Welcome!

…Weeping may last through the night,

    but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:5 (NLT)

Contact: michele.kearns@joyreturns.com

OgleOhio.com -photography blog

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where you will find a list of some of the 1,700+ blog posts.

Hello and Welcome to JoyReturns.

In 1993, I became Mrs. Joseph Kearns. In 2008 I became Joe’s widow.

JoyReturns is about how I moved and am continually moving forward with life after Joe. I hope you are encouraged by my stories, opinions and observations. Also, I hope you learn what to do and not to do as you move forward with life. It’s been 15 years since Joe’s unexpected move to heaven and I am still a work in progress.

I am a Christian and a conservative who shares resources, encouragement and spiritual support as you walk through your grief journey and work on transforming your life.

However, I will not shy away from discussing tough issues. Jesus dealt with them head-on and so will I. No rose-colored glasses here.

On the lighter note, I am also a lover of books, history, lipstick, music, photography, being on book launch teams, and lazy days spent lounging in bed.

So whether or not you are a widow, I hope by reading my stories you will learn “how a modern woman takes the punch and goes on.”

My Blogging Adventure

In 2010 I heard the words “widow’s website” in my ear as I woke up one morning. I looked up at the ceiling and told God

“Are you nuts? Joe did not teach me anything about websites before he passed!” (Joe was a computer geek.)

So I did what any good Christian would do and blew God off.

However, He kept nagging at me.

Finally, I did some research on widow’s websites and did not like the dark, dreary and depressing sites I found. After getting blogging advice, I wrote my first post and on 1/13/2011 it went live.

Types of Adventures

You will find stories of my adventures through everyday life. This includes joy, grief, faith, and career (including unemployment). You will also find posts by my late daughter Rommie (8/5/2002 – 7/31/2015), a golden retriever, who occasionally hacked my computer and wrote her own stories.        

Enjoy your journey and if you have any questions, please contact me.   

Awards & Nominations

Received the HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award for nurturing hope and spreading joy throughout 161 countries. 

Nominated for: Kent State University’s Alumni Association 2014 Distinguished Citizen Award

Education

Degree: B.A. Rhetoric and Communications (public speaking).

Passions

• Photography: I love taking pictures of God’s creation. OgleOhio is my photography blog where I showcase Ohio’s scenic views – including my backyard. 
• Books: The Bible, Gone With The Wind, One Lavender Ribbon, One Thousand Gifts, Chasing Francis and Healing After Loss – Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief are just some examples.
• Music: Jazz, Rock, Disco, Opera, Classical and Big Band were the musical styles I listened to growing up and still enjoy. Oh, and then there is Elvis because quality singing and entertaining never goes out of style.
• Movies: Gone With The Wind, Serenity, Sound of Music, Julie and Julia, and The King’s Speech.
• Golden Retrievers: Golden Retrievers In Need (G.R.I.N.)

Testimonial

“…having searched the internet from end to end, yours is now the only site I visit every day.  Other sites are so depressing with detailed accounts of loss (too much information), bitterness, whining, sarcasm, dark humor, woe is me. I can’t take it and it is not helpful….Your posts are uplifting and make me feel I have a friend by my side on this journey.”

Valerie

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