Joy Junction Blog

2023 April #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) The majority of us have some kind of “vice” or “shortcoming” that we have a hard time letting go of:   eating too much dessert, take-out, or junk food, staying up too late to finish a movie or a book on a work/school night,  shopping until the bags are too … Read More

2023 March #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Imagine a scenario where a person is dependent on someone else for everything they need in this life. It would most likely be fairly easy for that person’s heart to become increasingly attached to the one who is providing, day after day, as every need is being met. They have … Read More

2023 February #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) For every piece of property and every human body, we (each of us) have the responsibility of making wise choices throughout the years to keep them in good working condition. When debris blows into our yard, we clean it up. When our bodies get dirty, we clean them up. Clearing … Read More

2023 January #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) It appears that the number of homeless people in our city is growing. Do you ever wonder why? When you see the many homeless people standing on the street medians or huddled up in a corner or making a home out of a large cardboard box, do you ever think … Read More

2022 December #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Can you believe it? Another year has come and gone… At this year-end time, some of us may take a moment and look back over the last year…and realize that there have been many changes in different areas for the majority of us. Whether it has to do with family, … Read More

2022 December #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) The Christmas season is here again. We can smell it in the air as the aroma of spices like cinnamon and peppermint (to name a few) announce that people are cooking up something delicious or creating some kind of special beverage. We can see it in the holiday decorations that … Read More

2022 November #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Think about it… The sun has gone down. It’s dark. You are alone. You are huddled in a corner you call “home” with all your belongings close by. You are wearing your coat, zipped up as far as it will go, and have a blanket wrapped around you. You hold … Read More

2022 November #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) There are many holidays during the span of a year’s time. Some are more prominent than others. But, most people do recognize the Thanksgiving holiday and try to celebrate one way or another. Then, again, there are some who flat do not care what holiday is being celebrated and choose … Read More

2022 October #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) It has been heard many times throughout the state of New Mexico that if you do not like the weather, wait five minutes, and it will change. That seems to be so true. However, there are times when we wish the change would come a little quicker – like when … Read More

2022 October #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) When someone gives you a gift, do you send a hand-written thank you note or card to them? In years past, people would get out a special piece of pressed paper, a jar of ink, and a calligraphy pen to respond to the gift giver with beautifully written penmanship, expressing … Read More

2022 September #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) We seem to hear a lot of griping and complaining about pretty much everything these days. The constant robocalls on our phone… Who’s running for the next election… The crazy drivers around us… The price of groceries… The price of gas… On and on, there always seems to be something … Read More

2022 September #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) So, you’re driving down the street and you see that the traffic light ahead is yellow, getting ready to turn red. You put your foot on the brake and then notice that there is a homeless person standing on the median – right at the location you will need to … Read More

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