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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013

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6 Things

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WE ALL NEED TO SAY
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EVERYBODY NEEDS
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Avoid

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How God

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 STRAIGHT
“
Heart
FROM THE

W hen sharing the Gospel with

someone, I think it’s very impor-
tant to let them know that God is
not mad. It’s so sad that many people—believers
and nonbelievers alike—think that He is an
angry God just waiting around to punish them.
Because of that mindset, they are afraid of
Him; unable to perceive the loving, caring and
nurturing Father He is.

And it’s even sadder because they just don’t

understand that God’s mercy for us is so much
greater than anger over anything we can do.
Renowned preacher Charles Spurgeon once
said, “God’s mercy is so great that you may
sooner drain the sea of its water or deprive the
sun of its light or make space too narrow, than
diminish the great mercy of God.”

Wow! Think about that. Can any one of us drain

the sea? We might be able to drain a bathtub or
a pool…but not the sea! Does that give you an
idea of God’s immense mercy toward us?
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Now let me make it clear…God does get angry. He

gets plenty angry over sin, injustice and the like God never stops loving us…not
er do
“We can nev
in our lives. But His character is not that of an even when we do bad things. Yes,
angry God. There’s a huge difference. It’s pretty there may be consequences for our
ng
so much wro
much impossible to please someone who is just wrong choices, and God will deal
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angry all the time. It’s also quite uncomfortable with us just as any loving father
no
that there is
to be around them. On the other hand, God’s would. But even then, His mercy
anger toward sin is for our protection. He is and grace are there to heal and
left
much more willing to pardon than to punish
(see Psalm 145:8-9). It’s easier to want to be with
restore our lives.
more mercy
for us”
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somebody like that. God is not mad at us!

So if the only thing that keeps you from coming

to God is fear of His anger, let me encourage you:
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 VO LU M E 27
No 6

“
SE PT/O CT
The Lord is loving and merciful, slow to become angry 2013
and full of constant love. —Psalm 145:8 GNT
”

6
7 12

14 22

Contents
7 Is God Angry? 6 T V BROADCAST SCHE D U L E
By Joyce Meyer 11 SALVAT I ON

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If you’ve ever asked this question, here’s the final answer.
24 NE XT GE NE RAT IO N
12 Six Things You Should Say Every Day of Your Life 26 GOD’S WORD MA D E PE R SO N A L
By Joyce Meyer
27 AME RI CA AT I TS B EST
Joyce shares six keys to having a more positive, powerful life.
29 GOOD ST UF F

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14 Sharing God’s Love with Inmates Who Are 32 LE ADE R’S E DGE
Seeking a Second Chance 34 ACROSS T HE USA
By David L. Meyer
The prison team shares the love of God, practically and spiritually,
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in 23 Maryland institutions.

22 The Problem of Strife

By Joyce Meyer
Learn how to disagree without letting it destroy a relationship,
a church, a job—or a life.
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THANK YOU! Every day our partners help us Share Christ and Love People. 3
Check out joycemeyer.org/annualreport to see how your generosity blesses others in ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
need. To become a partner, see page 5 or the order form inside. joycemeyer.org

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 ON FACEBOOK
GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU.
IN FACT, HE THINKS YOU
ARE SPECIAL, AND HE

anger vs. love

CELEBRATES YOU ALL
THE TIME!

Nancy Marcontoni
I celebrate Him too, for being in
ANGER is a powerful emotion, but LOVE my life.
is much stronger. Justine Simpson
Love this! What a fantastic
reminder to each one of us!!!
• In anger we might criticize,
Jenny Yano
but in love we encourage. Very overwhelming to know
• In anger we might turn away, how He loves me so much and
but in love we reach out. He celebrates me—in failure
• In anger we might withhold, and in victory. Wherever I go,
whatever I do, there is always
but in love we are generous.
God whose eyes are big enough
• In anger we might use our fists to strike, to see me and guide me and
but in love we use our arms to hug. protect me from the yoke of the
• In anger we might glare, enemy. AMEN!
but in love we smile. Thea Carter
• In anger we might blame, I am just beginning to understand
this statement for myself. Funny I
but in love we forgive.
believed it for everyone else but
not for me.
Carla Hensley
...Just as I have loved you, so you too Loveliest Post of the Day Award!
should love one another. —John 13:34
Join the conversation! Follow us at
facebook.com/joycemeyerministries

Contributors All Bible references are from The Amplified

Bible unless otherwise noted.
In Canada: Publications Mail Agreement No.
41709522
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Joyce Meyer Ministries Canada
P.O. Box 7700
Vancouver, BC V6B 4E2
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(800) 868-1002
cpcreturns@wdsmail.com
Enjoying Everyday Life® is published by Joyce
Meyer Ministries, Inc.®, a nonprofit corporation,
Fenton, MO USA © 2013 Joyce Meyer Ministries,
Inc. Publications Agreement No. 41709522. All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part
without written permission is prohibited. Enjoying
Everyday Life has no subscription price and is
supported through contributions worldwide. All
gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible (in
JOYCE MEYER DAVE MEYER DAVID L. MEYER countries where this applies). Because all
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Enjoying Everyday Life issues are preplanned,

is one of the world’s is Joyce’s husband is CEO of Hand of we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscripts.
For more information or to order, call locally
leading practical and Vice President Hope, Joyce Meyer (636) 349-0303 or toll-free (800) 727-9673.
Internet address: www.joycemeyer.org
Bible teachers and of Joyce Meyer Min- Ministries World Mis- Resource prices are in U.S. Funds unless
otherwise noted.
travels extensively istries. His passion sions. He oversees 14
Enjoying Everyday Life is a registered trademark of
conducting confer- is to share about foreign offices and the Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. [J] is also a registered
trademark of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc.
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ences. She has this country’s rich foreign broadcasts,

We Are Committed to Financial Accountability
written 100 inspira- Christian heritage as well as coordinates
ACCOUNTABILITY
tional books and her at conferences and humanitarian aid
At Joyce Meyer Ministries, we want
Enjoying Everyday motivate people and international you to be confident your gifts are
being used in the best way possible.
Life® radio and televi- to get involved by festivals. His travels That’s why we are accredited by the Evangelical
sion programs are praying, learning for Christ have taken Council for Financial Accountability.

broadcast all over the about the issues, him to more than 150 FINANCIAL PRACTICE
Joyce Meyer Ministries is voluntarily audited each
world. and taking action. nations.
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year by an independent public accounting firm.

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 Share the Gospel Help Hurting People Rescue Victims of Human Trafficking Give Orphans a Home Feed the Hungry Rebuild Lives
Our partners share
the Gospel every
day through Joyce’s
TV and radio
broadcasts, online
devotionals, social
media and more.

Charlotte Lamborn , OREGON

“As a single mom, I worked long hours and was tired every night when I
got home. Instead of reading my kids a bedtime story, we’d climb into bed for
‘cuddle time’ and watch Joyce.

The nightly inspiration and humor was helpful to me, and the kids got a lot out
of it. Ten years later, my kids have a good foundation in Christ.

I partner with Joyce because she has such a gift to teach the Word and bring
so many people to the Lord. I want to help provide the means to get that done.”

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GIVE FROM YOUR HEART. Help change lives through partnership.

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 TV Schedule
For stations and program times in your area, check your local TV listing or visit www.joycemeyer.org/tvlistings.
Watch the Enjoying Everyday Life broadcast anytime you like at www.joycemeyer.org.

