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October 1, 1998
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MORE OXYGEN TO THE FLAME (p. 20)
In ministry, years and joy can have an inverse relationship. For most pastors, serving God will always be more joy than sacrifice. Two Christian leaders who have burned brighter and hotter as they have aged are Ben Patterson and Zig Ziglar. Ben is dean of the chapel at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. For more than 30 years, Zig has been a popular motivational speaker. Was there a moment when you discovered the meaning of genuine joy?
Patterson: I can tell you when I became a Christian, and I can tell you when I began to "get it" about joy. I'm sorry to say my discovery about joy was only about six years ago.
Ziglar: Our oldest daughter died on May 13, 1995. The Bible tells us to rejoice always. How do you rejoice under those circumstances? We're still weeping. In weeping we can still have joy, but joy is a condition you're in because of a decision you made.
Is joy felt most profoundly in suffering?
Ziglar: The longest 24 hours of my life were those after my daughter's death. The next morning I took a walk and was praying and crying the whole way. When I returned, the Lord spoke in such a distinct way: "She's fine. She's with me. And you're going to be fine, too. I'm all you need. You just keep walking. Keep talking. Keep praying. Keep crying."
Patterson: Not long after deciding to be grateful, I was sitting in church one evening. As the choir was singing a beautiful piece, I felt, as C. S. Lewis describes, the stab of joy. I sensed ...
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