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Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight
What if we weren't intimidated by the task of living with full-throated joy?
In this collection of short essays, Shemaiah Gonzalez recommends a fresh view on life, through her own experiences and discovery of finding joy in both the mundane and magnificent. In energetic prose, Gonzalez finds delight in naps, capybaras, and wandering the English countryside - and encourages readers to see the joy present in these moments as well. When we turn our attention to the joy around us, we become attuned to God's constant presence with us and in all these things.
This is not toxic positivity. Gonzalez is no stranger to the darkness present in the world. Rather, knowing both darkness and light helps us acknowledge the disparity in between the two. In Undaunted Joy, Gonzalez dares to stare darkness in the eye and respond in joy as an act of defiance.
Over the course of 37 essays, Gonzalez entices the reader to join her in this endeavor. Her tender reflections and engaging storytelling beckon us to look at the world through the lens of joy, even when faced with pain and hardship, and thereby revolutionize our everyday. In teaching readers to see joy as a way of life, Undaunted Joy gives us permission to claim God's goodness even in a broken world and to share it with abandon.
In this collection of short essays, Shemaiah Gonzalez recommends a fresh view on life, through her own experiences and discovery of finding joy in both the mundane and magnificent. In energetic prose, Gonzalez finds delight in naps, capybaras, and wandering the English countryside - and encourages readers to see the joy present in these moments as well. When we turn our attention to the joy around us, we become attuned to God's constant presence with us and in all these things.
This is not toxic positivity. Gonzalez is no stranger to the darkness present in the world. Rather, knowing both darkness and light helps us acknowledge the disparity in between the two. In Undaunted Joy, Gonzalez dares to stare darkness in the eye and respond in joy as an act of defiance.
Over the course of 37 essays, Gonzalez entices the reader to join her in this endeavor. Her tender reflections and engaging storytelling beckon us to look at the world through the lens of joy, even when faced with pain and hardship, and thereby revolutionize our everyday. In teaching readers to see joy as a way of life, Undaunted Joy gives us permission to claim God's goodness even in a broken world and to share it with abandon.
- GenresNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2025
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92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 2, 2025
I was perched on a chair in the back of the crowded college library, watching my baby crawl (for the third time ever) on the patterned carpet.
The carpet--so much more conducive to crawling than my hardwood floors at home--seemed like a good reason to stay for the author reading, even though Baby was due for a nap and, honestly, so was I. The conference Emcee introduced Shemaiah Gonzalez, a new-to-me author of narrative nonfiction (not usually my thing). Still, the carpet was soft and the group was very welcoming to my little one--and I wanted to glean everything I possibly could from this conference. So I stayed.
Two minutes later, and I was desperately hoping the suddenly tired baby would quietly fall asleep nursing, because I was RAPT and had no intention of walking away unless I had to.
Five minutes later I was laughing (slightly aloud, but not very, because the baby was almost asleep).
Ten minutes later and the baby was snuggled into my neck and tears were falling from my cheek onto his head.
Shemaiah read two essays and the introduction to her new book, Undaunted Joy: the Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. The first essay could have been a masterclass on telling a story. The attention to details... The grounding of her audience in a real and vivid setting... The drawing out of emotion with perfect timing... The honesty and vulnerability and joy. It was the Introduction, though, that made me cry. Shemaiah wrote of her struggles with depression and anxiety, and how noticing little moments of goodness helped her find joy. She said, "Joy doesn't have to be something big. It is the small stuff that builds a joy-filled life. God is there in those moments." Every chapter in the book is an exploration of one of those small moments, those God-filled joys, as they played out in the author's life. I decided instantly to buy a copy, because I knew I needed to read every single page.
I couldn't help but read it slowly, because it is a book to be savored. But almost two weeks later, I can now say: every single page had the same effect as the ones I heard read aloud. I am impressed (and learning from) the storytelling. But I am inspired by the message pulsating in every sentence:
Joy is there for the taking, even (and most poignantly) in the midst of darkness. It isn't a feeling but a gift, and just a little effort will reveal the hand of the Giver.
The carpet--so much more conducive to crawling than my hardwood floors at home--seemed like a good reason to stay for the author reading, even though Baby was due for a nap and, honestly, so was I. The conference Emcee introduced Shemaiah Gonzalez, a new-to-me author of narrative nonfiction (not usually my thing). Still, the carpet was soft and the group was very welcoming to my little one--and I wanted to glean everything I possibly could from this conference. So I stayed.
