It’s week 3 of the “Joy to the Soul Summer” series. I’m finding the long days of summer are easily filled with the cares of this life. If that’s you too, welcome to this week’s post by Marva Smith from the SunSparkleShine blog. Thanks Marva!

I can’t think of one person who doesn’t love summer.

Yes, it gets too hot sometimes, but generally speaking, it’s such a fun time of year.

After the cooped-up days of winter and the fledgling days of spring, it feels good to settle into a carefree season when summer rolls around.

There’s no asking, summer days and summer nights are the stuff dreams are made of. But while it might sound peachy, we know that summer, like any other season, has its share of ups and downs.

The carefree days and nights present a whole set of challenges we don’t usually face during the rest of the year.

There’s a pull on our time and a fight for our minds. With what feels like even more time on our hands, we can be tempted to fill our days to the brim while squeezing out time with God.

A potluck of family activities and nights out with friends are super fun but not so much when you’re running on empty.

Then there’s the summer version of the comparison trap which leaves us feeling less than sunny.

Comparing yourself to that magazine model doesn’t help. Neither does ogling the family next door, wondering how they could afford yet another Disney trip – when you’re just scraping by.

Don’t give into the hype, my friend. Instead, focus on the hope.

No matter what happened during the other seasons, you can still experience joy this summer.

But let me warn you, if you’re relying on a bevy of summer activities, a sleek summer body or the perfect summer vacation to make you happy, you’ll be in for a letdown.

Real hope and real joy this season (and every season for that matter), is found in Christ.

Choose hope over hype.

You see, it’s so easy to buy-in to society’s view of what summer should look like. Then feel like something’s wrong when your summer doesn’t match up.

Having a summer based on hype is like having a diet full of sugar. Sure, you get the high – all the fun, all the energy – but then comes the crash. Where’s the fun in that?

But when you choose hope over hype, your summer is sure to be bright. So, how do you know if your summer is based on hype rather than hope?

Consider this…

Hype says, follow the trends and do what everyone else is doing.
Hope says, follow the Master’s lead and do what He tells you.

Hype says, you only live once, so live it up now.
Hope says, living for God now brings eternal rewards later.

Hype says, I have to keep up.
Hope says, I have nothing to prove.

Hype says, I’m too busy having fun to make time for God.
Hope says, my God-time is the best time.

Which will you choose, friend? A summer of hype? Or a summer of hope?

My prayer is that you’ll choose hope.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Forget about pleasing the crowd or trying to keep up with appearances. Instead soak up time with God and make Him number one. He’s ready to fill you with hope, joy and peace, not just for summer, but for a lifetime.

So, as you welcome the long days of summer, invite God into your summer fun. Let’s make this the best summer ever! No hype. Just hope.

Marva Smith is an island-living, sun-loving, Christian wife and mom. She has successfully transitioned careers, welcomed reinvention and is always on the lookout for what God is doing next. She enjoys showing women how to sparkle and shine for God by living fully and abundantly right where they are (John 10:10). You can find her writing about her life and faith on her website SunSparkleShine.com as well as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Get a free copy of her e-book You Were Made to Sparkle here.