Revised: January 28, 2024.

Chaplain Joyce McGuire
‘Rock of Ages Outreach Ministries’
405 Broadwell Ave.
Anderson. S.C. 29625

My Testimony and The Wait of The LORD is Weighty

I began writing my Testimony on September 4, 2021.

Now I am releasing this edited copy of my Testimony for January 28, 2024. LORD willing, on that day I will turn seventy-one years old.

Part One

Today, I feel like starting to give my Testimony as a Christian.

I hope it will encourage someone. To begin with, I gave my heart to Jesus at eight years old and have never been the same.

In a little independent Baptist Sunday School room, my heart was about to thump out of my chest. You see the Sunday School teacher had asked the little children if they wanted to ask Jesus into their hearts?

She talked about Jesus dying for our sins and how we could repent of our sins and ask Him in our hearts. Several did and thankfully she prayed with them.

Here is where people fail. As the bell rang, she cut it off and said, “We will continue next week….”

I couldn’t wait although, as Jesus was knocking loud on my little heart. To wait felt impossible to me. I wanted Jesus in my heart so very badly. So I prayed and asked Him in. She didn’t know I had.

First thing, the enemy struck. As the preacher asked who that morning had given their heart to Jesus Christ in that Sunday school, I stood up and came forward.

To not stand up and confess The LORD publicly, was to deny Him.

I felt, all I knew at that age, it was hard, but I had to acknowledge I was one of the ones who got saved. It shocked many in that small Church that day.

Later, my Sunday School teacher said, “I didn’t know you got saved this morning!”

So you see, she was instrumental but she failed. Thank God, the Holy Spirit continued to deal with my heart. Maybe someone else had wanted to come to Jesus, but that buzzer and no time to ‘wait’ caused them to pull back.

Let me say here although salvation is real, it is never about just saying a ‘sinners prayer’ or signing a Church roll. That is not a sure ticket to heaven!

It is a heart issue of having a true and personal ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ! He is not willing that any of us to perish but surrender to Him.

“The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Getting back here, through the years, I have failed The LORD and even backslid at times. Still I believe coming to Jesus at that early age planted a deep seed in my heart.

As a small child in my swing-set after that, I remember with all my heart swinging as high as I could go, and singing the song, “I’m going Higher someday!” It was very real to me. I felt I was in the heavenlies as I sang it.

Now at 68 years old, I record this testimony for the first time.

Part Two

The Weight of His Glory is powerful! Through many different times in His Presence The LORD continues to speak to me, as I get still: “Be still and know that I AM God.” Also, as I get up to pray, “Wait on Me.”

Why, we may ask? Without Him All is vanity. God alone knows how to help us and direct us. His Sweet Holy Spirit will not guide us wrong as we obey and quit thinking we know anything.

Pride wants to rule us all. Still, when we surrender our all into letting The LORD tear down ‘strongholds’ in our mind, we can then hear Him and not our own thoughts.

Guess what? I am a continual work in progress. I’m still on that Potter’s Wheel. I’d rather be shaped and molded in His Image, than in the world’s image. The glory is weighty.’

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My Yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I AM Meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My Yoke is easy, and My Burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

“But they that wait upon The LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which The LORD hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

But he that glorieth, let him glory in The LORD. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom The LORD commendeth,” 2 Corinthians 10:1-18

Part Three

As I said in the forward of the two books I wrote, many times I failed. Still The LORD never failed me!

Now I will continue to my grown, and married ‘middle of the road’ years. There are things sometimes I publicly don’t want to tell, but if we are real and transparent maybe it will help someone else avoid these traps.

The very day I turned 18 years old in 1971, I snuck off and got married. Only my Mama knew, as I trusted her. Out of fear of my daddy I kept it from him.

It was a wrong choice to marry him, and the sorrow from my choice caused myself, and more importantly many others, great pain.

We were married for 11 years, but did have 3 beautiful kids together!

Let me say I did love my husband Jerry, still he beat me to death with Scriptures from the Bible, about being submissive.

Also, I was in severe bondage and in part, didn’t even know how much for a long time. I was not allowed for several years to even hold money or have a key to our houses we lived in.

He pounded into me how clumsy I was, and how constantly negative. He repeatedly told me he was the head of the house. Neither was I mature and perfect in some matters. So, we argued a lot.

While I won’t go into details, out of respect for my family and old friends, he finally went to prison for several years at the end of our marriage. I chose to divorce him, while he was in prison. (Many years later after he got out of prison, he passed away.) He died in the Faith although. I am so glad.

During that time period, at a Bible Conference Camp Meeting, I loved to attend three times a year, I met someone.

They were week long, very powerful anointed meetings in Tenn. There was a lot of preaching and fellowship there at the Camp Meeting.

