E V E R Y D A Y L I F E - Joyce Meyer Ministries

ENJOYING
E V E R Y D A Y
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Share the Gospel
Help Hurting People
Rescue Victims of Human Trafficking
Give Orphans a Home
Feed the Hungry
Rebuild Lives
Together, our
partners help feed
more than 71,000
hungry children
every day.
Wendy Reed,
USA
“Partnership is a wonderful, wonderful thing. And by partnering
with Joyce, I can feed hungry children and help people who’ve been abused
and feel unwanted. What more could a person ask?
I used to have the mentality that my money was my money, but now I’d rather
give it away. I’m thankful to be a small part of making a big, big impact. It helps
people we’ll never meet this side of heaven. And when we get there, we’ll have
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strangers come up to us and say, “You did feed me that day.”
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GIVE FROM YOUR HEART. Help change lives through partnership.
joycemeyer.org/partnership
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VO LU M E 27
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Christmas and the coming
New Year be blessed beyond measure!
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2013 201N
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May your
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Contents
What to do when you decide enough is enough…
14 Full House and The Golden Age Outreach
By Paul Huse and By Rick Renner
Shining the spotlight on two Hand of Hope supported
outreaches in Russia.
T V SCHE DULE
GOD’S WORD M A D E PE R SO N A L
RE AL LI F E PE R S PECTI V ES
AME RI CA AT I TS B EST
GOOD ST UF F
CONF E RE NCES 201 4
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By Joyce Meyer
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12
22
27
29
35
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8 Not One More Night with the Frogs
20 A Husband’s Journey of Grief
By Charles Nieman
24 A Special Grace for Every Case
By Joyce Meyer
Learn how to get through even the most difficult
situations.
THANK YOU! Every day our Partners help us Share Christ and Love People.
Check out joycemeyer.org/annualreport to see how your generosity blesses others
in need. To become a partner, see page 2 or use the order form inside.
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ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
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11/5/13 1:55 PM
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A pastor shares his story of holding on to faith during
his journey through stages of grief.
WE ASKED!
FUN FACTS
How do you ring in the
New Year where you live?
Any goals for the year ahead?
10...9...8...
YOU POSTED!
New Year Traditions ‘Round the World
In Spain, eating a dozen grapes on New Year’s Day symbolizes
hopes for the months ahead. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries
signify that the year has come full circle in the Netherlands,
Mexico, Greece and other countries. The Chinese were the first
to ring in the New Year with fireworks.
For helpful
tips and encouragement
to keep your
momentum
strong, see
Good Stuff –
New Year,
New You!
PAGE
30
Also, according to history.com, nearly half of the American population makes New Year’s resolutions. About 75% keep their vows
one to two weeks; 64% approximately one month; and about
half make it six months.
3...2...1... Happy New Year!
While 44% of American adults plant a kiss on someone at
the stroke of midnight, 22% admit to falling asleep before 12,
but...61% percent of Americans ring in the New Year with
prayer!
join
THE
CONVERSATION!
facebook.com/joycemeyerministries
@joycemeyer
Mary Ng, Singapore: I’m going
to start a journal: 365 joyful days,
recording happy moments of each day.
Brian Hardee, South Carolina:
I just gave my life to the Lord and
I just want to live and be better
tomorrow than I am today.
Connie Wallis, USA: Last year
it was me, my Bible, a great cup of
decaf coffee and God. This year has
been so blessed, I’m going to try it
again. I’ve noticed how a smile can
change my day…either giving or
receiving it…so this year, my goal is
to smile more.
Peter Mwaniki, Kenya: I would like
to be more positive.
Sarah James Carlson, Texas:
My anniversary is January 1st,
and I love that we begin our year
remembering our commitment to
each other and to Christ.
Follow us for the next question!
Contributors
All Bible references are from The Amplified
Bible unless otherwise noted.
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In Canada: Publications Mail Agreement No.
41709522
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Joyce Meyer Ministries Canada
P.O. Box 7700
Vancouver, BC V6B 4E2
(800) 868-1002
[email protected]
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JOYCE MEYER
is one of the world’s
leading practical
Bible teachers and
travels the country
and the world conducting conferences.
She has written 100
inspirational books
and her Enjoying
Everyday Life® radio
and television programs are broadcast
all over the world.
DAVE MEYER
is Joyce’s husband
and Vice President
of Joyce Meyer Ministries. His passion
is to share about
this country’s rich
Christian heritage
and motivate
people to get involved by praying,
learning about the
issues, and taking
action.
RICK RENNER
is a gifted Bible
teacher and author
of more than 30
books. He pastors
the Moscow Good
News Church and
oversees numerous
outreaches, including
the first Christian
television network in
that region.
CHARLES NIEMAN
is pastor of Abundant
Living Faith Center,
in El Paso, Texas.
He shares about his
journey of grief after
losing his beloved
wife, Rochelle,
in 2012.
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
countries where this applies). Because all
Enjoying Everyday Life issues are preplanned,
we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscripts.
For more information or to order, call locally
(636) 349-0303 or toll-free (800) 727-9673.
Internet address: www.joycemeyer.org
Resource prices are in U.S. Funds unless
otherwise noted.
Enjoying Everyday Life is a registered trademark of
Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. [J] is also a registered
trademark of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc.
We Are Committed to Financial Accountability
ACCOUNTABILITY
At Joyce Meyer Ministries, we want
you to be confident your gifts are
being used in the best way possible.
That’s why we are accredited by the Evangelical
Council for Financial Accountability.
FINANCIAL PRACTICE
Joyce Meyer Ministries is voluntarily audited each
year by an independent public accounting firm.
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DECEMBER 2013 / JANUARY 2014
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11/4/13 11:29 AM
STRAIGHT
FROM THE
Heart
As
Christmas and New Year are
approaching, I’m reminded of one
of the best gifts I’ve received: the
beauty of my redeemed, restored and repurposed life in place of the ashes of anger and pain
that were once there.
Many of you know my story. I was physically,
sexually and emotionally abused by my father
from a very young age. Those years of abuse,
and a very rocky and eventually failed first
marriage, left me a single mother, alone, angry,
cynical and quite difficult to get along with.
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On the next page, you’ll get a glimpse
of some of the things your support
makes possible…
Always know that we love and appreciate you!
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We are so grateful to YOU, our friends and
partners, because it’s your support that helps
turn the ashes of emotional, natural, physical
and spiritual chaos into the beauty of peaceful
hearts and minds, rebuilt homes and communities, and a sense of being loved.
changed our lives forever and allows
us the privilege of doing what we do
here at Joyce Meyer Ministries!
And most of all, we’re grateful to God for the
wonderful gift of His love and grace that
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ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
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Dave and I both also want others to discover how
to trade their ashes for the beauty of life in Christ.
We love helping make people’s lives better practically and spiritually. So, whether it’s through
our Hand of Hope outreaches or our conferences,
television or radio broadcasts, Sharing Christ and
Loving People is what we’re all about.
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Then I met a smart, strong and stable man
named Dave Meyer. Dave had prayed for God to
send him someone who needed help. Well, he got
me. I needed a lot of help, and Dave did help me…
simply by being himself. The strength, stability and peace that I witnessed in his life over
time inspired me to seek whatever it was that
made him that way. And so, God’s grace began
to restore a life that was in a heap of ashes,
ultimately giving me the beautiful life that I love
and enjoy today.
