Written by: Erin Georgiou
Article source: JOY! Magazine
In Deuteronomy 27:1-8, Moses and the new leaders of Israel give the Hebrew people two important reasons to remember their spiritual milestones as they venture into the Promised Land and take on challenges they had never seen before. Milestones mark your spiritual journey.
This December edition is a big milestone for us as we celebrate our 200th issue of JOY! Magazine, and 20 years of publishing the Gospel. Over the past 20 years, we’ve compiled and printed 200 faith-filled editions! Our office wall is covered with the covers of every issue we’ve ever printed, and it feels like just yesterday we were putting together that very first edition of the new JOY! Magazine.
The history of JOY! Magazine
JOY! Magazine existed in a different form for about ten years before Republican News Agency, who owned it, closed down. A year later, after much prayer and fasting, I bought the intellectual property rights to the magazine title and launched the current format of JOY! This was in 2005.
Our wall of remembrance
Looking at these covers brings back such fond memories. Every edition represents the remarkable people we’ve interviewed and met over the years, each with their own unique story. Some have made us laugh; others have brought us to tears. Many have gone on to their heavenly home, but their testimonies live on. Some are still faithfully preaching the Good News. For us at JOY!, this wall is a true “Wall of Remembrance”.
Remembering God’s promises
I remember stumbling upon a passage of Scripture that deeply resonated with me (Deut 27:1-8), and I realised how important it is to record and remember what we have accomplished in Christ. Each issue of JOY! represents a milestone in our spiritual journey. That insight inspired me to dedicate our office wall to a lifetime of achievements and memories. Publishing is a tough business – especially in recent years, with the rise of social media and digital platforms, and the sometimes lukewarm support for ministries. But when the enemy tries to steal, kill, and destroy our ideas and enthusiasm, we remember God’s call and promises. Looking at this “Wall of Remembrance” encourages us and reminds us of what we’ve accomplished in obedience to God.
We appreciate our readers!
Over the years, we’ve received so many letters of appreciation for JOY! and JUIG!. These messages always motivate us, so please keep sending them! There’s a beautiful Scripture in Proverbs 15:23 that says, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” Many of your letters have been exactly that – words in season. We truly appreciate you taking the time to write to us.
A blessed Christmas
As we close out this year, I want to wish you a very blessed Christmas. Remember the true reason for the season and be bold in your faith in Jesus Christ. We have an eternal hope and future.
God bless you,
Erin Georgiou
This article is featured in the December issue of JOY! Magazine, which is now on sale nationwide! Pick up your copy from any leading supermarket, or read a digital version of this issue here: https://joygifts.co.za/product/joy-magazine-december-issue-2024/
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Date published: 10/12/2024
DISCLAIMER
JOY! News is a Christian news portal that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. Although we do publish many articles that have been written in-house by JOY! journalists, we do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this website are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company.
