In the Pixar movie Inside Out, an 11-year-old girl?s emotions (Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness) join forces to help her adapt to her family?s move to a big city. Things get pretty crazy. Have you ever felt like you were being controlled by your emotions, unable to snap out of it and change your feelings?

Believe it or not, even good feelings can push our buttons and make it difficult to move forward. That?s what happens to Penny in today?s yuletide Odyssey Adventure Club episode, ?All By Myself.? She wants to recapture the wonderful emotions she experienced during a church retreat. So Penny drives up to snowy Trickle Lake to be alone with God and recreate that experience. But distractions await. And no matter how hard she tries, she can?t seem to reproduce those feelings.

Fortunately, Penny has a good Christian friend to give her a healthy perspective. As Connie explains, time alone with God is great, but we can also find spiritual strength and encouragement while having fun with friends or comforting someone who?s struggling.

We shouldn?t let our emotional ups and downs keep us from feeling close to God. Ecclesiastes 3 says there is ?a season for every activity under heaven . . . a time to weep and a time to laugh.? And our loving Creator wants to be part of all of them. No matter what we do or how we?re feeling, He is with us. And best of all, God knows us inside out.