DAILY BROADCAST PROGRAMS AIR DAILY, MONDAY - FRIDAY

September
SEPT 2 – 6
GOD IS NOT
MAD!
SEPT 9 – 13
GRACE AND
OVERCOMING
INSECURITY
SEPT 16 – 20
NO OFFENSE,
TRUST & UNITY
SEPT 23 – 27
OBEDIENCE &
FREEDOM
I
On Monday and
Tuesday, Joyce Get ingrained in
Monday and
Tuesday, Joyce
Do you need more
peace and freedom
Did you miss
answers the God’s love with explains the in your life? Tune in a program that yo
question, “Is God “God Is Not Mad” ways we offend Monday-Wednesday u
mad at you?” She teachings Monday- ourselves—and for some amazing really want to se
welcomes Priscilla Wednesday. how to change teachings.
e?
Shirer to discuss Join Joyce and our behavior. Thursday, Joyce Watch it online at
God’s unconditional
love on Wednesday.
Andy Stanley on
Thursday as they
Wednesday, learn
how to focus on the
shares what it
means to wholly
joycemeyer.org/
And Thursday and discuss the gift positive things in follow God. Friday,* broadcast
Friday, learn how of grace. Friday’s life. Wrap up your learn about Joyce
how God gives you program is about week with teachings Meyer Ministries’
power over sin. exuding godly about the power of connection to
confidence. unity. Mercy Ministries.

October
SEPT 30 – OCT 4 OCT 7 – 11 OCT 14 – 18 OCT 21 – 25 OCT 28 – NOV 1
MAKING A PERSEVERANCE, HABITS & YOU’VE GOT ALL ABOUT
DIFFERENCE DREAMS & CHARACTER THE POWER! LOVE
On Monday, join YOUR MONEY How does a habit This week, dive What is true love?
Joyce and Ginger Joyce offers take root? Joyce into teachings on Hear what Joyce
to learn about the encouragement on explains “The the mind as Joyce has to say about
amazing outreaches Monday, for those who Anatomy of a shares Word-based it on Monday
you helped support are pressing through Habit” on Monday “Power Thoughts” and Tuesday.
in 2012. Joyce difficult times. Tuesday and Tuesday. that can help you Then the rest of
shares what “dying and Wednesday, learn Wednesday-Friday, overcome negative the week, learn
to live” means learn about habits thinking in every practical ways to
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about the power of

on Tuesday and pursuing a dream. you can start for a area of your life! incorporate it into
Wednesday. Later in And tune in for Word- healthy spirit, soul your everyday life!
the week, learn how based wisdom about and body.
to increase your finances on Thursday
intimacy with God. and Friday.
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WEEKLY BROADCAST PROGRAMS AIR ONE DAY A WEEK

SEPT 1 - 14 HIDDEN AFFLICTIONS O CT 13 - 19 APOLOGETICS WITH RAVI ZACHARIAS

Joyce and Steve Arterburn discuss hard-hitting topics like Joyce and Ravi Zacharias discuss Jesus’ death and resurrection.
pornography, addiction and depression.
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S E PT 1 5 - 28 NO FEAR!
The Bible tells us repeatedly to “fear not.” Learn how to do that.
S E PT 29 - O CT 12 GET YOUR VICTORY
Joyce shares how to get equipped for life’s daily battles.
O CT 20 - 26 THE ANOINTING
What does it mean to be “anointed?” Learn what God’s Word says!
O CT 27 - NOV 2 PRISONERS OF HOPE
Hope makes you happy. Joyce shares how to stay hope-filled.

Schedules are subject to change. *TBN will receive alternate programming.

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 IS GOD ANGRY? Debunking the Myths of an
Angry God and Other Reasons
He’ll Never Stop Loving You

BY JOYCE MEYER

One day I put a post on Facebook that simply

said, “God’s not mad at you,” and the response was
overwhelming. In just a few hours, thousands of
people responded, desperately needing to be reas-
sured of this fact.

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Through my own personal relationship with God,
and through ministering to other people, I have
come to believe a large percentage of people either
vaguely or perhaps even wholeheartedly believe
that God is mad at them.

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Where does this belief come from? Perhaps from a
parent who was difficult to please, the pain of re-
jection or maybe even from the church. Wherever
these misconceptions about God’s wrath originate,
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so you can fully know that God is not mad at you!
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 MYTH #1
“God will never accept me
like I am.”
The Bible is a record of sin, deceit and
immorality of every kind. It’s also a
record of God’s amazing grace and love.
The heroes we admire were people just
like us. They failed miserably at times,
and yet they found love, acceptance,
forgiveness, and mercy as free gifts
from God. His love drew them into
intimate relationships with Him,
empowered them to do great things
and taught them to enjoy their lives.
Since they experienced that accep-
tance, I believe we can experience it
too. God doesn’t and never will
approve of sin, but He does love
sinners and will continue to work with
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us toward positive change in our lives.
I wasted many years living with a
vague fear that God was angry with me.
Thankfully, over the years I have come
to know the amazing, passionate love
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of God, and I now know that God is not
angry with me; He isn’t even annoyed
with me! And it isn’t because of
anything I’ve done or haven’t done; it is
simply because He’s in love with me.
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MYTH #2
“I’m not doing enough
for God.”
We conducted a survey at our office,
asking our employees what one of
their greatest concerns was in their
walk with God. The number one
response was, “When can I know that
I am doing enough?”
Perfectionism is fueled with the
tyranny of the shoulds and oughts. It is
the constant nagging feeling of never
doing well enough or being good
enough. We think things like, I should
pray better, read the Bible more, and be
kinder. We instinctively want to be
pleasing to God, and we are deeply
afraid we aren’t. As a result, we believe
God is mad at us because we just don’t
measure up.
But the pathway to God is not perfec-
tion. Some people in a crowd asked
what they needed to do to please God,
and the answer Jesus gave was,
Believe in the One Whom He has sent…
(John 6:29). That is so simple that we
often miss it. More than anything, God
wants us to trust Him and believe His
Word. You can stop trying to attain
perfection because you cannot buy or
earn God’s love or favor. It isn’t for
sale—it’s free!
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MYTH #3
“My Dad was mad,
so God must be too.”
If someone had an angry father, it is
quite natural to view Father God as
angry too. Hopefully you are one of the
blessed ones who had an awesome dad,
but for many that is not the case.
One of our most urgent needs in life is
to feel safe. But children who grow up
with angry, absent or abusive fathers
often don’t feel safe. They have a
feeling of impending doom or danger
hanging over them most of the time.
But God is not like people. If your
father was absent, you need to know
that God will never leave you. If your
father was abusive or angry, your
heavenly Father wants to give a double
reward for your former trouble (see
Isaiah 61:7).
No matter how unfaithful your father
may have been to you, I urge you to not
let it ruin your life. Make a decision to
believe that your heavenly Father is
faithful and loves you dearly.
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MYTH #4
“God couldn’t possibly
forgive me.”
Satan remembers every tiny thing we
have ever done wrong and will do his
best to remind us of them every
chance he gets. He is vigilant in his
efforts to make us cower under the
weight of our own shame.
We all sin and come short of the glory
of God. No person is without sin, and
we all feel guilt at times, but when we
keep that guilt long after we have
been forgiven it turns into shame.
Guilt and shame make us feel that
God is angry, and so we withdraw
from His presence and don’t live the
life God intended for us.
We need to understand that God
forgives completely—not partially, or
almost, but completely! Take a
moment and think of the worst thing
you have ever done. Now, realize that
you are completely forgiven. The
goodness of God is greater than any
bad thing we have ever or could ever
do. That should bring a sigh of relief
and a sensation of joy sweeping
through our soul!
Joyce shares more about how you can be assured God is not mad at you on the Enjoying
Everyday Life television broadcast airing October 1-4. Check your local TV listing for
stations and program times or visit joycemeyer.org/tvlistings.
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MYTH #5
“God is punishing me.”
Some people may believe that when
they have problems in life it is because
God is angry with them for some past
sin. I have heard people say things like,
“I had a miscarriage and I wonder if
God is punishing me for the way I lived
in the past.” Statements like this prove
that people have an incorrect view of
God. He doesn’t punish us for past sins
by bringing bad things into our lives.
Our troubles are not a sign that God is
angry with us! We are in the world and
Jesus said that in the world we would
have tough times. He also told us to
cheer up because He had overcome the
world (see John 16:33).
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Staying positive and continuing to
believe in the goodness of God during
times of trial and tribulation will
prevent you from losing your joy. Each
difficulty that I have gone through in
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life has helped me go through the next
one better. God is faithful, so continue
to rely on Him when times get hard.
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 God Is Not Mad At You

If it weren’t for the grace of God, He

would have to be mad at us because
His holiness demands justice for sin. A
sacrifice must be made to atone for sin,
but because of His grace, He made the
sacrifice Himself by offering His Son’s
life for ours. Jesus took the punishment
that we deserved for our sins, and
offers to care for and bless us instead
of giving us what we deserve.

