June 2007
Stuck In the Mud
Joey Hipp
9 Where Change
Begins
John Maxwell
12 Secrets to
Trusting God
Joyce Meyer
27
Register NOW for the 25th Annual Women’s Convention! See pages 15 & 16.
Rest and
Restoration
Don Colbert, M.D.
13
The Penny
HONOr DAD!
Father’s Day June 17
Joyce Meyer Page 19
June 2007 43 www.joycemeyer.org
W orld missions
Revelation 12:11 says that we overcome the
enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word
of our testimony.There is such power in not only
speaking out what we believe but also proclaiming
to others what great things God has done in our
lives.
Each month, through our ministry magazine,
you hear from us how your support is trans-
forming people’s lives all around the world. Now
we want you to hear from them.
We believe you will be blessed by Rani’s story,
which represents thousands of precious people
each year who benefit from our foreign-language
books. In addition, we have included just a small
sample of the thousands of letters we receive
each month in response to our groundbreaking
outreaches around the world.
Are we really making a difference? Yes! But
don’t just take our word for it…sit back and enjoy
these amazing testimonies from the very people
your support is reaching—people who are expe-
riencing new life and new hope because you have
decided to give.
Friends and partners, you could never put a
price on things like freedom, hope or salvation.
But somehow, as we join together and give our
best, God takes it and makes a miracle…and He
uses it to transform hearts and lives all across
the globe. Thank you for all that you do to make
testimonies like these a reality. God bless you!
A Life Restored…and a Dream Come True
Hi, my name is Rajlaxmi Khanvilkar
(Rani), and I am thirty years old. For
ten years I was one of India’s top
models. However, years ago, I suffered
a major setback in my life that haunted
me and left me scarred for a long time to come. It
made me doubt myself and stripped me of any
self-worth entitled to a human being. I felt
judged, and I felt like I wasn’t good enough. As a
result, I totally gave up on life.
I had it all—glamour, fame, money, and I got to
travel the world with my work. I was even part of
a successful business family and had parents
who embraced God in all spheres of their lives.
Yet, in spite of having all that, it was not enough
to save me from the demons in my head. Peace
was not mine. I had faith in God, but the devil
had succeeded in shaking my faith.
At that time, I was seeking answers and
was even talking to God. I begged Him to send
an angel of mercy. I pleaded with Him to save
me, hoping He would make me live again. I
looked many places for answers…I read tons
(continued on page 6)
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
Abeer,Saudi Arabia
“I am a twenty-two-year-old Saudi girl.
Unfortunately I was born to a Muslim fam-
ily. I have been watching your programs for
a while, and I want to thank you for your
excellent effort to expose the lies of Islam
and reveal the truth about Christ. Words
are not enough to express my gratitude
for rescuing my life from ignorance and
for enlightening my path. As a girl in a
Muslim society, I badly need you to help me
take further steps towards living my life in
Christ Jesus.”
Hossein,Iran
“I am twenty-six years old and got saved four
months ago through your TV programs. One
of my friends named Alireza had got saved
about twenty days earlier than me. So we
both started sharing what we had learned
with our friends and family. After we gave
our hearts to Jesus, He set both of us free
from drugs. Later, we found a river near our
small town and we baptized each other!”
June 2007 6
of philosophy and spiritual books in the hope of getting some
peace, but nothing really helped. I was lost and I needed
help…and only God could have helped me. And He did!
I don’t know how or when, but I came across a book by a lady
named Joyce Meyer. I had never heard of her, but her book was
definitely sent to me by God. I had been seeking God and pleading
with Him, but little did I know that she was part of the answer. It’s
said that God talks to you through various ways—and I believe
that.You’ve got to just listen and have faith that He will answer.
So, I read Joyce’s books and, to cut a long story short, God
spoke to me through her books and gave me a reason to live…a
reason to say, I am worth all that is bestowed on me by God’s grace!
Joyce’s teachings just hit home, and God used them to strengthen
me. Every time I would read them, I just broke down into tears of
love and gratitude.
Through these books, God helped me to get up and begin
marching forward—something which seemed impossible before.
One might have all the riches and glamour in the world, but
without inner peace, it amounts to nothing. But God used Joyce
Meyer to give me a new lease to life. Basically, I got my life back!
And ever since, everything has fallen into place! Her books gave
me everything back…and that was God’s will for me.
For me, Joyce Meyer was an angel sent by God. I am forever
indebted to Joyce who had unknowingly transformed my life. She
is truly a godly woman, and through her books, she has blessed
my life.
It was at that time that I asked God for something special. I said,
Lord, before I die, my wish is to see Joyce just once in person. I asked
Him this long before I ever knew Joyce had her ministry in India or
had plans to visit Australia in the future.
Three years ago, I gave up the glamour world and made a shift.
I moved to Australia where I studied architecture and also hair
salon management. By God’s grace, I will hopefully be opening my
own salon and spa soon.
When I came to Australia, I was seeking a church like Joyce
Meyer Ministries. While attending one church for the first time, I
was handed a brochure. Lo and behold, I see Joyce Meyer’s photo
and it says she is coming next week for a talk. This was my sign;
this was the church I was looking for. I could not wait to see Joyce
in real!
January 20, 2007, is a date I will remember fondly for the rest of
my life. On this day, I was not going to work because I wanted to go
to Joyce Meyer’s talk at the church. But my manager called at the
last minute, asking me to come in and replace another stylist who
had called in ill. I was not supposed to work that day, since I was
going to see Joyce that evening, but God had other plans for me. So,
I went in to work and told them I had to leave early at any cost, and
they agreed.
That day,I was looking after a client,when a striking lady walked
in. I did a double take and went hysterical when I realized it was
Joyce Meyer!
Having been a public figure in my country, I know how funny it
can get when you are recognized. But I totally forgot all about that.
Let me state that if any other star or even the president had walked
in, I would not have batted an eyelid! But here is Joyce Meyer—
the woman I had yearned to see for years!
(continued from page 4)
See partnership section of the enclosed order form to become a partner with Joyce Meyer Ministries.
1-800-727-9673 | www.joycemeyer.org/partnership
Hope multiplied
My dad never understood
my fascination with tools
and building things.
I wonder what he’ll think
of the 80 homes I helped
build after Hurricane Katrina
through my partnership with
joyce meyer ministries…
LYnda, AGE 57
PARTNER
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
Susan,South Africa
“Satan had kept me in a state of depression
for many years. But then my sister bought
every one of Joyce Meyer’s teachings, and
they are setting me free! Her series Battlefield
of the Mind is what finally helped me beat
the depression. God is helping me to use this
newfound knowledge to beat this and help
me overcome all the wrong thoughts.Thank
you so much to all who are involved in this
ministry and for the work that you do…keep
on going!”
Elena,Russia
“I began to watch your programs and my life
changed completely—and it gets better and
better every day! I feel the presence of Jesus
in my life and I see the fruit of it.Thank you
also for your books which have fed my faith
and given me answers to my questions. My
mother and sister also accepted Jesus as the
Savior through your programs. Thanks to
you, three souls in our family were saved.
I love you so much and pray for your well-
being.Thanks a lot!”
world missions
7 www.joycemeyer.org
JUNE 2
REMOVING HINDRANCES TO BEING BLESSED
Don’t miss these inspiring teachings on how you can clear the way for God’s blessings in your life. James
and Betty Robison will be Joyce’s special guests to talk about this exciting topic.
JUNE 3 – 16
LET GO & LEARN TO ENJOY
Are you tired of trying to make things happen in your own strength? Learn how to abide in Christ and
receive His transforming power.
JUNE 17 – 23
JOYCE ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
Don’t miss this broadcast as Joyce answers your questions about how you really can learn to enjoy your
everyday life.
JUNE 24 – JULY 7
THE BATTLE FOR YOUR FUTURE
Discover the way out of long-standing problems and how to be set free to change your generation for
Christ.
JUNE 4 – 8
A LIFE OF FAITH
Pastor Phil Pringle joins Joyce on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the foundational elements of faith
and trust in God. Learn how to lift your shield of faith and see God’s faithfulness in action.
JUNE 11 – 13
THE HOPE OF SEEING CHANGE
Don’t give up hope. Change is coming and it may be a lot closer than you think…if you will only believe!
And don’t miss Tuesday’s special broadcast as Joyce answers your questions about her exciting new
book, The Penny, her first novel, drawing from her own experience of a life changed by God!
JUNE 14 – 15
DESTINY ALTERING DECISIONS
God has a fabulous future planned for you, but in order for it to become reality, you must learn how to
make right decisions—especially at the crucial crossroads of your life.
JUNE 18 – 22
LOVE LANGUAGES
Gary Chapman is Joyce’s special guest this week to talk about how different people express love in
different ways and how you can express it in the language your loved ones understand best!
JUNE 25 – 29
ME & MY BIG MOUTH!
Does it seem as though your mouth has a mind of its own? Learn to harness the power of your words
and make them work for you!
Schedules are subject to change. For stations and program times in your area, check your TV listing
or visit www.joycemeyer.org/tvlistings. Watch the Enjoying Everyday Life broadcast anytime you like
at www.joycemeyer.org.
T V BROAD CAST SCHEDULE
Daily Telecast
Programs air daily,
Monday–Friday.
Weekly Telecast
Programs air one day
a week.
Phil Pringle talks with Joyce
about the foundational
elements of faith.
Watch and listen to the latest
broadcasts using iTunes.
Visit www.joycemeyer.org/
podcasts for details.
Free PODCASTs
with
Joyce Meyer Ministries
Visualize a crazy fan reacting when they see a star. Bashfully I
admit, I came across like that. But I am sure that Joyce knew I was
someone who was in awe and had gratitude toward her and her
work…and for sending me the Lord’s words through her books.To
me, she was the angel I prayed for.
Think of this—the day I was not scheduled to work,the other girl
reports in sick and I am called in. I go to work and Joyce walks in
for an appointment just twenty minutes later! Of all the hotels
Joyce could have stayed in Sydney, she was staying in the one I
worked at. Of all the salons Joyce could have gone to, she walked
into mine. And Joyce stated that normally when she travels, she
never gets her nails done—so chances of her walking into my salon
were very slim.
I don’t believe in the word coincidence.This was God answering
my prayer! And He answered it tenfold! I not only saw Joyce, but I
spoke to her one-on-one and I even got a hug! I booked Joyce to
have her appointment with me, but needless to say, I was so ecstatic
and shaking with joy and disbelief that I could not perform what I
was doing and asked my colleague to complete it for me.
God says,“Ask and you shall receive.” I had completely forgotten
that prayer I had prayed many years ago, but God didn’t…and He
answered it. I know now that nothing is impossible in God’s world.
Joyce, thank you so much for helping God talk to people through
your books, DVDs and television programs.You have no idea what
an impact you have made in my life.Yes, I know it is God who does
it, but you were and are His link. You are God’s woman, and I am
blessed to have met you.Thank you, Joyce…and thank you, Lord!
With gratitude,
Rani
Rani
Sydney,Australia
Hossein’s “Favorite Program”
At twenty-five years old, Mahnaz had a rough life. Her husband,
who was a drug addict, divorced her when their son, Hossein, was
only two years old. Since that time, she carried such anger from her
past that she sometimes beat her son.
Recently Mahnaz began watching Joyce’s program, which is
translated into the Farsi language and broadcast throughout Iran.
But she wasn’t the only one. Her son, Hossein, who is now seven,
also watched the program regularly…and learned more about God
than his mother ever imagined. When Mahnaz got angry, Hossein
began crying out, “Mom, in the name of Jesus, do not beat me!”
Soon, things began to change. In fact, just recently Mahnaz gave
her life to the Lord.
Today, Mahnaz says that every time Joyce is on TV, Hossein
places a pillow on his back and makes himself comfortable to
watch his “favorite TV program.” “I really love that American
lady,” he says. So now they sit down together to watch the show
that brought peace back to their house…and brought hope into
their lives. E
Fawzy,Egypt
“I have had a very strict point of view about
ladies preaching.At the beginning I resisted
Joyce aggressively and I watched her just
to mark out her mistakes. Little by little I
started to sense the power of the Holy Ghost
in her teaching and the great love she has
for God’s people. Today I enjoy and benefit
from this anointed teaching and watch to
the very end.”
Ronaldo,Brazil
“In 1995 I lost my Mom, and three years
later my Dad got killed. I began to do drugs
and ended up bringing much pain to others’
lives. But then God came into my life and I
eventually ended up going into a rehabili-
tation clinic. However, even though I had a
relationship with God, I was still fighting
some battles, so I started to read one of your
books. I can tell you that my life just changed
completely! I thank God for your life and for
your teachings!”
June 2007 109 www.joycemeyer.org
G uest feature
Satan will do everything he can to convince you that you’re in too deep…that
you’re so stuck you’ll never be free. Don’t believe it.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
Sometimes things happen in our lives that
cause us to sink so far down that it leaves us
gasping for breath. Have you been there and
got the T-shirt to prove it? You’re not alone.
Life is full of uncertainties, but one thing is for
sure—Jesus never fails! He sticks with us even
when we’re stuck. And if we stick with Him
and His Word, He will surely bring us out. Let
me share a personal story to illustrate.
When I was in the third grade, we moved
from the city to the country. My dad bought a
fifty-one-acre farm in the Mobile, Alabama
area. It was great. I hunted, fished, rode horses
and had plenty of places to ride my motorcycle.
One afternoon when I was about fourteen,
my cousin Derry and I decided to go trail riding
on our motorcycles. After riding for a while,
we decided to take it to a new level. So, we
headed off to the new path that the power
company had just cut through the woods.
As we rode through it, we approached a sec-
tion that was very swampy and muddy. It was a
boy’s dream. And to our delight, there was no
way around it—you had to go through it.
At this point, Derry started bragging about
his motorcycle. He thought his bike was the
baddest thing around. So I provoked him to go
first. I knew if he could make it, I could. But I
sure wasn’t going to get my bike stuck.
Well, Derry backed up and got a running
start. By the time he hit the mud, he was fly-
ing. He looked like he was skimming across
the top, shooting a rooster tail of mud ten feet
in the air. I got so excited that I started scream-
ing for him to make it to the other side.
Everything was going great until he hit a
stump under the mud. At that point, he and
his motorcycle started sinking fast. Before I
knew it, his bike had completely sunk. The
only thing that was sticking out of the mud
was the back taillight and the front mirrors. It
was not a pretty sight.
I got off my bike and waded out through the
mud to try to help him pull it out. It wouldn’t
budge. We tried to hook a rope to my bike and
pull it out, but it was hopelessly buried.
Frustrated and tired, we both got on my
bike and headed back to the barn to see if we
could find something that would be useful in
getting Derry’s bike unstuck. While we were
cleaning my bike and planning our next move,
my dad came around the barn. Seeing us cov-
ered with mud, he wanted to know what kind
of mischief we were in. When we told him that
we had been trail riding, he noticed that
Derry’s bike was missing and asked where it
was. Once we told him it was stuck in the mud,
it was all downhill from there.
Daddy yelled, “We’ve got to get that bike
out now. It’s going to be dark soon.” I looked at
my dad and knew that he was not dressed for
the occasion. He had on navy-blue double knit
dress pants, a white silk shirt, white high-
gloss patent leather shoes and a white patent
leather belt.
I said, “Dad, you better change.” He put his
forehead to my forehead and his nose to my
nose and screamed, “We don’t have time! Let’s
go.” I backed away, threw my hands up in the
air and said, “Okay.”
Now, I knew that where we were going
Dad’s tractor couldn’t go, so I told him. That
was a very big mistake because once Daddy
has his mind made up, you are never going to
change it. Again, he got face-to-face with me
and said, “This is a Ford tractor, and this baby
can go anywhere.” So I backed away and did
exactly what he said without question.
You should’ve seen him driving that tractor
across the field with those high-gloss patent
leather shoes on while Derry and I hung on to
the fenders for dear life. It was a sight.
Once again, we started down the power
line path. As we topped the hill, Dad slammed
on the brake and shouted, “We can’t take this
tractor down there; are you crazy?” I wanted
to say I told you so, but I knew it would be far
better for me to say nothing.
by Joey Hipp
Have you ever been stuck before? Now, I’m not talking about just
a little bit. I’m talking about being so stuck that you felt buried.
Maybe it was a wrong relationship…a financial meltdown…a
disastrous decision…a health problem…a habit...or even a sin.
G u e s t f e at u r e
11 www.joycemeyer.org
by Dr. John C. Maxwell
Where Change Begins
T H E L EA D ER ’ S E D G E
June 2007 12
Daddy climbed down off the tractor and
said, “We’ve got to go pull it out by hand.” I
knew this was not going to be good. We started
wading out into this sea of mud, but before I
could say a word, my dad stepped into a hole
and sunk up to his hip. He tried hard to pull
his foot out, but the suction of the mud was
too great. When he finally freed his foot and
pulled it to the surface, there was no shoe on
it. He motioned to me with his finger to come
close. It was another one of those “nose-to-
nose” moments.
He grunted and then shouted, “Somebody
better find my shoe.” Derry and I took a deep
breath and went under the mud. We looked
like two kids bobbing for apples. Eventually I
came up with the mud-filled shoe and shoved
it back on Dad’s foot. We continued on our trek
until we reached Derry’s submerged bike.
