Discover Joy

Maybe you’re exploring faith for the first time—or the first time in a long time. We’re so glad you’re here!

God loves you deeply, and we want to help you take simple next steps to grow closer to Him.

Here’s a starting guide to help you Discover Joy in the journey with Christ.

1. Get a Bible you can understand.
The Bible is God’s Word to us, and it’s the best place to begin. If you’re new to reading it, a study Bible can be really helpful. We recommend the New Living Translation (NLT) for its readability.

To help you take this step, our friends at Family Central Bookstore are offering 20% off any Bible purchase when you mention Joy99. It’s a great way to start your journey with a Bible that’s right for you.

2. Start with the Gospels.
The Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — tell the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Start with one (we recommend Mark for beginners) to get to know who Jesus is.

3. Watch an overview.
Before you start, you can get a big-picture overview of the Gospels at The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com/). Their videos are creative, simple, and powerful for understanding God’s Word.

4. Pray as you read.
Ask God to open your heart and speak to you through His Word. Something simple like: “God, I want to know You more. Speak to me as I read today.”

5. Take it one chapter at a time.
Don’t feel like you need to read it all at once. Start with just one chapter a day. If you’re inspired to read more — wonderful! But consistency and understanding matter more than speed.

6. Reflect with questions.
After each reading, pause and ask:

  • What does this teach me about God?

  • What does this teach me about myself?

  • What does God want me to do?

7. Share with someone else.
Faith grows stronger when we share it. Tell a friend or family member what you’re learning. If you don’t yet have a Christian community, take a bold step: visit a local church!

Here’s a list of churches that the Joy99 team members attend:

  • Ada Bible Church

    • Website: https://www.adabible.org/ 

    • Phone: 616.868.7005

    • Locations:

      • Bella Vista Campus: 5100 Belding Rd NE, Rockford, MI 49341

      • Cascade Campus: 8899 Cascade Rd SE Ada, MI 49301

      • East Paris Campus: 1640 East Paris Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

      • Kentwood Campus: 2045 68th Street SE Caledonia, MI 49316

      • Knapp Street Campus: 3869 Knapp Street NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525

      • West Satellite: 5353 Wilson Ave SW, Wyoming, MI 49418

  • Calvary Baptist

  • Chapel Pointe

    • Website: https://www.chapel-pointe.org/ 

    • Phone: 616.662.8801

    • Locations:

      • Hudsonville: 3350 Baldwin St. Hudsonville, MI 49426

      • Byron Center: 6252 Burlingame Ave SW Byron Center, MI

      • Holt: 1705 Cedar St Holt, MI 48842

  • Christ Memorial Church

  • Community Reformed Church

  • Cornerstone Church

    • Website: https://cornerstonemi.org/ 

    • Phone: 616.698.3170

    • Locations:

      • Caledonia: 1675 84th St. SE, Caledonia, MI 49316

      • Grand Rapids: 48 Lafayette Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

      • Wyoming: 2730 56th St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49418

  • Crossfire Church

  • Fifth Reformed Church

  • Foundry Church

    • Website: https://www.foundrychurch.net/ 

    • Phone: 616.748.2439

    • Locations:

      • Zeeland: 425 S. 100th Street Zeeland, MI  49464

      • Holland: 661 E 24th Street, Suite 210, Holland, MI 49423

  • Grand Rapids First

  • Harbor Churches

    • Website: https://harborchurches.org/fairhaven/ 

    • Phone: 616.662.2100

    • Locations:

      • Fair Haven: 2900 Baldwin Street, Hudsonville, MI 49426

      • Harbor Life: 3085 Wallace Avenue SW, Grandville, MI 49418

      • Jamestown: 2745 Riley St, Hudsonville, MI 49426

      • South: 1907 64th Street SW, Byron Center, Michigan 49315

      • Walker: 3213 Walker Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544

      • Wyoming: 2141 Porter Street, Wyoming, MI 49519

  • Restoration Church

  • Ridge Point Church

    • Website: https://ridgepointff.org/ 

    • Phone: 616.395.2600

    • Locations:

      • Allendale: 10505 Learning Ln Allendale, MI

      • Hamilton: 4872 136th Ave Hamilton, MI

      • Holland: 340 104th Avenue, Holland, MI 49423

      • Saugatuck: 6069 Blue Star Hwy Saugatuck, MI

8. Keep going.
Faith is a journey, not a sprint. Some days will feel easy, others may feel dry — but keep showing up. Over time, you’ll experience God’s presence and joy in new ways.

9. Download this guide.
Keep a copy of this one-sheet with you! Download the graphics version to have these steps easily at hand whenever you need encouragement.

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Social Story

10. We’d love to pray for you.
If you have something on your heart, we’d be honored to pray with you. Visit our Contact page to share your prayer request.