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Presbyterian News Service

How do you experience spiritual joy?

Young adults who attended a PC(USA) college conference explain where they find joy

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A young adult claps hands during worship
Atticus Gore sings during opening worship of the 2026 College Conference at Montreat Conference Center on January 2, 2026. (photo by Kristen Gaydos)

April 7, 2026

Beth Waltemath and Kristen Gaydos

Presbyterian News Service

Easter has come. Christ is risen and so has spiritual joy. Eastertide reminds Christians to rejoice for death does not have the final say. In a world facing depression, despair and destruction, fostering spiritual joy for yourself and others is a practice that transforms and sustains other spiritual practices like connecting to nature and caring for creation, nurturing and healing others, singing and worshiping, serving your community, working for justice and peace, practicing gratitude and sharing what you love with those you love. 

At the beginning of 2026, young adults involved in Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) campus ministries offered several ways they seek spiritual joy.

How do you find spiritual joy? Follow the PC(USA) on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for more testimonies by PC(USA) young adults and post your own answers to social media #pcusa and #spiritual joy.

Joy in Serving Others

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Our specific church, every third Wednesday we volunteer at a local soup kitchen, and that helps me just feel full inside.
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Hunter

Joy in Nature

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To be able to tap into that world around us, to be able to tap into seeing God in other people, in the world, in the way things are...that to me just makes me feel so profoundly special.
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Rowen Ray
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I just finished, with our group, our walk up to Lookout Point and we watched the sunrise and that was absolutely beautiful.
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Samuel Putt

Joy in Gratitude

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I experience spiritual joy by being grateful for everything that's around me.
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Callie Murphy

Joy in Connection

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I really love sharing things...anything that brings me happiness, it brings me joy to share with other people.
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Author
Jest
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