While reading "The Sacrament of Happy: What a smiling God brings to a wounded world" by Lisa Harper, I wrote a little note that turned out to be that thing this book made (is making) me wrestle with. I wrote: I’ve been grasping with the idea…the fact that God loves me no matter what. But, I guess, I still thought He loves me, but He’s not always happy with me. Like when we love our family, but doesn’t always like them. Not always happy with them. God will never stop loving me, but He must not always like me, like when I mess up. He must not always be happy with me, right? To think that God actually is always happy with me no matter what…well then!

In her new book, Lisa shares heartfelt stories from her own life about happiness and how it doesn’t just fit in or belong in the Christian life, but that “we’re quite literally called to be happy” (Lisa Harper). Lisa also lays down a Biblical foundation for happiness and challenges readers with question prompts to reflect and think through.

Like Lisa, I was also taught about JOY (Jesus, Others, Yourself) vs. happiness. I was taught that joy was eternal and happiness temporary. I was taught that we could never lose joy, but happiness is fleeting. Lisa turns that thinking upside its head in a way that I’m still mulling over.

“Here’s the liberating truth about God being happy with us: it’s not up to us!” – Lisa Harper, "The Sacrament of Happy"

Can we sit with that for just a few seconds? Happy is like Grace. Just as God’s grace is given to us not because we’re worthy or did anything to deserve it, God is happy with us not because we’re worthy or did anything to deserve it. Is it just me that feels so very free to hear that?!?

"The Sacrament of Happy" is for anyone who’s ever struggled with happy. What does it mean to be happy? How do we pursue happiness? What does God say about it? How does it fit into the Christian life and the serious Christian doctrines? How do we live in happiness when the world mourns?

I have so many favorite stories from those that Lisa shared in her book, but one of my favorites is when she found out that the Hokey Pokey is a universal favorite children’s song. I won’t spoil the story, but get ready to shed a few tears and then laugh out loud.

I highly recommend you buy the book. Part of the proceeds will go toward building a sustainable garden in Neply, Haiti, where Lisa's very adorable daughter, Missy, was born.

"While God doesn't need us to be happy, He chooses to include us in His joy." ~ Lisa Harper

Harper does a phenomenal job of showing us how happiness is Scriptural. She does so with her flair for storytelling. Every word touched my heart. But especially those of having an eternal life with a happy Heavenly Father. It's also a reminder for me to enjoy the happiness He gives me daily and make sure those around me see it.

The Sacrament of Happy is a sweet little book full of laugh out loud moments, deep insights and Biblical truth. It can be read in a couple of hours easily and you will not be bogged down with more questions than answers it offers.

Happy. The word itself conjures up idyllic images, doesn’t it? Like a toddler in overalls splashing through puddles while gleefully chasing a frog…. The kind of word a middle school girl might doodle in her diary with big loopy p’s and a flower woven into the tail of the y, right?

Harper asks the question of what is our view of God. Is He a stern, gruff face full of authoritarian anger, or is God a smiling, joyful, happy being that we view with kindness? God is most often described by Christians as holy, but very rarely happy. And it’s that very mindset that Harper wants to challenge and change. She explains through the exegesis of different passages in the Bible how the original words written in Greek meant the word happy, and how it changes the whole view of the passages to what we generally view it to mean.

There are actually thirty-seven references to ‘happy’ in the Old Testament and forty-eight in the New Testament. Randy Alcorn’s book…notes more than 2,700 pages where terms related to happy – gladness, merriment, pleasure, celebration, cheer, laughter, delight, jubilation and feasting – are used.

Harper asks questions such as is God happy, is being happy even holy, is happiness an absence of sadness and can happiness change the world. She answers the questions with stories from her own life as a busy single mum of a little girl with HIV to looking at stories told in the Bible and how they related to the truth Harper is trying to teach.

