Failure to Thrive - Proper Emotional Health

In this week’s message from our Failure to Thrive series, Pastor Gary explores why so many of us struggle to live with the joy God intended for His children. Just as physical growth can stall when a child experiences “failure to thrive,” our spiritual growth can falter when we lack proper emotional health.

Jesus said in John 16:24, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” The normal Christian life is meant to be one filled with joy, peace, and growth in the fruit of the Spirit. But what happens when sadness or discouragement becomes our constant state?

Pastor Gary helps us see that God is daily inviting us into a life of joy—through simple moments, His creation, and His promises. Drawing on stories, Scripture, and even the playful “Di Da Day” dance of a child, we are reminded that joy is not something we stumble into but something we train for under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.