Two minutes later, and I was desperately hoping the suddenly tired baby would quietly fall asleep nursing, because I was RAPT and had no intention of walking away unless I had to.
Five minutes later I was laughing (slightly aloud, but not very, because the baby was almost asleep).
Ten minutes later and the baby was snuggled into my neck and tears were falling from my cheek onto his head.
Shemaiah read two essays and the introduction to her new book, Undaunted Joy: the Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. The first essay could have been a masterclass on telling a story. The attention to details... The grounding of her audience in a real and vivid setting... The drawing out of emotion with perfect timing... The honesty and vulnerability and joy. It was the Introduction, though, that made me cry. Shemaiah wrote of her struggles with depression and anxiety, and how noticing little moments of goodness helped her find joy. She said, "Joy doesn't have to be something big. It is the small stuff that builds a joy-filled life. God is there in those moments." Every chapter in the book is an exploration of one of those small moments, those God-filled joys, as they played out in the author's life. I decided instantly to buy a copy, because I knew I needed to read every single page.
I couldn't help but read it slowly, because it is a book to be savored. But almost two weeks later, I can now say: every single page had the same effect as the ones I heard read aloud. I am impressed (and learning from) the storytelling. But I am inspired by the message pulsating in every sentence:
Joy is there for the taking, even (and most poignantly) in the midst of darkness. It isn't a feeling but a gift, and just a little effort will reveal the hand of the Giver.
July 21, 2025
This little book held so much light.
What struck me most about Undaunted Joy was how personal it felt, like a trusted friend gently taking my hand, leading me out of the fog. And yet, Shemaiah’s reflections don’t just speak to one person’s story, they carry a balm for anyone longing for more joy, especially in the thick of suffering.
The idea that joy is an act of resistance deeply moved me. As someone who has wrestled with mental health, that phrase felt like armor. Joy is not naive. It’s not the denial of hardship. It’s a holy defiance against despair.
Shemaiah reminds us that joy isn’t something we wait for—it’s something we notice. It’s already here, glimmering in ordinary moments. Even in the darkest seasons, there are glints of grace waiting to be seen.
This book helped me remember: joy is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline. And it’s ours, even now.
What struck me most about Undaunted Joy was how personal it felt, like a trusted friend gently taking my hand, leading me out of the fog. And yet, Shemaiah’s reflections don’t just speak to one person’s story, they carry a balm for anyone longing for more joy, especially in the thick of suffering.
The idea that joy is an act of resistance deeply moved me. As someone who has wrestled with mental health, that phrase felt like armor. Joy is not naive. It’s not the denial of hardship. It’s a holy defiance against despair.
Shemaiah reminds us that joy isn’t something we wait for—it’s something we notice. It’s already here, glimmering in ordinary moments. Even in the darkest seasons, there are glints of grace waiting to be seen.
This book helped me remember: joy is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline. And it’s ours, even now.
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August 2, 2025thoughts before reading.
Uh, I do not like that the word “delight” is tossed around in books now after 2024. It used to be (and for the time being still is) a sacred word I use in my reflections to describe specific states of being in the world: holy and awaited and incorporated in my days. Now this sacredness is stripped and everyone gropes her, they chew her and spit her out, they stretch her to fit recycled ways of being, never asking what the word has to teach. I worry about her from this commercializing and worry for myself that the noise will seep into my own definition and taint our relationship. We’ll see how this book cultivates. Does “cultivating” anything work? Doing things with the expectation that it’ll make me happy is forced and seldom results in happiness. Will the intentional “cultivation” of delight be different? Recalling experiments with rats that click buttons to spike their dopamine: an addiction is born and the original goal of our seeking fades and sometimes despised. Is the new movement a way to obsess over increasing our “delight” like people obsess over increasing …. everything that may feel good? Obsess and then abuse until it becomes tasteless? Is this the future of the word “delight”?
