around you. May your positive energy lift others up and inspire them to see the good in life. I curse you with joy.
Bless Those Who Curse You
The knife went in, only a bit deeper this time. Some congregation members had spread gossip about my husband and I, ruining our reputation not only in our community, but with our leadership team as well. People who we thought were friends became our enemies. I felt like I was walking to the guillotine to be executed the day I walked in to a meeting to confront our accusers.
Why do people in the ministry get treated this way? I thought to myself. Insults were hurled; accusations were made; feelings were hurt. After a hostile meeting, we, along with the accusers parted ways, but not amicably. A myriad of emotions stung my psyche. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger.
They were supposed to be our friends. How could they do this to us?
As time went on, a new set of emotions emerged. Bitterness. Resentment. Rage. I was hesitant to forgive and reluctant to trust anyone again. As I reflected on my feelings, God reminded me of this verse in Luke 6:27-28:
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
My friends have become my enemies, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way.
After reading that verse, I knew I had the best weapon of all—the gift of blessing. Satan was trying to steal our joy, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with it. As God always does, He allows us to take part in the redemptive work He is doing in the lives of His children, thwarting Satan’s plans to seek vengeance. That meant instead of seeking retaliation, I could seek to bless those who curse me.
Easier said than done.
I presented myself a challenge. For one week, I would pray a prayer of blessing over my enemies, in the hopes that it would not only change my perspective on the situation, but also my heart. Only God could want me to offer this to Him, because I resisted it with every fiber of my being.
Reluctantly, I sat in my chair and spoke this prayer aloud:
“Lord, please bless ________. I know he/she is my enemy right now, but please bring your healing to the situation. Turn our turmoil into peace, our sorrow into joy, and our despair into hope.”
On Monday, the words were like eating sour lemons—downright unpleasant. By Wednesday, they came a bit more naturally. By Friday, they tasted sweet like honey, rewarding not only them but me too.
Praying a prayer of blessing over my enemies is a tall order. When I think about the situation, it still brings up feelings of anger and betrayal. Yet Jesus afforded me that gift with His death on the cross. If He can bless His enemies, than so can I. It’s far from easy, but definitely worth it because blessing someone who hates me makes me love them even more. Every time I do it, something within me changes. My character becomes more like Jesus. The words become less bitter and a little sweeter. My thoughts are a little less angry and a little more peaceful.
I hope one morning when I utter those words, I won’t have to think twice about them. I hope they will roll off my tongue with ease. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting there. Like Proverbs 16:24 says,
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
My soul is feeling pretty sweet right now.
Why do people in the ministry get treated this way? I thought to myself. Insults were hurled; accusations were made; feelings were hurt. After a hostile meeting, we, along with the accusers parted ways, but not amicably. A myriad of emotions stung my psyche. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger.
May you find strength and solace in even the darkest of times. May you always remember that joy can be found even in the midst of sadness or hardship. I curse you with joy. May you never lose your sense of wonder and curiosity. May you always find joy in learning, exploring, and trying new things. I curse you with joy. May you find fulfillment in the simple pleasures of life – a warm cup of coffee, a good book, a beautiful sunset. May you appreciate the small joys that often go unnoticed. I curse you with joy. May you have the courage to chase after your dreams and live a life that brings you true happiness. May you have the strength to overcome any obstacles that come your way. I curse you with joy. May you surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. May you find joy in the connections and relationships you build throughout your life. I curse you with joy. May you always find reasons to celebrate, to dance, to sing, and to be grateful. May joy be a constant presence in your life, guiding you and filling your days with delight..
Reviews for "The Joy of Self-care: Practicing Mindfulness and Inner Peace"
1. Emma D. - 2 stars - I found "I curse you with joy" to be extremely confusing and hard to follow. The plot seemed disjointed and the characters were not well-developed. The writing style was also not to my liking, as it felt choppy and forced. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. John M. - 1 star - I couldn't understand the hype around "I curse you with joy" at all. The story was incredibly slow-paced and uneventful, with long stretches of nothing happening. The characters were also unconvincing and lacked depth. I struggled to finish this book and was left feeling unsatisfied and bored. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging read.
3. Amanda R. - 3 stars - While I didn't hate "I curse you with joy", I can't say that I enjoyed it either. The story had potential, but it felt underdeveloped and rushed. The characters lacked depth and their actions were often inconsistent. Additionally, I found the writing style to be overly flowery and convoluted. Overall, it was a mediocre read for me.
4. Michael S. - 2 stars - I was disappointed with "I curse you with joy". The pacing was slow, and the story took a long time to get going. The characters were also uninteresting and lacked any real depth or development. I thought the concept had potential, but it fell flat for me. Overall, I found this book to be forgettable and would not recommend it.