When you can begin to fully under-

stand His grace, forgiveness, mercy,
and unconditional love, you can know
with certainty His attitude toward you
is merciful—not angry. I can assure
you that no matter what you’ve done in
life or no matter how many misconcep-
tions you have about God’s feelings
toward you, God will never stop loving
you. God is not mad at you!

Adapted from “GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU” by Joyce Meyer.

Copyright © 2013 by Joyce Meyer. Reprinted by permission of
FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. All rights
reserved.

NEW
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20%
OFF

God Is Not Mad at You

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Hardcover by Joyce Meyer

$19.20 $24 | $24 $31 Canada

Also available in Spanish (Paperback) $11.20 $14
Look for it wherever books are sold.

joycemeyer.org/notmad
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 Wendy Hernandez took a stand for
Christ at our Milwaukee conference
on Thursday, April 11, 2013.

He’s My Number One

HOW I GOT SAVED AT A JOYCE MEYER CONFERENCE

BY WENDY HERNANDEZ

GROWING UP, my family went to church every Sunday, but
I didn’t really get anything out of it. To be honest, I think I’ve
always been lost. I never had that personal relationship with
Jesus—and that was my choice.
MY BIGGEST ISSUE? I was mad at God because I wasn’t
married and didn’t have kids. It just wasn’t what I thought I de-
served. But God was working on my heart. Two nights before
the conference, I deleted all of my online dating profiles.
GOD USED MY FRIEND ERICA to get to me to the confer-
saying it was up to me but that I needed to realize the enemy
was trying to convince me not to go. After praying about it, I
went. And I was completely wowed by the whole conference.
WHEN JOYCE ASKED PEOPLE TO STAND and pray for sal-
vation, I realized I had never in my life talked to God honestly
and openly and said, “You can have everything. You’re my
number one.” I knew it was the best choice I was ever going
to make. I thought, I’m done. I’m giving God 100 percent of my
life, 100 percent of my cares, 100 percent of everything. Then
I stood up and all I did was cry because I just felt so much joy.

ence. She would come over to my condo and we’d talk about
my life struggles. In January, she had about a dozen women
come to her house to create vision boards for the future—and
we just continued to stay connected. So when she said, “Joyce
Meyer is coming to Milwaukee in April. It’s a free conference.
You have to go,” I said, “Definitely!”
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My heart was so light!
ALTHOUGH TIME HAS PASSED... I still feel the Holy Spirit in
me. Before, I was negative and unhappy. Now people can see
joy in my eyes. My whole persona has changed at work and
with my family and friends. I’m smiling all the time.

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THE DAY BEFORE THE CONFERENCE, I had a terrible work THANK YOU for helping me understand that I needed to
review and I was so upset. I felt like I needed to focus on work commit my life to Christ.
instead of attending the conference. Erica sent me a message
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Receive Simply pray: “Father, I believe You love me and sent Your LEARN MORE ABOUT
Christ Son, Jesus, to die for me. Please forgive me of my sins and
JESUS AT

today! joycemeyer.org/
help me to start this new, incredible life with You.” salvation
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 6
Things
You Should Say
Every Day
OF YOUR LIFE
BY JOYCE MEYER
Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk by the Spirit,
and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh” (NIV). That means if we decide to
concentrate on the positive—the things
we can always be thankful for—it shuts
the negative out of our life.
I want to share six things you can say
on purpose to stay focused on the
positive and increase your opportunities
to be a blessing.
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I’m blessed and
I’m a blessing.
When I get up in the morning, I like to
say a prayer of blessing. “God, I bless
this day in Jesus’ name. I bless my
husband. I bless my children and my
sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. I
bless my grandchildren. I’m blessed
because of Jesus. And I’m living under
the blessings of God.” It really helps
me start my day with a right attitude
and focus.
I’M SO
THANKFUL!
Have a thanksgiving session each
day. Take time to thank God for
everything you can think of, from hot
water to food to a roof over your head.
And tell people you’re thankful for
what they do for you.
Psalm 107:1-2 says, “O give thanks to
the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy
and loving-kindness endure forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so….”
If you’re in the middle of a difficult
situation, trust that God’s doing
something good right now—bringing
circumstances together, changing
hearts, changing minds. Don’t
wait until you’re on the other side
of the blessing to thank Him for it.
Remember…we’re the redeemed of the
Lord and we are supposed to “say so!”
You can cut out these helpful
reminders of the six things you
want to say every day.
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 I was made
to encourage
First Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to en-
courage one another and build each
other up. Say something positive to
the people around you about who
they are or how much you appreciate
them. Or tell them how much God
loves them and wants to bless them.
Encouragement is powerful. It can
actually make a person feel better. I
remember one time when I got a text
message from my youngest son. All
it said was, “I love you, Mommy!” At
that moment, I literally felt refreshed
by his words. They gave me the extra
dose of courage I needed that day.
Think about the people you’re going
to be around today and ask God to
put a word of encouragement in your
heart for them.
I’m telling the
truth—no
matter what
Most Christians probably think, I don’t
have a problem with lying. But some-
times telling the truth hurts—and we
just don’t want to hurt or offend people
or risk our reputation.
I honestly believe if you’re going to be
committed to the truth, at some point,
you’re going to have to admit your weak-
nesses and make hard choices.
Ephesians 4:14 tells us to let our lives
lovingly express truth [in all things,
speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly].
I encourage you to be committed to
the truth. Cherish it. Hang on to it, no
matter what it costs you. You won’t
regret it!
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GOD’S WORD IS IN
MY VOCABULARY
Jeremiah 23:28 says, “…Let the one
who has my word speak it faithfully…”
(NIV). The Message translation of
Jeremiah 23:29 says the truth is like
“a sledgehammer busting a rock” into
pieces. I love that!
Sometimes you have to hit a nut or
a shell over and over again until it
cracks open and you can enjoy the
fruit inside. Well, people can be just
as hard, and our problems can seem
as hard—but God’s Word can open
them right up.
Keep speaking the Word of God. Make
it a part of your everyday vocabulary.
I’m going to
say just enough Few things
impact us
more than
The Book of Proverbs is filled with
scriptures about holding your tongue. the words
Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even a fool when
he holds his peace is considered wise; we speak.
when he closes his lips he is esteemed a Choose
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man of understanding.”
wisely.
Before you start talking about things
you feel strongly about, ask yourself
how much you really need to say. Get
quiet and listen to what God is saying.
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You’ll never regret saying what He
wants you to say, the way He would
say it.
It’s easy to focus on things we shouldn’t
say or do, but that usually just leads
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to defeat. I want to encourage you to
concentrate on the positive things you The Power of Words
should say and do instead. As Romans 4 Teachings on CD
12:21 says, we overcome evil with good. by Joyce Meyer
So make it your goal to do what is good
before God, and enjoy the freedom and
$26 / $33 Canada
victory it brings to your life!
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 I
2
s h a r i n g g o d ’ s l o v e w i t h i n m at e s w h o a r e s e e k i n g a
Second Chance
b Y d av i d l . m e y e r
…was in prison and you came to see Me. (Matthew
25:36)
And you came to Maryland. This past April and
May, our prison team set out on the road to visit
with inmates in 23 Maryland prisons. Thanks
to your faithful support of Hand of Hope, Joyce
Meyer Ministries World Missions, we were able
to reach 25,388 inmates with a small gift and a
message of God’s love.
On April 27, Roy and Kathy Lormis, our prison
outreach supervisors, set out on their second trip
to Maryland. Over the course of two days, they
drove a 26-foot Rider truck the 843 miles to the
Baltimore area to visit a number of correctional
institutions and distribute hygiene gift bags.
At the Maryland Correctional Institute
for Women in Jessup we met 67-year-old
Gwendolyn, who is currently serving a 400-
month sentence (that’s 33 1/3 years). She says
she prayed at times when she was on the streets,
but never really had a relationship with God.
“Most of us are learning who God is for the first
time. You know, you can look at this incarcera-
During a worship service at Maryland Correctional Institution-Jessup, 59 men accepted Christ
as their personal Savior. Thank you for sharing the Gospel with inmates around the world!
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tion as the worst thing that’s ever happened
to you, or you can look at it as a second chance.
I’ve learned that I can serve others, talk to
people about my testimony and turn my life
into something about Who God is and how He’s
brought me through,” shares Gwendolyn.
Most of the inmates our team talked to, includ-
ing Gwendolyn, actually look at their time in
prison as a blessing and a second chance. Robert,
an inmate at Maryland Correctional Institution-
Jessup, says he’s thankful for the time he’s
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spent there because through the Bible studies,
worship services and teachings, he’s developed
a newfound relationship with Christ.
“I would not trade the last five years of my life
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for anything because I’m closer to God than I’ve
ever been. I do want to get out of here, but God is
good and He’s more real to me than ever before
in my life,” shares Robert.
Although the inmates admit they’ve made
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bad choices and deserve to be in prison, they
are grateful that the partners of our ministry
believe they can change and grow into the
people God wants them to be. That’s why
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 getting Joyce’s books into the prisons is so vital.
In addition to the hygiene items, these books are
truly a blessing to the inmates.
“Anything we can put in their hands that uplifts
their souls is a good thing in here. You’re
helping people go home from these prisons
filled with the Word of God. And when you
invest in someone like that, they can return to
their community and be an asset, instead of
taking away from their community,” shares
Lettie C., Administrative Chaplain at Maryland
Correctional Institution for Women.
Since our prison ministry began in 1998, our
goal has been to reach out in simple, practical
ways with the love of God. Through the hygiene
items and books, we’re showing prisoners they
are not forgotten. Over the years we’ve been able
to reach out to more than 2.5 million inmates in
more than 40 countries and in all 50 states.
Our heart is to reach men like Robert and
women like Gwendolyn who are searching
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for the love of a Savior and are developing a
relationship with Him. We have the privilege of
being the ones that are able to share the love of
Christ and let them know they are not forgotten.
“A lot of us felt unwanted, unneeded, abandoned;
and a lot of us are just bad people. But we’ve
been given a second chance. And it means a
lot for those who recognize that we can be
redeemed, can be saved and can be changed. It
20
gives us hope to continue the change,” shares
Gwendolyn. “It means so much that people take
time to pack a bag for someone who’ve they’ve
never met and is on the wrong side of society.
And to know that people recognize we can
change is a very humbling experience.”
Thank you for sending us to visit these prison-
ers. Because “you came,” inmates in Maryland
are being impacted with the love of Christ.
Thank you for your faithful support and for
helping us reach those who are ready and
willing to embrace their second chance at life—
full of the love of God.

