The tragic events leading to her son’s incarceration brought many painful emotions to surface. It seemed as if Jolyn had reached a dead end and a critical choice had to be made. She would either succumb to the circumstances of the tragedy, which often times left her bed ridden with no strength to even lift her head, or to rise up, gather her composure and use her New York born “Empire State of Mind” attitude, coupled with her military survival skills to battle through the list of destruction set before her.

Although Jolyn has endured a number of traumatic experiences throughout her life, for some reason this tragedy tested her desire and ability to bounce back like she has done all those times before.
Jolyn contributes two pivotal turning points which helped her overcome this challenging life circumstance. Ironically they both stemmed from the circumstances of this tragedy.

On a cold and gloomy winter day, she visited her son at a correctional facility. During that particular visit, she recalled her handcuffed and shackled son telling her that although he was physically bounded, his mind was free and he was the only one who could surrender the key and allow anyone to take away his inner joy. He found resilience through the struggle and a sense of self-worth in such a dark place.

Amazed and in awe of her youngest son’s maturity, Jolyn suddenly realized that although she was not physically bounded, she was emotionally, spiritually, and mentally incarcerated and needed to be set free.

The second event was Jolyn’s introduction to Kairos Prison Ministry International (KPMI) an international ministry that provides spiritual healing to those impacted by incarceration. She needed help in dealing with the plethora of overwhelming emotions associated with the negative stigma of incarceration in order to begin the healing process.

As a guest during a Kairos Outside retreat, she was shown a type of love that was unfamiliar to her. It was called “Agape” love; a type of love identified as the devotion of total commitment to seeking one’s highest best, no matter how others respond. In just a weekend, she was shown GOD’S unconditional love through the kind acts of strangers who just wanted her to know that she was worthy of all that GOD had to offer.

These two moments of epiphany, the awakening visit with her son and her indescribable experience as a Kairos guest, helped Jolyn realize that in order to overcome the barriers of her emotions and to achieve the intended purpose for her life, she had to rid herself of the negativity that had completely invaded her head space.

Somehow she needed to turn her sadness and pity party into joy, and she also needed to find genuine, unconditional love. But how, where, and when?

Incredibly the answer was found in her beautiful name: J.O.L.Y.N. “Joy of Loving Yourself Now!”
Heartbroken by people feeling unworthy, unforgiven and ashamed about themselves, Jolyn used her own personal tragedy to inspire her to creation of this this self-love movement. Jolyn became a true champion for others by sharing her powerful experience of finding love and joy so their lives can be enhanced. Hence, the J.O.L.Y.N. “Joy of Loving Yourself Now” Movement was born.