I grabbed the front, Derry got the back and
Dad took the middle. We gave it a heave-ho,
but nothing happened. We got a better grip
and tried again, this time making a little
progress. But the suction power of the mud
was strong. It seemed like the harder we
pulled up the more the mud pulled down.
After several unsuccessful attempts, Daddy
said, “Get out of the way boys. This is a man’s
job.” We stepped back and let him have at it.
Now, you have to realize that my dad was a big
man—about six feet tall and 280 pounds.
He stepped up to that bike, flopped his belly
on top of the seat, and reached one arm under
the front and the other under the back. He
took a deep breath and started to pull with
great force. Little by little the suction of the
mud began to loosen its hold. Before we knew it, Daddy had
broken the grip of the mud and freed the bike. He looked like
a sumo wrestler as he waded through the mud carrying Derry’s
bike in his arms.
What once seemed impossible was now a reality. What we
could not free ourselves, Daddy freed for us. If you are stuck
in a difficult situation, don’t lose heart! There is hope! “Daddy”
God will get you out, and unlike my Dad, He will do it with a
kind, loving attitude.
When King David found himself stuck in a situation, he
turned to the Lord. In Psalm 40:1,2 he said, I waited patiently
for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out
of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a
rock and gave me a firm place to stand (NIV).
I encourage you to let Daddy God pull you out of the situa-
tion you’re stuck in and set you on solid ground. You’ll find
victory if you…
1. Don’t bite the bait! Satan will do everything he can to
convince you that you’re in too deep…that you’re so stuck
you’ll never be free. Don’t believe it. He is a liar and the
father of all lies. Believe your heavenly Father—He will
never lie to you or leave you!
2. Don’t bow down! Your enemy wants you to accept your
situation—to give up and throw in the towel. Don’t do it.
You have the spirit of a warrior. The blood of kings flows
through your veins. The greater power lives in you—exer-
cise it now!
3. Bear down on the situation! Put intense pressure on the
enemy by praying, trusting God and speaking His Word.
As you do, God will change you and your situation! EJoey Hipp traveled across America and into foreign countries for eighteen
years, preaching, praying and bringing hope and healing to the hurting. In
2004, he and his wife, Penny, founded Cross River Church, a multicultural
nondenominational ministry in Mobile, Alabama, where he is lead pastor.
www.crossriverchurch.com
Featured of the Month
There’s nothing that can’t change...
when God’s in it.
The Hope of Seeing Change
60-Minute DVD by Joyce Meyer .
$20 U.S. Funds
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Please call our office for details.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
There’s a popular opinion that says followers
resist change and leaders like change. That’s
not true at all. Most of the time, leaders like
change only if the change is their idea!Very few
people prefer change for the simple reason that
change requires more work than maintaining
the status quo.
If we are going to change an organization,
we must begin by changing ourselves. Change
is not a “once and for all” kind of thing—if only
it were that easy. No, changing ourselves is a
lifelong process. Not only that, but we must be
intentional about how we want to change. I have
found the following statements to be true:
1. When you change your thinking, you
change your beliefs.
The following strategy has been particularly
effective in helping me bring about change in
my thinking. I’ve trained myself to think in ways
that are…
* Positive - This allows me to look for the
best and receive the best.
* Creative - This allows me to find answers
when others quit looking.
* Bottom-line - This allows me to prioritize
and get rid of busy work.
* Simple - This allows me to communicate
my thoughts to everyone.
* Practical - This allows me to apply prin-
ciples to everyday life.
* Continual - This allows me to assimilate
everyday experiences into projects that are
“on the table.”
2. When you change your beliefs, you
change your expectations.
Belief is the knowledge that we can do
something. It’s the inner feeling that what we
undertake, we can accomplish. For the most
part, all of us have the ability to look at some-
thing and know whether or not we can do it. So
in belief there is power—our eyes are opened,
our opportunities become plain, and our visions
become realities.
There are two fundamental beliefs we must
have before we begin to see change. First, that
change is possible. Second, that change is profit-
able. Until we believe that both are a possibility
and that the change will ultimately be in our
best interests, our ability to change is crippled.
I also believe…
* God has a plan for me.
* God wants me to fulfill that plan.
* God will help me succeed in that plan.
* I can know God’s plan for my life.
* I can experience God’s blessing on my life.
* I must change to grow with God’s plan for
my life.
* When I grow, those closest to me grow as well.
* When my inner circle grows, my organization
grows.
Changing the leader precedes any kind of
organizational change. Until then, invest the
time necessary to explore those areas of your
life where you are resisting change.You may just
discover the roadblock in leading the change
process at work. EThis article is used by permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free
monthly e-newsletter, Leadership Wired, available at www.injoy.com.
John C. Maxwell, PhD is a dynamic speaker, bestselling author and
founder of several leadership organizations, including INJOY Steward-
ship Services and EQUIP. He communicates his principles to Fortune
500 companies, international marketing organizations, professional
sports groups and church leaders worldwide. www.injoy.com
13 www.joycemeyer.org June 2007 14
H ealth matters
insomnia and other sleep disorders.As a result, over 50 percent of
the American population will experience daytime drowsiness.
Thanks to modern technology, we live in a world where day and
night no longer matter—we can work and play around the clock.
However, that is not the way God created our bodies to operate.
Rest is vital for the maintenance of our physical and mental health
and overall well-being.
When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep…
You increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Lack of sleep
affects your body’s ability to process carbohydrates, leading some
people into a prediabetic state.
You become clumsy or “sleep drunk.” Lack of sleep slows
your reaction time,shortens your attention span,and impairs
your memory, your decision-making process and your coor-
dination. In fact, people who go for nineteen hours or more
without sleep score significantly worse on performance and
alertness tests than people with a blood alcohol level of .08,
which is legally drunk!
You may jeopardize your job. According to the National
Commission on Sleep Disorders at the National Institutes
of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, sleep deprivation costs an
estimated$150billionayearinhigherstressandreducedwork-
place productivity.An employer would never tolerate drinking
on the job,but many people come to work after getting too little
sleep,thus functioning as if they were drunk.
You endanger your life and the lives of others. Sleep
deprivation is responsible for at least 100,000 accidents a
year, and 50 percent of Americans admit to driving while
drowsy. Studies show huge peaks in the number of accidents
caused by people falling asleep at the wheel in the middle of the
night and smaller peaks in the middle of the afternoon.
You invite disease. A host of physical conditions are associated with
lack of sleep, including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic pain
syndrome, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, obesity, heart attacks,
stroke,premature aging,depression and other forms of mental illness.
You jeopardize your marriage. Something as simple as lack of sleep
can even contribute to the breakdown of the important relationships in
your life.Studies show higher rates of divorce among people who don’t
get adequate sleep.
There are plenty of negative reasons to improve your sleep habits,
but there are also many positive reasons to change bad sleep habits to
good ones.
What Sleep Does for the Body
First of all, adequate sleep regulates the release of important hor-
mones,such as the growth hormone.This hormone not only regulates
growth in children,but also helps control fat in adults.When you don’t
sleep enough, its production is disrupted. Leptin is another hormone
that is secreted during sleep and directly influences appetite and
weight control. So lack of sleep may well be one of the causes for
problems with weight control.
Another very important benefit of sleep is that it boosts the
immune system. It has been shown that people who sleep nine
hours a night instead of seven have greater than normal “natural
killer cell” activity. These killer cells destroy viruses, bacteria
and cancer cells.
Sufficient sleep does wonders in helping you
deal with stress in daily life mentally, emotionally
and physically. This, in turn, lowers your risk of
disease and makes you a happier, less anxious
person in general. Sleep also slows the aging
process. When someone tells you that they need
their beauty rest, they aren’t kidding! And how
well a person sleeps is one of the most important
predictors of how long they are likely to live.
The truth is, getting enough sleep not only
benefits you but also benefits those around you. In
order to be successful, responsible stewards of
our bodies and love others,we must get adequate
amounts of sleep. How much sleep should you
get? Adults need seven to nine hours each night
without interruption. Most people find that eight
hours is perfect. Any less and you feel drowsy
at some point during the day. Any more and you
may feel unnaturally sluggish.
Begin paying attention now to your sleeping
habits and patterns and identifying things that
may be hindering you from getting the right
amount of rest. Next month we will talk about
practical steps you can take to ensure you are
getting a good night’s sleep. E The number one complaint I hear from patients who come into
my office is, “I’m tired.” As a society, Americans are chronically
sleep deprived.
At theWalt DisneyWorld theme parks,the most important hours
of the day are when the gates close and the guests go home. Big
lights go up, and massive crews of workers repair and clean every
ride, walkway and concession stand. When the gates open again
the next morning, the parks have been completely renewed.
A similar process takes place every night in your body. During
those precious hours of sleep, your body shuts down its daytime
activities and goes to work repairing and restoring itself. Your
immune system recharges, major organs are restored, old cells
are replaced with new ones, and your mind relaxes and organizes
its thoughts so you can wake up in a healthy physical and mental
state to begin a new day.
Now imagine what would happen if Walt
Disney’s parks stayed open all night and cut their
repair times short. Eventually, the parks would
be unsafe, unsanitary, run-down and heading
toward financial disaster. Lack of sleep is just
as disastrous for you as an individual because it
takes a toll on your health.A good night’s sleep is
some of the best medicine you can ever take for
your health, and it’s free!
Living On the Edge
The shocking truth is that an estimated 50–70
million Americans live on the brink of mental
and physical collapse due to lack of sleep.It is es-
timated that over 60 million people struggle with
ARe You getting enough sleep?
1. Do you need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning?
2. Do you get drowsy while driving short distances or while
waiting at traffic lights?
3. Do you run out of steam in the middle of the day?
4. Are you irritable and easily agitated?
5. Are you a light sleeper and wake easily at every noise?
6. Are you unable to get persistent worries out of your mind?
If you answered yes to even some of these, you are probably
lacking sleep. If you’re still not sure, try sitting in a comfortable
chair in a darkened room for five minutes. If you can’t do this
without falling asleep, it’s a sign that you need more sleep.
Rest Restoration
RESTORING YOUR BODY WITH SLEEP
by Don Colbert, M.D.
Getting a good night’s rest is one
of the best things we can do for ourselves
each day. Good sleep is one of the simplest
and most vital principles of good health, and yet
relatively few people take advantage of it and get
adequate sleep on a regular basis.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
This article is developed from information in Dr. Colbert’s book The Seven
Pillars of Health: (Siloam, Lake Mary, FL 2007).
This article is not intended to provide medical advice or take the place
of medical advice and treatment from your personal physician. Readers
are advised to consult your own doctors or other qualified health pro-
fessionals regarding the treatment of your medical problems. Neither
the publisher nor the author takes any responsibility for any possible
consequences from any treatment, action or application of medicine,
supplement, herb or preparation to any person regarding or following
the information in this article.
Dr. Don Colbert is a graduate of Oral Roberts School
of Medicine and shares his years of experience and
research in nutritional medicine in all of his work. He
is a national speaker, bestselling author and host of a
national talk show titled Your Health Matters.
www.drcolbert.com
Registration Form
You may register online at www.joycemeyer.org/wc07.
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WC2007
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If you have already preregistered for this convention, it is not necessary to register again.
Register Today!
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(636) 349-0303 in all other countries. Or, mail the form below
along with payment to Joyce Meyer Ministries.
This is a women’s convention; therefore, we are unable
to accommodate men or children.
2007 Convention Schedule
Thursday, September 20 7 pm Bishop T.D. Jakes
Friday, September 21 10 am Joyce Meyer
7 pm Joyce Meyer
Saturday, September 22 10 am Christine Caine
2 pm Joyce Meyer
• Delirious? will be leading worship at all sessions.
• CeCe Winans will provide special music throughout the weekend.
Interpretation/Translation
Interpretation for the deaf and hard of hearing will be
provided. Spanish translation will also be available. These
sections will be reserved until the start of each session.
Las reuniónes serán traducido al español y también habrá
servicio de interpretación en el lenguaje de señas. Estos
asientos estarán reservados hasta el comienzo de cada
reunión.
Travel Arrangements
Make your hotel accommodations through the housing
bureau from our website or by calling 1-888-597-7473
(U.S. and Canada) or (330) 425-9330 (all other countries).
A deposit of $125 (U.S. Funds only) is required and is non-
refundable after August 7. Helpful information with flight &
rental car arrangements can also be found on our website.
Complimentary shuttle to and from the Edward Jones Dome
is available for most hotels located downtown and near the
airport.
Volunteers
Want to be involved? We are in need of committed people
to become a part of Joyce Meyer Ministries’ Helps Team by
serving as ushers. You must first be registered.
For more information, please contact us at volunteer@
joycemeyer.org or call our office at 1-800-707-7877 ext. 3516.
For more information, go to
www.joycemeyer.org/wc07
or call 1-888-727-5280 in U.S. and Canada.
In all other countries, call (636)349-0303.
Joyce Meyer T.D. Jakes Chris Caine CeCe Winans
Special music
throughout the
weekend
Delirious? - Leading worship
at all sessions
Register Today!
www.joycemeyer.org/wc07
or 1-888-727-5280
Kim R. Taneytown, MD T E S T I M O N YT E S T I M O N Y
God spoke to my heart that He wasn’t through with my husband
yet… After that, I had the most wonderful peace in my heart because I
knew my husband would come through this.
The Power of Simple Prayer
320-Page Hardcover Book by Joyce Meyer
$23 U.S. Funds
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B o o k
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and heartfelt...
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by rules, regulations,
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obligation.
To order using MasterCard, VISA, American Express or
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Embark on a journey toward more
intimate, more exciting and more
effective prayer!
Two years ago my husband underwent extensive sur-
gery to remove a tumor in the joint of his jaw. He was
in surgery for seventeen hours, and they removed the
entire joint and a third of the jawbone itself. There
was much more to the surgery and the reconstruction;
however, that is not the story. The real story is how
God took care of me and my husband before, during
and after this calamity.
The tumor, which is called a chondrosarcoma, was
discovered during an MRI for something else in March
2005. We were sent to the Huntsman Cancer Center in
Salt Lake City at the University of Utah Hospital Com-
plex. After many tests and much conferencing, it was
discovered that the tumor was malignant and slow-
growing, but the doctors believed it had not invaded the
brain. Needless to say we were both pretty shook-up.
However, being believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we
stayed close to each other and God. But that’s not to
say we both didn’t still have our “moments.”
We were celebrating our forty-fifth wedding anniversary
by taking a cruise to Mexico the following month. We
decided to still go and just not talk or think about the
cancer diagnosis. When we returned, the surgery was
scheduled for June 14. During those two months, I
became closer to God than ever before. Actually, I have
you to thank for that. I have watched you for years and
have lots of your books and tapes. So I went through
them and chose what I needed. I read Be Anxious for
Nothing and your little book Peace. But I think the
book that helped me the most was The Secret Power of
Speaking God’s Word. I read and reread the scriptures
on anxiety/worry, health/healing, peace and many
more. During my daily Bible reading, I would search
the scriptures. Then I’d write them on 3x5 cards and
carry them with me so I could read them whenever I
needed. When I felt fear or anxiety, I’d read my favorites,
like Isaiah 41:10, 13 and Psalm 56:3; 57:1.
I remembered you talking many times about 1 Peter 5:6
and Philippians 4:6,7. During a particularly emotional
prayer session, God spoke to my heart that He wasn’t
through with my husband yet and wouldn’t take him
from me. After that I had the most wonderful peace
in my heart because I knew my husband would come
through this. I had such faith in God’s Word and His
promises.
I made a 3x5 card for my husband to carry to work in
his shirt pocket each day. One side had Isaiah 41:10
and the other had Isaiah 41:13. He carried that card
every day. It was in the pocket of the shirt that he wore
to the hospital the day of his surgery.
The surgery was a complete success! The cancer is
gone, not expected to return. My husband didn’t need
chemo or radiation therapy. They used his abdomen
muscles to build a support for the remaining left jaw.
So instead of a “six pack,” he now has a “three pack”!
He went back to work in July, just five weeks after the
extensive surgery. He is a Gideon and is once again
speaking in churches. He also speaks to the inmates
at the Bonneville County Jail on the first Sunday of
each month, and he only missed one Sunday.
God has been so good to us. We attribute every circum-
stance…every direction…every decision to Him. I have
only been able to share some of this wonderful story,
but there is so much more to tell of God’s involvement.
I thank God with all my heart. He and you brought me
through this, and I will be forever grateful. My children
couldn’t believe the peace and calmness I had going
into this or during it, but I had God’s Word and promise.
I knew everything would be okay! God is awesome!
Faithful, Hopeful, Trusting Prayer…Works!
Sharron A. Idaho Falls, ID
J e s u s i n e v e r y day L if e
June 2007 2019 www.joycemeyer.org
There are two things I will always remember about summers
in St. Louis. One is walking barefoot on pavement so hot that I
could pop the tar bubbles with my toes. The other is the penny
that led me to know how important the little things in life can be.
The penny had led me to knowing Miss Shaw, and knowing Miss
Shaw was what started things changing between Daddy and Jean
and Mama and me.
The streetcar had pulled away when I first saw the penny lay-
ing wheat-side-up on the ground. I wasn’t accustomed to picking
up pennies, but something inside me insisted, Pick it up, Jenny—
little things make a big difference. I knew it without a doubt: This
moment has something to do with my destiny.
To this day I wonder what would have happened if I’d left that
penny where it was. What if I’d grabbed it the first time around
without stopping to think?
The copper had melted its way clear into the asphalt.I pried the
hot coin out of the roadbed with my fingernails, the penny branding
my palm right in the middle of Grand Avenue. That’s when the
Pevely Dairy truck braked to keep from hitting me, which sent
both full and empty milk bottles toppling sideways. A dozen or so
shattered onto the street as milk splattered everywhere.A woman
lugging her baby in a car bed stepped outside the dime store just
as the last three milk bottles fell.
“Oh my word!” the woman said, shielding her child from the
onslaught. When she swung, she blindsided Bennett Mahaffey,
who was headed home with his favorite Elvis Presley record,
That’s All Right (Mama), tucked beneath his arm.
The blow struck Bennett hard enough to knock the record from
its jacket.The disk hit the sidewalk and wobbled downhill toward
the line waiting at the Fox Theater box office. Bennett took off
after it.
Every Wednesday just after five, Miss Shaw rearranged her
display windows at Shaw Jewelers—two doors north of the theater.
Anyone who cared to could watch her removing a necklace here,
a bracelet there, angling a set of earbobs, pushing a ring closer to
the center. Occasionally she would step out to gaze at the displays
herself.
On this particular day, Pete Mason saw Miss Shaw eyeing her
windows from a bench where he was sitting across the street. He
had watched everything: the dairy truck, the swinging of the car
bed, the crowd buying tickets for the picture show. He watched
the stranger step off the curb, making a beeline for Miss
Shaw. He watched the planned sleight of hand, the lift-
ing of the necklaces from Miss Shaw’s glove, and the
thief bolting for cover into the box-office crowd.
Pete plunged into the crowd after the thief at precise-
ly the moment Bennett Mahaffey made a successful
grab for his record just as the fleeing looter tripped
over him. “These yours?” Pete scooped up necklaces
from where they’d flown to the sidewalk.
“They are.” Miss Shaw held out a gloved hand. “Thank you
so much.”
It all happened in front of me, unfolding like a dream, where
nothing’s tied together but, in the end, the pieces make sense some way.
I closed my fingers over the penny, which had cooled in my
hand. A moment to define my destiny. That’s when I saw Pete Mason
nod his head toward me. Miss Shaw glanced in my direction and
shot a warm, curious smile…
Other People’s Hands
All my life had been shaped by other people’s hands. Daddy
slapping me, Mama never hugging me, Jean pointing a critical
finger at me. I believe when you look close at a person’s hands,
they help you figure out who a person is on the inside. Jean’s
slender, unmarred fingers with her nails filed into the shapes
of crescent moons tell me that if something looks imperfect or
frightening, Jean doesn’t like to see it. Mama’s cuticles peeled
raw and the empty finger where her wedding ring should have
been if Daddy had ever bought her one tell me that she turned
loose of expecting anything long ago. Daddy’s broad, callused
palms and his swollen knuckles tell me he uses the flat of his
hand to get what he wants and that he hangs on hard
to things he thinks ought to be his.
And my own hands were a miniature version of
Daddy’s—stubby fingers shaped like his—but I know
in my heart I am not like him.What clues do they tell
about me? That these are the hands of a girl who feels something
unnamed waiting inside to get out, something bigger than she
can hold. A girl who keeps hearing in her head that she might be
asked to do something great in the world someday. A girl who has
a deep desire to use her hands to help other people, but she can’t
see how that would ever happen.
Questions I Didn’t Want to Answer
Mixing people from two St. Louis neighborhoods was like stir-
ring water and oil—no matter what color or ethnic background.
We remained loyal to the people who lived in our quarter. Daddy
would have slapped me silly if he knew I sometimes headed
across town where my friend Aurelia lived with her daddy, Eddie
Crockett (who played trumpet music), Eddie’s sister, Maureen,
Watch the Enjoying Everyday Life broadcast
June 12 as Joyce answers questions about
her exciting new novel, The Penny.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
June 2007 22
I was raised in a home of satanic ritual abuse
and every other kind of abuse imaginable. Not only
did it affect me but also my children, who were put
through the same thing. In 1997 I found out I had
multiple personality disorder (MPD),along with many
other things. But Jesus reached down and sent me
a man (who is now my husband) who introduced me
to R.W. Schambach Ministries tapes. Through that,
I was introduced to Jesus as my Savior. I accepted
Jesus into my heart on my lawn mower one day.
From there, my new journey began.
In 2000 I left my then abusive husband, moved
to Tampa and found Without Walls Church, which is
where the miracles began. Through their teaching
I was led to deliverance, where my willingness—
coupled with God’s grace and mercy—began
working on me. I was made whole for the first time
in my life. Then the attacks and stumbling started
because I still didn’t feel I deserved the Lord’s
love or forgiveness, regardless of what everyone
told me. I was blessed to see you at my church’s
conferences and felt a “pull” toward you. I started
watching your TV ministry and realized that a lot of
what I felt, you had gone through too.
This past Christmas my husband blessed me
with your new Bible that I was longing for since it
came out. In just this short time, I have learned so
Jesus reached down and met me
right where i was
Has God
changed
your life
in any way
through Joyce
Meyer Ministries?
Whether it was a
TV or radio
broadcast,
magazine or
monthly letter,
audio or video
teaching, our
website or a
conference, we
would love to
hear your story.
Go to www.
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testimonies. Or,
mail your
testimony to:
Joyce Meyer
Ministries
P.O. Box 1350
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Testimony
Victoria W.
Venice, FL
much from your personal insight that I feel this year
is going to bring a total transformation in my life.
The first place the Lord led me to read was Isaiah
58-61. I meditated on those scriptures, along with
your insights, daily and have been speaking aloud
the prayers and claiming God’s Word in a truly
different way than I ever have.
I am grateful for your sincerity. It is helping
brighten my light in the Lord. I’m also grateful for
your faithfulness in hearing and following the Lord
all these years. Like you, we want to help as many
people as we can. Our dream is to someday open
houses for men and women who’ve been victims
of this kind of abuse.
I’m believing God for this to be the year my
children and I will be reunited. I haven’t been able
to have contact with them since I was diagnosed
with MPD ten years ago. I’m also believing God
this year for the financial breakthrough we’ve been
waiting for so we can partner with you.
I pray one day I’ll be able to meet you in per-
son to show you my true appreciation for all the
hurdles and sacrifices you’ve made to help people
like me. My heart and prayers are always with you
and your family. Thank you! You’ve truly given me
hope where there wasn’t any. God bless you and
yours always.
Be sure to see the most watched
Enjoying Everyday Life programs!
Don’t miss out…begins July 2!
To preview, and for
the broadcast schedule, visit
www.joycemeyer.org
feature A rticle
21 www.joycemeyer.org
and her two cousins, Darnell and Garland.
I had promised myself that I wouldn’t talk to anybody
at school again. I’d start making friends with other
girls and they’d ask questions I didn’t want to answer,
like whether my parents would bring refreshments to open house
or if I could meet them after classes for hamburgers or if I’d ever
been to a sleepover, which meant they wanted to be invited to my
house.
So I’d tell them they were crazy thinking I’d be interested in
doing anything with them. I couldn’t let any friendship flourish
with girls who expected to be invited to my house. Although
Daddy had never threatened to hurt any of my friends, he had
hit Mama, Jean, and me plenty of times. I didn’t want to chance
Daddy doing something to anybody else.
Aurelia was different. I didn’t have to protect her from
befriending me. Daddy would have beat me good if he found out
I talked to a Negro girl, but Aurelia would never ask to spend the
night with me.
Aurelia and the Antioch Baptist Church
This thing with Aurelia had grown from a series of quick
whispers and giggles in which she had shared details of her
family. I felt like I had known them a long time before I met them.
I would never have been able to tell anybody about my own.
One morning I took a detour from an errand to the A&P. I
hadn’t thought about it being Sunday until no one at Aurelia’s
duplex answered the door. From the porch I could hear a trumpet
playing, so I listened before I rang the bell again.
The door swung open just as I was about to leave. “Well, bless
my soul,” Eddie Crockett said. “You come to see Aurelia?”
I nodded.
“Don’t you know it’s Sunday morning? She goes to church on
Sundays.”
I’d passed the pretty Antioch Baptist Church before. Every so
often, Aurelia would talk about the messages she heard there,
saying how the words lightened her heart and lifted her up higher
than this world.
I just couldn’t pass that church, knowing Aurelia was close by.
With the way Daddy acted about us leaving, I never knew when
I’d be able to get over here again. I tried to get a look inside, but
every window was too dark, until, all of a sudden, I got to a clear
patch.A pulpit stood at the front of the pews, and a purple banner
that read HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER hung above the choir
members’heads.
I spotted Aurelia, who also saw me and asked, “Girl, what you
doin’here?”
“Looking for you,” I said.
“Come inside.”
