Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, Joyce’s books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on how the Word of God applies to our everyday lives. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences, and helps others understand how to apply biblical principles to their own lives.
Millions of people worldwide get Joyce’s program, Enjoying Everyday Life, through television, radio, and online medial outlets. Joyce has authored 130 books, which have been translated into 149 languages. More than 36 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Joyce discovered how to overcome the pain of her past and have a life filled with real love, hope, peace and joy by applying His Word to her life, and she desires to help others do the same. God has provided Joyce with the opportunity to share Christ and love people worldwide, and for more than 35 years, her annual Love Life Women's Conference has drawn hundreds of thousands from all over the world for a life-changing weekend with Joyce, her special guest speakers, and award-winning worship artists. Joyce teaches thousands more each year at conferences throughout the United States, in addition to domestic and international speaking and outreach opportunities.
Joyce’s passion to help hurting people is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Hand of Hope provides worldwide humanitarian outreaches, such as feeding programs, medical care, orphanages, and disaster-relief efforts. Joyce also established Project GRL, an initiative birthed out of her heart to give women and girls who are marginalized by society or their circumstances a chance to become all God has created them to be. These outreaches guide, restore and love them, helping them discover their true destiny in Christ.
In her home city of St. Louis, Missouri, Joyce and her husband, Dave, founded the St. Louis Dream Center in 2000. The Dream Center serves the inner city of St. Louis through practical programs and outreaches that care for hurting people and families in need.
Interviews
Interview: Joyce Meyer, Bible teacher and author
BY TERENCE HANDLEY MACMATH28 APRIL 2017
‘Somehow God always makes us better after a struggle than we were before’
It seems that stress is the disease of our culture today. Stress management is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with people going to counsellors, taking medicine to fight symptoms of stress, or going to stress-management classes. I believe most people would say they get stressed out with life; so [my book] Overload would be a good message for a lot of people.
I know what it’s like to live under pressure and stress all the time, and it’s not God’s will for us to live this way. Jesus said in John 14.27 that we can have his peace, and we don’t have to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. The Amplified Bible says: “Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated . . . and unsettled.” So we can learn how to live with God’s peace.
I want to help others learn what I’ve discovered, and how to walk it out. It comes down to this: the world is probably not going to change; so I have to change my approach to the world.
Enjoying Everyday Life is the name of our TV and radio programmes, and also our free magazine. We chose this name because John 10.10 is a foundational scripture for our ministry. It says that Jesus came so we can “have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance”. The first part of that verse says the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus made it clear that we don’t have to live under his control. We can have abundant life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
This message is very personal for me, because I was a miserable Christian for many years before I really saw what this verse says. It was a long, hard journey getting to the place where I now enjoy my everyday life, but it was worth the pain and struggle to get here. It’s so wonderful to live with God’s peace and joy — to really enjoy my life. And I want to see others take back what the enemy has stolen from them so they can have the life Jesus died to give them.
There are all kinds of people who listen to the programme, all over the world. They are people who are searching for more meaning in their lives, who need to know that Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with them, and Christianity is not about following religious rules and regulations. It’s always amazing to me when we hear testimonies from people who have experienced great changes in their lives through the teaching they hear. And God is the one who is doing this: he’s using our ministry to reach people’s hearts and give them the life he has for them.
I grew up in the area of St Louis, Missouri, with my parents and brother. Our home was a difficult place because my father was a mean, controlling, and manipulative person for most of his life. He was also unpredictable and unstable. So the atmosphere was usually unstable and super-charged with fear, because you never knew if what you did would make him angry or not. As far back as I can remember in my childhood, I never knew what it was like to feel safe and secure.
The sexual abuse started when I was very young, and continued on a regular basis until I was 18. It was so painful because my father, the one I was supposed to be able to trust and look to for protection, was the one I feared the most.
The abuse caused me to feel ashamed and guilty all the time. I was convinced it was happening because something was wrong with me, and somehow it was my fault. I remember feeling afraid all the time, and there was no place I ever felt safe when I was growing up. I don’t think we can even begin to imagine what kind of damage this does to a child.
I share my testimony now because I know there are so many who have experienced something similar to, or even worse than, what I went through, and they need to know God loves them and wants to restore their life. I can honestly say that, in spite of all the horrible things that happened to me, God has done an amazing work in my soul: he’s healed me of the pain, and given me the ability to completely forgive my father and others who hurt me.
There is so much hope when you have a relationship with Jesus, because he can heal us everywhere we hurt. I’m a living, breathing testimony of how someone who lived in fear, insecurity, and anger, and was absolutely miserable, came to be healed, whole, and able to really enjoy life in Christ. With God, all things are possible.
