We are The Justification of Youth, but you can call us JOY.
Approaching a decade ago, JOY was formed at a university library in an Ohio college town after an all-call on social media. The concept was simple: one young woman saw an opportunity to lead her peers and professors to live a life with purpose through serving at-risk children in the Dominican Republic.
At the time, all her messaging was aspirational and invitational. She called that season “driving through the fog” because there was a clear idea, it just took a lot of collaboration and prayer to discover it.
The model was very simple: use time and opportunities to love a child.
Approaching work from a foundation of love is not novel. In fact, it is ancient and goes back to the beginning. Yes, the very beginning. The cool, garden-walking time before apples and serpents.
Love through work.
Love through spring break.
Love through summer.
Love through everything.
The present day maxim courses: “If… then I will be happy.” And we live by it, and we buy it. We all do.
But why doesn’t it work?
The life hacks do not prevent divorces.
The purchases do not mend relationships.
The achievements do not free us from trauma.
The self-help and self-care does not free us from anxiety.
Michael Cho
Mauris id fermentum nulla. Mauris egestas at nibh nec finibus. Nulla eu pretium massa.
Elizabeth Qillaq
Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Vivamus a ante congue, porta nunc nec, hendrerit turpis. Mauris egestas at nibh nec finibus.
Donna Williams
Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Vivamus a ante congue, porta nunc nec, hendrerit turpis. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus.