We live in a world that promotes must-have brands, luxuries, conveniences and encourages instant gratification. Unfortunately, culture’s obsession with these ideals and things can leave people feeling dissatisfied and never quenching their true desires.

On our journeys for lasting contentment, we often realize that true joy can’t be found in and through worldly things. Eventually, people realize that it’s essential to understand that Jesus wants our hearts overflowing with joy, something only He can provide. Using her experiences as a cast member on the long-running reality series, “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Lydia McLaughlin thinks we find genuine freedom in Jesus by pursuing biblical obedience.

McLaughlin said on “The Crossmap Podcast, “When you have this conviction inside of you where you know what you’re supposed to do, even if things don’t go well, or you feel like you’re quote, unquote ‘failing by the world standpoint,’ you don’t lose hope because you know that you were called into that situation. There’s this overwhelming peace that you experience just knowing you are in the will of God. And I believe when we know we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, the results really don’t matter.”

In her latest book, Joyfull, a devotional for women, McLaughlin reminds readers we are most grateful when we shift our focus to God, who offers us true contentment. She has first-hand experience with this as she and her mother learned to be grateful through her mom’s recent cancer journey.

McLaughlin said, “If we actually focus on love if we focus on God, if we fall in love with God — not his promises or what we can get from Him — but just spending time with Him, we would never think that that was too much. Because, if we give Him the first of our day instead of what’s left over, we are now giving Him our best.”