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Portland, OR,
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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
DEC 2 – 6
DEC 9 – 13
DEC 16 – 20
DEC 23 – 27
BOLD,
CONFIDENT &
FEARLESS
LEARNING
TO LIVE IN
VICTORY
RENEWING
YOUR MIND
HOPE IN
DIFFICULT
TIMES
This week, Joyce
teaches about the
importance of being
bold and confident
in Christ. The world
needs Christ, and
we can be people
God uses to reach
out to others and
point them to Christ.
Learn how to be
light in the darkness.
This week, Joyce
shares some
life lessons God
taught her and
how they’ve
transformed her
life. See how you
can get from
your test to your
testimony and
enjoy the journey
while you’re
getting there.
DEC 30 – JAN 3
JAN 6 – 10
JAN 13 – 17
JAN 20 – 24
JAN 27 – 31
WORD POWER
FOCUSING ON
GOD
IS GOD ANGRY?
CONTENTMENT
AND
SATISFACTION
THE HOLY
SPIRIT
WEEKLY BROADCAST
PROGRAMS AIR ONE DAY A WEEK
DEC 1 — 7 DON’T TAKE OFFENSE
We all get hurt sometimes. The good news is we don’t have to
take offense when it happens.
DEC 8 - 21 GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU
The truth is, there’s nothing you could ever do to make God stop
loving you.
DEC 22 - 28 PERFORMANCE MENTALITY
God doesn’t love you based on your performance. Learn how to
have more of His amazing, unconditional love in your life.
D EC 29 — JAN 5 GRACE, GRACE AND MORE GRACE
Andy Stanley joins Joyce in the studio to discuss how God’s grace
can change our lives.
JAN 1 2 — 1 8 HINDRANCES TO PRAYER
Learn how to get rid of distractions and communicate more closely
with your heavenly Father.
JAN 1 9 - 25 POWER THOUGHTS
Watch as Joyce shows you how to apply the life-giving Word of God
to everyday situations by thinking on purpose.
JAN 26 - F EB 1 HOW TO BE GODLY IN AN UNGODLY WORLD
Tune in as Joyce shares practical ways to help you live God’s Word
out loud everywhere you go.
Schedules are subject to change.
FREE FIND NEW MESSAGES DAILY.
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE PODCASTS
WWW.JOYCEMEYER.ORG/PODCASTS
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Join Joyce, as she
shares powerful
insight about the
Holy Spirit. She’ll
explain how the Holy
Spirit can be more
active in our lives
when we let Him.
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On Monday and
Tuesday, Joyce
shares how trusting
God leads to peace.
Wednesday and
Thursday, discover
the power found
in contentment
and satisfaction.
And Friday, Joyce
answers viewer
questions.
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The enemy tries
to deceive us into
Renewing our mind
thinking God is mad
is a process. Monday
at us. Watch Joyce,
and Tuesday, Joyce
Monday -Thursday,
teaches about
as she shows how
keeping a positive
accepting God’s
attitude during the
unconditional
process. Wednesday,
love and mercy
she shows how our
will transform our
attitudes affect our
actions. Thursday and relationship with
Him. And Friday,
Friday, she discusses
learn how we can
the importance of
being led by the Spirit. overcome insecurity.
Monday, Charles
Nieman joins Joyce
to share his story
of overcoming loss.
Tuesday, Joyce and
Reinhard Bonnke
share the salvation
message. Wednesday,
Joyce and Ginger
discuss “Immanuel.”
Thursday and
Friday, learn how
God’s grace can
get you through
difficult situations.
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Speaking words of
faith encourages
and empowers
those around you.
Join Joyce Monday–
Wednesday as she
teaches about the
power of words.
Tune in on Thursday
and Friday as Joyce
talks about the six
things we should say
on purpose.
There’s power in
God’s Word, and
we can have it
when we renew our
minds to think like
He thinks. Watch
this week as Joyce
gives strategies for
transforming your
life by winning the
battle in your mind.
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11/5/13 1:35 PM
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NOT ONE MORE NIGHT WITH THE FROGS
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YOU CAN PUT THE
PAST BEHIND YOU
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YOU HAVE TO
MAKE A CHOICE
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In Exodus 8, Moses demanded that Pharaoh let his people go, but
Pharaoh refused. So God sent plagues, one after another. One of
the plagues was frogs. Frogs were everywhere: in the rivers, in
people’s houses, in their beds, even frogs in the dough people used
to make bread.
And when Pharaoh finally said, “I get it,” and agreed to release the
Israelites, Moses asked, “When would you like to be rid of the frogs?”
Pharaoh answered, “Tomorrow.” Now, why would anyone want to
spend one more night with frogs?!
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Maybe as a child you weren’t given love and
attention, or you experienced a lot of verbal abuse
or physical abuse. Or like me, you were sexually
abused by your dad, a relative or a neighbor. If
that’s the case, I have good news for you: Jesus
can heal you everywhere you hurt! And through
a personal relationship with Him, you have the
privilege of speaking the name of Jesus and
believing in the power of God to completely heal
you and make you just as if it never happened to
you. But there are things you must do in order for
the Holy Spirit to complete the work He began in
you when you accepted Christ as your Savior.
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Like the plague of frogs making the Egyptians
miserable, there can be things in our lives—selfpity, anger, bitterness, depression—that we
carry around with us everywhere we go, making
us miserable.
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ARE THERE “FROGS” IN YOUR LIFE?
THE POWER OF CONFESSION
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One of the first things we need to do
is admit when we need help. Don’t be
afraid to go to God and say, “I want to
live in truth. Open my eyes where I’m
deceived and teach me truth.” We can
be real with God. Like David, in Psalm
109:22, we can confess, “I am poor and
needy and my heart is wounded,” and
He will hear our cry.
Confess to one another therefore your
faults (your slips, your false steps, your
offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for
one another, that you may be healed
and restored [to a spiritual tone of
mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt,
continued) prayer of a righteous man
makes tremendous power available
[dynamic in its working]. (James 5:16)
afraid someone will fi nd out. But
secrets buried alive never die—they
just keep eating at us. It may be hard
to tell someone what you are going
through, but God loves you and He
wants to heal and restore your life.
He will help you when you come to
Him honestly, humble yourself before
Him and tell Him, “I love You, Lord,
and I appreciate my salvation, but
I’m a mess! I need Your help.”
DON’T PLAY THE BLAME
GAME Very often when we’re
hurting, we blame someone else
YOU CAN’T UNDO WHAT
PEOPLE DID TO YOU OR
THE MISTAKES FROM
YOUR PAST, BUT
ycoaun
MAKE A DECISION
TODAY THAT YOU WON’T
SPEND ONE MORE DAY
WITH THE FROGS
Sometimes it’s good to talk to
somebody and get things out in the
open. I was in my twenties before I
told anyone what had happened to
me. Why? I was afraid of what people
would think of me. I was afraid my
mom and dad would fi nd out if I told
somebody. Satan wants us living in
fear, to ruin our lives and make us
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DECEMBER 2013 / JANUARY 2014
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DON’T PUT IT OFF “Tomorrow”
is one of the most dangerous words
in our English language. You don’t
have to wait until tomorrow to forgive
the people who hurt you, or to stop
saying it’s too hard, it’s too much, it’s
TURN YOUR MESS INTO YOUR
MESSAGE Isaiah 61:1 and 3 says
Jesus came to bind up and heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to
the [physical and spiritual] captives
and the opening of the prison and
of the eyes of those who are bound…
to give them…
, the oil of joy instead of
mourning, the garment [expressive]
of praise instead of a heavy, burdened,
and failing spirit….
SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT
WITH THE FROGS...
beauty instead
If you feel like your life is a fragmented mess, let Jesus gather up the
pieces. Hand over your ashes. Your
pain will become somebody else’s
gain, your mess will become your
message and what you have walked
through will become somebody
else’s miracle.
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of ashes
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THIS ACTION PLAN INCLUDES:
4 TEACHINGS ON CD & DVD
God wants to give you beauty. But
first you must surrender your ashes.
Ask Him to help you. He did it for
me, and I know He will do it for you.
Don’t spend one more night with
the frogs!
PERSONAL APPLICATION
WORKBOOK
“MY BLESSINGS”
GRATITUDE JOURNAL
BEAUTY FOR ASHES ACTION PLAN
$39
| $50 Canada
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It was so wonderful to discover there
was a promise in the Bible to cover
every single one of my hurts. And
this is true for you, too. It will take
time and diligence, study and prayer
to walk out this healing that’s yours
through the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, but you can do all things
you need to do with the Holy Spirit’s
help (see Philippians 4:13).
It’s so important to understand that
the most important moment in your
life is RIGHT NOW. It’s the only one
you know for sure you have. You can’t
undo what people did to you or the
mistakes from your past, but you can
make a decision today that you won’t
spend one more day with the frogs.
Press in to your relationship with
God and get beauty for ashes, joy for
mourning, praise for heaviness.
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But I want to encourage you not
to blame someone else for your
problems. Maybe what happened
to you is not your fault, but it
doesn’t have to be an excuse to stay
unhealthy. It was a life-changing
revelation for me when I found
out I had such a mess in my soul
because of things that happened in
my past. When I left home at 18, I
thought I was leaving my problems
behind me. But the truth is, I had a
lot of wounds in my soul that went
with me, and until I faced them and
received God’s healing, I was going
to be a mess.
not fair… Instead, you can decide: This
is the day the Lord has made. I will
rejoice and be glad!
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instead of taking responsibility for
our happiness. Unhappy people want
to make other people unhappy. Satan
wants for someone to hurt us, then
for us to be angry and bitter, spend
our lives feeling sorry for ourselves
and then turn around and hurt
someone else so they can do the
same thing to someone else. And it
can go on like that from generation
to generation.
GOD’S
word
MADE PERSONAL
Sleeping with
the Frogs
Joyce teaches that our problem attitudes can be like a plague of frogs,
permeating every corner and aspect of our lives. Problem attitudes can
include: fear, bitterness, blame, resentment, unforgiveness, and jealousy.
Which of these do you identify with? What other negative thoughts and emotions
are weighing down your soul?
Then the LORD
said to Moses, “Go
back to Pharaoh
and announce to him,
‘This is what the LORD
says: Let my people go, so
they can worship me. If you
refuse to let them go, I will
send a plague of frogs across
your entire land…They will
come up out of the river and
into your palace, even into
your bedroom and onto your
bed!...They will even jump
into your ovens and your
kneading bowls….’”
–Exodus 8:1-3 NLT
Feeding on Our Ashes
God wants to give us beauty for our ashes, but sometimes we hang on to them. Have
you been reluctant to surrender your ashes—sifting again and again through the pain
and failures of the past? If so, what motivates you to do this? How has it hurt you?
“If you want to have the beautiful life Christ wants you to have, you can’t
dwell on all the junk that everyone’s done to you your whole life.” --Joyce
Read: Isaiah 44:19-20 Verse 20 talks about the deluded fool who feeds on ashes. How
does dwelling incessantly on past hurts and injustices delude us?
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Read: Exodus 8:9-10 Moses asked Pharaoh when he wanted to be rid of all the frogs
that had descended on Egypt. Pharaoh answered, “Tomorrow.” In
terms of the symbolic frogs that plague our lives, why do we delay
decisions that could bring us relief?
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According to verse 19, what mental shift can help you see truth more clearly?
Excerpt from Beauty for Ashes Action Plan, ©2013, by Joyce Meyer. To order, call
(800) 727-9673. In Canada, call (800) 868-1002. joycemeyer.org/actionplan
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DECEMBER 2013 / JANUARY 2014
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Hearing from God
Each Morning
new!
MORE
DETAILS
ON BACK
COVER
Trusting God
Day by Day
Power Thoughts
Devotional
#1 RESOLUTION FOR
2014
Get as close to God
as I possibly can!
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Battlefield of the
Mind Devotional
Starting Your
Day Right
Ending Your
Day Right
New Day, New You
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Love Out Loud
Devotional
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The Confident
Woman Devotional
No matter what your goals are in life or what
you’ve achieved so far, the absolute best thing
you can ever do is get closer to God. And Joyce’s
devotionals will help you get in the daily habit
of spending personal time with God. You’ll
experience the life-changing power of His Word
and encouraging, inspiring messages from
Joyce’s heart that will strengthen your faith.
Take a step in the right direction and get
yours today!
11/4/13 2:09 PM
FULL
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HOUSE
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HOW YOU ARE CHANGING
THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
IN THE HEART OF MOSCOW, RUSSIA
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BY PAUL HUSE
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T
oday is Vitya’s 14th birthday.
With candles lit, all the kids
crowd around to sing, while
Vitya sits in front of his cake, grinning ear to ear. His smile is infectious.
However, eight years ago, there was
no party, cake, candles…or even
people in Vitya’s life. When Vitya was
six years old, a Russian social worker
made a house call to check on him,
having no record of Vitya since birth.
What they found was a boy who had
been abandoned to live with dogs.
With ragged hair and claw-like
fingernails, Vitya uttered barking
sounds and scurried around on the
floor, hiding under a table and chairs.
It wasn’t playtime or make-believe,
but a result of years of living with
disheveled pets in an utterly disgusting condition.
VITYA
“IT’S NOT HUMANLY
POSSIBLE” Doctors examined
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Vitya and immediately concluded
that he couldn’t be helped—he would
never be normal again. The next stop
for Vitya was a state-run institution.
That’s when the government called
Lilit Gorelova…the person they frequently called with impossible cases.
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Sasha and Lilit Gorelova are the directors of House of Mercy, a children’s
home located in the heart of Moscow,
which cares for those without
families or means for survival.
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After discussing Vitya’s deep-seated
issues and the long road ahead, Sasha
and Lilit made a decision: He would
become one of their children.
ANDREY
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What is perhaps even more shocking
than Vitya’s condition is the unfortunate reality that this is not the only
incident. It’s medically referred to
as “Mowgli Syndrome,” deriving its
name from the boy who was raised
by animals in The Jungle Book. The
question the authorities had was,
“What do we do with him?”
11/5/13 2:13 PM
It wasn’t easy. After all, Vitya suffered
complete culture shock. Learning
to eat, walk, talk and even use the
restroom like a person was often
more than seemed possible.
Along the way, he was also diagnosed
with autism. Some wonder if this was
why he was abandoned in the first place.
“We knew that if God would help us,
we would be able to help him,” says
Lilit. “So we just treated him as a
person…then he started to walk and
act like a human. It’s a real miracle.”