G W E N D O LY N
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ROBERT
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16 HAND OF HOPE is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2013 help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to
(800) 727-9673 // Canada (800) 868-1002 help Christians grow in their faith. joycemeyer.org/handofhope

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 A
2013 IN DO NE SI

2001 AF RI CA

2007 C
AMBO

Celebrating
D IA

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25 Years
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Joyce’s Festival of Life in Jakarta Marks
a Milestone of International Ministry Magenta
BY JON ESSEN AND CHAD TRAFTON

IN the mid-1980s, when the Lord directed Dave and

Joyce to take their ministry “north, south, east
and west,” they stretched their faith…and began holding
meetings in each direction. Little did they know that their
Fenton, Missouri-based ministry would one day extend all
This year’s Festival of Life in Indonesia marks 25 years
since they first ministered on foreign soil at a church in
San Jose, Costa Rica. Since then, things have changed—
crowds are larger and, in many ways, the world is smaller.
But after all the years, one thing is the same: In every
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the way to Europe, Africa and beyond. language, God’s Word translates into lives changed.

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 “BUILDING BRIDGES NOT WALLS...”
A Festival of Life is able to bring large numbers of
people together—both believers and unbelievers.
They experience the goodness of God through
great times of worship and the teaching of God’s
Word. And over the years, every Festival of Life
has resulted in tremendous ministry opportuni-
ties, including many giving their lives to the
Lord.

One important key to the amazing responses

we’ve witnessed is our involvement in humani-
tarian outreaches throughout the nations where
we hold our festivals.

Whether it’s through broadcasting our Enjoying

Everyday Life TV program…or by ministering
to people’s physical needs through our various
Hand of Hope outreaches—such as providing
food, clean water, disaster relief, mobile medical
clinics and more—we target areas where we have
already “built bridges” in those countries.

Conducting festivals in these locations—places

where we’re sharing the love of Christ in practi-
cal ways—has proven to be instrumental. It not
only impacts unbelievers who are making a
decision for Christ, but it also influences believ-
ers who are growing in their understanding of
God’s love and purpose for their lives.

David Meyer, chief executive officer of Hand of

Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, says it
this way: “Every ‘Festival of Life’ brings a greater
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unity throughout the nation. People are willing to

lay down their differences in order to join together
for a central purpose and cause, which is to hear
and act on the Word of God being shared.”
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1988 2000
COSTA RI CA E NG LAND

The Road to
IT’S A FIRST
2001
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Dave and Joyce minister

at Centro de Victoria Cris- AUSTRA L I A, JAM AI CA,
tiana church in San Jose. PHI LI PPI N E S, K E N YA,

25 Years...
Also attending is their son,
David L. Meyer and his
wife, Shelly—then mission-
aries in Costa Rica.
1997
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UGANDA, I S R AE L
2002
RUSSI A, LAT VI A,
UKRAI NE
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

I NDI A In 1996, our Enjoying

Everyday Life TV program
1999 first aired in Russian. Now,
I NDI A the former Soviet Union
gets to see and hear Joyce
in person for the first time.

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 “OUTPOURING” IN JAKARTA Through the
years, we’ve learned that to be fruitful and effec-
tive, we also have to trust God…and be flexible.
During our most recent Festival of Life in Jakarta,
Indonesia, this was exactly the case.
After praying, planning and preparing in the region
for over a year, we were anticipating an incredible
outpouring of God’s love. The multi-day experience
would take place in the national outdoor soccer
stadium located in Jakarta, the capital city.
told us how thrilled he was to “see churches all
across Indonesia come together to worship Jesus
and experience His love for them.”
On the first night of the festival, Joyce was
transparent when sharing about her own life
experiences. She exhorted the people that they
didn’t have to be defined by their past, and
that with God in their life, “it doesn’t matter
how you start, but how you finish.”

However, what happened leading into the Festival of

Life was a different type of outpouring altogether!

For a number of days prior to the event, Jakarta

was deluged with some of the most intense rain
and flooding it had seen in almost 10 years.

The effect of the rain and floods not only

caused the Indonesian government to declare
a state of emergency, but it also cast a curious
shadow over the potential effectiveness of our
scheduled meetings.

GOD’S PURPOSES ALWAYS PREVAIL

Miraculously, the skies cleared and our Jakarta,
Indonesia Festival of Life was underway.

The passionate and spiritually hungry crowd

was blessed by worship with Darlene Zschech
and Hillsong, as well as with Indonesia’s own
Sidney Mohede, a gifted worship leader who

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resides in Jakarta.

