253: Why joy is meant to be shared

We are now a month into the new year…how’s it going for you?

Wherever you might be with those resolutions, however you’re feeling right now, know this: Joy doesn’t usually arrive with fireworks.

It doesn’t always show up in the big, obvious moments we imagine when we think about fresh starts or new beginnings. More often, joy arrives quietly. In relief. In connection. In the moment someone realizes they’re not alone anymore.

And that’s why, this year, The Salvation Army is inviting people to Give with Joy.

Not just to give more—but to give differently.

To notice how generosity changes us. To pay attention to what happens inside us when we give freely, honestly, and with love. To remember that joy isn’t something we wait to feel once everything is fixed—it’s something that grows as we participate in the good.

And that’s where our focus for this season comes in.

We’re calling it “Share the Joy.”

Because sharing joy isn’t just a phrase. It’s not a slogan. It’s a lived experience.

It’s what happens when someone who once received help becomes someone who helps. It’s what happens when hope doesn’t stop at relief—but continues through healing, takes root, and then moves outward.

Help. Healing. Hope. Helping.

That full circle—that’s what this season is about.

Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear stories from people who know that circle intimately. People who came to The Salvation Army at moments when life felt overwhelming, uncertain or broken. People who were met with care, dignity and compassion—and who are now giving back in meaningful, often very ordinary ways.

These aren’t glossy stories. They’re honest ones.

Stories of second chances that took time. Stories of dignity restored slowly. Stories where joy didn’t erase the hard parts—but grew alongside them.

And that matters, because joy isn’t about pretending life is easy. Joy is about meaning. It’s about discovering that even in the middle of difficulty, something good can take root.

I think sometimes we imagine joy as a personality trait—you either have it or you don’t. But joy is much more relational than that. It shows up when someone sees you. When someone listens. When someone stays a few minutes longer than they had planned.

And even better? When those moments are shared—when they’re told, remembered and passed on—they multiply.

That’s why this season is so deeply rooted in story.

Each episode will begin with a story—a turning point. A moment when something shifted. Sometimes that shift will be dramatic. Sometimes it will be barely noticeable at first.

We’ll talk about what it means to receive help. What it takes to heal. How hope forms over time.
And what happens when someone decides to offer back what they were once given.

And we’ll reflect together on how joy grows when it’s shared—not hoarded, not forced, not performed, but shared honestly.

Because here’s something I believe with my whole heart: Your story matters.

Not just the polished parts. Not just the happy ending. But the real story—the one that includes longing, struggle, growth and grace.

Even the smallest moments of joy you’ve experienced—relief, gratitude, connection—those matter too. Especially those.

And this season, I want to invite you not just to listen to stories—but to find your own.

As part of this series, we’ve created a short, free email course called Find Your Story: Share the Joy. It’s a gentle, five-day journey designed to help you notice a moment of joy from your own life, shape it into a story and share it in a way that might encourage someone else.

Not because your story has to be dramatic. Not because you need the perfect words. But because when one person shares a real story of hope, someone else often finds the courage to believe again.

Find it here, and join anytime. Think of it as a way to participate—to step into the same cycle of good you’ll hear about in these episodes.

Because when stories like these are shared, they don’t just inspire us.

They invite us in.

They remind us that goodness is still happening. That transformation is possible. That none of us are too far gone to become part of the story.

You might be listening today as someone who is still in the middle of receiving help. Or as someone who has found stability and is wondering what comes next. Or as someone who has been giving for a long time and needs a reminder of why it matters.

Wherever you find yourself, my hope is that this season meets you there.

That you’ll listen with an open heart. That you’ll recognize yourself somewhere in these stories.
And that you’ll be reminded—again and again—that joy isn’t meant to end with us.

It’s meant to be shared.

So as we begin this new year, I want to offer a gentle invitation.

Pay attention to joy.

Notice the moments when something lightens—even just a little. Notice when someone helps you, or when you’re able to help someone else. Notice the stories that move you—and don’t keep them to yourself.

Because when one story is shared, someone else finds the courage to begin theirs. And when joy is shared, it grows.

I’m so glad you’re here. I’m grateful for the stories we’ll hear together. And I can’t wait to begin.

Let’s share the joy. Let’s Give with Joy. Let’s start the story.

Additional resources:

• What if one small story could spark hope? Join our free 5-day email course, Find Your Story: Share the Joy. Discover how everyday moments from your own life can encourage courage and kindness in others.
• If you are enjoying this show and want to support it, leave a rating and review wherever you listen to help new listeners hit play for the first time with more confidence.  
• If you want to help The Salvation Army serve more than 27 million Americans in need each year, give today. Your gift of money, goods or time helps The Salvation Army do good all year in your community.  

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