I had the delight of welcoming the brilliant Joy Clarkson, an American author, podcaster, and editor based in the UK. In a world dominated by technological metaphors and a rapid pace of life, she shares wonderful insights, reflections, and inspiration from her latest book "You Are A Tree." Joy joined me on the Gospel Spice podcast for a thought-provoking conversation about the power of metaphors in capturing the intangible aspects of life, finding resilience in times of upheaval, and embracing the poetry of everyday experiences.

Joy Clarkson beautifully expounds on the significance of metaphors in illuminating the intangible aspects of life. She draws a compelling comparison to light as a metaphor for wisdom and guidance in her book. She reveals her desire to bring flavor and richness to people's lives, much like salt brings out existing flavors in food. Joy’s aspiration for her book is to intensify and flavor life, leaving people in awe of the poetry of life and the deep meaning woven into everyday experiences. Through her work, she encourages readers to slow down, pay attention, and savor the richness of life around them.

In our discussion, Joy challenges the paradigm of equating human beings to machines, emphasizing the resilience and complexity of humans. She contrasts the organic nature of humans with the mechanical consistency of machines. Joy artfully weaves these insights into the metaphor of human beings as more akin to organic organisms, specifically comparing them to the resilience and growth of trees. This fresh perspective stands in stark contrast to a culture dominated by machine and computer metaphors, encouraging readers to appreciate their own resilience and organic nature.

I must take a moment to praise the beautiful writing of Joy Clarkson and the book's ability to prompt readers to desire and experience the world around them. Drawing on this metaphorical culinary journey, Joy illuminates the significance of the book's title. She reveals her belief that her book has the potential to draw out the existing richness and flavors of life, leaving people with a more profound appreciation for the everyday experiences that God has intricately woven with meaning. In this context, the metaphor of the tree signifies resilience and the potential for growth, guiding readers to embrace their own capacity for resilience, growth, and rootedness.

The conversation expands as we explore how Joy managed to write her book during a time of personal upheaval. She vulnerably shares how she embraced resilience and found inspiration during a challenging season of life, highlighting her ability to slow down and pay attention to the richness and meaning in everyday experiences. Choosing to draw strength from her surroundings, she surrendered to the process and found resilience in the form of a metaphorical journey, paralleling the growth and rootedness of a tree. This recounting adds depth to the metaphorical exploration within her book.

Joy Clarkson's enlivening conversation on the Gospel Spice podcast beautifully illustrates the power of metaphors in conveying the richness of life and finding resilience in times of upheaval. Through the lens of the metaphorical and organic, readers are invited to slow down, savor life, and appreciate their own resilience. Embracing Joy's poignant insights, we are challenged to see the poetry in our everyday experiences and to draw inspiration from the resilience and growth of the trees that surround us, witnessing the beauty of our own metaphorical journey.

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

📚 Metaphors for Intangible Experiences: Through our discussion, Joy emphasized the significance of metaphors for capturing intangible experiences and guiding readers through an introspective journey. We dove into the depth and beauty of using metaphors like light, salt, and trees to enrich and flavor life, leaving people in awe of everyday experiences.

🌱 The Poetry of Human Resilience: Joy discussed the danger of equating human beings to machines and highlighted the resilience and complexity of humans. She shared a personal journey of feeling like a potted plant, growing beyond her pot, and the fear of not being able to root, prompting her to ponder the choices needed for her own life.

📘 Burdens, Sadness, and Community: Our conversation also explored the concept of carrying burdens, the metaphor of life as a journey, and how community plays a role in helping each other carry burdens. Joy delved into the difference between feeling heavy with sadness and carrying a burden, emphasizing the importance of distancing ourselves from sadness and deciding how to carry it.

Joy's insights will shape and inspire your perspective on life and your personal journey. If you're looking for depth, poetry, and meaning in your everyday experiences, "You Are A Tree" is a must-read!

MEET JOY CLARKSON

https://joyclarkson.substack.com/about

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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