Joy as an Act of Resilience

Rev. Richard Brendan • September 3, 2025

Choosing Light When the World Feels Heavy

As we navigate this strange and anxious world, choosing joy becomes more than a personal act of resilience—it is a gesture of hope. Joy can serve as a propulsive force, helping us reclaim our humanity and promote resilience and hope.


So why is it so challenging to choose joy in the midst of darkness?


Not surprisingly, the idea of claiming joy often seems like a distraction from what is truly pressing in life and the issues our world and country are facing. In moments of stress, anxiety, and depression, joy can feel like a selfish or guilty pursuit—precisely because everyone is going through so much. Drawing on our activist mentality, it is often easier to focus on the revolution than to find a place for pleasure and joy. This sentiment is affirmed by bell hooks:


“I often find it easier to be teaching or giving to others, and often struggle with the place of my own pleasure and joy.”


JOY LETS US RECLAIM OUR HUMANITY 


Joy is a sign of vibrant life—of thriving. It is one of the things that makes us truly human. So depriving a group of people of joy, whether through an outright ban or through economic means, is a method of dehumanization. Reclaiming those sources of joy is a way to refuse to be dehumanized.


Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel described a memory of a fellow prisoner trading a ration of bread for materials with which to piece together a makeshift menorah during Hanukkah. Shocked that the man would trade something so essential to his survival, Wiesel asked him, “Hanukkah in Auschwitz?” And the man replied, “Especially in Auschwitz.” The more dehumanizing the circumstances, the more we need these markers of our humanity.


As people who believe in putting love into action, we are primed to take care of others, respond to crises, mobilize, organize, and tackle the multiple injustices in our world. However, we also have to pay attention to joy. Otherwise, we might spiral into despair. Finding joy means doing the hard work of shifting our focus as often as possible to appreciate the good that happens. It's how we gather the energy to do the important work. Connecting to and claiming joy is about keeping the flame and fire alive—because joy is a beautiful generator of hope.


Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu reminds us,“Give the world your love, your service, your healing—but also give your joy.”


“I sometimes forget that I was created for JOY. My mind is too busy. My heart is too heavy for me to remember that I have been called to dance the Sacred dance of life. I was created to smile, to love, to be lifted up. O Sacred One, untangle my feet from all that ensnares. Free my soul that we might dance—and that our dancing might be contagious.” —Hafiz


JOY AS A POLITICAL STRATEGY


In a world where we are inundated by stories of our powerlessness, claiming our right to joy enables us to re-vision ourselves in ways that are meaningful and important to us—rather than conforming. Claiming joy politically also has a collective element. Employing joy as a strategy of solidarity provides us with an emotional tool to nurture optimism for the future.


Claiming joy reminds us that love, connection, and beauty are available in abundance to us all—and that we are worthy of living a full and beautiful life. Joy can connect us by affirming our collective humanity.


TIPS FOR CONNECTING TO JOY


  • Recognize that joy is not a luxury or privilege—it is necessary to our humanity.
  • Take little joy steps. Care for yourself in small ways. Slow down on watching the news. Build happiness breaks into your daily life. What brings you joy? What feeds your spirit?
  • Pay attention to your body. Make time for movement—walking, hiking, yoga, running, dancing.
  • Focus on gratitude. Create a gratitude or joy list. Appreciate what you already have. Gratitude is at the heart of contentment.
  • Create connection and community. We yearn for deeper connection and a sense of belonging.
  • Consciously choose joy. Choose joy. Choose joy.

Learning from the Mystics: A Pure Heart

By Rev. Dr. Brenda Freije • August 18, 2026
What if Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” are not about who gets to see God someday, but an invitation to learn how to see God now? The great Christian mystics believed that the heart is more than the center of our emotions. It is an “organ of spiritual perception,” a way of seeing beneath the surface of things into the deeper reality of God’s presence. Richard Rohr says this is what mysticism is really about. Mystics are not spiritual elites who have strange or extraordinary experiences. They are people who have learned to go beneath the surface and discover the “connected core of reality.” The result is not simply a different experience of God; it is a different way of seeing everything. They begin to see grace in all things and the deep connections between all things—seeing a neighbor instead of a stranger, a human being instead of an enemy, sacred creation instead of commodities, connection instead of separation, and Divine Presence where we previously assumed God was absent. And that gives us perhaps the most important test of genuine mystical spirituality: Are we becoming more loving? The goal of contemplative practice is not extraordinary spiritual experiences. Its fruit is a growing capacity for compassion, generosity, freedom, and love—a different way of being in the world. Let's explore what Jesus might mean by a “pure heart,” what keeps us from seeing clearly, how learning from the mystics and their practices can help us awaken to a God who may be much closer than we realize, and how all of this might enable us to act in the world with greater peace, hope, and clarity.