Still, I was not guarding my heart when I met this man. I felt he was spiritual, funny and caring and I fell hard for him. After a little time we became engaged and I later started letting my standards down and began sleeping with him.

Conviction was on me. Thank God for that! As I repented and tried to break away from the sin, the man one night held me around the throat. I was scared to say the least.

See, I was in a mess and needed The LORD to get me out of it! What I had told my fiance as we talked was that I could not be a leader in Church and continue in sin. He got very, very angry!

All I knew to do that night as his hands were on my throat to choke me, was pray, “LORD, show me what to do. I promise you I will not marry him if you will spare my life.”

The Holy Spirit spoke to me: “Show no fear and don’t look away!”

As I obeyed, the demonic look came off my fiance and he played it off as a joke.

It wasn’t a joke by any means! All I wanted was my life back and be in good standing with The LORD. So after that I broke up with him and he was gone out of my life.

Guess what? I was now pregnant with my fourth child, Faith. As I didn’t believe in abortions I had her. What a blessing she was, but oh the pain it caused her with no daddy in her life.

She was born when I was thirty years old. So if you are pondering about sin, don’t! Even if you allow The LORD to straighten your life out, sin still has consequences.

This was a hard testimony to tell as my daughter Faith, who passed to glory on December 10, 2019. We miss her every day but God’s Grace is surely sufficient.

Through Faith passing away, I got to raise my beautiful granddaughter Destini, for nearly two years. What a beautiful time of getting to sow Jesus into her young life.

Now she is living with her Dad and family. I enjoy when her and any of my grandkids get to come over to Grandmas. Big Smile here!

Getting back: God has used even my weak moments and brought good out of it. Still there is no time to get caught up in any kind of sin anymore. We are in the last of the last days.

Hope this may help someone. Any of us can fall if we don’t keep our focus on The LORD! Pressing on in Him.

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Corinthians 6:18-20

Part Four

If you read my Testimony up till now, you will see my roots as a Christian started in the Baptist Church.

I mean I truly gave my heart to The LORD at 8 years old. Oh boy, did I mean it and knew Jesus had come into my little heart at that young age.

At about 30 years of age, Father God brought me out of denominations, per say. Still I have visited many mainline Churches over the years. At times I’ve been sent by The LORD to work in some of them, as an Intercessor

This part of my Testimony today was even born weeks ago to write.

You see I know some like me, have battled the ‘clothesline religion’ in the Churches. It is the right and wrong of things, a Holy standard if you please, for us all.

Still what threw me in my early and middle years, was some ‘holier than thou’ attitudes. For instance I went into one very large Church to visit and was full of the Holy Ghost with only love in my heart to share.

Most everyone was dressed alike at that particular Church. As for hair, even most women with long hairstyles ‘clipped’ their hair the same way. Many were friendly, I must say to be honest.

Still, I was told by my very sweet friend that I could sing only in the congregation there. Because of my pants suit, I had on, I could not be used in that Church.

Well it hurt my heart, as I saw a religious spirit firsthand operating. Needless to say, I went twice but didn’t go back anymore at that time. I felt stifled there.

Was the worship great? Absolutely but that Church had much to learn as did I. I am still learning and on The Potter’s Wheel.

You see, at a point of time before then, I had struggled with what The LORD wanted and required of me. I literally one day laid out a dress and a pair of pants on my bed.

Then prayed: “Lord, I am yours all the way, and want to only please you. Which one, pants or dresses do you want me to wear?”

You want to hear the shocker what the Holy Ghost spoke to me? “I do not care that you wear pants. Only you will not wear a ‘zipper’ up the front.”

That was my instruction and that’s what I have done since. The LORD set me free and gave me my answer that day.

Later the test surely came. My friend Dottie, told me The LORD spoke to her to buy me a whole wardrobe from Hamricks. She said I bought you several pairs of blue jeans also.

I prayer silently, “LORD, you know I can’t wear regular blue jeans. I know Dottie hears from you. Still if they have a zipper up the front I know I cannot wear them.”

Graciously, I would have been compelled to give them back or just not wear them. As she came that day, I was so blessed with the most beautiful outfits of all kinds!

All the blue jeans were stretchy elastic pants. Father was wanting to honor my obedience and so He blessed me. Though, I need to say here, it is a personal walk with The LORD.

He may lead you a little differently, yet there will always be a standard of conduct, of righteousness and holiness.

When we are sincere, the Holy Spirit will lead us.

To be continued later as the Spirit of The LORD leads. Father God is such a good, good Father!

Part Five

Let God qualify us for the Prison Ministry or whatever we are called to do.

Sometimes I believe many Christians have been guilty of saying, “they are just not qualified to help this or that person.”

Surely, I have also said it. I do understand why we may speak this. Still, The LORD corrected me through someone a long time ago. This person told me Jesus committed no sin, but He ministered to all.