(continued on page 24)
Available
JUNE 12!
new boo k release
An emotionally gripping
story that’ll stay with you...
Pick up Joyce’s very first novel, based on real events in
her own life, and discover how God is at work in even
the smallest details—even something as small as the
penny.
The Penny
256-Page Hardcover Book by Joyce Meyer
$22 U.S. Funds
Order resource #BK79
Also available June 12 wherever books are sold.
Coming to a city near you...
Atlanta, Georgia
June 13, 2007
Jacksonville, Florida
June 13, 2007
Charlotte, North Carolina
June 14, 2007
Annapolis, Maryland
June 14, 2007
Detroit, Michigan
June 15, 2007
New York, New York
June 16, 2007
Visit www.joycemeyer.org
for more details, or call 1-800-727-9673.
YOU'RE INVITED
TO A VERY SPECIAL EVENT!
Joyce Meyer will be signing
copies of her first novel
To order using MasterCard, VISA, American Express or
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For mail orders, see order form enclosed. American Express
and Discover accepted in U.S. only.
Your credit card will be charged and this item will be shipped
on or shortly after the book’s release date of June 12.
June 2007 24
“You’ve got a seed of greatness in you,” Reverend Monroe
bellowed with enthusiasm. His eyes radiated kindness
and his plainspoken manner made me listen. “You’ve
got a seed of victory planted by God inside of you.”
I already told you how I kept hearing whispers about great-
ness in my head. I’d be in my bed at night, after Daddy left the
room, and I’d think about it so hard, hoping it would make every-
thing else go away.
Someday you’re going to do something great.
But I also assured myself I was stupid to believe that. There
could never be much good in me, I thought, not with Daddy doing
those things to me.
Reverend Monroe continued, “Do not be afraid, you will not
suffer shame.” His sweet, kind eyes centered on mine.“Do not fear
disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of
your youth.”
If you only knew. My shame will never go away.
The preacher continued, “The Lord saves His anointed; He
answers them from His holy heaven with the saving power of
His right hand. Their faces are never covered with shame.”
Suddenly I realized that me standing in this church had every-
thing to do with finding the penny. If I hadn’t found the penny, I
wouldn’t have come over here to tell Aurelia about it.
Reverend Monroe kept saying that Jesus believed in me. He
kept saying how, if you believed in Jesus, He could make the stains
inside you go away. But the stains from what I let Daddy do had
soaked deep, and nothing could fade them.
The ache in my heart grew bigger than anything I could put
a name to. I had only come here to tell Aurelia that if I hadn’t
picked up the penny, nothing about my life would have changed.
If I hadn’t stopped, I wouldn’t be here now. For the first time ever, I
felt something gentle take my soul in its hands. For the first time,
I forgot to listen to the taunts inside my head.
When Reverend Monroe encouraged people to come forward
and pray the “prayer of salvation,” my legs moved of their own
accord. I invited Jesus into my heart.
I asked Him to help me trust in Him because I sure wasn’t doing
very well trusting myself. I asked Him to show me what He wanted
to do inside me to make me great, because if something didn’t hap-
pen to make that obvious, then I sure wasn’t going to figure it out.
I never gave away that first penny I found, but I gave away a
lot of others. Sharing hope with other people when they were
hurting, sad, or lonely made a big difference in how I felt about
myself too. God did such an amazing work inside me, I never
stopped wanting to share it. In my shirt pocket, there is a wheat
penny, not worth much to anybody else, but it is of great worth to
me. I touch it with my fingers, feel its weight, and I am fourteen
years old all over again. E
(continued from page 21)
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
Get Involved
We are in need of committed people to become a part
of Joyce Meyer Ministries’Helps Team by serving as
ushers at all U.S. conferences. If you plan
to attend a Joyce Meyer Ministries conference and
would like to get involved, please email us at volunteer@
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June 7-9
college park, MD
Worship with
Hillsong London
Thu June 7 7 pm
Fri June 8 10 am & 7 pm
Sat June 9 10 am
Comcast Center
University Blvd
& Paint Branch Rd
College Park, MD 20741
1-800-462-8377
www.umterps.com
June 3
Hoffman estates, IL
Life Changers
International Church
Pastor Gregory Dickow
July 26
utica, ny
Generation Church
Youth Conference
Pastor Michael Servello, Jr.
August 18 & 19
Singapore
City Harvest Church
October 18
Grapevine, TX
Gaylord Texan Resort &
Convention Center
“For Ladies Only”
Serita Jakes
free
ADMISSION IS
*See ad on page 34.
July 12-14
LOS ANGELES, CA*
Worship with
Hillsong’s
Darlene Zschech
A special Friday
night concert with
Delirious?
Thu July 12 7 pm
Fri July 13 10 am & 7 pm
Sat July 14 10 am & 2 pm
Staples Center
1111 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 742-7340
www.staplescenter.com
Spanish translation will be available.
September 6-8
St. Paul, MN
Worship with
Hillsong London
Thu Sep 6 7 pm
Fri Sep 7 10 am & 7 pm
Sat Sep 8 10 am
Xcel Energy Center
199 W Kellogg Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 265-4800
www.xcelenergycenter.com
July 19-21
East Rutherford, NJ*
Worship with
Hillsong’s
Darlene Zschech
A special Friday
night concert with
Delirious?
Thu July 19 7 pm
Fri July 20 10 am & 7 pm
Sat July 21 10 am & 2 pm
Continental Airlines Arena
50 State Route 120
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
(201) 935-3900
www.meadowlands.com
Spanish translation will be available.
Upcoming Conferences...
In Romans 1:17 and Habakkuk 2:4, we are told that the just, or
righteous, man will live by faith. Now, you may look at someone
who you think has great faith and say, “I sure wish I had faith
like that to live by!”The reality is, you have all the faith you need.
In Romans 12:3, God’s Word tells us that He has given a certain
amount of faith to every man.
So faith, or trust, is something that each of us has—we cannot
function in this world without it. The more we operate in trust,
the more relaxed we are and the more enjoyable our lives will
be. Actually, you and I exercise faith all the time. When you think
about it, you’ll realize it even takes faith to do something as simple
as sitting in a chair and believing it will hold us up, or driving a car
and trusting we will arrive safely at our destination. The question
is: What are we placing our faith in?
If we trust in ourselves, we will probably spend a lot of time
reasoning and worrying. If we place our faith in other people, we
will probably spend a lot of time being disappointed. What we
put our trust in is our choice,
but as believers, God’s Word
makes it clear that our faith
should be in Him and Him
alone. Jeremiah 17:7 says,
[Most] blessed is the man who
believes in, trusts in, and relies
on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. I believe
that God has given each of us enough faith to do whatever He has
for us to do. The key is learning to take steps of faith over time
and, through life’s experiences, to use what we’ve been given and
cause our faith to grow.
Steps of Faith
Faith operates in a realm that is beyond human reasoning. It’s
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things that we
can’t see, touch, hear or feel (see Hebrews 11:1). So when God
speaks to us to do something that requires faith, we need to do
two things. First, we must choose to trust God regardless of what
we perceive with our senses, and second, we need to step out and
obey Him. We can’t do one without the other and expect the right
results. In fact, I believe that stepping out and obeying without
trust is what causes many failures.
For example, my husband, Dave, has faith in areas I don’t.
There have been times when I felt that I had to do something
the way he did because I was afraid that I would be judged as
not having faith if I didn’t. Those were times of failure for me!
It’s foolish to pretend to have faith when we do not. If we are
struggling to trust God, we need to be honest and tell Him. Like
the centurion who asked Jesus to help his son in Mark 9:24, we
June 2007 28
can say, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,” and
He will help us.
But this does not mean that we won’t have to
stretch our faith at times. Often we have faith that
we haven’t been using, and we need to exercise
it even though it’s uncomfortable for us. For
instance, my family has a goal to increase our
missions giving to a certain level. Every time we
take a step to move toward that goal, it’s a stretch,
and it makes us uncomfortable. But we’ll never
reach our goal if we don’t continue to step out in
faith each time God prompts us.
On the other hand, it can also be a stretch
of faith to wait on God and not step out. Part
of getting ready for what I’m doing now was
quitting my job to prepare for ministry when
God told me to. Not going to work was one of
the hardest things I ever did. It meant I wasn’t
earning the money we needed to help pay our
bills. But when God told me to quit working, I
chose to trust Him—I took a step of faith and
quit my job. I was very uncomfortable, but it was
during that time of stretching that I learned
how to trust Him for literally everything.1
Jesus had to choose to trust God under
difficult circumstances too. He could have
delivered Himself from the cross, avoiding
the pain and discomfort, but He didn’t. There
would have been no salvation for you and me
if He had made that choice. Just as Jesus went
to the cross for our sakes, sometimes God asks
us to do hard things so He can use us to bless
others in a greater way.
