Category Archive

2022 August By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) As we celebrate our 36th anniversary, we’d like to thank each of you for being a partner with us as we strive to care for hundreds of people each day throughout the year. It has been our pleasure to provide as much assistance as possible for those who walk through our … Read More

Many of you know that the founder of Joy Junction, Dr. Jeremy Reynalds, was homeless at one point in his life. As we commemorate his legacy of working with the homeless, I’d like to share how it all began. England-born Jeremy came to the United States to share the Gospel in 1978 and became a citizen. He worked, married, and … Read More

Can you recall times when you really needed to focus, but there were so many distractions, you simply couldn’t? The baby is crying… The older child is demanding attention… The dishwasher needs to be emptied, and the sink is full of dirty dishes… The washing machine is stuck on the rinse cycle for the third time this month… The car … Read More

It’s one of those days… It’s downright HOT. The sun is beaming down, your eyes are squinting because of the bright light, the air is so dry when you breathe, you feel it to the bottom of your lungs, and your mouth is sticking together because there’s no moisture in it. That’s what it feels like to be parched. It … Read More

2022 May By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) This world is full of so much heartache. It seems that no matter where we go, there is evidence of it. Heartache shows itself in many different ways. But, one way is when the mental health of a person is affected. Did you know that the month of May is recognized … Read More

2022 April #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Were you among the many who hunted Easter eggs as a child? Did you color or dye the eggs to hunt, or did you use the plastic eggs filled with a treat or money? Does it bring back memories..? Did you look for the marshmallow baby chicks called “Peeps” in … Read More

2022 April #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) It’s springtime again… Season’s come and seasons go. It’s cold, then it’s hot. It’s windy, then it’s calm. The leaves are picked up, then they gather again… That’s the nature of spring. With the thawing of the land and the warmer sunshine, the flowers spring up out of the ground, … Read More

2022 March By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Are you an “early to arrive” person, or a “right on time” person, or a “late” person? Are you the kind of person who likes to make plans, or do you leave that up to others? Do you schedule pretty much every movement of your day and keep a calendar full … Read More

2022 Feburary By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Are you a dreamer or a planner? Sometimes, dreamers just continue dreaming without putting any action to their thoughts…and their dreams continue to be just that – dreams. Sometimes, planners put action to their thoughts and their dreams come true. That’s the ideal situation, but it doesn’t always turn out that … Read More

2022 January By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) As the new year begins, most of us find ourselves thinking about how fast the last year went and wonder what the year ahead will bring. Did your youngest child start to school this last year? Did you celebrate a monumental birthday? Did you change your marital status? Did you retire … Read More

2021 December #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) We’ve all heard the phrase “time flies” before…which, as we know, means time is passing faster than what we consider as “normal.” When we were kids, we may have thought the days during the school year were extra long and the days during the summer holiday were way too short. … Read More

2021 December #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Receiving a gift is always such a nice feeling, right? Gifts are given for all kinds of reasons. The usual gift-giving times are a birthday, an anniversary, or a holiday celebration. Sometimes, gifts are even given randomly as an act of kindness. Usually, though, when a gift is given, they … Read More

November 30, 2021 The annual Thanksgiving Day feast at Joy Junction was covered by KOAT 7. Reporter Breana Albizu visited the shelter to see how Joy Junction and its volunteers gave back to the local community by providing a feast for those in need. You can view the video and read the full story at KOAT 7.

2021 November #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) I wonder what you think about when the term “homeless shelter” is mentioned to you? Do you think of a place where people are dirty and crowded into rooms like cattle? Do you think of a place where people are constantly asking you for money? Do you think of a … Read More

2021 November #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Have you ever made plans to meet someone for an event or activity and they never showed up, leaving you standing alone, waiting? When someone is a “no show” and they haven’t taken the time to call you to alert you to the change of plan, it can make you … Read More

2021 October #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Can you imagine it? There it is…the colorful Thanksgiving tablecloth used every year and on top of it you see the roasted turkey or ham with all the fixings. You’ve anticipated it ever since the day after last Thanksgiving. Do you prefer dressing or stuffing?…mashed potatoes with butter or cubed … Read More

2021 October By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Suppose you have worked many years in the same job, but then the company gained a new owner and downsized the employee count causing you to lose your job… Suppose you’ve been as healthy as can be and then an unexpected illness hits you and causes you to be off from … Read More

2021 September #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most of us look forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The title for this holiday is aptly named, as taking time to give thanks is something we all should do every day. Setting aside a day to intentionally do this every year is important. Are we thankful? We live in … Read More

2021 September By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Change comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, it’s a good thing, and sometimes, it’s filled with anxiety, uneasiness, confusion, or any number of other things. But, as long as we are breathing, we can know for sure that change does and will come. Some change is expected, like when a … Read More

August, 27 2021 Joy Junction was featured on the August 25th episode of New Mexico Living to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Joy Junction, and to talk about the opening of the new Thrift Shoppe location on Menaul. Click the image below to see the article on the New Mexico Living website and to watch the video.

2021 August By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most people have heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child,” meaning everyone makes a difference in the well-being and teaching of that child. Well, we want to take that a step further, and say “it takes a city of caring, compassionate people to provide for the homeless.” … Read More

2021 July By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Waiting is hard. It just is… We live in a fast-paced world where we expect a “microwave result” and don’t feel we have time for a “crock-pot solution.” When we are going through a rough patch of life, the waiting seems even longer. There’s just no guarantee that what we are … Read More

2021 June #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most of us think of a community as a large group of people who have a common geographical location. However, another definition of a community could be described as a gathering of people who join together for a common interest or goal. It’s a unit of people who choose to … Read More

2021 June By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Do you recall the times when the ground was so thirsty it began to crack? In the New Mexico desert areas, especially in the locations that have clay in the soil, we can experience some pretty deep cracks. On rare occasions, we may get enough moisture to cause the ground to … Read More

2021 May By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) It’s getting warmer outside… Are you getting ready for some summertime road trips? Can you feel the excitement in the air as people talk about needing a change of scenery? After being cooped up for what may seem like months, some of us are preparing for time away from home. It’s … Read More

2021 April By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Things are a bit different these days, because of the pandemic. Change is all around us to some degree. Some people embrace change, and some people reject it strongly. We are all different and will respond in the manner that our temperament lends itself to. But truth be told, we have … Read More

2021 March By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) You can see it every time you step out the door. The plants have little buds beginning to bulge out from their stems, and the winds are blowing the winter debris all around. They are the signs of a new season getting ready to embark upon our lives. Spring is approaching … Read More

2021 February By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Couch surfing… Ever heard of it? Believe it or not, there are two different kinds of couch surfing. One form is used for budget travelers. The vacationers will choose a more inexpensive type of lodging and may either pay for the use of someone’s couch for overnight stints, or they “repay” … Read More

2021 January By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Do you ever dream about the future? Are there things in your life that you’d like to change? When the new year approaches, many of us begin to think about how the last year went and what can be altered, upgraded, or changed to make things better. Often, we begin thinking … Read More

2020 December By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Wow… Can you believe it? The end of the year is here already. For some, it feels like two blinks were taken and the days were gone. We just got used to writing 2019 on our paperwork when 2020 arrived, and now 2021 is just about here. The years come and … Read More