This content was created by Marleen Greenleaf. This content was uploaded by Marleen Greenleaf. This is a podcast episode titled "The Gift of Presence: Finding Joy Beyond the Noise" (Living in Your Power) created on 2025-12-08 and hosted by Dr. Marleen Greenleaf. The episode is a sermon-style/monologue entry in a December series about presence and joy, contrasting happiness and joy, and offering practical guidance—guarding your inputs, practicing daily gratitude, and serving from a filled cup. It also speaks to women leaders about leading with joy, includes an empowerment prompt (a joy inventory) and a morning affirmation, and is aimed at listeners seeking faith-based practices for presence and resilience.
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Well, hello, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power. I'm your host, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf, and this month we are unwrapping something truly special in our December series, The Gift of Presence: Finding Joy, Faith, and Focus in the Season. Now last week we talked about reclaiming stillness, slowing down enough to actually feel God's presence. And today we're talking about something just as powerful. It's finding joy beyond the noise. Because while the world gets louder, joy invites us to listen So our episode today is entitled The Gift of Presence: Finding Joy Beyond the Noise. Now let's start here. Happiness and joy are not the same thing. No. Happiness is an emotion. It's reactive, fleeting, and tied to circumstances. Whereas joy, on the other hand, is a decision. It's rooted in something greater than what's happening around you. You know, while happiness says, I'll smile when everything goes right, joy says, even when it And if it doesn't, I'll trust that God is still good. Now Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us, do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Now that means joy isn't just a feeling. It's fuel. It's what carries you through challenges, keeps you steady when others lose balance, and reminds you that no matter what's going on externally, something divine is holding you internally. Now, we live in a world that confuses noise with significance, in my opinion. I mean, we think the more we do, the louder we speak, the fuller our schedule, the more valuable we are. But noise often numbs us. It distracts us from gratitude, from peace, from presence. And if you've ever felt yourself losing joy, it might not be because life is bad. It might be because life is too loud. I mean, sometimes the noise, it isn't even external. It's our own inner critic. It's the voice that says, you should be further along. You're not doing enough. You're failing. That imposter syndrome. But God's joy silences that noise. It reminds us that we are loved, chosen, and already enough. So how do you reclaim your joy, you may ask? Well, I'm glad you did. Here are 3 ways to align your life with lasting joy. First, guard your inputs. And what I mean by that is what you consume on social media, the news, conversations— they affect your spirit. So ask yourself, does this feed my peace or my presence? And if it doesn't, then you know that this is not the direction on what you should be listening to. So feed your faith instead. Second, practice gratitude daily. Daily. Joy and gratitude are inseparable. So every night, write down 3 moments, big or small, that made you smile or breathe easier that day. And third, serve from a full cup. Joy grows when you pour into others from overflow. Remember we talked about that? Not exhaustion. Ask God to fill you first so that you can give to others, and what you give can be life-giving and not draining. So I'm going to repeat these. First, guard your inputs. Practice gratitude daily and serve from a full cup. Now I believe joy in leadership and life. Now. As women leaders, as visionaries, nurturers, and changemakers, we sometimes believe that strength means pushing through everything. But true leadership is about leading with joy, not burnout. Joy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've learned to find beauty in the imperfect, to choose gratitude over grumbling, Peace over panic and laughter over limitation. Now, when people encounter you, they should feel that joy. Not because life is easy, remember, but because your spirit is anchored. Anchored in joy, gratitude, thankfulness. So here's your empowerment prompt for this week. I want you to take a joy inventory. Ask yourself, what currently steals my joy? What restores it? And where is God inviting me to create space for laughter, Rest or renewal. Then pray this simple affirmation each morning this week. Say, God, today I choose joy, not because everything is perfect, but because you are. And let that prayer guide how you show up in every space. this week in your home, your workplace, and your heart. So in closing, dear listeners, understand that joy isn't something you chase. It's something you cultivate. It's a sacred reminder that even in chaos, you can still dance with Peace. So this week, find your rhythm again. I want you to laugh more, breathe deeper, and let gratitude lead. Because joy, real joy, is not found in the noise of the season, but in the stillness of his presence. So thank you for joining me today on another episode of Living in Your Power, and I will see or hear from you next week for our 3rd episode, Fate Over Frenzy: Keeping Christ at the Center. I want to thank you again for listening in, and I want you to remember, until next It's time to live boldly in your power. And if it gets tough, just breathe. You've still got the strength to rise. So until next time, dear listeners, I want you to continue to live in your power and find your joy. Find your joy. Thank you, Marleen. Remember, it isn't something you chase. It's something you cultivate.