Uh, I do not like that the word “delight” is tossed around in books now after 2024. It used to be (and for the time being still is) a sacred word I use in my reflections to describe specific states of being in the world: holy and awaited and incorporated in my days. Now this sacredness is stripped and everyone gropes her, they chew her and spit her out, they stretch her to fit recycled ways of being, never asking what the word has to teach. I worry about her from this commercializing and worry for myself that the noise will seep into my own definition and taint our relationship. We’ll see how this book cultivates. Does “cultivating” anything work? Doing things with the expectation that it’ll make me happy is forced and seldom results in happiness. Will the intentional “cultivation” of delight be different? Recalling experiments with rats that click buttons to spike their dopamine: an addiction is born and the original goal of our seeking fades and sometimes despised. Is the new movement a way to obsess over increasing our “delight” like people obsess over increasing …. everything that may feel good? Obsess and then abuse until it becomes tasteless? Is this the future of the word “delight”?
July 7, 2025
I was browsing the shelves of new acquisitions at my local library when I came across this book. It looked interesting, so I thought I'd check it out and give it a try. I'm so glad I did, as I enjoyed this book very much! I loved the many essays on various things, both large and small, which can bring joy and delight in life. But I think my favorite essay was "in abundance," a listing of 100 things or experiences that have caused delight and joy in the life of the author and her family. It inspired me to start my own list of 100 things that bring me joy. Even in the midst of sadness, trouble, or despair, there is plenty of joy to be found if we just open our eyes and look around, which is, I think, the whole message of this book. Thank you, Shemaiah Gonzales, for your wonderful book!
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July 9, 2025I wanted to love this book, and I did love the first half. I even got teary eyed reading the chapter "In Dreams of Loss." I savored beautiful thoughts and passages and the feeling of finding a kindred spirit until ch 22. Which seemed out of place almost an afterthought or a small offering to the secular world. I did finish the book though and might reread parts of the first half.
Update: I have no problem with Costco. When I mentioned a "secular offering" it was the passage about not wanting or needing anymore babies but enjoying them at Costco. It just seemed out of place. A nod to the contracepting world we live in. As if to say, I'm Christain but don't worry I'm not an anti-contraceptive Christian. Which I just didn't expect.
Update: I have no problem with Costco. When I mentioned a "secular offering" it was the passage about not wanting or needing anymore babies but enjoying them at Costco. It just seemed out of place. A nod to the contracepting world we live in. As if to say, I'm Christain but don't worry I'm not an anti-contraceptive Christian. Which I just didn't expect.
October 19, 2025
This is the warm cup of tea (or coffee) that my soul needed. Shemaiah's vulnerability made me feel seen and understood. Each story felt like a conversation with a good friend. This is a book I'll come back to in the future when I need a reminder to seek out the hidden joys that are always present. Also, if you're a parent of littles, this book was nice because I could read each chapter as a self-contained story / idea. Then if I couldn't get back to it for a few days, I could easily get back into the reading groove.
May 1, 2025
Undaunted Joy by Shemaiah Gonzalez is a beautiful, honest book about finding joy in all moments. Her words are full of hope and truth, reminding us that joy does not come from a perfect life. It comes from our faith in God and living in that faith. Her essays are engaging, relatable, and at times funny. Shemaiah speaks of God's love in such a way, that I am inspired to connect with Him on a deeper level than ever before.
April 24, 2025
A lovely little book about finding joy in everything, from silence to cacophony, in the extraordinary and in the mundane, in loved ones and in strangers. She peppers it with anecdotes and illustrations from her own life, and the result is lively and inspiring.
July 3, 2025
A lovely and thoughtful book. This year I’ve tried to read books that are inspiring and hopeful and this fit perfectly into that effort.
November 6, 2025
Joy is hard because it is countercultural. Even when you see the word tossed about in society, it is a weak, diluted joy. Joy is transcendent. It is from God. It is Him, peeking from behind the curtain or veil to reach out to us.I was intrigued when I read an interview with the author on Miller's Book Review. I liked her claim that joy is countercultural. I liked her denial of having "toxic positivity." I liked her linking joy to the fruit of knowing God. So I did what I rarely do. I ordered it without waiting for reward points to show up on Amazon.
It turns out that was the right thing to do because by the time the book arrived, I was going through some things that made me really need looking for joy as an experience of God. I already asked God every morning what sort of an adventure he'd be dishing up for me, something planned especially for me, whether good or bad.
These essays about joy fit right into that part of my prayer life. It hooked me because they didn't just include sunsets (though, of course, sunsets are in there). There's also the joy of a nap, of laundry, of Costco (yep, Costco), of a haircut. Most of all, they all connected to God I gulped them down greedily and then got to the last one about the oft-derided book Pollyanna. I got that and read it too. And found joy in it also.