Today, Vitya attends a special school
and regularly sees a counselor. He
still walks with a slight bend in his
knees, but surrounded by his loving
family, he continues to make progress.
Friends and partners, thanks to you,
the “boy who barked” is now the boy
who talks, sings, plays and even worships God. He’s the “boy with a future.”
THE HOME IN THE MIDDLE
OF MOSCOW Vitya is one of
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For Sasha and Lilit, these aren’t lost
and forgotten kids—these are their
sons and daughters. They care for
them through high school, and then
help them apply for college or get
started in a career. Most stay until
they are 18 or older. Even then, no one
ever truly leaves the family. Just ask
Alexey Belyakin…
PROMISE OF A LIFETIME
At eleven years old, Alexey spent his
days collecting bottles and begging
for money outside of a fast-food
restaurant. He lived out of a vehicle,
along with his mother who was
unable to provide for the family. Like
so many others, Alexey was exposed
daily to the wrong crowd and circumstances, turning to alcohol to numb
the pain—just one more kid living on
the streets.
A filthy alleyway is where he first
encountered a “strange woman” who
spoke of a way for him to have a better
life. He didn’t give it much thought.
Then, a few weeks later, Alexey
jumped at the chance to attend a free
event for kids, where he recognized a
familiar face…
11 kids currently living at House of
Mercy. This family-style children’s
home provides a safe, loving atmosphere for those escaping harmful
and often abusive situations.
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at sixteen. Sadly, many girls leave
these facilities only to enter a life of
prostitution as a means of survival.
Since 2007, Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer
“We went to camp and did whitewater
Ministries World Missions has partrafting,” Alexey remembers. “Then
nered with Rick Renner Ministries in
Russia to help support this vital refuge. I understood that it was actually
Lilit—the woman in the alley—who
organized this for us. She really cared.”
Here, Vitya and the others attend local
schools, go to church, and study God’s
Lilit made him a deal: he could come
Word. Lilit also keeps their focus on
live with her and Sasha if he promised
reaching out to others. The children
to go to church. Alexey made good on
regularly visit other orphanages
his promise. In fact, eight years later,
where they hand out gifts and perform
this is where we found him—in church.
a special drama which they have
rehearsed for weeks.
At nineteen, Alexey has “graduated”
from House of Mercy and now works
This is a stark contrast to state-run
full time for The Good News Church,
orphanages which provide little more
than the necessities and “age kids out” an outreach of Rick Renner Ministries.
He now lives on his own, but he
returns most every day to check on
his family and help out with the
children. He believes it’s his turn to
give back.
THE ULTIMATE GIFT He’s
giving back to younger “brothers
and sisters” like Andrey Karanov.
As a young child, Andrey was adopted
out of a state-run orphanage, only
to be returned months later by his
adoptive parents.
His experience left him traumatized
and living in an orphanage’s psychiatric ward. At 16, he would become
a ward of the state and get shuffled
to another psych unit. Once again, a
government official called Lilit to see
if they had room for another. They did.
Today, Andrey is a sweet, well-adjusted boy who likes to play the piano and
lead worship. He says he wants to be a
fireman when he grows up.
“I want to save people…people’s lives,”
he says. “I want to help people the
way I was helped.”
And the cycle of love goes on. Because
House of Mercy is so much more than
a children’s home—it’s a family…and
a spiritual hospital that rescues and
transforms these precious kids into
stable, productive, happy young men
and women.
So, on behalf of Vitya, Alexey, Andrey
and all of the others, I say thank you.
Thank you for providing a home and
a future that’s far beyond what they
could have imagined.
Thank you for giving them the gift of
a changed life.
Paul Huse of Joyce Meyer Ministries Media
Division, recently travelled to Russia to report
on Hand of Hope outreaches.
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How the Golden Age Outreach
is Bringing Them to Christ
BY RICK RENNER
S
When God puts a love in your heart for people, He will show
you how to reach them with the good news of the Gospel. That
is exactly what happened in our ministry when God put it on
our hearts to win these Russian seniors to Christ—an extremely challenging task, considering so many of these men
and women lived the prime of their lives during a time when
atheism was the religion of the State.
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hortly after my wife, Denise, and I and our family
moved to Moscow from Riga, Latvia, in August
2000, the Lord put a love in my heart for the “golden”
generation of this vast city. There are more than
4,500,000 senior citizens in Moscow alone, many of whom
served the government in some capacity during the old Soviet
era. Of course, I don’t support Communism, but I love this
elderly generation, including the old Communists!
“
THE CELEBRATION OF
COMMUNISM THAT INSPIRED
A MINISTRY One day in 2003, I was
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at home in our apartment overlooking
Red Square when I became distracted
by the sound of music and festivities
coming from the street below. From
our window, I witnessed a sea of
thousands of people from this older
generation marching and dancing
in celebration of memories from
their past—recollections of the great
honor that had been ascribed to them
in days gone by. Indeed, before the
collapse of the Soviet Union, this generation was the most venerated in all
of society because of the significant
contributions they’d made. Among
this generation were the very souls
who’d marched courageously in the
front lines of World War II, fending
off invading Nazis in a war that
claimed the lives of 27 million people
in that region of the world.
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After the war, it was this segment of
the population that rolled up their
sleeves to rebuild roads, highways, and
entire cities that had been devastated,
including many apartments, hospitals,
and public buildings that are still
standing in this immense region today.
When Communism fell, their world
also fell apart. Almost overnight—in a
matter of just three days’ time—these
men and women found themselves in
a new world they didn’t see coming
and certainly weren’t prepared for.
Everything they’d given their lives to
build suddenly vanished from before
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“
It’s amazing to see how former Communists who’d lost
everything have regained purpose and are using their
golden years to serve Jesus by serving others.”
Approximately 5,000 senior citizens
showed up at our first concert! As
they exited the hall afterward, we
gave them each a small bag containing groceries and personal items
that were difficult for most of them
to obtain on their meager pensions.
To illustrate to you how God has
continued to bless this phenomenal
outreach, in our second year in 2005,
8,000 pensioners attended our Golden
Stars concert, and in 2006, more than
16,000 attended the program. It was
the largest single event for the elderly
held in the city of Moscow since the
collapse of Communism!
The monthly Vitamin Club meetings
evolved into Golden Age, a weekly
church service, and the third tier
of God’s plan to reach these elderly
men and women. Today we hold two
Monday services that are attended
by up to 1,000 seniors each week. Our
auditorium can’t accommodate everyone who desires to attend, so they
come to church on a rotating basis,
and we minister the Word of God to
approximately 4,000 of Moscow’s
elderly every month.
It’s amazing to see how former
Communists who’d lost everything
have regained purpose and are using
IF YOU’D LIKE TO HEAR MORE about how this outreach began and continues today, you can go to
www.renner.org/what-we-do/vitamin-club-golden-age and watch a special video Rick made specifically to share what the Lord has done through this amazing “last-chance” ministry to the elderly.
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began working on the first tier of the
plan, and within a year’s time, we
held our first Golden Stars concert
event. We contacted the most famous
stars of the Soviet era—performers
that represented these pensioners’
“golden times” of the past—and invited
them to join us in hosting a benefit
concert for the elderly. We worked
with Moscow’s local government to let
thousands of registered pensioners
know about this event.