As someone who has prayed for spiritual renewal

in the nation of Indonesia for many years, Sidney

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2003 2005 2006 2007
CA NA DA, N ORT H ER N AUSTRALIA, ENGLAND, RWANDA, KI E V, AUSTRALIA, ENGLAND,
I RE LA ND GERMANY, SOUTH UKRAI NE , RUSSI A, GERMANY, INDONESIA,
Magenta
AFRICA, SWAZILAND SI NGAPORE , E NG LAND, NEW ZEALAND, SINGA-
2003 G E RMANY, SWE DE N PORE, SOUTH AFRICA,
U GA NDA 2005 UKRAINE
HITTING THEIR STRIDE B R A Z IL 2006
Joyce holds first Festival of ON THE AMAZON I NDI A
Life at Nakivubo Stadium 500 buses transport DRAWING A CROWD
in Kampala. More than people from as far as Large groups of people
60,000 attend and 10,000 1,000 miles away for our walk for days to come
continued
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give their lives to Christ.
2004
AU STR A L IA , EN GLA N D,
I ND I A
Festival of Life at the Expo hear God’s Word. In all, 1.2
Center in Brasilia. More million people attend this
than 80,000 attend. four-day open-air crusade.

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BLACK
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2007
CA M B ODIA
MAKING HISTORY
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Phnom Penh: After local
authorities inexplicably cut
the power and locked the
gates to the meeting facil-
ity, Joyce climbs over the
wall and uses a bull horn
to preach to the enthusias-
tic crowd in the streets.
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2008
RWA N DA, I NDI A, NE W
Z EA LA ND, E THI OPI A,
AUST R ALI A, SCOTLAND,
UGA N DA
2008
N EPA L
NEW DAY DAWNING
As Nepal begins the process
of drafting a new democratic
constitution, this is one of
the first large-scale Christian
events. More than 13,000
attend.
SEPT/OCT 2013 // PAGE 20 // DOM
2009 2010
I NDI A, MALAWI, I NDI A, ZI M BABW E ,
SOUTH AFRI CA, SWI T- CANADA
ZE RLAND, THAI LAND
2011
2009 POLAND, BU LGAR I A,
PAPUA NE W GUI NE A G E RMANY
NATIONAL ALTAR CALL
For the first time ever, a 2011
Festival of Life airs live ALBANIA
on national TV. 500,000 A NEW GENERATION
people contacted our Only 10,000 adult
ministry to say they gave Christians—less than 1% of
their lives to Christ. its population—lived in this
former atheist, communist
8/16/13 10:19 AM
 “Every Festival of Life brings greater unity through-
out the nation. People are willing to lay down their
differences to join together for a central purpose.”
CEO of Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions
This statement described the Festival of
Life itself. The second night was even more
dynamic than the first; as word of the
festival continued to spread around the city,
the crowd reached over 60,000 people. Joyce
encouraged them that it really is possible
to press through fear and experience God’s
absolute best for their lives.
One married couple, Michael and Sandy, did
exactly that in order to attend the event. They
rode their bikes as far as they could…until
the flooded streets blocked their way. At that
point, they waded waist-deep in order to press
through and make it to the Festival of Life. They
were determined to come because they wanted
to experience a genuine encounter with God
through Joyce’s teaching…and “wanted to be
able to take it back to their family and friends
and minister it to them.”
A Culmination of 25 Years The two-day
festival saw crowds of over 100,000 people, with
21,000 people giving their lives to Christ for the
first time. Additionally, through a massive live
broadcast opportunity, over seven million people
tuned in to watch!
One media official shared that the reason Joyce
Meyer Ministries continues to be so effective
throughout Indonesia is because “they build
bridges with the people, and not walls.”
nation. The attendees are
greatly encouraged by the
Gospel message…and 1,800
give their hearts to the Lord.
2012
AU STR A LI A , IN DIA ,
SR I LA NKA , T H A ILA N D
2013
I ND O NE SI A
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— Dav i d M e y e r
And it’s this theme of “building bridges”—reach-
ing out to help people spirit, soul, and body—that
has permeated Joyce’s international ministry for
the past 25 years.
Since 1988, Joyce has taught the Word of God in
more than 35 nations worldwide, with tens of
millions hearing these messages translated into
their native language through an interpreter.
But it’s also about so much more. These events
are focused on truly reviving a nation and bring-
ing as much help as we possibly can. And, early
on, we realized that having faithful friends and
partners like you, along with partnering with
other relief organizations worldwide, are vital
keys to doing the most good.
Over the years, you have made it possible for Joyce
to speak in India on eight separate occasions, min-
istering to crowds as far as the eye can see. While
there, we have also installed fresh-water wells,
fully funded a hospital for those without medical
care, and saved the lives of thousands of children
through orphanages and feeding centers.
In the former Soviet Union, your partnership
has provided vitamins to the elderly, a home for
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orphans and a pathway to airing our TV program
in Russian. This led to Joyce’s first-ever confer-
ence in that region—an event that inspired and
restored hope to an entire generation of people
living in the post-communist era.
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From Cambodia and Thailand…to South Africa
and Rwanda…to the millions living in the Amazon
Basin and around the world, you are not only
responsible for sharing the Gospel, but also
for bringing along lifesaving help—for building
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bridges that will last an eternity.
And that is one milestone worth celebrating.
Jon Essen traveled to Indonesia with Joyce Meyer Ministries
to report on Hand of Hope outreaches. Chad Trafton is a
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 G
The
PROBLEM
of

STRIFE
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W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N D I S H A R M O N Y TA K E S R O O T I N R E L AT I O N S H I P S
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G
BY JOYCE MEYER
God’s desire is that we live in peace and
harmony with one another, and His
Word offers clear instruction for how
we’re to deal with each other in our
daily lives. First Peter 3:11 says, Let him
turn away from wickedness and shun
it, and let him do right. Let him search
for peace (harmony; undisturbedness
from fears, agitating passions, and
moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do
not merely desire peaceful relations with
God, with your fellowmen, and with
yourself, but pursue, go after them!]
Notice how this verse says we can’t
merely desire peaceful relationships,
but we have to pursue them. Now
this doesn’t mean we can’t or won’t
ever disagree. We’re all unique and
each of us has our own quirks and
eccentricities. People are naturally
going to have disagreements, and it’s
okay to disagree if we can learn to do it
respectfully. But we must avoid strife.
The dictionary defines strife as “bicker-
ing, arguing or heated disagreement.”
Strife is also defined as an “angry
undercurrent.” It’s one of the most
dangerous threats to the body of Christ
and is an evil spirit designed to destroy
marriages, personal relationships and
even churches. God’s Word describes
the problem of strife as the “little foxes”
that sneak into the vineyard and spoil
all the grapes (see Song of Solomon 2:15).
A person who creates strife may put a
big smile on their face, but secretly they
are full of anger and resentment. And
if they aren’t confronted and stopped,
they can spread contentious attitudes
from person to person to person.
GOD SEES! We all experience of-
fenses and have to deal with them, and
it’s not always easy to do. But it’s dan-
gerous to let negative, toxic emotions
take root in our heart, because even if
we think we’re hiding it, it still affects
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the way we treat people. And the way we behave
and treat people—God sees all those things. We
can’t be one way at home, fighting with each other,
then go out and put on a phony religious front,
telling other people how to live when we aren’t
living it out ourselves.
KEEP A HUMBLE HEART That’s why it’s
so important for us to practice humility of mind
and spirit, because where there’s contention and
strife, there is pride. When people are having
an argument or there’s some kind of offense
between them, someone has to take the humble
position and be the first to apologize. Jesus has
called us to take the narrow path that leads to life
and every good thing.
DESIRE UNITY Bickering between God’s
people is nothing new. It was a problem in the
early Church, just as it is now. At one point, Paul
was fed up with all the pettiness and arguing
and wrote in Philippians 2:2, Fill up and com-
plete my joy by living in harmony and being of the
same mind and one in purpose, having the same
love, being in full accord and of one harmonious
mind and intention.
Get rid of strife
Where there’s unity there’s blessing and anoint- in your life.
ing. If any two people agree, there’s power in
agreement. But the power of God’s Word won’t
work in our lives if we stay bitter at people. He
can’t answer our prayers if we refuse to forgive
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those who’ve hurt us and His love can’t flow
through us if we’re holding on to anger and re-
sentment. We set ourselves free when we decide
to be who He’s asked us to be and rid ourselves of
angry feelings.
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SHAKE OFF ANGER If you struggle with 8 Ways to Live
anger and are easily offended, I want to encourage Conflict Free
you to make a decision to let God work in your life. 4 Teachings on CD
by Joyce Meyer
God is good and He wants you to have peace, joy
and abundant life in Christ. As you trust Him and $25 / $27 Canada
Magenta
decide you want what He wants for you, He will
bring healing and restoration to your heart. BONUS!
Reduce Me to Love
Make it a priority to forgive and live in harmony
Paperback by Joyce Meyer
with others. You’ll be amazed as the pieces—and
the peace—finally fall into place in your life.
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 NEXT generation

