Attending conferences and participating in outings are always a great break from the hard work our residents are doing in our residential programs. Their healing journey is important, and it is as equally important that they have fun and learn how to have healthy relationships and boundaries. Residents learn these new habits by getting out of the residential home and participating in everyday events. Christian events also allow our residents to grow spiritually, and this past
weekend our residents virtually attended Joyce Meyer’s Love Life Girls’ Night In Event featuring Joyce Meyer, Holly Wagner, and worship led by CeCe Winans.
Our residents had an absolute blast attending this event! Not only was the event interactive with fun dance party breaks, but the residents also heard from Holly Wagner as she shared about taking care of yourself and building your strength so you can persevere and finish the race God has set before you. She also shared about hope and that it is more than just optimism, it is a sure expectation that God will do what He says He would do.
Joyce also shared an encouraging word about how God celebrates us, thinks about us all the time, and that His love is not based on what we do and do not do. This was a powerful reminder to our residents. She also shared about the importance of taking care of yourself and meditating on God’s Word.
“Joyce’s teaching really resonated with me. She said, ‘If you wake up thinking of everything you did wrong the day before, it is not God.’ A lot of the time, I will wake up regretting something I did the day before. This doesn’t change what happened, and the enemy wants me to believe I ruined everything. Nonetheless, I am learning that every day I am made new in God’s image. I really benefitted from taking this perspective. When I wake up in the morning, I am going to pay closer attention – be more aware of my guilt and shame from the prior days.” – Mercy Resident
“I really was impacted by the question she (Joyce) asked. She asked us, ‘do you control your emotions, or do your emotions control you?’ For my entire life, I didn’t know or even think I could control my emotions. Controlling them has always been a struggle for me. In the past I have let them control and overpower me. Now I work on controlling my emotion and I only have the power to do it with God’s help. He is the only way I can control them by giving Him the reigns.” – Mercy Resident
“I really liked how Joyce said that it’s not selfish to say no, and that you don’t always have to serve others. To me, I always feel so bad when I say no to others, but now I know it’s actually beneficial to say no. I overall just really liked the theme of taking care of yourself. That self-care is more than a face mask but in the way you eat and exercise. Now that I have learned this, I can be more intentional with how I take care of my body and how I approach it as not being selfish.” – Mercy Resident
“A Girls Night In was just what I needed for some self-care. The dancing kept me engaged and laughing. The worship was beautiful! The teachings challenged me and spoke to my heart. I need to invest more in myself.” – Mercy Resident
“I am learning that it’s when I accept who God is and what He says about me that allows me to live confidently in His presence and in fullness of joy.” – Mercy Resident
“A lot of Christians don’t focus on self-care, so it was refreshing that the conference highlighted the value of caring for yourself.” – Mercy Resident
Joyce Meyer Ministries has been a longtime friend and partner with Mercy Multiplied. We are so grateful for the kindness she and her ministry shows to our residents. Her teaching, The Battlefield of the Mind is a staple in our residential program and our St Louis residents are often invited to be part of the studio audience when Joyce is recording her Enjoying Everyday Life program. We wanted to extend an extra-special thank you to Ginger Stache, Chief Creative Officer for Joyce Meyer Ministries, who prayed a special prayer over our residents and homes during the live event. Thank you for sowing into the lives of our residents!
Mercy Multiplied exists to provide opportunities for all to experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power. We offer multiple programs and resources online and onsite designed to equip people to live free and stay free in Christ. For more information about the services we offer, click here.
Want more resources? Check out our MercyTalk podcast episode “The Importance of Self-Care (Part One)” For daily inspiration, follow us @MercyMultiplied on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!