2026 February
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Most of us think about “tomorrow”…whatever that date is. We think of future things coming up. We plan for events we are looking forward to. We set aside time to be involved in activities that interest us.
That’s a normal part of life. Participating in something is important to us because it usually means we are going to be with people we enjoy.
It’s very frustrating and annoying when the unexpected happens and it causes us to suddenly need to rearrange our plans. Those who “fly by the seat of their pants,” so to speak, may have no problem adjusting their plans and going in a different direction.
But those who really like a routine and their “comfort zone,” usually have a much harder time changing plans. Adjusting to a different idea randomly thrown into the mix is not an easy thing to do.
Our emotions are involved. Some people cry. Some people throw tantrums. Some people get mean. Every person responds differently.
That’s where Todd (not his real name), one of our guests, found himself.
Here’s his story:
My wife unexpectedly died…and It destroyed me. I just couldn’t get myself together enough to do anything.
I was angry…very angry…that this happened to us.
I missed her so much! I struggled with depression and mood swings. I wound up losing my job, which caused me to lose the house. I was a wreck…and everything was going wrong.
I had no one to turn to since I ruined all the relationships I had. I heard about this place [Joy Junction] and decided it was my only option. It wound up being a good decision because it’s a nice place — and has more positive things about it, than negative.
I joined the program and I’m holding steady. I’m not deteriorating as bad as I expected. In fact, I feel I am slightly improving. I still struggle and have bad days along with the good. But, I’m learning to accept the situation.
The program is helping me to understand that this is all part of a bigger plan and that God brought me here so I could learn more about Him and His plan.
Many people who wind up homeless certainly never planned such an occurrence. But, there are times when life makes some pretty sharp curves, and the entire world is turned upside down for them.
They feel like they have been thrown into a whirlwind of emotion, and are shocked to find themselves in such a state. They are not sure how to handle it all.
We work hard to understand each guest’s story, and we love on them as they make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. We know God wants the best for all of our guests – and so do we.
That means we work hard to take care of their necessities, while we also maintain our property’s structures for them. It’s a major factor to us to provide an updated facility for our guests.
We continually take care of the interiors of the many buildings on our campus because we want to make sure our guests, like Todd, feel comfortable. We want them to know that they, as well as their needs, are important to us.
Because of consistent financial participation from our donors, we have been able to keep our campus up to date. This last year, we realized the time had come for most of our buildings, fixtures, and appliances to receive some kind of repair or upgrade.
One of the main spaces used (and still use) every single day is our Multi-Purpose building. It serves as the dining and food preparation facility, houses our largest men and women’s restrooms, and is where all other Bible or educational presentations are conducted. Because of the continual use, we needed to update several different areas.
We removed the old flooring in most parts of the building and replaced it with epoxy flooring. We also painted the walls in the dining area. We sealed and painted the walls in the restrooms, upgraded the shower stalls, and replaced many of the other fixtures.
Concerning both of our barracks, we removed the old flooring and replaced it with epoxy flooring. We also upgraded the showers, replaced the toilets, updated the sinks, and painted the stair walkways. We are continuing to remodel our Transitional Living Center units, as well.
For other areas on campus, we repaired or replaced several water heaters and updated some outdoor spaces by adding bricks and gravel. In addition, we replaced 40 tables, 92 chairs, 35 emergency overnight cots, and quite a few security cameras. We also installed some new AC units, replaced or made repairs on several building roofs, and updated the sprinkler system.
Because of our wonderful donors, we have been able to keep our campus in good working order so that our guests can enjoy their temporary home and maximize every possible benefit for the duration of their stay.
Thank you, donors, for all your help! We, and our guests, appreciate you and your compassionate heart.
