I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart.
Back in the 1920s, minister and Methodist camp leader George William Cooke had something to teach us about joy through a catchy little song called Joy in My Heart.[1] Years later, contemporary neuroscience would confirm his findings about the healing power of joy. Joy is not only a feeling but, in fact, a mechanism for coping and the antidote to fear.
In the book Rare Leadership, seminarians Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder utilize a theological perspective rooted in Christian principles and neuroscience to describe how the human brain responds to stress and fear.
This book will help readers “In two ways: 1) We want you to understand the fast-track brain mechanism that learns and distributes leadership skills, and 2) we want to help you train the leadership system in your brain using four core habits of effective leaders. These four habits will cause your emotional intelligence to soar.”[2]
Thinking Fast and Slow
The fast-track system in Rare Leadership is centered on emotional and intuitive responses, particularly in moments of fear or perceived danger. It bypasses rational, reflective thinking in favor of quick survival responses, much like Daniel Kahneman describes System 1 thinking in his book Thinking Fast and Slow.[3] However, Warner and Wilder go a step further to emphasize how joy can help regulate emotional safety in this fast-track system, allowing a person to move beyond survival responses and into engaged, rational thinking.
They go on to define joy as an emotional experience that involves a deep sense of safety, connection, and relational warmth. It is more than a fleeting feeling of happiness. Instead, it is a relational and physiological state closely tied to emotional and brain health. Based on this definition, it is easy to see how George William Cooke fondly captured the sentiment of the era, which faced the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini in Italy, the imprisonment of civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, and the formation of the paramilitary SS in Germany.[4]
While the world around us may seem to zip by at a fast clip, our daily lives play out mainly in the slow-track system, which uses conscious thoughts to manage the routine tasks of life. “Its primary job is to monitor results and provide explanations and solutions to our problems.”[5] The authors say that slow-track thinking automatically follows fast-track, where emotional intelligence and personal relationships are situated.
Another source related to this topic is Hope Rising by Casey Gwinn and Chann Hellman. The authors believe that hope is a core element of reaching joy. Hope is not seen simply as wishful thinking but involves setting goals, taking action, and recognizing progress. As people take steps toward achieving their goals, they often experience moments of joy in the process. In this way, hope and joy are intertwined because hope drives action, and action can lead to positive, joyful outcomes.[6]
The Four Core Habits
The primary thesis of Rare Leadership is found in the four habits of rare leaders utilizing the acronym RARE. The first habit is to remain Relational, which means focusing on the people and the value of the relationships over the weight of the problems. Relationships will carry you much further along. Next is the habit of Authenticity. A leader consistently rooted in a positive core identity allows others to feel safe. They know what behaviors to expect, and an optimistic one is far more appealing. The third habit is Returning to joy, which is “The single biggest factor in producing sustainable motivation.”[7] This is the value of resilience leadership, allowing you to bounce back after facing difficult circumstances. The final habit is Enduring hardship well. Emotionally mature leaders can handle more stress and tension than most, which shows health and maturity.[8]
Conclusion
Just as hope can be recognized as the twinkle in a close friend’s or loved one’s eye, joy can also be recognized as a source of inspiration. Quieting our hearts to seek joy during stress allows us to find scriptural peace beyond understanding. It is the shalom when everything works seamlessly and harmoniously to please God. Joy is a relational experience fueled by emotional intelligence, especially hope. Combining hope with action leads to joy, which is the pinnacle of what we strive for when we seek that life-giving essence of joy, joy, joy, joy down in our hearts, down in our hearts to stay!
[1] “George William Cooke.” Accessed February 14, 2025. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/c/o/o/k/cooke_gw.htm.
[2] Warner, Marcus, and E. James Wilder. Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2016. P.19.
[3] Kahneman, Daniel. Thinking, Fast and Slow. 1st pbk. ed. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013.
[4] “Complete Timeline of 1925 Events.” Historic Newspapers. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.historic-newspapers.com/blogs/blog/1925-events.
[5] Warner, Marcus, and E. James Wilder. Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2016. P.26.
[6] Gwinn, Casey. Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life. Newburyport: Morgan James Publishing, 2018.
[7] Ibid. P.26.