We’re so grateful to God for making
this outreach successful, and thankful for our partnership with Joyce
Meyer Ministries, because this support
helps make it all possible. As a friend
and partner of Joyce Meyer Ministries,
you are bringing the love of Christ to
the older generation of Russia, enriching their lives and making their latter
days truly golden!
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ENTERTAINMENT + VITAMINS
+ THE GOSPEL = THE GOLDEN
AGE OF LIFE! Immediately we
their golden years to serve Jesus by
serving others. Even at such a late
stage in life, these pensioners are
becoming strong, vital members of
the Body of Christ.
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I was riveted that day in 2003 as
I watched this street demonstration from our apartment window.
Suddenly I felt compelled to join these
elderly citizens as they marched
carrying their signs and banners. I
hurried downstairs and onto the
street, where I quickly fell in among
this parade of lost souls. As I walked,
the Holy Spirit literally downloaded
into my heart a three-tiered strategy to reach this all-but-forgotten
segment of our city’s population.
We also gave them a Bible and an
invitation to join us again for what
we called Vitamin Club, the name
the Holy Spirit had given me for the
second tier of our outreach to these
precious souls. At Vitamin Club, they
would receive a free bottle of vitamins each month to supplement their
diets, which are often not as healthy
as they’d like due to their reduced
incomes. They would also enjoy a
program designed just for them,
receive personal items they otherwise
couldn’t afford, such as lotion and
pain-relief balms, and hear the good
news—perhaps for the first time in
their lives—that Jesus loves them and
still has a plan for their lives.
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them, including their dreams of being
well respected and cared for in their
senior years. In a sense, this once
revered segment of society became
“orphaned adults,” lost in a country
they no longer recognized—and that
no longer held a place of recognition
and honor for them.
“Through every
stage of life,
God's grace will
be there for you
helping you to
live in victory.
Nothing you face
can catch
God off guard.”
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—ROCHELLE NIEMAN
A HUSBAND’S
CYAN
JOURNEY
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OF GRIEF
BY PASTOR CHARLES NIEMAN
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My wife, Rochelle, was a beautiful,
vibrant woman who died at age 62
after a brave eight-month battle with
ovarian cancer. Rochelle and I were
married for 42 years. Together, we
founded and co-pastored Abundant
Living Faith Center in El Paso, Texas.
We were together every day of our
lives from the age of eighteen. We
had two wonderful children together,
Shannon and Jared, and two beautiful grandchildren, Caleb and Emery
Rochelle—born only two days before
Rochelle died.
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One week later, on December 30,
Rochelle died. The last sentence she
spoke before she slipped away was,
“I’m going to get better.” She didn’t
want to go. She still had so much she
wanted to accomplish. But she died
in faith.
STRENGTH NOT
MY OWN One night I was
crying in my room, feeling that I
wasn’t up to this, that I didn’t have
the strength. And Jesus impressed
upon me that I didn’t have to do it in
my own strength. “I am the resurrection and the life,” He said. I didn’t
have to be strong. He would lift me up.
You don’t
have to face
it alone.
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Then, in what was a pivotal moment
for me, I began to pray, Father whatever happens here, I’m never going to
ask you why, because this is between
you and her. You will have to explain it
to her, not me.
The day after Rochelle died was
New Year’s Eve. I chose to preach at
all four New Year’s Eve services. I
felt like I had to get back in the house
of God as soon as possible. Being with
my congregation gave me comfort
and strength.
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Rochelle’s illness was emotionally
and spiritually draining on me and
our kids, but we never gave up hope.
On December 23, 2012, we were at M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,
and Rochelle was not doing well. Our
family was staying in a hotel next to
the hospital. I had settled in my mind
that we would spend Christmas there.
I took a moment to sit down on the
sky bridge connecting the hotel to the
hospital, feeling overwhelmed and at
the end of myself. I had seen people
collapse and lose their faith during
such trials. I didn’t want that to
happen to me. I was exhausted—but
you can’t call “time out” when so
many people are counting on you.
life means death isn’t the end. It’s
simply part of the process of life.
In Psalm 131:1, David said, “I don’t
concern myself with things too
wonderful for me.” He accepted what
He didn’t understand. Jesus certainly
didn’t ask why He had to suffer and
die. Looking back on it, my decision
not to ask, “Why?” steered me away
from a life of bitterness and opened
me up to the future. I realize God
loaned Rochelle to me as my wife. If
I had stayed in a place of asking why,
I would still be locked in the past.
Instead, I am moving forward in
my faith.
Rochelle may have left me, but Jesus did
not. We have to realize it’s not people
who hold us up and keep us going, but
Jesus. He is the life that satisfies.
Overcoming
Grief and Loneliness
2 Teachings on CD
by Joyce Meyer
$14 / $18 Canada
Charles Nieman is pastor of Abundant Living Faith Center in El Paso,
TX. He will be Joyce’s guest on Enjoying Everyday Life December
23. Check your local listing for stations and program times or visit
joycemeyer.org/tvlistings
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HOLDING ON TO FAITH
SETTLING THE “WHY”
QUESTION A Christ-centered
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Rochelle’s life was centered on God’s
Word. She believed every day was a
gift from God, and she squeezed every
drop out of her life—teaching and
encouraging people until the very end.
real life P E R S P E C T I V E S
Remembering
Josie
HOW GOD HELPED ME OVERCOME
LOSS AND LONELINESS
BY SANDY BUENDORF
The rescue team tried everything they could to
save her life while en route to the nearest hospital.
Just minutes later, another call came from our son
saying, “We couldn’t save her. We’ve lost her. Josie
is with Jesus.”
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I can’t begin to explain the emptiness I suddenly felt
while thinking, This can’t possibly be happening.
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WHEN LIFE IS GOOD and all is going
well, it’s easy to have a thankful heart.
That’s how I felt at work one day until I
answered the phone and listened to my
husband telling me that our 16-monthold granddaughter, Josie, had been
accidentally run over by a car.
My immediate reaction was, This can’t
be real. Thoughts and questions raced
through my mind, but there were no
answers. Not yet, anyway.
I’ve lost loved ones before and while it’s never
easy, this was especially difficult. Losing Josie
broke my heart more deeply than I had ever
experienced before. I cried out to God, asking
Him to help me and my husband, our son and
daughter-in-law and their three children, and the
rest of our family get through this difficult time.
There are other types of loss that may not be as
devastating, but nonetheless, cause our hearts
to grieve on some level. Four months after Josie
died, our oldest son who lived nearby announced
that he’d accepted a new job out of state. While
I was happy for him, I also realized I would be
experiencing another loss—the loss of precious
family time with a son and daughter-in-law, and
three grandchildren.
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It didn’t take long for a strange quietness to settle
in, followed by loneliness and an emptiness that
I had never felt before. I knew I couldn’t dwell
on those feelings but they came like dark storm
clouds that hung around in my mind. I prayed,
asking God for peace, comfort and things to do
that would help me fill the lonely times, and He
reminded me of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
During the party, I discovered
that most of the children didn’t have
grandparents living nearby, so they
didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy
cookie-baking time together. I was
excited and very touched that the
parents thought we should make our
cookie party an annual event.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of
all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so
that we can comfort those in any trouble with the
comfort we ourselves receive from God (NIV).