Just because something is hard does not
mean that it isn’t God’s will. In Luke 5:1-6, Jesus
instructed the disciples to come out into the
deep and get ready for a haul. In order to catch
all God had for them, they had to take steps of
faith that stretched them beyond their comfort
zone. The same thing holds true for us.
bonus feature
27 www.joycemeyer.org
One of the most important subjects talked about in the Bible is trusting God.
The truth is, our relationship with the Lord and our whole way of life is based
on our ability to trust Him.
Secrets to
Trusting God
Only Believe
by Joyce Meyer
Faith is the leaning of the entire human person-
ality on God in absolute trust and confidence in
His power, wisdom, and goodness.
On the Enjoying Everyday Life
broadcast June 4 – 8.
Check your TV listing for stations
and program times in your area.
Secrets to Trusting God
Only Believe
by Joyce Meyer
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
June 2007 30
Time and Experience
Trust is not something we learn to do auto-
matically. It is developed over time and through
experience. For example, when two people get
married, they go through experiences together,
and they learn that they either can or cannot trust
the other.
During the first few years of our marriage, I
learned a lot about Dave. I already had a son from
a previous marriage in which I had been aban-
doned. Dave never treated him any differently
than the three children born to us as a couple, so
I learned to trust him as a father. I also learned
a lot about trusting God during the six years we
were living from paycheck to paycheck. Not once
did He ever fail to come through, so I learned to
trust Him as my provider.
Even Jesus had to learn faithful obedience
through His experience. Hebrews 5:8 says,
Although He was a Son, He learned [active,
special] obedience through what He suffered….
And going through experiences and learning
from them takes time. We don’t just learn to
trust God all at once. He doesn’t want us to just
trust Him for things—He wants us to trust Him
through things.
The problem is that we have our way and our
timing and God has His. And God’s timing often
includes more waiting than we would like. During
the wait we often get confused and frightened,
and the enemy attacks us with doubt and un-
belief. It’s very important that we cast our care
upon the Lord and keep believing while we wait
on God’s timing for good things to come into our
lives.2
The fact is, even if things don’t happen the
way we would like them to or when we want them
to, we can decide to keep on believing no matter
what—because God is faithful.
Only Believe
Whether you are being challenged to take
a step of faith or being stretched in a time of
waiting, the thing you must do is, only believe!3
In every situation remember the words of Jesus
“…if you believe, you will see the glory of God”
(John 11:40 NASB).
Don’t be discouraged if your trust in God
seems small. As you continue to use it, your faith
will grow beyond what you ever thought possible.
Just remember, faith grows over time and with
experience—if you will only believe. E(1) See Psalm 37:5. (2) See 1 Peter 5:7. (3) See Mark 5:36;
Luke 8:50.
Many law and history professors and uninformed historical
writers commonly assert that John Locke was a secular political
writer or a deist—someone who acknowledges the existence of a
God but denies revelation and the divine origin of the Scriptures.
Often, these claims are made without the logical effort of studying
Locke or his writings directly. (Rather, the views of other writers
who wrote about Locke are studied!) If you have such a professor,
or hear such assertions, here are a few helpful facts and questions
you can use:
• FACT: In 1669 John Locke
assisted in the drafting of the
Carolina constitution under
which no man could be a
citizen unless he acknowl-
edged God, was a member
of a church, and used no
“reproachful, reviling, or
abusive language” against
any religion.1
QUESTION: How can the
constitutional requirement
that no one can become a
citizen unless he (1) acknowledges God; (2) is a member of a
church; and (3) doesn’t attack religion, be considered a secular
political philosophy?
• FACT: Many of Locke’s political ideas were
specifically drawn from British theologian
Richard Hooker (1554-1600), whom Locke
quotes heavily in approbation throughout his
own political writings.2
QUESTION: If Locke draws so heavily from
(and frequently cites) a theologian throughout
hisownpoliticalworks,howcan
it be true that his political philo
sophies were totally secular?
• FACT: In his most famous
political work, Two Treatises of
Government,Locke set forth the
belief that successful govern-
ments could be built only upon
the transcendent, unchanging
principles of natural law that
were a subset of God’s law. For
example, he declared:
“[T]he Law of Nature stands
as an eternal rule to all men,
legislators as well as others. The rules that they
make for other men’s actions must…be conform-
able to the Law of Nature, i.e., to the will of God.3
A merica at its best
John Locke was an English theologian and political philosopher whose life
spanned from 1632-1704. He authored numerous works that influenced
America,including the original constitution of Carolina,1669. But his writing that
most influenced the Founders’ philosophy in the Declaration of Independence
was his Treatise of Government.
DID YOU KNOW…
Locke’s Treatise (actually two separate exposi-
tions combined into one book) is less than 400
pages long. In the first treatise, Locke invoked
the Bible in 1,349 references, and in his second
treatise, he cited it 157 times. Imagine! In the
primary work influencing the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, Locke referred to the Bible over 1,500
times to show the proper operation of civil govern-
ment. No wonder the Declaration has been such
a successful document!
Unlocking the Truth About John Locke
Deist or Theologian?
by David Barton
God can’t fail,
and He can’t lie.
Get more Word.
Gain more faith.
Secrets to Trusting God
4-Part Series by Joyce Meyer
Faith
320-Page Hardcover Book by Phil Pringle
The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word
288-Page Hardcover Book by Joyce Meyer
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For your gift of $40 or more U.S. Funds
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BONUS
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
June 2007 3231 www.joycemeyer.org
A M E R I C A AT I T S B E S T
“[L]aws human must be made according to the general laws
of Nature, and without contradiction to any positive law of
Scripture, otherwise they are ill made.“4
QUESTION: How can
Locke’s declaration that
the laws of legislators must
be conformable “to the will
of God” and that human
laws cannot contradict “any
positive law of Scripture” be
considered part of a secular
political philosophy?
• FACT: While many today
classify John Locke as a
deist, secular thinker, or a
forerunner of deism,5
previ-
ous generations classified
John Locke as a theologian.6
QUESTION: How can the
charge that Locke’s political
philosophies were totally
secular be squared with the fact that he was long considered a
theologian?
• FACT: John Locke’s many writings included a verse-by-
verse commentary on Paul’s epistles. He also compiled a topical
Bible, which he called a Common Place-Book to the Holy Bible,
that listed the verses in the Bible subject by subject.Then when
antireligious enlightenment
thinkers attacked Christian-
ity, Locke defended it in his
book The Reasonableness
of Christianity as Delivered
in the Scriptures. And then
when he was attacked for
defending Christianity in
that first work, he responded
with the work A Vindication
of the Reasonableness of
Christianity. Still being at-
tacked two years later, Locke
wrote A SecondVindication of
the Reasonableness of Chris-
tianity.7
No wonder he was
considered a theologian by
his peers and by subsequent
generations!
QUESTION: How can a theologian who wrote so many books
on the writings and doctrines of the Bible and Christianity (and
who frequently cited the Scriptures in his political writings) also
be a writer whose political philosophies were totally secular?
• FACT: Significantly, during the Founding
Era when it was charged that Locke was a
secular writer, it drew a sharp response from
law professor James Wilson—
a signer of the Constitution
and an original justice on the
U.S. Supreme Court. Wilson
declared:
“I am equally far from believ-
ing that Mr. Locke was a friend
to infidelity [a disbelief in the
Bible and in Christianity8
]….
The high reputation which he
deservedly acquired for his
enlightened attachment to the
mild and tolerating doctrines
of Christianity secured to him
the esteem and confidence of
those who were its friends.
The same high and deserved
reputation inspired others of
very different views and char-
acters…to diffuse a fascinating
kind of lustre over their own tenets of a dark
and sable hue. The consequence has been that
the writings of Mr. Locke, one of the most able,
most sincere, and most amiable assertors of
Christianity and true philosophy, have been
perverted to purposes which he would have
deprecated and prevented [disapproved and
opposed] had he discovered or
foreseen them.”9
QUESTION: How can the
charge that political philoso-
phies were totally secular be
explained with the claim by
such a prominent legal au-
thority that Locke was “one of
the most able, most sincere,
and most amiable assertors of
Christianity”? EThis article is reprinted with permission from
David Barton and WallBuilders. The original
article and the original sources for notes (1)
through (9) can be obtained online at www.
wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.
php?ResourceID=124.
THEY SAID WHAT?
Declaration signers, such as John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Rush and
many others sang John Locke’s praises.
James Otis—the mentor of both Samuel Adams and
John Hancock—identified the source of many of the
signers’ ideas when he declared: “The authority of
Mr. Locke has…been preferred to all others.”
Richard Henry Lee, also a signer of the Declara-
tion, declared that the Declaration was “copied from
Locke’s Treatise on Government.”