So if God is calling you to reach out, just know if you have the compassion pulling on you for them, you have the heart to touch and bring healing to that very person.

Jesus is the one who brings life anyway, as we yield! We are just His vessels.

Here now is more of my personal Testimony here: You see, even though I had worked in many positions in the churches over the years, there was more the Father wanted me to do.

We are to be faithful with a little and He will give us more. My soon to be ministry that was spoken as a ‘thus saith The LORD’, was by my Pastor and a ‘end time Prophet’, Ray Witherington. He also is my spiritual father in The LORD till this very day.

Still it was at least two more years before it happened. He gave a powerful Word to both my husband Jim and me. It was in 2004. We held onto that Word we would have a ministry together.

Then in March 2006 someone I knew was in County Jail and wanted a minister. He couldn’t find one to come. It tore at my heart that no preacher would go and try to encourage him in jail. Since I was ordained through my Church, I simply said, “I will go…”

So Jim as my backbone and driver took me as I ministered. It was okay with me, as he could not or didn’t want to do the speaking part.

Just when I say this man ‘covered’ me, he did! I may get into it a little here. I wish to say that Jim sacrificed for me to do long Bible Studies into the jails.

His doing housework freed me up. It will forever stay with me. To me that is a man’s man, not a macho “Stay in your place, woman!”

Jim was already sick at this point and unable to work his last 7 years. (He had been a construction worker and foreman many times over nearly 16 years of marriage.)

Funny side, Lol… Jim Graham did tell me: “Joycie, the 2 things I will never do for you is cook and do dishes!”

Guess what? He gladly did both over a period of time to free me up. I still miss him. I just wanted to give honor here to my deceased husband.

Getting back here: Note, I had never been in jail a day in my life or in trouble by the mercy of God. Still when I walked in that jail that day to minister behind the glass in 2006, to a man whom I will call Christopher, I can only say I never felt so at home in my life!

Mine and Jim’s Jail and Prison ministry was birthed that day!

Christopher in the County Jail began to get me all kinds of contacts from the pods. Pretty soon, we were seeing anywhere from 6-8 men a week.

Until it was stopped, all ministers there had a two-hour period. Mine at that time was mostly behind the glass with the men. Most of them were very young men who took a wrong turn and needed Jesus!

The name ‘Mama Joyce’ stuck as one young man in jail titled me “Momma.” (Hey Sammy!)

Still some of these today I am in contact with. It is just to the big Prisons they had to move onto. We still write in 2022. Our bond is close, let me tell you.

Did I ever visit the women in the County and City Jails in those years?

Absolutely, and with the women I could go back in person to their pods. Some funny stories for later on maybe? We women bonded too and also wrote at different seasons.

Even one lady got out of jail and just showed up at my door with nowhere to go. Whoops what to do?

Jim allowed me to choose where to let her live with us or not? He said he trusted my judgment. So she did live with us for a while.

We ate a wonderful Thanksgiving family meal together that year. I still have the pictures of her and her son with us. Later we saw a re-connection with her husband and little boy as she had moved on from our house to live at The Salvation Army.

So just throw the ‘rule book’ out is my advice if you’re pondering.

Let God be God. If you are wondering what is your calling? If it’s pulling at your heart, maybe it’s for you.

Pray and if you feel peace go for it. All we do is important if you’re doing it from a sincere heart to serve!

One more mention: is my nephew, Danny. He is also gone now to heaven. At different times, we talked a lot. Even going to church together before. Once we went to a nursing home to minister.

He played the guitar and how the elderly just loved him and his ‘Danny smile’! Danny looked at me one day as we often had many discussions.

He asked, “Aunt Joyce, do those inmates really know you are locked up with them?” The way he meant it I believe, was how closely identified with their suffering, I was.

We must minister out of a heart of love and compassion always. Knowing, but for the grace of God there go I ! God bless you all.

Knowing, but for the grace of God there go I and you! Simply go forward.

Closing with these scriptures today:

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:35-40

Part Six

Starting back here, I had moved on to a larger Baptist Church from the time I was 28 years old until I was 30.

As I earlier explained in my testimony, when I was 30 years old, The LORD pulled me out of mainline denominations.

As you will see my testimony in Part 3, was of me having a child out of wedlock when I was 30 years old.

Getting back, have you ever felt you had a big Scarlet ‘A‘ printed on you by a Church or people?

Where I had felt love and acceptance before, now my closest friends there at this big Church treated me differently.

If my sin had been truly repented of, (it had) then why could they not embrace me and receive me in full fellowship again? All I felt was many looks, a coolness toward me and censorship!

There is a lesson here for Christians. Sure, leaders need to be held accountable if they fall. (I believe in that!) Still where is the love of God, when all a person feels is judged and condemned? Are we not supposed to also show compassion and the love of Christ?

