Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Christopher Closeup

Home
Catholic
Religious Music & Entertainment

Joy

Select a Category Act One American Idol Andy Griffith Show Audrey Assad Baseball Bible Books Catholic Charities Christmas Christopher Awards Christopher Closeup Christopher News Notes Current Events Down syndrome Education Father Jonathan Morris Father Keller Films Forgiveness Fringe Government Hallmark History Holidays Humor Inspiration Leadership Lost Marriage Media Medical Military Movies Music NY Med Once Upon a Time Once Upon a Time Parenting Patheos Movie Club Person of Interest Politics Pope Francis Prayer Pro Life Saints Senior Citizens Signed Sealed Delivered Special Needs Sports Three Minutes a Day TV Uncategorized Volunteering Women Youth

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

June 2016

June 23, 2016

Doubting and Stumbling Are Part of the Road to Salvation: An Interview with Sarah Hart

It’s not always easy to wrap our heads or hearts around the concept of God’s...

May 2016

May 10, 2016

Never Call Yourself a ‘Bad Person,’ but Rather ‘a Saint-in-Training’

Never call yourself a bad person, but rather “a saint-in-training.” That’s the advice of former...

May 03, 2016

John Schlimm on “Five Years in Heaven,” Doing God’s Work, & the Smile That Changed the World

I interviewed John Schlimm one year ago about his memoir “Five Years in Heaven.” It...

March 2016

March 22, 2016

A Young Man’s Vision of Heaven Inspires ‘Thrive in Joy’ Mission

Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection - the event that makes our redemption possible...

March 18, 2016

Could a Catholic School Graduate Win the Farewell Season of “American Idol”?

(Photo property of Fox) On last night's "American Idol," viewers got to see videos featuring...

February 2016

February 22, 2016

Matt Weber Talks Perforated Stomachs, Finding Humor During Pain, & Seeing God in His Wife

Matt Weber admits that he had lived a relatively trouble-free, "Andy Griffith Show/Leave It to...

January 2016

January 07, 2016

When “Blessed Assurance” Came to Washington

Ninety-one-year-old actress Cicely Tyson was one of the honorees at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors...

December 2015

December 16, 2015

Finding Comfort and Joy in the Broken Chapters of Our Lives

Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Story recently released her first Christmas album, “God With Us,” and...

December 11, 2015

A Disabled Child Finds Joy & Encouragement Around Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

(All photos property of The International Academy of Hope) I've written about The International Academy...

December 10, 2015

Seven Classic TV Christmas Episodes to Boost Your Holiday Spirit

Every December, I rewatch classic TV Christmas episodes either on DVD or via reruns on...

September 2015

September 29, 2015

When a 92-Year-Old Woman Met The New Great-Grandchild She Was Praying For

Ninety-two-year-old Millie Martin is confined to her bed due to congestive heart failure, but her...

September 28, 2015

Four New Nicknames for Pope Francis in the Aftermath of His U.S. Visit

(Photo courtesy of The Tablet) Before the euphoria fades from the visit of the People's...

August 2015

August 04, 2015

A Vision of Heaven in Central Harlem: iHope Finds Beauty Amid Brokenness

You might expect a school for children who've suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to be...

June 2015

June 23, 2015

How an Elderly Nun Brought Hope, Purpose and Joy to a Young Man at a Crossroads in Life

At the age of 31, John Schlimm was at a crossroads. He had spent his...

June 02, 2015

Staying Positive Around Negative People

The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Staying Positive Around Negative People”...

May 2015

May 19, 2015

What a Subway Ride Taught Me About Evangelization

A few months ago on this blog, I shared a story about a subway ride...

February 2015

February 19, 2015

VIDEO: Father Jonathan Morris on Moving Past Resentment

Are you walking around carrying resentment toward some person or situation in your life? Maybe...

February 11, 2015

Why Getting Hit Over the Head by God Turned PJ Anderson Into a Troubadour of Hope

"No more fun." That's what singer-songwriter PJ Anderson thought it meant to give his life...

December 2014

December 12, 2014

Finding Joy Working with Disabled Children

A few months ago, I posted an interview I did with Patrick Donohue, whose daughter...

November 2014

November 19, 2014

Jonathan Jackson + Enation on G.K. Chesterton, Desperate Prayers, Rebellious Hope, and More

There aren't a lot of rock albums out there that were partially inspired by G.K....

September 2014

September 05, 2014

Blessed Mother Teresa’s Advice on ‘Securing Heaven’

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who dedicated her life to serving Christ by ministering to...

July 2014

July 01, 2014

Opening Hearts to the Holy Spirit: An Interview with Singer-Songwriter Tori Harris

For 25-year-old singer-songwriter Tori Harris, attending a Baptist University was the best thing that ever...

June 2014

June 04, 2014

Down Syndrome, Racial Harmony, & Hearing Impairment Themes in High School Poster Contest Winners

Today we're highlighting the top three winners in The Christophers' 24th Annual Poster Contest for...

September 2013

September 06, 2013

A Couple’s Journey Through a Joy-Filled Pregnancy in One Second a Day

Patricia Heaton just shared this Buzzfeed video on Twitter. It was posted by husband and...

March 2012

March 08, 2012

Finding Joy in Difficult Times

Here's an excerpt from our latest Christopher News Note, "Finding Joy in Difficult Times:" Joy....