Peace & Joy Foundation
Navigating the Daily Grind with Faith: Tips for a Balanced Life
Grounding Identity in Christ
Gratitude as an Act of Worship
“When
“See, I am doing a new thing!” Isaiah 43:19 Your voice remains at the center of our mission. Use it.
Peace and Joy, an e-magazine created for Christ-followers who seek to deepen their spiritual journey by applying scientific principles of positive psychology. Our mission is to create a space where faith and science converge, offering you tools, insights, and inspiration to flourish. In the swift currents of modern living, it's not unusual to feel overwhelmed by life's challenges. However, as believers, we seek to live in ways that lean hard into God's promises. We live in the world, yet not bending to the world's claim that we are "the anxious generation," but instead defiantly embracing the joy and peace that flow from a deepening relationship with Christ. We created this space to support you on that path. Positive psychology, the scientific study of what makes life worth living, aligns beautifully with the teachings of Jesus. Researchers have spent the last twenty-five-ish years pulling together findings for how to live our best lives. By integrating these concepts with our faith, we can discover fresh new ways to grow in grace, build resilience, and cultivate a deep sense of purpose.
Every other month, Peace and Joy will share a variety of articles, stories, and practical tips designed to help you steer straight through the crooked twists and turns of your spiritual and emotional journey. From exploring the power of gratitude and forgiveness to finding joy in everyday moments (see more on these “glimmer” moments in Maddy’s social media strategy), our content aims to enrich your walk with God and enhance your well-being.
In this first issue, we delve into the theme of "Identity and Purpose." You'll find inspiration, expert insights on developing a healthy mindset grounded in God's truth, and applied psychology. We also provide biblical reflections that highlight the joy available to us in Christ no matter our circumstances or news of the day. Each issue will provide resources and space to nurture the development of your most Christ-like mind. Our October/November issue will dive deeper into mental health and holistic wellness. As we build future issues, we encourage you to reach out to us with your ideas. As we create this magazine, we do so to serve you. Therefore, your voice remains at the center of our mission
We believe that by embracing the power of scientifically-grounded psychology life hacks, and grounding them in our faith, we can truly thrive. Echoing the original “adventurer for the gospel”, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, another one of my heroes, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once shared, “In a real sense all life is inter-related. All [humanity] are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be...This is the inter-related structure of reality.”
Thus, our service to your well-being constitutes an act of enlightened self-interest. For all to thrive, we need you to step into your individual destiny.
Join our movement, and boldly push back against a world screaming its dark messages of anger and fear. No matter the events of the day, both personally and generally, we aren’t to live in fear (Philippians 4:6-7), but in victory. Our hope is that this magazine becomes a source of encouragement, helping you to experience the fullness of life that Jesus promised as we await His return.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. May each page bring you closer to the abundant life God desires for you.
With blessings and gratitude,
Wendy Biddle, Director dr.wendy@peaceandjoyfoundation.com
ABOUT US
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Please let us know how we in the peace and Joy community can pray for you. email dr.wendy@peaceandjoyfoundation.com to be added to our list.
Peace and Joy Support Team
Project Manager and Spiritual Director
Web Director
Karla Sanchez Tavera
Empowering men and women to find their identity and change negative habits, to create healthier rhythms of life.
Content Creators
Darion Brown
creator specializing in web development and maintenance to ensure a seamless user experience for R417 platforms
Jordan DeLaney
A passionate advocate for holistic well-being, Jordan is our Content Creator with dual master's degrees in Public Health and Social Work With years of ministry experience, she guides others in spiritual and personal growth, emphasizing equity, intentionality, and integrating science with wellness strategies for abundant living
Midjina Richard
Public Health professional and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) who prides herself as a first-generation Haitian American with strong family, faith, and equity values
Navigating the Daily Grind with Faith:
Tips for a Balanced, Purposeful Life
The Challenge
Does it ever feel like living for Christ, while also balancing the normal demands of life is just too much? It can feel like pressures of academics, extracurricular activities, and social interactions compete with the desire to grow spiritually and live out one ' s faith authentically. We get it. From that place, we have a few tips to encourage you as you build a lifestyle that allows you to navigate these dual commitments effectively. Check out these practical strategies and insights to help you integrate your faith into your achievements, while maintaining a balanced and more content life.
