Joy Starts Here the transformation zone

by E. James Wilder, Jim Wilder

Joy is a banquet table to which we are all invited. The places are set, and the table is filled with the delightful aroma that satisfies our deepest longing for life-giving connections with God and with others.

There is room at this table for everyone; young and old, weak or strong. So pull up a chair, we've been waiting for you!

Jim Wilder, Ed Khouri, Chris Coursey, and Shelia Sutton guide us through the journey to joy. This is the real joy you've been seeking. The solutions and exercises in this book will teach you the essential skills needed to restore and grow joy with those around you.

Join the beginning of a joyful revolution that can change your life, your community and the world. Get ready...Joy Starts Here.

Genres: Christian, Church, Self Help, Spirituality

263 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

This author is also published under the pen name Jim Wilder.

Reviews

[Jan Johnson]

This book has been tremendously helpful to me. So many good ideas: moving from being accusative to restorative; how intergenerational community is part of how joy works (this explained why I have so many "sons" in the faith); people are not the sum of their mistakes; Immanuel prayer and life-style. The Bible studies have really spoken to me.

Merged review:

How people change is one of the greatest interests in my life. No matter how hard we want to change, it's as if something sabotages us at times. This book uses recent discoveries in brain science about how the brain works optimally in a joyful state. In that state and with a few other factors present, change can occur in a person. And it's not that hard!
I'm reading it for the second time and taking notes as well as reflecting on what I've learned. It's a stunner!

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not my first introduction to the Life Model or Immanuel Lifestyle teaching, but I was told that it is the best non-technical introduction to the foundational ideas behind these paradigms. After having read the book, I think that it was a good recommendation.

Joy Starts Here makes a strong case that the relational skills behind building and returning to joy have become less and less practiced and propagated in our most recent generations. In light of this joy deficit, Wilder gives practical advice to help build and spread joy to our communities. One of the principal ways this is done is having communities that have both weak and strong individuals that treat each other's weakness with tenderness and practice returning to joy quickly.

While I found this book incredibly helpful, it can be overwhelming because of the sheer amount of jargon/vocabulary that is used by the author. Even though I had been exposed to a lot of the concepts before, I found myself needing to check the glossary in the back several times a chapter to make sure that I got the full meaning of the term being used.

I recommend this as a wonderful resource for those trying to understand and put into practice the Life Model and Immanuel Lifestyle principles taught by Dr. Wilder.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good in that it combines spirituality with psychology, something I have often wondered about. Where one begins and the other leaves off...it would be better if they used commonly used psychological terms instead of making up new ones.
I read it because a group I am in was reading and discussing it. Unfortunately, we aren't really following its recommendations. It is very interesting that they say joy takes 3 generations to achieve.

[Dennis Podryadchikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: "Joy Starts Here: The Transformation Zone" by E. James Wilder et al

"Joy Starts Here" offers a holistic approach to cultivating sustainable joy in our lives and communities. Authors emphasizes the importance of multigenerational community, an Immanuel lifestyle, and relational brain skills in fostering lasting transformation.

Through practical insights and thought-provoking questions, the book explores key concepts such as distinguishing between true joy and substitutes, navigating attachment pain, and fostering healthy relationships with both God and others. The authors provide actionable guidance for building joy in various contexts, from schools to multigenerational communities.

Overall, "Joy Starts Here" equips readers with the tools needed to embark on a transformative journey toward experiencing and spreading joy in their lives.

[Julian Bacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book for its countless insights and moving personal anecdotes. Not the best organized. Seems like large paragraph throughout the book repeat the same things. I wish I had a diagram to understand how all the pieces fit together.

Promotes the importance of Joy to promote good character and healthy community.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Reed, not an easy read. It’s a very intriguing. Look at the theology and brain science of joy. God made us to have joy and our brains crave it. The author helps us understand both our need for joy, the substitute will run to, and the natural cycle of joy, which includes joy, shalom, and a return to Joy. Worth reading… And growing from. Another great related book is called Joy switch.

[Rudonna Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It is my "joy Bible". Studying neurotheology as this gives me a language to understand myself and seek God's touch on the areas that lack joy in my soul. It also lays before us the path to joy found in God.

[Ashley Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

A necessary read.

Can be helpful to have read Jim Wilder’s The Other Half of Church and/or Chris Coursey’s The Joy Switch before reading this book. The text could be better formatted and edited, but the content is solid.

[Angela Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know about the Life Model, this one is pretty technical and not very easy to read. I would start with one of the other Life Model books first.

[Michel Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about joy and how to build the joy in your community.

[Yendra Tencza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant intro into their work & the need for healthy attachments in an intergenerational community where the strong protect the weak

[Toni Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for all who work to create spaces for human abundance to dwell!

[Jenna Rotelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for the material
2 stars for the writing

[Sarah Kortright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. A little hard to break into but well worth it. A very relevant perspective on our need for joy, the joyful nature of God, and the potential for individuals and communities to develop joyful connections.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the mix of theology and brain science!