It’s been nearly two years since we
lost our granddaughter Josie, and
I will always remember her. I still miss
having my grandkids nearby. (I travel
to be with them on weekends when
I can.) But God’s grace and healing
power is amazing. He heals our lonely
and grieving hearts and fills us with
love and joy in ways that we least
expect.
Yes, I had needed time to grieve. But now, although there were still feelings of loss to process,
God was urging me to stop dwelling on my loss
and instead, reach out to others, even when I
didn’t feel like it.
I had no idea hosting a cookie party
would bring healing to my broken
heart. Really, it wasn’t the cookies or
the kids, but “the God of all comfort”
filling the emptiness in my heart
with joy while reaching out to others. And yes, there will be another
cookie party!
Sandy Buendorf has served in the
Media division for fifteen years at
Joyce Meyer Ministries.
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I prayed for Him to fill the emptiness in my heart—
especially with holiday season coming—and He
showed me a great opportunity to bless others.
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I’d often listened to my coworkers share stories
about the woes of child rearing and how busy their
lives were, and I suddenly found myself wanting to
reach out to them as I would my own family.
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With the holiday season just ahead, having a
Christmas cookie party for small kids and their parents seemed like a great idea, plus it would help me
overcome the emptiness I was feeling inside.
As I started planning, I became inspired by cookie
ideas and found the quiet, empty times filled with
excitement while baking cookies
for the party.
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“I prayed for God to fill the
emptiness in my heart—
especially during the coming
holiday season—and He
showed me a great opportunity
to bless others.”
A
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SPECIAL
GRACE
for
EVERY
CASE
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How to Receive More of the Grace You Need Each Day
BY JOYCE MEYER
When I found out that God’s grace
gave me the power to enjoy my life no
matter what was happening, that was
life-changing for me. I realized that
His grace is jaw-dropping amazing!
God not only saves us, He gives us everything we need to stay positive and
be a positive influence in the world.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND that it takes more than a
weekly trip to church to have victory
during difficult times in our lives. We
need to know how to stay plugged in
to our power source. And what that
means is, we need to keep feeding
ourselves the Word of God.
Instead of just singing, “Jesus, You’re
the center of it all,” at church on
Sunday, we need to make Him the
center of it all. That’s when we will
find the power to stay in victory.
But God’s not going to push His grace
on you or make you receive it. He loves
you and wants to help you, but He also
wants you to come to Him and ask for
His help, because apart from Him, we
can do nothing (see John 15:5).
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For a long time, I thought I was
a “special case” because my father
abused me. So when God asked me
to overcome that by forgiving him
and taking good care of him in his
old age, I thought: I just can’t do this,
God. It’s too hard. And it really did
Even though it may feel impossible to
go through, God has enough grace for
your situation too.
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I have a soft spot for people who feel
that way, because I know exactly
what it’s like.
seem impossible at the time. But
I found out that God had enough
grace to help me do it.
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M
any people are going through
life frustrated—not just
because they’re in challenging
circumstances, but because
they can’t seem to tap in to the joy and
peace that the Bible says they can have.
No matter how hard they try, it’s hard to
keep a positive attitude.
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/////
When I found out that God’s
grace gave me the power to
enjoy my life no matter what
was happening, that was lifechanging for me.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE
LOSING POWER, go plug yourself
in to God. Just take a moment and
pray, “God, I am going to lose it here.
I don’t want to say or do something
that’s going to make me feel foolish
later. Please, help me get through this
with a good attitude.”
Remember, just trying to have a good
attitude doesn’t work. You need to
ask God to do the work in you. There
will probably be some waiting in
between. But that doesn’t mean God
isn’t working.
While we’re waiting on God, our part
is to trust Him and study His Word.
When we receive teaching from
God’s Word, it’s like medicine for our
soul. We begin to see our problems
from God’s point of view, which is
an empowering place to be. Not only
does it free us from our own flawed
perceptions, His Word compels us to
be the best version of ourselves that
we can be.
Discover the untapped grace
that’s available to you, and start
doing more of what God says you
can do.
Magenta
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BLACK
It really is
amazing.
Paul teaches us in Romans 7:24-25
that God gives us victory over our
selfish nature, saying, Who will
release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death? O thank God!
[He will!] through Jesus Christ (the
Anointed One) our Lord!
Amazing Grace
4 Teachings on CD
by Joyce Meyer
Who will deliver you? He will. But we
will have to go through some suffering to get there.
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$26 / $33 Canada
First Peter 5:10 says, And after you
have suffered a little while, the God
of all grace [Who imparts all blessing
and favor], Who has called you to His
[own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will
Himself complete and make you what
you ought to be....
WHY CAN’T HE JUST
DELIVER US from all our problems
right now? We may never understand
why, but God asks us to go forward in
faith, knowing He always has our best
interests in mind.
During the early years of my ministry,
I tried so hard to make my ministry
grow and nothing worked. Everything
was “little” for a long time. And then
when God’s timing finally arrived, all
of a sudden I was getting invited to
speak everywhere.
The good news is I didn’t give up. And
I truly believe my greatest testimony
is, “I’m still here.”
BE DETERMINED TO NEVER
GIVE UP on God and His plan
for your life. A lot of people give up
on themselves, the people in their
life, their dreams and even on God.
Anybody can do that. But it takes the
power of the Holy Spirit working in
you, and love for God, to stick with
Him through the most difficult times
in life.
Eventually, you will get to your
promised land. God’s timing may not
be what you would want it to be, but
He will always come through.
The best part of it is, God will help you
do what you need to do with supernatural ease.
Whenever you find yourself saying,
“God, I can’t do this. It’s just too hard.”
Remember to plug in to His power,
because God has a special grace for
your special case.
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A M E R I C A AT I T S
best
Writing the
Pages of History
GOD’S INFLUENCE IN THE BIRTH
OF AMERICA’S GOVERNMENT
BY DAVE MEYER
Separate but Equal — When our
Founders declared independence
from England, they were well aware
that great oppression was possible,
not only when power was concentrated in a monarchy, but also in the
hands of an elite. After all, Parliament was a national legislature with
supreme authority.
They broke the powers of government into these
three divisions because that is how the Bible
defined God’s government of the universe in
Isaiah 33:22—“For the Lord is our judge (Chief
Justice), the Lord is our lawgiver (Legislature),
the Lord is our King (Chief Executive); He will
save us.” Since God is perfect and infallible, He
can possess all three powers and still be just
and fair, but not sinful men.
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Following is an excerpt from America’s
Providential History, written by Mark A.
Beliles and Stephen K. McDowell.
As a result, after our Founders had apportioned
most of the powers of government to the states,
they went even further…and separated the few
and limited powers of the national government
into three branches that would check each other.
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James Madison wrote that: “The accumulation
of all powers—legislative, executive, and judiciary—in the same hands whether of one, a few,
or many…may justly be pronounced the very
definition of tyranny.”
Magenta
This month, I want to share with you a
powerful passage that details the origin
of our three branches of government
and what is now referred to as “the
separation of powers.”
They also firmly believed in the Biblical ideas
of man and government. They believed that
man’s sinful nature meant that he should not be
entrusted with too much power, even if he was
regenerated through the blood of Jesus Christ.
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I BELIEVE the birth of America’s
government is one of the most
fascinating events in history. Without
precedent, our Founding Fathers laid
the groundwork and drafted a constitution that would forever change the
way the world views civil liberties.