5 Tips to Balancing a Healthy Social Life and Relationship with God
Our identities are rooted in Christ. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) Remind yourself daily that you’re a child of God, Paste affirmations on your mirror, pull empowering Scripture into your -day-day-life with Post-its or whatever it takes . When you know your worth, you won’t easily bend to others
Rooted in True Identity Set Boundaries 01 04 02 05 03
Trustyourgut,friend Gettoknow whatmakesyoufeelweird,respect yourlimitsanddecidewhatyou’re comfortablewithaheadoftime If youknowcertainsituationsmight challengeyourvalues,planyour response Boundariesmakeiteasier tostandfirm Everythingdoesn’t havetobeabigrealityshowdrama, andsayingnodoesn’thavetobea bigdeal Keepitshortandsweet, andyou’remorelikelytobeclear andconfident “Nah,I’mgood,”works justfine Themoreyoupractice,the easieritgets
Purpose
Confidence doesn’t come easily, but it is worth it to pursue its growth
To become rock solid in what we believe, we must know why we believe it This means spending time in the Bible and prayer, so we write those values onto our hearts (Proverbs 3:3).
Confidence in Conviction Stay Busy with Positive Activities
Fill your time with activities that align with your faith Join a ministry group, volunteer, or get into hobbies you love Don't be afraid to try something new Staying busy with good stuff makes it easier to avoid negative influences
If your buddies aim to do something that doesn’t sit right with you, suggest something that does Have a movie night, go for a hike, or just chill and talk There are plenty of ways to have fun that don’t violate what you value.
Build a Strong Social Support System
Friends should uplift us and respect our beliefs While it’s cool to have friends with diverse perspectives, our closest pals should support our faith journeys Remember, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17)
Grounding My Identity in Christ: When Did I Stop Being Fearfully and Wonderfully Made?
By Midjina Richard
I may sound silly, I used to think my life wasn ’t so bad, and that I was near perfect. God indeed took his time creating me in his image, as I could see my physical and character qualities. I was always told I had nice teeth, and as soon as I started to love my skin and culture, other people began to praise me for those as well. I worked hard in school, and felt pride graduating at the top of my high school class as valedictorian.
As I’ ve grown a little older, my sense of identity has grown more complex. I am a black Haitian woman. While I can and do face various oppressions from those identities, until a few years ago I had only thought about the benefits I had. I wasn ’t born into a super-rich family, but I had what I needed for the most part, and I couldn’t have asked for better siblings. I never had major surgeries or a medical crisis. As a result, I genuinely had an easy time believing that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. I thought I was more precious than rubies and that God favored me. But lately, that hasn’t been my mindset. Lately, my negative thoughts have crowded out my awareness of my blessings. For example, I have noticed my teeth have shifted. I have scoliosis. Then I was reminded of the time when I was hospitalized as a little girl for a scalp condition, and now all I can think of is will that happen again at the sight of any dandruff. While I inherently know that death is inevitable, I irrationally panic for any little health thing. I find myself now wondering: What really made me ever believe that I was “fearfully and wonderfully made”?
Was it all those worldly things or was it that I saw myself and believed in my heart that God made me in his image? Was it because I was in a season of my life where I was more connected to God and believed these thing? Honestly, I started to blame my increased awareness, having studied Public Health in graduate school, and part of me naturally wonders if ignorance is bliss.
But why do I have to stop believing the word that spoke to me that made me confident, love, and appreciate the work that God created, which is me? Why was I no longer in awe of myself despite having already been aware of my imperfections? Before, I could appreciate and own my imperfections. Why do I now criticize myself so much and think others notice them, too? I continue to reconcile my new knowledge regarding the risks of being a vulnerable human with God’s eternal truths.
As I reflected, I realized my focus was no longer on God. Yes, I prayed and held the same values regarding my faith, yet I was personally disconnected from God. I initially declared the Lord's truth over me by practicing gratitude and being able to go straight to God whenever I was troubled, whether in prayer or worship in song. However, something always came up for me to discredit the Lord's work. Unfortunately, I gave more energy to all of my worries and thoughts. Slowly but surely, I found my way back through more thoughtful prayers and being kinder to myself.
Woven Thanks: Finding Real Gratitude in the Frayed Fabric of Everyday Life
By Dr Wendy Biddle
It’s not just how, but Who blesses us
Although most of us realize we should be more grateful, we struggle with aligning our lives to truly reflect this truth. In Dustin Crowe’s The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks, he focuses our attention away from the gifts we receive.
Instead, he directs us to notice what those gifts tell us about the Giver. What is He teaching us about Himself through His gifts?
To Crowe’s question, I add another couple:
1. What is He teaching us about ourselves through our abilities to perceive and receive those gifts?
2. What practical steps might we start today to more closely align our actions (and thoughts) to His way?
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will..