Still, God used everything in my life to bring me where I am today. So there was at that time, a small non-denominational Church family that took my children and I in. I moved there when Faith was a year old in 1984.

They were very sweet, spiritual and helpful people. Nine years I walked and talked very close with them in fellowship.

We were not only a Church family — but close family, also. I lived nearby several of them in my Church while my kids were growing up.

That is also the time period I received the Baptism of The Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

My Pastor (Bro. James) at this small Church and wife, imparted much wisdom to me over nine years of time. He was a very patient man with his precious wife Mildred, (a second mother figure to me).

It was the most peaceful time period in my whole life up to them. I grew in The LORD a lot! I wouldn’t take anything for those nine years living near them.

Some really rough spots was my dad passing away in Nov. 1988 from liver cancer.

Then my daughter Jennifer passed away at 14 years old in April 1989. She died in my arms from natural causes connected with her cerebral palsy.

Later my pastor at that Church passed away. Our lives changed a lot after he died.

I then moved back to my hometown of Anderson, S.C. in 1993. That’s okay, as I and them were still all on the Potter’s Wheel.

I love that Church family dearly till this day. Changes can be good but sometimes hard, also. Still, our God is ever faithful and true! We all in the small Church just were all going in different directions.

Part Seven

Today I will attempt to give my testimony of my latter years and fill in some other blanks. Please bear with me, as I am typing as I go.

Some of this part has not been written before, as I am living it even now. I surely hope one day to be able to say:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which The LORD, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing,” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Even though there are six segments here, at times I had to back up a little to tell my testimony. I’m sorry if not in complete chronological order.

I married my Jim Graham in January 1995. You will find my husband Jim and my Prison ministry in Part 5.

He later passed away in December 2010, after seven years of sickness and pain.

Jim and I had been living on the mill hill in Anderson SC. It was getting rougher with more violence there.

Five months before Jim died, my family helped me move back to my home place in town to be near them and perhaps safer. This was in 2010.

Jim finally went to ‘Hospice House’ at the very end. For my two daughters and I to be with him and see his crossing over, was a most spiritual experience on December 23, 2010.

The last 12 years have been so full and to recount will surely just be hitting the very ‘highlights.’ I can say The LORD’s grace has always been sufficient in my life!

On December 31, 2012, my son Douglas passed away from heart problems. He came home the last few months he lived and stayed with myself and sometimes my two daughters, Angela and Faith.

Then in April 2015 I moved too fast as a widow, and married again someone in another town. To not go into a lot of details, I missed God and didn’t pray through enough!

I brought a lot of pain and suffering on myself. I had known David from earlier times, and we’d even gone to the same Church together. My husband Jim in his strong days, had worked with him on construction jobs.

It just didn’t last. We were only together for a few short months. Still though separated and now divorced, I wish him no harm. I can only use my failure as a testimony to tell people not to move too fast.

Wait on God, I do warn you! As a Christian you need to know it is God linking you, if you are to marry. What is that old saying? “Marry in haste, repent in leisure.”

Just be careful. Sometimes it’s better to dwell alone. That is all I wish to go into on this subject.

Now in April 2016, my dear Mother Nellie, passed to glory after much suffering. We all miss her but she is finally set free and is in her eternal Home.

Then in December 2019, my daughter Faith Ann, passed away from complications of her surgeries of two gastric bypasses.

Three of my four children have now passed to glory. The LORD’s grace has been sufficient in every loss! I will say, to lose a child is like no other. Still, I do not stay sad over it.

I can honestly say, the joy of The LORD is my strength.

To be obedient and go where He leads me, is my desire. We are to be the Church and a living breathing testimony wherever we go.

We should all want a true relationship with Jesus Christ, not just head knowledge!

In ministry, I feel we must always be the real deal and transparent to everyone.

That is what I have attempted to do in sharing my life and personal Testimony with you.

God bless you all as we walk this journey together. There is no sad tale or woe is me. I can truly sing of the goodness of God from my very heart.

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19: 9-10

Like the old song says, “It is Well with My Soul.”

As I am closer Home now, I want my life to have mattered to all those I come in contact with. My sincere prayer is for each of you to come to Jesus Christ. He will give us the rest we all so need and desire.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Revised: January 28, 2024.

~ Joyce D. McGuire

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My name is Joyce D. McGuire, called to work in and for the Kingdom of God! To lead we must try to follow Jesus Christ closely. That is my heart. I am a Chaplain to the prisons; prophetic intercessor by His grace; author; and a Mother in the Kingdom of God. To many I am simply Mama Joyce. Some favorite verses of mine are Matthew 11:28-30. My YouTube channel is: Chaplain Joyce McGuire.

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