YouthBytes:
Seriously
Entertaining
how to share christ with
young people in your life

by anne williams

creative is possibly the best
word to describe Chad Daniel. He’s a
youth evangelist known for going to
extremes to teach the Word in inter-
esting ways. Think: handling gigantic
snakes, swimming with sharks, wield-
ing Samurai swords.
Much of his creative inspiration comes
from being on the road, traveling. His
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use to connect with teenagers about important
issues of faith.
Daniel goes to great lengths to make YouthBytes
programs interesting and engaging. He once took
a bubble bath with a 16-foot Burmese python, just
to talk about “How Sin Grows.” The award-win-
ning “Sea of Trees” program takes you to the foot
of Mt. Fuji—where many teens have taken their
lives—to help foster critical discussions about the

missions-discipleship ministry Global issue of teen suicide.

Expeditors keeps him on the move
much of the year, holding large, some-
times citywide youth events in places
like Thailand, India and South Africa.
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“Everything is based on God’s Word,” explains
Daniel. “We systematically deal with topics like
faith, relationships and understanding eternal life.
And we do it precept upon precept, line upon line,

Through the years, he’s shared the
Gospel in more than ninety countries
and seen thousands of young people
come to Christ. And Joyce Meyer Min-
istries’ partners have been part of that
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to help young people build a deeper understand-
ing of God’s Word.”
Today, YouthBytes videos are broadcast on TV all
over the world and are available on DVD or as video

great missions journey from the start.
Now God is reaching even more young
people through his award-winning
YouthBytes videos—a tool anyone can
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downloads. And the friends and partners of Joyce
Meyer Ministries have helped expand their reach.
“Their support has been very instrumental in
translating our television programs into 14 differ-

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 ent languages, including Spanish, Mandarin and
Arabic,” says Daniel. “They’re helping disciple a
generation all over the planet, 24 hours a day.”
Having held youth events for almost 20 years,
Daniel understands the importance of disciple-
ship. “My videos get the ball rolling with good dis-
cussion topics,” he says. “But they’re ultimately
a tool to help parents, pastors and youth leaders
engage with teenagers on a weekly basis.”
Real relationships are what matter most.
Teenagers today have everything from iPhones
and MP3 players to gaming systems and comput-
ers. But their relationships have become more
and more two-dimensional because they’re con-
necting through social media.
Material things can be distractions that keep
teenagers from forming valuable friendships,
including their relationship with God.
Thanks to our partners,
YouthBytes programs have
been translated into 14 lan-
guages, including Spanish,
Mandarin and Arabic.
“You have to be purposeful to reach a teenager,”
says Daniel. “Turn off the TV, the cell phone and
close down the computer. Eat dinner together.
Spend time talking about things of faith.”
It can be difficult to get teens talking about their
personal struggles or what really matters to
them, but it’s worth the effort if you can help
them discover that God is with them—and He’s
able to help them through every situation.
“When God begins a work in a teenager, He’s faith-
ful to complete it,” says Daniel. “But we need to
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make sure that they have leadership;
forerunners who have gone before,
and can encourage them as they grow
in their faith.”
Daniel encourages Christians every-
where to be cheerleaders for the next
generation. “We’ve got to tell them, ‘If
you fall down, get back up. You can
make it. If God is for you, who can be
against you?’”
A tip for connecting with teenagers:
Every young person wants to be ac-
cepted. So when you sit down and talk
to a young person in your life, just
be open and honest with them—not
religious or self-righteous. Speak to
them about things in their life that
they’re going through, and apply some
examples from your own life.
It’s easy to judge teenagers by their
tattoos, their hair, their earrings, or
even their attitude. But many times
those are the outward expressions
of a heart that is looking to be loved
and accepted.
“We’ve got to be there with open arms
saying, ‘I’m not going to judge you,’”
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says Daniel. “We’ve got to look at them
through the eyes of God, accept them
for who they are unconditionally, and
speak the Truth to them in love.’
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“There are so many anti-heroes in the
world today. But we can help set a
new standard. And we can show young
people that serving Jesus is powerful.
It’s life-transforming.”
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Anne Williams is a staff writer for Joyce
Meyer Ministries.
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 GOD’S word MADE PERSONAL

God Is Not Is the thought of God being angry at you a major hurdle for you? If it
is, try this exercise: write a letter to God about your thoughts and ask
Mad At You. Him to help you change your mindset. Take a moment to pray and get
quiet before you begin.

Dear God,
I love You. But I know I’ve been distant. I’ve been afraid you might be angry or disap-
pointed with me because…

(Read Psalm 51; Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 2:4.) Father, I open my heart to what Your
Word says about Your grace and mercy. Please speak to my heart and help me fully
understand Your love for me. (Write down what God speaks to your heart.)

…I know that You are a gracious

and merciful God, slow to anger
and abundant in loving-kindness….
–Jonah 4:2

The Lord is gracious and Lord, Your Word says that You love to show mercy (see Micah 7:18). I will wholeheart-
full of compassion, slow edly trust what You say in (list other scriptures that speak to your heart about God’s
to anger and abounding in grace and mercy)…
mercy and loving-kindness.
–Psalm 145:8
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I am so grateful to You for revelation. You’ve helped me realize (write down any
enlightenment or understanding you have received as you read and meditated on
God’s Word)…
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Because You have forgiven and forgotten my sins, I am secure in Your love. Thank
You so much!