Mother Love, Mother Loss

By Joy Dyer, MSW, LCSW • August 10, 2026
The relationship we have with our mothers is one of the most meaningful in our lives. Sometimes sweet, sometimes difficult…or worse…but always full of complexity. And researchers have determined that this most significant of relationships actually begins in the womb. It’s the template where we first learn about love, whether we were fortunate to have loving mothers, or mothers who sadly were unable to love us as we needed and deserved. This primal, intense relationship continues throughout our lives, influencing and shaping who we become and how we relate to others as we journey through on our own paths. Is it any wonder then that the death of our mothers is one of the most impactful losses that we will experience? And yet, even after her death, it’s possible to have a continuing conversation and relationship with her…with her gifts and her flaws…that allows for connection and the possibility of repair and forgiveness. This Sunday, please join us as we explore the joys, sorrows, and possibilities of the eternal bond between mother and child. Joy Dyer, MSW, LCSW, brings 37 years of clinical social work experience, including work in end-of-life care and advanced bereavement training. She specializes in grief in all its forms. Joy returns to The Garden on Thursday, September 3 for Debunking the Myths of Grief.

It's All Fun & Games

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • August 4, 2026
On the Importance of Play

Joyspan

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • July 29, 2026
Sometimes, joy is the last thing on the list. Bills pile up, plans fall through, the news doesn't help — and "just be joyful" can start to feel like one more thing at which we're failing. This Sunday, we're taking a closer look at joy. We're not interested in the fake-it-till-you-make-it or the just-look-on-the-bright-side kind, but something sturdier. Nehemiah 8:10 puts it simply: the joy of the Lord is our strength. It is not a mood, and it is not a performance, but a strength we can lean on. It isn't a denial of pain, sorrow, or other distress, but may offer a path through. Dr. Kerry Burnight makes a related case in her recent book Joyspan — that a good life has less to do with how long we live than with how much joy we let ourselves experience along the way. Join us Sunday as we explore Joy, and what can happen when we open ourselves to it no matter our circumstances.

The Art of Community

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • July 21, 2026
How does a community fight loneliness? We'll explore our grant-funded work, what's working, and how it echoes the community-building ministry.

The Fine Print: The Bible

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • July 13, 2026
As a sacred and revered text, the Bible exerts tremendous influence on our lives. Notwithstanding our constitutional separation of church and state, its impact reverberates through our politics, morality, and spirituality. Yet, while widely respected and treasured, the Bible’s influence—or rather, its interpretation by those with power and resources and the desire to make other people live by their beliefs—has been leveraged to justify slavery, vilify LGBTQ+ people, elevate men over women, and divide rather than unite. This week, we will slow down to look past those historical misuses. Instead, we’ll dig directly into the timeless truths and teachings within the Bible that offer guidance for our faith and inspiration for our daily choices.

Adventures with Moses Day 3

By Lea Ann Koekenberg • July 11, 2026
God Provides, God Protects, God Leads

The Fine Print: The U.S. Constitution

July 6, 2026
Explore the U.S. Constitution's relevance today. Join us for insights on its principles & impact on society.

The Fine Print: The Declaration of Independence

June 29, 2026
We often hear the phrase, "Make sure you read the fine print," as we navigate the complexities of daily life. Whether it's the Constitution, the Bible, or even the manual for our computers, there's a wealth of fine print that tends to be skimmed over, misinterpreted, or entirely overlooked. Yet these details often hold the key to understanding the bigger picture and guiding us through life's challenges. This week, we're excited to launch a three-week series titled "The Fine Print." Over the next few Sundays, we'll take a closer look at some of the most important documents that shape our lives and values. Week 1: We'll explore The Declaration of Independence—a powerful statement of freedom and the rights of individuals that still resonates today. Week 2: Our focus shifts to The Constitution, examining its vital principles and how they continue to influence our society. Week 3: We'll conclude with a deep dive into The Bible, uncovering the profound truths and teachings that guide our faith and actions. Each message will stand on its own, so if you happen to miss one, rest assured you can still enjoy and engage with the others — though we'd love to have you for the whole series. Join us this Sunday for The Fine Print—a journey that promises to deepen our understanding and appreciation of these foundational texts. Together, we'll discover how the details within these documents can illuminate our paths and enrich our lives. You won't want to miss it!

Blessed to Give

June 23, 2026
We have often heard the words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The phrase is so well-known that many people don't even realize it is found in the Bible (Acts 20:35). So, is it just a cliché, or does God truly do something in the heart of a giving person—something that blesses both them and the world in which they live? Research shows that this is no mere platitude. Our brains respond to generosity by triggering a significant positive feedback loop when we practice, receive, or even simply witness giving in action. In a 2008 study, researchers found that people who spent money on others reported a notably higher uptick in happiness than those who spent it on themselves. Interestingly, this difference had nothing to do with how much they spent, but rather the direction of their spending. Giving really does benefit everyone—the giver, the receiver, and the witness—and the effect ripples outward. And it’s not just about monetary gifts, but also gifts of kindness and service. What we do, and how we give, truly matters. Join us Sunday as we explore how God turns giving into the blessing of receiving.