[8] Ibid. P.212
About the Author
Jennifer Eckert
Fundraising director, people connector, believer in second chances, fights poverty, supports justice reform, lives a life integrated with Matthew 25.11 responses to “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart.”
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Jennifer,
When you consider joy, have you noticed differences in what brings you joy in your life now compared to when you were not a Christian. I wonder if there might even be a difference in the quality of joy?
That’s a great question, Jeff. In my pre-Christian days (10 years ago this month), joy was rooted in logic. I could rest and feel joy when things on my list were checked off. Today, I understand joy to be something altogether different. It is less of a feeling and more about hope for tomorrow.
I still get hung up in the “ahhh” of checking tasks off the list, but that is just relief. Joy is much deeper and offers more confidence, knowing that God is bigger than all the ills of the world. Joy is not a “feeling,” but the knowing of God’s grace and redemption, which means there is hope for tomorrow.
Hi Jennifer, Thank you for your post. In my mind I see you bringing hope and opening the door to joy for the women you work with in the prison ministry. Where do you see joy most impacting the women you meet?
Great question. I definitely see joy most often in prison settings. Many people living in the free world are more captive than some behind bars. I have learned a lot about joy from these brothers and sisters in Christ. Joy is way different than what I used to understand it to be. It’s about hope for tomorrow while trusting today to God’s hands.
Thanks for your blog, Jennifer. How do you think Christians can live authentic joyful lives without seeming as if they are unaware of, or tone deaf to, the suffering of the world?
Great question. I think Christians can live authentic joy in a world full of despair by serving others. Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference in a world that is clouded with oppression and vitriol. It might be as simple as visiting someone in the hospital or sending a meal.
During my surgery recovery last month, I felt the love of Jesus SO MUCH from the people who reached out to share prayers and sent meals or restaurant gift cards. I must admit that prior to that, I had felt far from God for the past 8 months or so. But the forced rest and pouring in of love from people meant the world. And to boot, I only told a few people about the surgery. It was humbling, and I was so grateful to be reminded that Jesus sees me even when I don’t see Him.
Hi Jennifer, I was hoping someone would mention that song! I actually serenade Kari with it sometimes—though I’m fairly certain I’ve invented a few lyrics along the way.
I also really appreciate you bringing up shalom in your concluding thoughts. I know the authors reference it several times in the book, and it’s such a rich and meaningful concept. Given the hard things you witness in your work, I’m curious—what does the process of “returning to joy” look like for you?
Ha! I sang the tune while writing the blog. Honestly, I would have to think that I see joy in many of the same narrow niches of life that you and Kari do. Metaphorically speaking, we all live in a spiritual desert, especially those in prison. But when God shows up, He does so in a BIG way.
One day, during a 3-day event in a women’s prison, one of the ladies fell to her knees and began talking in tongues. I can’t explain it, but it was different than anything I have ever seen. The large gym where we were felt so steamy that a pair of scissors could almost cut it. The following day, that woman shared privately that she planned to commit suicide that evening, which means the steam and tongues were indeed the Holy Spirit working through her. After the 3-day weekend concluded, she never remembered that experience and didn’t even really remember who I was (I was beside her during it all, praying over her). That is a HUGE example of joy that far surpasses logic. I am still baffled by it all as far as my mind goes, but my heart knows what happened. I witnessed something so profound that there aren’t words to fit.
Jennifer, I had no idea one of my favorite kid-songs has been around since the 1920s. Do you think George William Cooke also wrote the verse, “And if the devil doesn’t like it he can sit on a tack!”? I did not learn that verse in Sunday School! Thank you for the recommendation on “Hope Rising.” I’m looking forward to reading that one.
You have heard and experienced hard stories and circumstances. What are ways you have found to help you restore your joy?
Jennifer, you explore the connection between joy, hope, and leadership, highlighting how joy is more than just a fleeting emotion—it’s a relational and physiological state that sustains us. In your own leadership journey, how have you intentionally cultivated joy, especially in challenging circumstances? Have there been moments where focusing on joy has shifted the outcome of a difficult situation?
Hi Jennifer, that song brings back memories from childhood! I loved your connected to Kahneman. What are some barriers (and solutions) that you’ve experienced in returning to joy?