Love always,
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since the days of the American
Revolution in the eighteenth century,
the United States has been regarded
as one of the greatest and most
prosperous nations in the world. For
more than two hundred years, we have
enjoyed unprecedented success.
The question is, What has made our
country so great?
The French philosopher, Alexis de Toc-
queville came to America in the 1830s
to investigate the reasons for our suc-
cess and the things that distinguished
us from France. He eventually found
what he was looking for…
“I sought for the greatness and genius
of America in her commodious harbors
and her ample rivers, and it was not
there; in her fertile fields and her
boundless prairies, and it was not
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A M E R I C A AT I T S best
The Lighthouse
of America
the strength of our
past is the solution for
a better tomorrow
by dave meyer
there; in her rich mines and her vast world com-
merce, and it was not there.”
“Not until I went into the churches of America and
heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did
I understand the secret of her genius and power.
America is great because America is good, and
if America ever ceases to be good, America will
cease to be great.”1
The Christian Church is—and has always been—
the lighthouse of this nation. Through the Puri-
tans and other early settlers, the Church sowed
the seeds of America’s greatness…then nurtured
those seeds during the two centuries before our
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political birth in 1776.
A lighthouse is a symbol of hope. It shines bright,
giving direction and warning of danger. But what
happens when that light begins to fade?
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Continental Drift — For those of us who are old
enough, we will never forget the day in 1969
Magenta
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ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
joycemeyer.org
8/16/13 10:24 AM
 A M E R I C A AT I T S best
“The survival of America depends upon revival in
the Church...and that begins with you and me.”
when our astronauts landed on the
moon. However, if the satellite trajec-
tory of America’s first spacecraft to
the moon had drifted off course by
even one degree, we might never
have heard the historic words, “One
small step for man; one giant leap for
mankind.”
Now, the results of scientific drift are
easy to recognize. But when it comes to
spiritual drift, it’s not so simple to notice.
Spiritual drift is the tendency for
people or organizations to depart over
time from values and principles they
once held as foundational. It may seem
harmless, but it can ultimately deter-
mine our destiny!
The children of Israel experienced
spiritual drift in almost predictable
cycles. From the time they left Egypt,
they vacillated between godliness
and godlessness. When they lived
Seeds of godly lives, they were blessed. How-
Change ever, when they drifted, they suffered
increasingly severe consequences.2
The future begins with us.
Discover how to transform
America from the inside out. Judges 21:25 says that …every man
did that which was right in his own
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eyes. Unfortunately, this phrase also
perfectly describes the pattern of
modern America.
A recent poll shows that 92 percent
of Americans say they believe in God,3
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and 82 percent consider themselves
Christians.4 However, studies also
reveal that marriages are failing (the
divorce rate is close to 50 percent5),
the pornography industry is booming
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(more than $13 billion a year6), and
Renewing the Soul
more than 1.2 million babies were
of America
aborted last year alone.7
Paperback
by Charles Crismier
These statistics can leave us wonder-
$16.99 ing, How did we manage to drift so far?
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And maybe more importantly, What can we do to
fix it?
Healing Begins at Home — There is a solution
for spiritual drift…
Second Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) says that If my
people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land.
These four words—humble, pray, seek and turn—
are extremely important. Our part isn’t simply
to pray for our nation, but it also includes true
humility and personal repentance.
These days, the word “repent” isn’t a very
popular word. But in truth, it is one of the most
positive, hope-filled words there is for our gen-
eration! Why? Because without repentance, there
can be no revival.
The survival of America depends upon revival in
the Church…and that begins with you and me.
God isn’t asking us to do everything—we are only
responsible to do our part. But as we are faithful
to do what we can do, God will be faithful to do
what we can’t and bring healing to our land.
The Church can once again become the strength
of this nation…a lighthouse offering direction and
a safe harbor for those who have lost their way.
Things can change because the Seed of change re-
sides inside of us. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is
our “hope of glory” (see Colossians 1:27). He is our
hope for personal change and growth as Christians…
And He is our hope for the future of America.
1. Charles Crismier, “Renewing the Soul of America,” Elijah Books,
Richmond, Virginia 2002, p. 308. 2. Ibid, p. 311.
3. www.gallup.com 4. www.seekfind.net 5. www.thevindicator.com
6. www.familysafemedia.com 7. www.christianliferesources.com
8/19/13 9:47 AM
 September/

Good Stuff
INTERESTING BITS, WISDOM FOR LIFE, MILESTONES & MORE
October 2013
E N J O Y I N G
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TAKE ACTION SHARE IT ONLINE

Swap Those
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Thoughts
Pin it!
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one
final thing, fix your thoughts on what is
true, and honorable, and right, and pure,
and lovely, and admirable. Think about
things that are excellent and worthy of Share your own
praise. —Philippians 4:8 NLT encouragements or search
for a few from Joyce at
We all wrestle with negative, self-defeat- pinterest.com/joycemeyermin.
ing thoughts. But we can choose to think
differently. Write down a particular
negative thought or expectation that’s
been weighing you down lately...

___________________________________

___________________________________

Oct. 16: World Food Day

What new attitude or perspective can
you replace it with?

___________________________________
Let’s help put an end to
___________________________________ world hunger. Mobilize
What you can do:
your family, friends and

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community this Octo- • Encourage your local church to take action
ber 16th. When each of • Arrange a food and fund drive
us does our part we can • Start a community vegetable garden
WANT MORE?
end the needless suf- • Donate to your local food bank
Ready to liberate your mind from defeated
attitudes? Try one of Joyce’s action plans! fering of nearly a billion
For more info, call (800) 727-9673.

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people worldwide.
In Canada, call (800) 868-1002.

MILESTONES OF HOPE Magenta

1986 1990 1993 1996 1996 1998 2003

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Hand of Hope First Clean Water Tell Them I Love First Foreign First Joyce First Prison Joyce Speaks at
Begins Feeding Wells Drilled in Them Translated Office Estab- Program Outreach First Festival of
Programs India into Tamil (India) lished in Russia Translated into Established Life (Uganda)
Russian

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 September/
October 2013
E N J O Y I N G
E V E R Y D AY GOD’S WORD
L I F E

Y O U R M I N D

You will keep in

MEDIA
perfect peace
Joyce is on Roku! all who trust in
you, all whose
No, it’s not an oriental strategy game WITH “JOYCE ON ROKU” YOU CAN…
or a mysterious government acronym. • Watch Joyce “on demand” to suit thoughts are
Roku is a small box that connects to your schedule
your home wi-fi signal and streams • Watch TV content from
fixed on you!
over 700 channels (and counting) to joycemeyer.org on your TV —ISAIAH 26:3 NLT
your TV. Now Joyce has her very own
channel on Roku, which means you • Watch Joyce’s most current program
can watch as much Joyce as you like • Access the last 90 days of
Y O U R M O U T H
whenever you want! Enjoying Everyday Life broadcasts

Joyce on Roku is just one more way to get solid, If you con-
Bible-based encouragement 24/7—or anytime
you need of a little “Joyce” pick-me-up.
fess with your
mouth that
SNAPSHOT EVERYDAY ANSWERS
Jesus is Lord
and believe in
Fickle your heart that
In the Feelings God raised
Nick of Feelings can change so him from the
Time quickly! They make us cry dead, you will
one hour and laugh the
be saved.
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next. They behave better

In 2012, when eight-year-old Claudio’s father carried him when circumstances are —ROMANS 10:9 NLT
into the Hand of Hope medical clinic in Curuá, Brazil, he good, and they act up dur-
had a heart murmur and a dangerously high fever. Medical ing periods of waiting and
volunteers immediately administered fluids and antibi- change. Learn to master
otics. The team prayed over Claudio, but his condition your feelings. Own your
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Y O U R M O O D S
remained critical…to read the rest of Claudio’s story, go emotions, don’t let them
online to joycemeyer.org/annualreport. own you. –Joyce
Even if we feel
MILESTONES OF HOPE guilty, God is
greater than
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our feelings,
and he knows
everything.
2004 2006 2007 2007 2008
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—1 JOHN 3:20 NLT

Hand of Hope Ministry Funded Ministry Begins First Short-term Ethiopia Health
Disaster Chandrakal Human Trafficking Medical Missions Clinic Opens
Relief for Hospital Opens Rescue and Begun
Southeast Asia in India Restoration (Cambodia)
Tsunami Efforts (Ethiopia)

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 Be part of a life-changing
experience. Volunteer for
upcoming trips at

joycemeyer.org/
medicalmissions
Upcoming Medical/
Dental Trips*
• South Africa
• Honduras
• Ethiopia
• Myanmar

Throughout the year our medical and dental
volunteers travel to some of the poorest
areas of the world to provide much needed
medical and dental care. Physicians,
dentists, nurses, pharmacists and other
medical professionals are needed.
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Not only will God bring healing through your
willingness to serve, these trips are sure to Magenta
be a blessing to you in return. We hope you
join us. For travel dates and more details,
visit joycemeyer.org/medicalmissions or
call (800) 707-7877 ext 3218.

*Schedule is subject to change. We will have a medical/dental team traveling around the globe
each month in 2013, so please check in with us periodically for more opportunities to serve.
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Attention! We have a great need for doctors and dentists on upcoming trips.