Undaunted Joy is going into my daily rotation of inspirational books. In fact, I'm going to begin it again now.
Slowly, I learned to see joy not as an indulgence but as a necessity. As a way of life. This didn't happen all at once, but through a slow process over time—one that continues even today.
May 8, 2025
We throw around the word "joy." But there's a quality people need to possess, first, if they want to find joy: curiosity. This is what Shemaiah Gonzalez possesses in spades, and it's what is necessary for great essay-writing. (And I am proud to have seen some of these essays along the way to publication and feel confident calling them "great.")
After all, to essay means to attempt or to try. Meaning doesn't just come to us; it has to be worked for. Through these essays of Shemaiah's, we come to understand that the author is curious about theology, God, and what comes next after this life of everyday doldrums and minor joys. But her curiosity also extends to far-flung places and Earth-bound people (others might dismiss) and how they tick, for Shemaiah is about cultivating--and sharing--joy right here and now.
And, yes, as the title says (and because she is my friend, I know) she is undaunted in her ever-curious explorations into human nature. This kind of essaying exploration is what makes this book universal. Give it to your Catholic mother and your questioning nephew; but it will be equally accepted by non-Catholics and, I'd venture, open-minded nonbelievers alike.
All this, and (what is equally important for those of us who write essays ourselves), the writing is beautiful yet plain-spoken, concise when it needs to be, searchingly deep when it needs to be.
Who doesn't need a how-to on finding delight in the everyday? Shemaiah is a wonderful guide. I'm already looking forward to her next book!
After all, to essay means to attempt or to try. Meaning doesn't just come to us; it has to be worked for. Through these essays of Shemaiah's, we come to understand that the author is curious about theology, God, and what comes next after this life of everyday doldrums and minor joys. But her curiosity also extends to far-flung places and Earth-bound people (others might dismiss) and how they tick, for Shemaiah is about cultivating--and sharing--joy right here and now.
And, yes, as the title says (and because she is my friend, I know) she is undaunted in her ever-curious explorations into human nature. This kind of essaying exploration is what makes this book universal. Give it to your Catholic mother and your questioning nephew; but it will be equally accepted by non-Catholics and, I'd venture, open-minded nonbelievers alike.
All this, and (what is equally important for those of us who write essays ourselves), the writing is beautiful yet plain-spoken, concise when it needs to be, searchingly deep when it needs to be.
Who doesn't need a how-to on finding delight in the everyday? Shemaiah is a wonderful guide. I'm already looking forward to her next book!
June 1, 2025
Because the only other book I've read on the topic of joy is by C.S. Lewis ("Surprised by Joy"), I was expecting a more philosophical approach to the subject in "Undaunted Joy." Why joy? What is it? What is behind those moments when we suddenly feel joyful, not just happy or content? Shemaiah Gonzalez takes a far different and, I think, more congenial approach to her subject, one that centers our emotional life in every day affairs. This seems to work to encourage and remind readers to "count it all joy when you face trials." In this, "Undaunted Joy" is closer to the idea in Paul's Letter to the Philippians, to "Rejoice always," in line with the idea of finding joy even when facing challenging circumstances. And this book succeeds very well in this work. A few times I thought, as the focus shifted from one experience to another, that Brian Doyle's short essays might have been an influence. Though at times I thought that the subject shifted a bit from experiencing joy to experiencing perseverance, one of the real strengths I found especially enjoyable in this book is the more topical way that it unfolds. In a variety of chapters, the author explores different periods of her life--childhood, college, marriage, raising children--and various anecdotes, explorations, and insights emerge. These chapters feel like short essays on the various ways that the author has learned to keep awake to enjoyment.
December 10, 2025
What joy can be found in the mundane, ordinary, every day? This is what Shemaiah Gonzalez explores in her wonderful first book with Zondervan, and oh, how she finds - and shares - it in abundance. From simple pleasures to the marvel of her son's growing bodies, Gonzalez writes about how every day joys (sometimes the most simple being the most rich and surprising) reveal God's infinite love for her and us. This was a wonderful book of touching, heartfelt essays that anyone from any background could read. This book could be used as a tool for daily meditation (read through the essays slowly and savor them) and offers the reader ample chances to look at his or her own life to seek and find the abundance that Gonzalez so readily identifies. I loved this book and had the opportunity to meet the author herself at a writers retreat; she and the book live up to the hype. I also gave this book as a gift to my mother-in-law, who was in turn greatly touched. This is a perfect gift for oneself or someone else and a beautiful read.
