Choosing Joy in Difficult Times

by Elizabeth Meyers

July 7, 2021

Podcast Episode with Yvette Walker

My friend, fellow podcaster, and ministry partner, Yvette Walker, joins us today to tell us that we can walk in joy, even in the difficult times. Here’s a teaser for her testimony:

“I’ve always thought I had it all together–that I was in control of my own destiny, that I managed my own career. and my own happiness. Friends told me so: remarking on my ability to control difficult situations; telling me that I was calm, cool and collected; that I always seemed happy.
A lot of what they said was true – on the surface.
I am keenly aware of my own flaws. And, I sometimes have forgotten that any success I have is not my own. Nothing of my own doing. I give my parents and mentors a lot of the credit. But mostly it was God, my Father in Heaven, who was my loving puppet master. And understanding things better and differently now, I am a willing doll on His string. I can’t make the moves any better than He can. And so, I acknowledge this and praise Him for it.
For years, I could not and wouldn’t do this. I was a believer, yes, but I chose success over Him. And it affected my life in many different ways. I had a failed marriage and I still struggle with that blame. I was married, yet never had a baby. I have struggled with losing weight, even getting weight reduction surgery that, only at first, seemed to work.

Would submission to God have changed any of that? I don’t know, but I am sure that through Him it would have been easier, remembering the scripture from Matthew, chapter 11: “My yoke is easy, my burden is light.”
YVETTE WALKER, Host of the Positively Joy podcast

About Yvette

Yvette Walker is an award-winning journalist and educator. She is a writer, blogger and lyricist of Christian songs. Her venture into podcasting came through a yearning to share God with others through the creative gifts He gave her.

In search of deeper expression, she went to Christian music artist Rita Springer’s DIVE camp, and through that creative process, much was born. Yvette journals in her Bible and serves in various roles at Victory Family Church in Norman, Oklahoma.

She is married to a Godly man named Tim, and they have three fur-kids: a black Labrador retriever named Lemon, a Maine Coon cat named Gato and a Charcoal tabby with green eyes named Jade.

Listen

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Connect with Yvette

Go to our podcast episode page at positivelyjoy.com for more everyday stories of faith.

Join our Facebook Group for bonus live stories and every daily encouragement.

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Check out our Positively Joy merch!

Choose Joy!

Download Yvette’s free booklet, 5 Ways to Choose Joy, and reclaim your joy!

Watch

Note: The time stamps are slightly different from the audio only version.

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