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 leader’s E D G E

Trust God to Do
the Heavy Lifting
learning to receive his
supernatural favor

by joyce meyer

i’ll admit it. When I first began
ministering more than thirty years
ago, I was pretty scared and insecure.
Today, it is more widely accepted to be
a woman preaching the Gospel. But at
that time, it wasn’t very popular at all
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someone to do something, He also places His
supernatural favor upon them to do it.
Supernatural Favor vs. Natural Favor — In
those early days, I knew nothing about super-
natural favor. I didn’t know that favor is actually

to do what I was doing.
As a result, I was afraid of being re-
jected. In fact, I would often bend over
backwards to speak and behave the
way I thought was expected of me. I so
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a part of grace. In fact, the words “grace” and
“favor” are both translated from the same Greek
word charis in the English New Testament.
The grace of God is the favor of God. And the
grace of God causes things to happen in our lives—

much wanted to gain others’ approval.
There was just one problem: I was
attempting to win the favor of people,
not God. I was performing in order to
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through the channel of our faith—that we cannot do
on our own. It is not by human power, or by human
might, but by the Holy Spirit, that we receive favor.
I absolutely love Ephesians 2:8-9. It says, For it

attain natural favor…and it didn’t work!
You see, I hadn’t yet learned this one
very important lesson: When God calls
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is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you
are saved…And this [salvation] is not of your-
selves [of your own doing, it came not through
your own striving], but it is the gift of God.

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Just like we can’t earn our salvation, we also
can’t earn God’s supernatural power and favor in
our lives. It is a gift.
In fact, trying to get favor on your own is not only
hard work, but it is often pointless. I speak from
experience! The harder you try, the less people
are attracted to you.
Not in Your Own Strength — Now, if you work
hard enough and long enough, you may get
some people to like and accept you. But that ac-
ceptance must be maintained, and this is where
people get into trouble. Saying and doing all the
right things becomes a form of bondage.
“When we truly understand
the favor of God, it takes away
all of the pressure. We can
simply do our best, then leave
the results to Him.”
Let me give you an example. In the early 1980s,
I was an associate pastor for a church in St.
Louis, Missouri. It was my first official job in
ministry. And more than anything, I simply
wanted to succeed.
Now, if you know anything about my personality,
you know I can be extremely determined. And
when I set my mind to something, I really go after
it. As a result, I wore myself out becoming the
“perfect employee.” I made sure that I said and
did all the right things. Because of my insecuri-
ties, I wanted to make sure there wasn’t one thing
the senior pastor could find wrong with me.
I’ll never forget it. One day my pastor called me
in his office. He looked at me kind of funny for
a while, then said, “Joyce, I just can’t put my
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Now Available from
FUZED WORSHIP®
finger on it. You do everything per-
fectly, but there is something that’s
just not right.”
He was a discerning man, and he saw
right through my attempt to gain his
approval. I had indeed become the
perfect associate pastor, but I did it FULL EP
all in my own strength…without the
supernatural favor of God.
Do Your Best, Then Rest — Philip-
pians 12:13 says, For it is God Who is
BY
all the while effectually at work in you
[energizing and creating in you the
power and desire], both to will and to
YOUR
BLOOD
work for His good pleasure and satis-
faction and delight.
When we truly understand the favor of
God, it takes away all of the pressure.
Rather than trying to do everything for
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ourselves, we can simply do our best,
then leave the results to Him! $7.50 Canada
Electrifying songs of
This is why I pray daily for supernatural praise help set a tone for
favor. God gives grace to the humble, radical worship. FUZED’s
and it is my one desire that His spiritual newest album features
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and words and actions. cluding the inspiring title
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Remember, we cannot earn God’s soulful renditions of Hill-
favor—it is a free gift. And the way we song’s “God Is Able” and
Jesus Culture’s “Break
accept it is simply by believing and
Every Chain.”
receiving it from Him.
Since that day in my pastor’s office,
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the Lord has helped me to realize the Order it today on iTunes or
tremendous value of not trying to joycemeyer.org/fuzed
“earn” the praise or approval of others.
I’ve learned that doing His will, and
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doing it with His strength and favor, is
what brings the most freedom to our
lives…and the greatest glory to God.
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Follow the FUZED Worship blog
http://fuzedworship.tumblr.com
8/16/13 10:28 AM
 across T H E USA

No Urban
Legend
YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS
CHANGING THE FACE OF ONE
HIGH-CRIME COMMUNITY

BY CHAD TRAFTON

A PROFESSIONAL GOLFER wasn’t ex-
actly the answer they were looking for.
The Tamarind Avenue Corridor in West
Palm Beach, Florida—once a thriving
business district—has become synony-
mous with high crime rates…three times
the national average. More than 50
percent of the residents live below the
TESTIMONY:
At six, I ran away from poverty level. And in this neighborhood,
home to live with my it’s more likely that a youth will go to jail
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By 1997, Bill and his wife, Kerry, officially founded Ur-
ban Youth Impact. Since its inception, Hand of Hope,
Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions has partnered
with UYI to take back the Tamarind neighborhood
and reclaim families for Christ. The following is just
a glimpse of what you—our friends and partners—are
making possible…
The Leadership Academy: This after-school
program provides tutoring, character development,
faith-based instruction, computer literacy and life

grandma. My mother than graduate from high school. skills to kids K-12.
was an addict, and my
stepfather was physi-
cally abusive. Years Enter Bill Hobbs, a pro golfer who was Reframe: Helps students acquire real work experi-
later, my friend invited called by God to leave the fairways and ence through paid internships with local business-
me to a UYI event all
about football and hit the streets of the inner city. In 1988, es—180 internships to date.
he stepped out to help at-risk youth…
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Christ. I went each

week and grew in my
understanding of the
Gospel. Through it all,
Bill was always there—
He became like a
father to me. Grandma
Magenta
and never looked back.
Bill would load up his car with equip-
ment, find an empty lot, and invite the
local boys to play ball. Pick-up games
Family Empowerment Program: Parenting classes,
retreats, Bible studies and workshops create strong
parents who raise God-loving youth.
Summer Jam: Six-week camp offering games, crafts,

once told me, “You

are blessed and you
are always going to be
blessed.” Thanks to
UYI, I now believe it.
—Freddie Canady
led to camping trips, home visits…then
countless opportunities to share the
Gospel. He slowly but surely became a
trusted friend and father figure.
field trips, and educational and spiritual enrichment.
Project 5:13: This 10-month program allows adult
missionaries to live in the Tamarind neighborhood and
serve the community through UYI’s outreaches.

Chad Trafton is a staff writer for Joyce Meyer Ministries.

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 free bring A FRIEND

ENJOY FOUR UNIQUE TEACHINGS AND

GREAT TIMES OF WORSHIP—AND GO
HOME WITH MORE PEACE, JOY, FREEDOM
AND PASSION FOR CHRIST THAN BEFORE.
DON’T MISS YOUR CONFERENCE MOMENT!

// U P C O M I N G C O N F E R E N C E S //

atlanta, ga little rock, ar indianapolis, in

SEP 26-28 OCT 10-12 OCT 24-26
T H E A R E N A AT V E R I ZO N A R E N A BANKERS LIFE
GWINETT CENTER FIELDHOUSE
WORSHIP WITH
WORSHIP WITH PHIL WICKHAM WORSHIP WITH
M AT T R E D M A N A N D PHIL WICKHAM
CHRISTY NOCKELS

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CYAN
Magenta
volunteer!
GREAT PERKS AND
FACEBOOK.COM/JOYCEMEYERMINISTRIES LOTS OF FUN!
volunteer@joycemeyer.org
TWITTER.COM/JOYCEMEYER
(800) 707-7877 x3517
(866) SEE-JOYCE
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Get the complete schedule and the details you need to plan your trip at joycemeyer.org/conference.

Spanish translation will be available at some locations; please check online for more information.
Interpretation for the deaf will be provided. No registration required. Schedule is subject to change.

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 A GIFT OF THANKS
What Are You Going to Believe?
Free for new monthly partners
Joyce’s new leather devotional,
Promises for Your Everyday Life:
365 Starts to Better, Fuller, More
Purposeful Days
BONUS gift for new monthly partners who sign up
for auto-debit giving

You can share God’s love with others every day by supporting a multi-
tude of outreaches worldwide and distributing His healing Word
through media.

Join our family of partners today and take part in making a big, big
impact. Whatever you have to give will help restore lives and bring
hope to those in need.

joycemeyer.org/partnership THANK YOU for changing lives through partnership.

(800) 727-9673 In Canada (800) 868-1002