Easy to read, full of things to explore further and learn, Harper shares stories from her own life to give greater impact to what she is teaching, which are often hilarious. She asks questions such as if its possible to be happy even after horrible things have happened to us or to the ones we love and treats the topic with gentle tenderness. She gives examples and backs up things Biblically. This is a great book to read, ponder and then act upon.

While God doesn’t need us to be happy, He chooses to include us in His joy.

This is the first of Lisa Harper's books I've read even though I've heard her speak many times. I was impressed! Harper delves into a topic that sometimes is dealt with too glibly - not so here. This book is rich in theology and helped me see a side of God I'd never before considered. I will be re-reading this book and recommending to others.

I LOVED this book! I have heard great things about Lisa Harper's writing and teaching, but had never read any of her books until now. I was certainly not disappointed. I love the way Lisa writes. She is absolutely hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud at many of the stories she told. However, what I really loved about this book were the biblical truths she shared and the way she backed up her points with scripture, using various translations throughout.

The Sacrament of Happy made me reflect on my beliefs and the way I viewed the Father, and I'm so grateful for it. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

P.S. how cute is the relationship Lisa has with her daughter, Missy??! So precious.

I've followed Lisa Harper on social media for years.
Always enjoyed her posts.
Though I hadn't read any of her books.
So when the publisher contacted me to be a part of the launch team, I jumped at the chance!

This book was a delight.
Ms. Harper writes in an honest way.
It felt like time spent with a friend and not someone trying to cram Biblical info at you.
She shared life experiences, many featuring her adorable daughter, Missy.
Her points were followed with Scripture references.
Often different versions were shared, which I found to be helpful.
Sometimes, we can glean a new viewpoint with a different translation.

“This book goes well beneath most people’s surface understanding of happiness,
gently guiding readers closer to the heart of God . . .
with naturally a few genuine guffaws to enjoy along the way.” ~ taken from the summary

Ms. Harper gave the reader plenty to think about.
Following each chapter was a list of questions to help you dig deeper into the Bible, yourself, and what you read.

I believe this book to be ideal for a small group study or reading alone.


I received this electronic book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity!

Lisa Harper demonstrates biblical examples of happiness and joy combined with a healthy dose of wit and wisdom. This book is about finding happiness through God's love and abundant grace, with an emphasis on love, laughter, and family. Some parts will make you cry, others will make you laugh out loud, but through it all Harper always brings it back to a scriptural base. Each chapter ends with a section of questions designed to help you reflect on your life, your decisions, and your feelings on certain topics. This section would also be ideal for using this book as a group study. The one thing I'm on the fence about in this book is the use of various Bible translations throughout. I understand that certain translations often make the points more clearly, and overall there is nothing wrong with this choice, but some people may have an issue with it.

I recommend this book to all Christians, especially those struggling to find the true happiness that can only be found in God's love. I received this as a free ARC from B&H Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Think about where you find happiness. Is it in possessions or in people or somewhere else? In this book, the reader is reminded God never promised a totally happy life on this earth. True happiness is found with God. From the simplest of actions, events, sights, sounds and more, to complex detailed happenings, we can find happiness. We are given the ability to find that happiness if we choose to look for it. A great book filled with love, laughter and hope for the future. I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher and this is my personal honest opinion.

Ms Harper is hilarious. She is an amazing story teller. She had me laughing out loud so hard at some of her stories. I thoroughly enjoyed them. The issue I had with the book is that the stories distract from the main points. Ms Harper makes very good points but it's hard to connect everything through the stories. The stories take so long to tell that by the time I'm done with the story I've lost all focus on the points being made before the story and the points after (and how they all connect together). What I remember more from the book is the crazy stories (the airplane story was hilarious) and not the points about happiness. I had a hard time following the point of the book. It was an enjoyable read... but I feel like I didn't take much away. The best line of the book was: "Real, God-imbued happiness is not the absence of sadness or badness. Rather, it is hanging on to the truth of His sovereign goodness regardless of what’s going on within or around us."