I wanted to share our good news with you, dear readers: we will be welcoming a new baby girl into the world in May.

My kiddo is thrilled – she has been telling everyone she comes in contact with that she is going to be a big sister. She doesn’t just tell them, either. She practically bellows, “I’m going to be a big sister!”

I guess when you have good news, there’s no reason to keep quiet about it.

I think my kid knows a thing or two more about life than I do. As adults, we tend to muck everything up and make it complicated. Instead of boisterously yelling out our good news, we clam up and keep it to ourselves or perhaps mention it in calm, cool tones. Yet, whatever we have to tell is most likely deserving of several exclamation points and a jovial tone.

For example, there is a party coming up in the near future in which my kiddo will be able to watch a movie that she is very excited about. (She’s been telling everyone about this, too.) Every morning she gets up and asks, “When is the party? Is it the party day yet?”

The way she gets excited about things brings a smile to my face – but it also puts a question in my heart. What am I that excited about?

I mean, sure, I get excited about things. I get excited about tacos, a cup of coffee in the morning – but I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about something that I had to bellow happily about it to everyone I could find.      (Except for the baby. I have been telling everyone about that in an excited fashion. You really can’t help it though because babies are awesome.)

Dear friends, these days, true impassioned excitement seems hard to come by outside of childhood. Rather, the world seems filled with angst, hatred, rage and other ugly things. While I know that children also feel this way, and have experienced that first hand with my own kid, I also know they are looking to have a good time nine times out of ten. They are looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary.

My kid can find 18 things to do with a shoe box, while I’m lucky if I can be entertained reading an article. She can draw pictures of flying horses, unicorns, little cute bees with smiley faces and rainbow-colored worlds, and all I’ve gotten down on the page is a stick figure. (Even that is left up to your imagination if you squint hard enough.)

Obviously, we do have to grow-up and we do have to look at the reality of the world – but this does not mean it has to be devoid of all hope and joy. If you look back across the history of humanity, many of the greatest problems or issues were solved with just a little of all those things.

Paul wrote the Book of Philippians while he was held captive due to his faith – but instead of seeing only his captivity, he said he was able to be happy where ever he was. Instead of only seeing his circumstances, he saw the greatness of the Gospel and the protections of God.

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13.

We go forth into the world with the Holy Spirit strengthening us and renewing us day by day. We have a message of hope to impart, a reason for great abounding joy and a path laid before us for a good reason. Let us be boisterous in our faith, filled with hope and let us claim the joy that is ours in the Spirit. Just like my kiddo, let us share our Good News and not be downtrodden.

Let us also be content “in whatever situation,” like Paul.