Biography of Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer Biography
Joyce Meyer Biography – Joyce Meyer has become one of the leading gospel teachers and speakers over the years. She is the president of Joyce Meyer Ministries worldwide, and runs a television program, radio program, and magazine titled “Enjoying Everyday Life.” She has authored many books that have served as healing and liberation to millions across the planet earth.
EARLY LIFE/BACKGROUND
Pauline Joyce Hutchison was born on June 4, 1943, in South St. Louis. Little Joyce was being cared for by her mother as her father left for the army to fight in World War II soon after her birth.
In an interview and also in many of her books, she disclosed that her father upon his return, always abused her not just s*xually but also mentally, emotionally, and verbally. This experience had a pejorative sense of self for the girl as she grew up.
Though outwardly she looked good to many, Joyce was a victim of many multiple personality disorders. This affected her concentration in school and she was also not allowed to partake in any after-school activities.
She became a victim of many things at a young age, a victim of self-pity, hardly manageable, and developed a controlling, manipulative, insecure, and harsh personality. A feeling of guilt and negative thinking coupled with suspicion became her experience.
EDUCATION
Though she experienced much maltreatment, Joyce never relented in her academic pursuit. She completed her high school grades at O’Fallon Technical High School. Joyce earned a Ph.D. in Theology from Life Christian University in Tampa, Florida, an honourary Doctorate in Divinity from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and an honorary Doctorate in Sacred Theology from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
MARRIAGE & FAMILY
Her first marriage happened shortly after she completed high school. She married a part-time car salesman and it only lasted for five years after which they divorced. Joyce complained that her husband frequently cheated on her and often persuaded her to steal payroll checks from her employer. The money was used by the couple for a vacation to California. She returned the money years later after her divorce.
Soon after the divorce, Joyce frequented local bars before meeting Dave Meyer, an engineering draftsman. They got married on January 7, 1967, and they have four blessed children who are involved in some aspect of Christian ministry.
CONVERSION & MINISTRY
Joyce was converted at the age of 9 but her unhappiness and what she went through drove her deeper into her faith. She reported that while driving to work one morning in 1976, she heard God call her name. she came home later that day from a beautiful appointment ”full of liquid love” and was “drunk with the Spirit of God” that night while at the local bowling alley.
…I didn’t have any knowledge. I didn’t go to church. And I had a lot of problems, and I needed somebody to kind of help me along. And I think sometimes even people who want to serve God if they have got so many problems that they don’t think right and they don’t act right and they don’t behave right, they almost need somebody to take them by the hand and help lead them through the early years…
Joyce was briefly a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in St. Louis, a congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
She began leading an early morning Bible class at a local cafeteria and became active in Life Christian Center, a charismatic church in Fenton in 1976. Also, she became an associate pastor in the church in 1980.
Her popularity as a Bible teacher makes the church one of the leading charismatic churches in the area.
Meyer resigned as associate pastor and founded her ministry in 1985, initially called “Life in the Word.” She began airing her radio show on six other stations from Chicago to Kansas City. Her hubby Dave suggested to her in 1993 that they start a television ministry. Primarily airing on superstation WGN-TV in Chicago and Black Entertainment Television (BET), her program, currently called “Enjoying Everyday Life”, is still on the air today.
Mainstream publisher Hachette Book Group paid Meyer over $10milliom for the rights to her backlist catalog of independently released books in 2002.
St. Louis Christian television station KNLC, operated by Reverend Larry Rice of New Life Evangelistic Center, dropped Meyer’s program in 2004. According to Rice, a longstanding Meyer supporter he canceled the program because of Meyer’s “excessive lifestyle’ and her teachings often going “beyond scripture.”
Her ministry grew tremendously by 2003 and the ministry is headquartered near the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri.
BOOKS BY HER
Joyce Meyer has written many books over the years and it has changed and transformed the lives of millions across the globe. She has incorporated her previous experience and the truth of God’s word to teach many through her books. The following are a few selected books written by her:
- Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing – 1994.
- Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind – 1995.
- Me and My Big Mouth: Your Answer is Right Under Your Nose – 2002.
- How to Hear from God: Learn to Know His Voice and Make Right Decisions – 2003.
- The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word – 2004.
- In Pursuit of Peace: 21 Ways to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Discontentment – 2004.
- Straight Talk: Overcoming Your Need to Please Everyone – 2006.
- The Everyday Life Bible: The Power of God’s Word for Everyday Living – 2006.
- Look Great, Feel Great: 12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthy Life Now – 2006.
- The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear – 2006.
- The Penny: A Novel – 2007.
- Woman to Woman: Candid Conversations from Me to You – 2007.
- I Dare You: Embrace Life with Passion – 2007.
- The Power of Simple Prayer: How to Talk with God about Everything – 2007.
- Top 10 Qualities of a Great Leader – 2007 (Joyce Meyer and Phil Pringle)
- Conflict Free Living: How to Build Health Relationship for Life – 2008.
LESSONS FROM HER LIFE
From Joyce Meyer’s Biography, it could be understood that she went through a lot while growing up as a lady. Many have passed through this same stage before but they couldn’t make it out well, they were shattered and battered.
She never surrendered to the fight but chose to stand her ground. Joyce won the fight by the grace of God and has been a model for many since then.
We are not to give in to our present situation but fight to win. If as a young girl, she was molested by her own father which is a great stigma Joyce Meyer believes is not always about her but about God and the same God helped her as she led her father to Christ.
Our anchor scripture in any situation should be 2 Corinthians 4:17, ”For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
Shalom.