John Quincy Adams, our sixth president, affirmed:
“The Declaration of Independence [was]…founded
upon one and the same theory of government…ex-
pounded in the writings of Locke.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Don’t just swallow the negative claims made
about our Founding Fathers. Arm yourself with
truth—take some time to personally study who they
really were, what they really believed, and what they
really did. This Father’s Day, as you honor your father
and thank God for his positive influence in your life,
remember to thank God for our Founding Fathers
and their positive influence on our country. No, none
of them were perfect; they had their share of weak-
nesses and flaws too. Still, their hearts were after
God—desiring His will to be done in and through the
United States of America. We can certainly learn a
lot from their example.
R E A L L I F E P E R S P E C T I V E S
Has God ever spoken something very strong in your heart? He did to me in November
of 1998. While sitting in my closet praying, the Lord spoke to my heart and said,
“I am moving you and your family to St. Louis to work for Joyce Meyer. Your gift will
be a blessing to her, and you and your family will be blessed greatly.”
Wow! Was that really God? He had never spoken to me that
way before. Repeatedly, His words rang in my ears for weeks.The
strange thing was, I had yet to fill out an application or send in my
resume. But by January of 1999, I did.Within weeks my references
were being called. I was in awe. Could God have really spoken to
me? I thought. Is He really moving us to St. Louis? A new journey
of faith began to unfold.
March came and I was contacted by the ministry. After two
interviews by phone, I was sent a sample writing assignment.
After sweating it out for three weeks, I received word that they
liked it. The next step was a face-to-face interview, which was
eventually set to take place in June. I couldn’t believe it! What
God had said in my heart was actually happening, and rather
quickly. Excitement, hope and joy filled my soul. My faith had
risen to an all-time high. Then…the bottom dropped out.
Shattered Dreams On May 12, 1999, I received one of the most
discouraging phone calls of my life.“Vincent, I am sorry to inform
you that the interview has been cancelled. The writing position
you applied for has been put on hold for six months to a year.” My
heart sank within me. All hope, happiness and faith were gone.
What happened? I don’t understand.Things were moving along, and
then suddenly it’s over. Allison, my wife, stood faithfully beside
me, encouraging me not to give up hope. “If God spoke to you, it’s
going to happen,” she said. “It’s just a matter of time.”
After three days I mustered enough faith to listen to a teaching
tape by Charles Stanley fittingly titled Unshakable Faith. Slowly
but surely, God encouraged me as I drove and listened. A ray of
hope began breaking forth on the horizon of my heart. Then all
of a sudden,WHAM! I found myself in one of the worst accidents
ever. My car was totaled, and I was further humiliated to find
that the accident was my fault. Feeling totally discouraged, I
returned home and discovered that both of our computers broke
earlier that day. This meant that the magazine we were getting
ready to publish couldn’t be finished. Its theme, ironically, was
“Encouragement in the Face of Hopelessness.”
Seething anger was now surging. “Where are you God? What
are you doing? I don’t understand? Why are you allowing this in
my life?” For days on end, disappointment, discouragement and
despair became very close friends. Question
after question filled my mind. The biggest one
that would haunt me was: Did I really hear
from God about moving to St. Louis? I tried with
everything in me to forget about St. Louis and
working for Joyce Meyer, but it NEVER went
away. It seemed like everywhere I looked, I saw
St. Louis, Missouri—license plates, garbage can
lids, household cleaners, you name it.
Picking Up the Pieces God made a way for us
to finish that issue of the magazine and taught
me a tremendous lesson in patience, endurance
and trusting Him. My faith had been put to the
test. Each day I had a choice to believe God had
spoken to my heart or reject it. I cried many
tears and experienced a wide range of emotions,
including anger and depression. But deep inside,
I wanted to believe, and my willingness to trust
in God’s track record kept me going.
Over a year had passed; it was now July of
2000. Allison and I had published the last issue
of our magazine, and I was looking for new
employment. One more time, I thought. I’ll send
Joyce Meyer Ministries some updated sample
work and call them one more time. That was
nearly seven years ago. Since then I have been
given the awesome privilege of writing for Dave
and Joyce and overseeing her monthly maga-
zine, which impacts millions every month.
My point: If God has put something in your
heart that won’t seem to go away, keep on
believing. He will bring it to pass. Cry if you
have to…work through anger, frustration and
doubt…but don’t give up. God is in the process of
s t r e t c h i n g your faith. He is doing something
powerful IN you so that He can do something
powerful THROUGH you! E
by Vincent M. NewfieldA stretch of faith
David Barton is an author, historian and the
founder and president of WallBuilders, a national
pro-family organization that distributes historical,
legal and statistical information. He speaks to
hundreds of groups each year, helping citizens be-
come active in their local schools and communities.
www.wallbuilders.com
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
ask joyce
Your question, with an answer from Joyce, may appear in an upcoming issue of
Enjoying Everyday Life magazine. Please be aware, however, that due to heavy
mail volume, we may be unable to respond to every question.
Asha,
There are two times when the devil attacks us—when we’re doing something wrong and
when we’re doing something right. Sometimes we open doors for the devil by doing things
we know we shouldn’t. Other times we are progressing in our walk with God and the devil
tries to stop us by sending trouble our way (see Mark 4:4-20).
I used to try to figure out where my trials were coming from. But I’ve learned to trust
God regardless of the reason, and I find it much more peaceful. I do ask Him if there’s
something in my life that needs to change or if I’ve opened a door for the enemy without
realizing it. If He shows me something, I repent and ask for His help. If He doesn’t reveal
anything, then I simply trust Him to help me keep bearing good fruit while He is dealing with
my enemies.
God is good and the devil is bad. However, everything that feels bad is not actually bad.
We often think that anything uncomfortable is something we should not have in our lives,
but that is not true. It’s the difficulties we encounter in life that help us get closer to God
and grow as Christians. God promises to work out all things for our good if we love and trust
Him. I suggest keeping your eyes on the promise rather than the problem. God is with us,
and as we trust Him, He will always deliver us from our problems in due time.
Dear Joyce,
How do we know
when something is a
test from God or an
attack of the devil?
Asha
Grandma,
This would be a good time to help your grandson understand that even though all his
prayers may not be answered the way he would like them to, God will always love and care
about him. These types of situations give us an opportunity to reinforce a child’s belief in a
God who is good and loves us even though we don’t always get everything we ask for.
A child with good parents knows he is loved even though his parents don’t always give
him everything he wants. As parents, they understand things their child doesn’t, and they
can’t always explain their reasons for saying no. However, if children know that they’re
loved, they can endure difficulties without losing trust or doubting their parents’ love and
affection.
The truth is, we’ll never have all the answers until we get to heaven—on earth we will
only know “in part” (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). There have been many times in my life when
God didn’t do what I wanted when I wanted it, if at all, but I know and trust Him enough not
to let it damage my relationship with Him. God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom is
high above ours (see Isaiah 55:8,9).
Encourage your grandson in the goodness of a God who is always with us and will never
leave us no matter what happens (see Hebrews 13:5). He wants to help us in every situa-
tion. Let God use you to reassure your grandson that he’s loved no matter what happens
in his life. Even though God did not give him what he wanted, He has something better in
mind for him.
Dear Joyce,
I encouraged my nine-
year-old grandson to
pray before he per-
formed in a rodeo. He
did, however, it was
the worst performance
he ever had. He really
believed that God was
going to help him.
How can I explain this
to him?
Grandma
los angeles, CA
July 12-14
worship with hillsong’s
darlene zschech
delirious?a night of evangelism with
east rutherford, NJ
July 19-21
Together Again. Two New Cities. Two Unforgettable Conferences.
Unite with thousands to hear cutting-edge messages by Joyce Meyer and Hillsong’s Pastor Brian
Houston. Experience powerful worship with Darlene Zschech and a special evangelistic concert by
Delirious? after Joyce’s salvation message Friday night. So, be sure to bring your unsaved friends
and family.
When we unite, we are changed—so come expecting!
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
1111 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 742-7340
www.staplescenter.com
East Rutherford, NJ
Continental Airlines Arena
50 State Route 120
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
(201) 935-3900
www.meadowlands.com
Conference Schedule
Thursday 7 pm Brian Houston
Friday 10 am Joyce Meyer
7 pm Joyce Meyer
Saturday 10 am Brian Houston
2 pm Joyce Meyer
don’t miss the
special concert with
Delirious?
friday night!
For more information, go to
www.joycemeyer.org/conferences or call 1-866-SEE-JOYCE
free
ADMISSION IS
Messages by
Brian Houston
and
Joyce Meyer
in concert Friday at 7pm
Want to
ask Joyce?
Send your questions to:
Joyce Meyer Ministries
P.O. Box 1350
Fenton, MO 63026
“You’ll love this book!
Expect to be captured in
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a reminder of God’s plan
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make a big difference?
Then dig in.”
– NY Times bestselling author Max Lucado
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