Defiant Joy

Find the Hope to Light Your Way, Even in the Darkness

By: Jennifer Michelle Greenberg

Narrated by: Jennifer Michelle Greenberg

Rediscover the God of joy, who defies the suffering of this broken life—from the author of Not Forsaken

“A gift to all who search for hope.”—W. Lee Warren, MD, author of Hope Is the First Dose

When Jennifer Greenberg escaped her abusive childhood home at the age of twenty-one, she found that few Christians knew how to encourage her. Platitudes such as, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” “Forgive and forget,” and “Have faith!” left her feeling misunderstood and alone. Would she ever be whole again? Could joy exist for someone so broken?

By discarding false theology and toxic positivity, Greenberg discovered joy beyond anything she was taught in church: joy that’s a gift from God. In her new book, Defiant Joy, Greenberg shares this groundbreaking hope as she explores

• why philosophies like the prosperity gospel and legalism fail us
• how Jesus is with us amid our sadness, disappointment, anger, and anxiety
• how God’s joy far exceeds any emotion we can muster

God doesn’t want you to pretend you’re okay. Discover the freedom of living beyond performance faith. Embrace a joy that shines in defiance of the darkness.

Jennifer captures the true meaning of faith and joy.

In Defiant Joy Jennifer gives a clear description of what it means to walk in faith with Joy.
I’m looking forward to using this book in a Bible Study with my congregation.
One point correction I would make is that she places Peter with the demon possessed boy in Mark 9. Peter had been with Jesus, James and John on the mount of transfiguration. When they came down they found the other disciples in that situation.

Superb answers to the problem of pain

I first encountered Jennifer Michelle Greenberg as someone on 'my side' of the culture wars on Twitter and finally got around to listening to "Not Forsaken" almost a year ago. This was while grieving a loss and starting to attend church after along time in the wilderness. I eased up on politics and began to learn to better accept and demonstrate grace. Since I have learned so much about how many of God's people are suffering, and how badly others sometimes react to their pain.

"Defiant Joy" is a great answer to those who would ask 'who sinned, this person or her parents,' that one should suffer in various ways. Just as Christian salvation is not by works, so experiencing sorrows in this fallen world is not punishment from God. Those who have suffered from sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or many other pains can benefit from this resource, and pastors can easily dig up some sermons based on the solid information it presents.

And if your own life has not been scarred but you love someone or want to support someone who has been abused, even if you have been a source of trite responses, both books are useful in understanding what it is like to survive wrongful accusations, to experience low self-esteem, to struggle through unearned shame.