A M E R I C A AT I T S
best
“God providentially shaped America in such a way that democracy,
aristocracy and monarchy would be blended together into a
balanced Christian Republic — the first in history.”
Achieving the Perfect Blend — The
manner in which these three elements
were balanced so well in our government is interesting. The Protestant
Reformation produced three distinct
movements of Christians who emphasized three different patterns of
church government:
The Episcopalians emphasized the rule
of one from the top down. The Presbyterians emphasized the rule of a few
elders. Congregationalists emphasized
the rule of many.
Consider
the Source
Magenta
CYAN
BLACK
It didn’t happen by chance.
Discover God’s fingerprints on
the founding and establishing
of this great nation.
America’s
Providential History
Paperback
by Mark A. Beliles and
Stephen K. McDowell
Yellow
$18.95
Each of these groups colonized
America, by the design of Providence,
into major geographical groupings and
formed their colonial civil governments
in patterns similar to their churches…
rienced experts on all three forms and blended
them together beautifully.
The Birth of a Christian Republic — Our federal
government therefore—specifically the first
three articles of the Constitution—is a reflection
of church government. The Episcopalian form
of church government alone is not the biblical
model found in the New Testament, neither is the
Presbyterian or Congregational. It is only when
all three are blended together that you have balanced biblical Christian government.
It follows in civil government as well. If our
founders had all been Congregationalists, then
our Constitution would probably have established more of a pure democracy in America.
But that alone would not be the biblical model
of civil government.
God providentially shaped the colonization of
America in such a way that democracy, aristocracy and monarchy would be blended together into
a balanced Christian Republic—the first in history.
The northern colonies, settled predominantly by Congregationalists,
established a form of democracy. The
southern colonies, being mostly Episcopalian, established “Royal Provinces”
which were a form of monarchy. The
middle colonies were proprietary, and
being influenced greatly by Reformed
Presbyterianism, established more
aristocratic governments.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were clearly founded upon Christian ideas
of man and government. Our Founders were the
first men to “hold these truths” and establish a
nation upon them. Simply put: Without Christianity, there never would have been a Constitution.
God allowed these isolated geographical groupings to taste the strengths
and weaknesses of their particular
form of government for 150 years
before bringing them all together
through the American Revolution.
As Noah Webster, the father of the dictionary and
a key Federalist in the passage of the Constitution, said: “The religion which has introduced civil
liberty, is the religion of Christ and his apostles…
This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe
our free constitutions of government.”
The result? When delegates arrived in
Philadelphia in 1787, they were expe-
Excerpted with permission from Mark A. Beliles and
Stephen K. McDowell.
28
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Good Stuff
Dec ‘13/Jan ’14
INTERESTING BITS, READER RESPONSES, MILESTONES & MORE
Young FAH went
to school with a
full tummy.
What does God want for
them and so many more?
Happy endings!
FIND OUT what He’s done
in their lives—and help create
even more happy endings at
joycemeyer.org/christmas.
Spread Christmas cheer with
our homemade pins at
pinterest.com/joycemeyermin.
Traveling by rail?
Talk to a fellow passenger. A listening ear
could be just what they
need this time of year.
BLACK
Five-month-old
ANNE was treated
for malaria.
This magazine
can fly! It’s handy for
layovers, fits easily
into a carry-on bag
and makes a great
stocking stuffer, too.
Have yourself
a merry little
Pinterest.
Need to kill some
time in the car? Think
who you’ll be seeing
during your trip and
plan a way to make
them smile.
CYAN
LINEO was
rescued from a life of
prostitution.
PLANES,
TRAINS
& AUTOS,
OH MY!
JUST BEING SOCIAL
TV BROADCAST
6,949,544,847
people on earth (est.)
AMAZING FACT:
Together we have
the potential to
reach 2/3 of the
world with the
Gospel!
29
ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE
joycemeyer.org
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Magenta
Because
of you...
HOLIDAY TRAVEL
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CHRISTMAS MIRACLES
E N J O Y I N G
E V E R Y D AY
L I F E
Dec ‘13/Jan ’14
E N J O Y I N G
E V E R Y D AY
L I F E
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
THIS MONTH
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!
HOW TO
Stay Happy
With Your
New Year’s
Resolution
JAN
11
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
AWARENESS DAY
Join us in the fight.
facebook.com/handofhope
WISDOM
1
Take it one day at a time.
2
Pray and ask for God’s help.
“THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE
praying for mountains
3
Focus on doing the right
thing instead of not doing
the wrong thing.
OF DIFFICULTY TO BE REMOVED
WHEN WHAT THEY REALLY
4
Celebrate every step
of success.
NEED TO BE PRAYING FOR IS THE
courage to climb them.”
BLACK
5
Focus on how
far you’ve come and don’t
be discouraged.
SIGN UP to receive encouragement at make1break1.com
B LD
adjective \’bold\
showing or requiring a
fearless daring spirit
adventurous,
free <a bold thinker>
standing out prominently
She wore a dress with
bold stripes.
C N·FI·
DENT
adjective
\’kän-f -d nt, -,dent \
full of conviction : certain
<confident of success>
<confident that conditions
will improve> having or
showing assurance
I am confident about
my ability to do the job.
C
U·RA·
GEOUS
adjective \k - ’ra-j s\
having or characterized
by courage : brave
Joyce, from her New York Times bestselling book Approval Addiction
She was a courageous
woman who wasn’t afraid
to support unpopular
causes.
Yellow
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CYAN
MEDICAL/DENTAL MISSIONS
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO
VOLUNTEER?
IT’S A BIG SACRIFICE.
WHAT’S THE PAYOFF?
“We like to say, ‘Blessed are
the flexible for they shall not
be bent out of shape.’ You’ve
got to be able to keep a soft
heart and a tough skin.”
—Laura Matheny, RN, Hand
of Hope Medical Outreach
Coordinator
“To see a near-death baby
come back to life…it’s awesome! I’ll sacrifice sleep
and showers and eat PB&J
sandwiches for lunch.”
—Chris Blaser, RN and ninetime volunteer
WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TRIP? Find out more about future outreaches at joycemeyer.org/medicalmissions or call 1-800-727-9673 ext. 3218.
“bold,” “confident,” “courageous.”
Merriam-Webster.com. 2013.
http://www.merriam-webster.com
(2 August 2013).
30
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F
E
GR
EATEST
G
I
TH
F
FT
JESUS
This article is
adapted from Joyce’s
newest book,
The Gift
What Christmas Means for You and Me
BY JOYCE MEYER
OR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF
DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD…
YE SHALL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING
CLOTHES, LYING IN A MANGER. — Luke 2:11-12 KJV
Before the world began, Jesus lived in heaven—a far
more glorious place than you or I can ever imagine.
Yet because you and I needed a Savior, He left paradise
and came to earth…as a tiny baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
You and I now know Jesus not as a
helpless infant or even a grown-up
man, but the King of Kings, the Lord
of Lords, the Great I Am. His greatness goes beyond what any one of
us can fully comprehend. He is…
Just let that soak in for a moment…
Philippians 2:8-9 says that because Jesus humbled
Himself to the extreme, “God has highly exalted Him
and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is
above every name.”
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Through a personal relationship
with Christ, you can know Him intimately as all of these.
As you prepare for the Christmas
season and begin to celebrate the
miracle of His love, I encourage you
to ponder the majesty of God and
the goodness and power He brings
to your life. Having a close, personal
relationship with Jesus is truly the
greatest gift of all.
