SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

THE JOYCE MEYER I KNOW by (me!) Sandra, tvgp

I will reveal toward the end my purpose for writing about Joyce Meyer again. But do stick with me.. We know that I don't actually KNOW Joyce Meyer.. Ive never had an in person conversation.. A dinner... Been her neighbor or friend.. I did see her in person at the book signing which I reposted about recently.. But other than that, how I've come to know and respect and admire Joyce Meyer is by watching her around a half hour each morning, 5 times a week, for several years.. By LISTENING to her for a half hour each day, 5 times a week, for several years.. Now, there is a small chance she is a fraud.. But, based on what I've heard, read, seen.. I think not. I BELIEVE she has had the life she claims she's had.. Let me pull out some of the stories again: born into a severely dysfunctional Family.. Her abusive alcoholic father raping her over 200 times.. Her mother doing nothing to stop it.. Her early childhood one of perpetual fear, anger, manipulation. No exposure to peace or love or joy.. Not allowed to play sports or attend church.. Her father controlling her morning, noon and night. And yet.. Some calling at a young age.. She sneaks to church and brings her young cousins to "get saved" at around age 8 or 9.. To her great disappointment, the pastor doesn't have an altar call.. Determined to get saved she goes to the pastor, dragging her cousins with her, and has to ask.. She describes the devil as deceiving her into believing she wasn't saved when she cheats during a hide n seek game.. But learns better as time goes by. Stays in prayer during her horrific childhood.. Realizes there is nothing she can do at the time to change her circumstances but! Has the insight and determination to "do something great one day!" (be great). -when she finally gets out of the house.. Marries the first man that shows her attention.. He turns out to be a womanizer, alcoholic/drug addict and petty thief. Exactly the type of men women with zero self esteem seem to attract... And during this time, Joyce herself does some stealing.. Taking money from her employer. TWO CRUCIAL MOVES HERE START TO TRANSFORM HER LIFE: she divorces. She meets Dave. (her husband now for 40+ years.. A devoted Christian.) Dave had been praying for love in his life, and specifically for someone who " needed help". -has no idea what he'd be getting himself into... And it's choppy here.. But Joyce has a desire to minister.. Growing desire.. A definite calling, but her ambition is greater than her actual readiness.. She starts by leading home bible study groups.. And describes herself as wearing short-shorts and smoking cigarettes while she does.. In the background.. They are growing their family.. Adding children.. They have 4 in total and are struggling financially..and Joyce is running the household with the only tools she has from her own dysfunctional upbringing.. Control, manipulation, anger, upset.. She describes dave's stability day in and day out as being the greatest living testimony and helping her to learn how to stop manipulating/controlling. Her moods unable to control his... She was miserable so she wanted him miserable.. But Dave rose above the trap. And by the way... This is all taking place over years not weeks or months... Decades! Simultaneously.. Joyce remains ambitious about being a great minister but faces MANY obstacles.. People opposed to women in church leadership, jealous people, threatened people.. And she is kicked out of her church and loses all her friends. -rejection on top of rejection on top of rejection.. And yet continues on.. At some point her and Dave travel by van.. Sharing the good news here, and the good news there.. And eventually have some radio programs, then some tv.. And there is a story in here somewhere about Joyce receiving a message from God to "go east, west, south and north". -and not fully knowing what that meant, she went to east Missouri, west Missouri,north Missouri, etc. -but we later find out God plans were slightly larger weren't they.. As she ends up ultimately with a world wide, not state wide ministry. I skip here to some of the spiritual confessions/lessons she experiences along the way: overcoming the shame of her childhood. Becoming strong enough to divorce instead of settle for another abusive relationship, facing/overcoming rejection, honoring her calling over her circumstances, taking a chance on love a second time, gradually moving away from control/anger/manipulation as ways of functioning in the world and toward peace, joy, love.. Fun! She somewhere returns to the employer she once stole from, confesses and returns the money! And some really amazing things happen also.. Like fast forward many years and God asks her to take care of her father in his elderly years.. She does! And forgives him! And he apologizes for the first time.. Is baptized and accepts Jesus shortly before he dies.. She has also forgiven and takes care of her elderly mother.. We learn also, Joyce has a brother.. Who never fully recovered from their traumatic childhood, and who lost his life to drug addiction. Let me get you to pay attention here.. One child loses his life to drug addiction.. The other goes on to have a world wide ministry! Now, I have no statistics for you on how many conferences Joyce has hosted over the past THIRTY PLUS YEARS.. How many bible study classes she has taught.. How many hours she Has spent preparing for the classes and conferences.. How many dream and hope centers she has opened around the world, no statistics on exactly how many hungry children she has helped feed, or sick people she has helped heal, or emotionally hurting people she has helped recover... How many people she has introduced to the love of God, the love of Jesus..how many books she has written and how long it took her, But if you could graph it and see it... How many hours of her life she has devoted and continues to devote to helping people around the world. If you could see her like I do... Honest, candid, ambitious, determined, gracious, evolved, generous, kind; healed. And you listened to her.. And you see how she spends literally no time critiquing others but gives us all permission and invitation to " go to school" on her mistakes... I just can't say enough good things about her. The lessons are real.. How to become un-miserable; to learn to "enjoy everyday life" -to spread love.. Pursue peace.. Overcome rejection.. Learn humility, confess sins, seek/accept/provide forgiveness, honor who God made you to be and not manipulate or fake anything, how God can turn your mess into a message, your test into a testimony, -how not to pray for the easy life.. But know that life is hard.. And " we are anointed for hard". -how, her own life is a great example that " there is no pit so deep God can't get you out of it". -she spreads HOPE. I could go on and on... But I will stop there.. I will stop there and tell you.. That after watching Joyce Meyer for a half hour everyday, 5 days a week, for several years, that the Joyce Meyer I read about in Wikipedia and the Joyce Meyer I have come to know are two different people. At least you can read what they want you to think of her... And it is jot who I've come to know. In fact, it is another lesson she speaks on.. Not being attached to your reputation. People will think what they want to think, but that does not make you who you are. You have to know yourself -solid- in Christ.. Otherwise you'll spend your life chasing flies with a flyswatter. That said,... Written and acknowledged.. When it comes to money earned by successful preachers... We have Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen who both say God wants us financially blessed.. So we can bless others ( and they both do bless countless others). And then we have Rick Warren. -please see his Ted.com talk.. Where he went from tithing 10% and living off of 90% to tithing 90% and living off of 10% after the global success of his living with purpose book. That! Has got to make God smile. Amen!

posted by SHE @ 10:14 AM