Why I Don't Want to be the Next Joyce Meyers

I really do like Joyce Meyers. She is an inspiration to many people (including my mother). Through her ministries, she is doing some amazing things. She is reaching out, helping those who are hurting, and she has a very strong, encouraging heart. I know some people have some beefs with her, but let this be my disclaimer: I really do like Joyce Meyers.

Let me introduction myself. My name is Andra and I am only seventeen years old. I have my local minister’s license through the Church of the Nazarene. I am not that extraordinary, but I have been allowed to have the opportunity to preach around North Dakota and in South Africa and Swaziland. I absolutely love getting in front of a congregation and presenting a sermon. However, I have felt many times that my pastor wants me to be a Preacher more than I do—and more than God does. Even so, I have always thought that it would be great to me the next Joyce Meyers. I would love to be able to speak at conferences. I would love to be able to reach a large mass of people.

Then one day, I had a realization. It wasn’t that shocking of realization. There were no “hallelujah” choirs behind me singing in soprano voices. It wasn’t that sudden either. It wasn’t like a bug being killed as its guts spatter all over your windshield. It was more like a sloth creeping into the room until I turned and realized: I don’t want to be the next Joyce Meyers.

I probably won’t ever have my name be known all over the world, or even all over the United States. I won’t have people walk away from me saying, “Wow, she’d be great on TV.” But I don’t want that to stop me from speaking. I don’t ever want my greatness to be a great motivation than letting people see the greatness of the God I serve.

There’s something great about community. I grew up in a small town and I feel that I will always be very small town. There’s something intimate and great about small groups meeting together. Joyce Meyers is great, but I don’t ever want to be famous. I don’t really even want to be known by that many people. I want to quietly serve God without very much recognition. If people get done listening to me or talking to me and don’t remember my name, I think that’s absolutely alright. I just want people to remember that God is there for them and that God is just and righteous.

I think it’s just because I am young, but sometimes (and not all the time, I am not talented enough to just breeze through every sermon I have ever preached) people hug me and thank me for saying something that reach them and really met them where they are in their life right now. I am really glad something that was said helped them, but they shouldn’t be thanking me. I really always try to say, “It’s only because of God.”

Joyce Meyers is great, but I don’t want to become famous when the all the glory belongs to God.