DEC 2013/JAN 2014 // PAGE 31 // DOM
Unwrap peace,
joy, hope, love…
NEW!
CYAN
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
—John 10:11
Magenta
That night in Bethlehem, our infant Savior was humbly laid on a simple bed of straw. As a boy, He played
and studied in the modest household of a carpenter. As
a man, Jesus lived His life as a perfect example, enduring every kind of earthly temptation, yet, without sinning—and then humbled Himself to the point of death
on a cross so you and I might have eternal life.
THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND
THE LIFE —John 14:6
The Gift
Hardcover by Joyce Meyer
$14 / $18 Canada
11/4/13 3:54 PM
Yellow
The way He came and how He lived as a man on this
earth reveals so much to us about the true character of
God and His amazing love for all of us. And Christmas
is the perfect time to celebrate the miracle of His love.
BLACK
THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA
—Revelation 1:8
Jesus came to rescue you.
STABILITY
IN
THE
Storm
HOW TO
RESPOND TO
LOVED ONES ON
THEIR JOURNEY
THROUGH
EMOTIONAL
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HEALING
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BY JOYCE MEYER
I
was approximately forty-five years old and still suffering
from the painful abuse I experienced as a child when I felt an
unquestionable urge to confront my dad. God was showing me
that facing my abuser was the only way to break the cycle of fear in
my life. It was extremely hard for me to do because I knew I would
experience his anger again, and I did. But I also accomplished what
God was leading me to do. And it helped me break free.
Yellow
One of the best things my husband, Dave, did for me was not allow
my anger to make him unhappy. I believe one of the best things you
can do for an angry person is to show them by example that there is a
better way to live and behave.
CYAN
Because an angry man dictated my life for so many years, I was angry
myself and vented my anger through my words and attitudes. My
anger manifested frequently when things didn’t go the way I wanted
them to go. I was wrong, and I needed godly confrontation.
Magenta
Most of you reading this aren’t dealing with the kind of person I’m
talking about, but you do encounter angry people in your life, and some
of you are in relationship with someone who is angry.
BLACK
We must always do the part God leads us to do, no matter how the
other party reacts.
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“I BELIEVE one of the best things you can do for an
angry person is to show them by example that there is
a better way to live and behave.”
BE AN EXAMPLE TO HURTING
PEOPLE Because I had never lived in
an atmosphere where stability existed,
I didn’t know what it looked like. Dave
was an example of stability to me, and
that was extremely important. Had he
merely told me to stop being angry and
responded to my anger with anger of
his own, I don’t think I would have ever
changed. As they say, “Two wrongs
don’t make a right.”
CYAN
BLACK
Let healing
begin with you.
Magenta
New York Times Bestseller
Do Yourself a
Favor...Forgive
208-Page Hardcover
by Joyce Meyer
$19.99 / $25 Canada
Yellow
Also available in Spanish
(Paperback) $12.99
According to God’s Word, we are not
to confront anger with anger, evil with
evil, or insult with insult. First Peter 3:9
says, Never return evil for evil or insult
for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing,
berating), but on the contrary blessing
[praying for their welfare, happiness, and
protection, and truly pitying and loving
them]. For know that to this you have
been called, that you may yourselves
inherit a blessing [from God--that you
may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing
welfare and happiness and protection].
life yourself, it will only frustrate you. Only God
changes people from the inside out and He does it
in His timing. So pray for the people you know who
struggle with anger to let God work in their life,
and be an example of peace and stability to them!
DON’T LET HURTING PEOPLE MAKE
YOU UNHAPPY When I say at my conferences that we should not let someone else’s attitude
determine our level of joy, I always get an
amazing response. I can see from the audience’s
faces that some of them have done that without
even realizing they had another choice.
Can we really be joyful when other people we
are around are angry and unhappy? Yes, we can
if we set our mind to do so. And once again, I
want to stress that I believe this is the best thing
we can do for the angry person. Just maintain a
calm delight in their presence. Assure them that
you love them and want them to be happy, but
you are not going to let their decisions dictate
your quality of life. In other words, don’t become
codependent of someone else’s behavior.
PARTNER WITH GOD TO MAKE A WAY
I am well aware that doing this is
more difficult than reading about it,
but anything God asks us to do, He
will give us the strength to do if we
are willing to be obedient to Him. God
does have the solution to any problem
you have, and His ways always work if
we will cooperate with Him.
I believe with all my heart that Dave’s
example to me was what caused me to
want to change. He was firm with me,
but never let me steal his joy. He let me
know that if I wanted to be unhappy
that was up to me, but he was going to
be happy whether I was or not. He was
consistent for a long period of time, and
I finally realized that I was missing a lot
in life and I needed to change.
Nobody can change until they want to,
so if you try to change people in your
Don’t give up hope for angry people in your
life. They obviously have a bondage, a hurt or
something wrong in their past causing the
anger. Pray and continue to pray that they will
see the truth and begin to walk in the light.
Matthew 7:7 says, Keep on asking and it will be
given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep
on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be
opened to you.
I have seen amazing changes in people through
the power of prayer. Our sincere prayers give God
an open door to work diligently in their lives, and
He loves and changes them in His own way.
I believe when we pray, God works! Sometimes
we’ll get answers immediately and other times
we will pray for a lifetime. Be committed to
keep praying and thanking God that He is
working in the lives of people even if you aren’t
yet seeing results.
34
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UPCOMING
conferences
PHOENIX, AZ
FEB 20-22
PHOENIX FIRST ASSEMBLY
WORSHIP WITH FUZED WORSHIP®
WINSTON-SALEM, NC
MAR 13-15
LJVM COLISEUM
WORSHIP WITH MATT REDMAN
& CHRISTY NOCKELS
BIRMINGHAM, AL
MAR 27-29
BJCC ARENA
WORSHIP WITH HIGHLANDS WORSHIP
Madagascar JUNE 19-20
Namibia JUNE 26-28
FOR MORE INFORMATION
visit joycemeyer.org/africa2014
Magenta
Enjoy four unique teachings, inspiring worship,
and a faith-filled atmosphere where anything is possible.
Take some time away—your life may never be the same!
joycemeyer.org/conference
facebook.com/joycemeyerministries
twitter.com/joycemeyer
[email protected]
(800) 707-7877
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(866) SEE - JOYCE
Get the complete schedule and 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 and hard of hearing will be provided. No registration required.
Schedule is subject to change.
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Madagascar &
namibia
11/4/13 3:42 PM
Joyce Meyer Ministries Canada
P. O. Box 7700
Vancouver, BC V6B 4E2
joycemeyer.org
20%
OFF
NOW AVAILABLE!
New Devotional by Joyce
It’s true: Where the mind goes, the man follows.
So what have you been thinking about lately?
Are you filling your heart and mind with things
that are true, pure, lovely, good, virtuous…?
Join Joyce for a few minutes each day to take
in a power thought, based on God’s Word,
and get filled up with more of the peace, joy,
wisdom, and positivity that only He can give.
Because it’s true: God’s Word in your heart
means God’s power will grow in your life!
Power Thoughts Devotional
Hardcover by Joyce Meyer
$17 $13.60 | $22 $17 in Canada
Look for it wherever books are sold.
joycemeyer.org/powerthoughts
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