2026 September #2
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Before we know it, the Thanksgiving holiday will be here. It’s hard to believe we are already thinking about that. But, time has been flying by and another year is almost coming to a close.
Taking a moment to glance back at the previous months is a good way to make a mental note of all the things we are thankful for – and for most of us, that list can be fairly long.
We’re thankful for our family and friends, as well as our home and our jobs. The majority of us are thankful for having the extra funds to be able to go out to eat whenever we choose to or go on a vacation from time to time. Many of us are thankful for good health.
That’s quite a list, already, and we could probably add many more things to it.
However, there are others who cannot count those things as being on their list. They may have family and friends, and maybe good health…but homes and jobs? Extra money? Not always.
Looking back over the year and evaluating the memories may not be a positive thing.
When the memories include losing a comfortable way of living (for whatever reason), the state of mind can become overwhelmed with guilt, shame, anger, fear, frustration, depression, etc.
One of our guests, Dave (not his real name), had a long list of many positive things in his life…until the unexpected happened.
Here’s his story:
My life was defined by stability with a good job and salary. All was going well, and I felt in total control. My identity was tied to my efforts and my results – which had proven successful.
Then, someone hacked into my accounts and stole my identity. They completely drained my bank accounts. Right after that horrible experience, I was laid off from my job. I went from total stability to being completely homeless in a very short amount of time. I was devastated…and angry.
I lost everything. I had nowhere to go, but the streets. Sitting alone with some of my belongings, stripped of my money, my home, and my dignity, I felt overwhelmed with fear and shame. I had no idea how to turn things around. The nights were freezing and I felt like danger was all around me. The isolation quickly became unbearable.
I came to grips with the fact that I couldn’t fix my situation on my own…
I cried out to God. I surrendered my anger, fear, and brokenness to Jesus. I knew I needed a safe place to heal and rebuild. I had heard of Joy Junction so I made the choice to call them. I’m so thankful they had room for me.
Through the Christ in Power Program, I have learned that my worth does not, and never did, come from a bank account or a job title. Jesus loved me at my lowest point. He met me where I was and gave me a peace that, still, makes no sense to me.
I now know that a life built on Jesus is the only foundation that can never be shaken. No one can ever steal that from me. I’m so very thankful for Him and this place!
Sometimes, life has a way of turning our ordered habits and way of living upside down. We get comfortable with things, then out of the blue, everything changes.
It’s during those times that we have to make the decision to “stand and fight, or lay down and quit.” We are so glad that Dave and others in situations similar to his choose to “stand and fight.”
It’s not easy being homeless. But, giving up is not a productive response and leads nowhere. We are here to help!
Our goal, on a daily basis, is to encourage those who have fallen into that category. We understand that the holidays can be especially hard on our guests who no longer have a home to celebrate in. We know that being able to join with others, who are in the same situation, can be a comfort to a hurting heart, and we want to move them toward healing.
Providing a holiday meal is one way we can do that.
Each year, we offer a meal of turkey, all the trimmings, pie, and coffee at our annual citywide holiday feast event to anyone who cannot celebrate as they used to. It’s our way of helping them observe a holiday together with others who are hurting in a similar way.
This feast is available for anyone who is homeless, hungry, or does not have the means to cook a special meal.
We hope to give encouragement to the multitude of people who show up to partake of the meal. When they see that we have a heart to serve, we hope it reassures them that we want them to feel important.
They matter.
They are not forgotten.
It’s our desire to help each person feel “seen,” whether they are homeless or not. It is a deep pleasure to us to be able to bring this service to others – especially during this time of year.