December 12, 2025
This book is a wonderful volume to either reset your focus on the beauty of the world or to encourage you to maintain your focus on the good, true, and beautiful if that is already a strength of yours. This collection of essays invites us to see the beauty in the world around us, all with a refreshing way of pointing us to also see the Creator bestowing these gifts on us. Each essay can stand independently, and they are the perfect length for reading during a short wait (a great book to tuck into your purse) or to end the evening with. I found my own sleep better when ending the day focused on positives instead of doom-scrolling or rehashing the day’s worries. This book is a must-have, and a great one to gift as well.
September 14, 2025
Sister Laura recommended this one and I’ve loved every book she has ever recommended or written. In this one, I just couldn’t get past her husband sitting in the backyard smoking a cigar and shooting families of raccoons with a BB gun. It ruined the whole book and I was never able to get over it. That visual is anything but “undaunted joy” for me. It is not an “act of cultivating delight.” This book is full of wonderful examples of both joy and delight, but that one was so violent to this animal loving, nature enthusiast, and self proclaimed keeper of the garden, that I wasn’t able to recover joy from this book after that page.
December 6, 2025
“Never rush to peel an orange. If someone happens to be sitting near as you break the flesh with your thumbnail, ask them to inhale the initial spray of citrus as a gift. The scent calms as it cheers.”
This book sat on bedside table too many months without being read and enjoyed. Now that I am finished, I am not satisfied,🥹there is so much more in this book and I am rereading with anticipation of “undaunted joy.”
It comes this December with perfect timing - almost an advent meditation…poetry?
I grab a little goodness from it each day and tuck it in my pocket😌!
I think you should too🫶🏼
This book sat on bedside table too many months without being read and enjoyed. Now that I am finished, I am not satisfied,🥹there is so much more in this book and I am rereading with anticipation of “undaunted joy.”
It comes this December with perfect timing - almost an advent meditation…poetry?
I grab a little goodness from it each day and tuck it in my pocket😌!
I think you should too🫶🏼
May 31, 2025
Shemaiah's book is completely and utterly delightful, in every way. Comprised of essays that draw our attention to the rather "mundane" and unexpected places we can find joy, Shemaiah drives home the message that being able to find joy in such places is a mindset well worth cultivating. These essays made me laugh out loud, hold my breath in wonder, and weep tears of joyful nostalgia. Thank you for this treasure, Shemaiah. We all need this book in our lives!
September 7, 2025
I really wanted to like this book. It was recommended to me by someone I really admire and trust.
Unfortunately, the author did not give an exegetical explanation of joy, but rather talked about how joy was related to circumstances in her life.
Joy=\=happiness. Joy is worship in who God is and what He has done.
This book reads more like a memoir on how the author has found earthly happiness in various events in her life.
Unfortunately, the author did not give an exegetical explanation of joy, but rather talked about how joy was related to circumstances in her life.
Joy=\=happiness. Joy is worship in who God is and what He has done.
This book reads more like a memoir on how the author has found earthly happiness in various events in her life.
June 28, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Gonzalez shares several personal stories about how she cultivates joy in her life...appreciating the little things, and looking for the silver lining in the cloud. This is not a product of her having an easy life, which she also shares about. I found the book really inspiring.
September 12, 2025
Undaunted Joy is a book I keep coming back to when I need a pick-me-up. The Introduction gave me goose bumps and brought me to tears, and Shemaiah's essays are authentic, vulnerable and very, very funny. As a busy mom of small kids, I love how easy it is to read an essay a day to micro dose my life with joy.
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June 6, 2025The book lost some of its shine for me in the chapter on "On Costco," which, frankly read like a politically correct "token" in several ways. Before that chapter, I enjoyed it thoroughly. And I still read to the end.
November 5, 2025
This book is perfect for those looking to cultivate joy in the good and not so good times. And aren’t we all. Shemaia is smart, funny and real as she shares her journey and her thoughts and ways. It’s just a good read and a shot of real joy.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews