Joy Carol (1996-1998): The Impact of GTS on My Amazing Journey of Life
As a woman, my journey of life has been deeply impacted by my studies and experiences at GTS in 1996-1998.
Ms. Joy Carol '98
Before I even dreamed of applying to the Seminary, I was an educator and development specialist on women’s and children’s issues around the world. I worked both internationally and nationally on these matters for nearly 35 years in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the USA for the Ford Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, Save the Children, Christian Children’s Fund, and numerous educational institutions. In 1966, the National Chamber of Commerce named me the Outstanding Young Educator of the USA.
Then one day, I sensed an almost indescribable tap on my heart – or maybe it was on my soul. It felt like God was asking me to make a major change that would completely transform my life. As exciting and fulfilling as my work had been, my wandering spirit and my faith were being called to become spiritually grounded in all aspects of life.
As an active member of St. John the Divine in NYC, I was encouraged to apply to General. I knew I needed to integrate theology, faith, and spirituality with all my life experiences. On my first visit to GTS’s peaceful Close, I felt I had come home. After meeting Dr. Margaret Guenther, who became my mentor and advisor, I knew it was the right choice.
As an older woman, seminary was growth-producing, spiritually challenging, and faith-expanding. I treasured the dialogues between accessible professors and students, the feeling of being part of a team. Halfway through my seminary courses, with the encouragement and support of Dr. Guenther, we created a rather unusual and special ministry for me that included preaching; spiritual formation; leading retreats and workshops; speaking; and writing.
So in 1998, I became a proud woman graduate of GTS.
After graduation, for 15 years my life was deeply meaningful doing just what Dr. Guenther and I had hoped I might do. Across the USA, I used the skills and learnings I had gained from my brilliant GTS professors who had nurtured and empowered me. My life was filled with speeches, sermons, workshops, retreats, and book events. I wrote and published eight books and wrote a spiritual blog (www.joycarol.com). I led Women’s Pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Then in the summer of 2013, my world suddenly changed. I started falling – on streets, subway stairs, everywhere. I couldn’t stop falling. Finally, I was diagnosed with the rare, difficult to diagnose, impossible to cure, and usually fatal Paraneoplastic Syndrome. Today, according to Mayo Clinic, I may be the only person diagnosed with this Syndrome who has lived past three years. I'm on my ninth year and making medical history at Mayo Clinic, which just made a four-minute video about my situation (Linked below).
As I look back at my extraordinary life and close encounters with death, I realize how essential the teachings and guidance of my GTS professors and colleagues have been. They empowered me to overcome major bumps in my life helping me keep a spiritual and faith-based perspective on life – and on death (my newest book is Nine Lives of Joy: The Journey of a Life). Although the Syndrome has limited my ability to walk, that has not stopped me. I still preach, do inspirational speeches, write books, lead workshops and retreats, and serve in many ways. I am living fully into my life, because I am not a diagnosis. I am a GTS graduate who has much to contribute.