JONI TABLE TALK - APRIL 5th, 2026

Summary

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Real America’s Voice: Joni Table Talk – April 5, 2026

Host: Joni & Panel

Featured Guest: Jeffrey Graf (Pastor, Author of "Don't Waste the Wait")

Theme: God’s Healing Power & Purpose in the Waiting Season

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Episode Overview

This episode of Joni Table Talk explores two interconnected themes: the reality of miraculous healing through faith and the spiritual discipline of waiting on God. With moving personal testimonies, biblical insights, and practical guidance, the hosts and guest delve deeply into what it means to trust God in difficult seasons—whether for healing or during times when prayers seem unanswered and breakthrough feels delayed.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Healing – Faith-Based Testimonies

• Belief in Divine Healing: The panel shares compelling stories of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, affirming the biblical truth that “Jesus is the Great Physician” and that miracles still occur today.

  • Cindy Johnston: “He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. So he’s healed before, he’ll heal now.” [03:45]
  • Joni: "That young man is in his 40's today, and God healed our marriage. He is a healer." [04:05]

• Protection and Angels: Dorothy recounts a miraculous escape from harm, suggesting angelic protection, and Latricia describes praying for guardian angels over her children daily.

  • Dorothy Newton: “I could have broken every bone. But people don’t realize they have angels as Christians that help us.” [04:48]
  • Latricia: “I pray that every day in the car with the kids, I’m like, Lord, thank you, the guardian angel is standing so tall…” [04:55]

• Mental & Emotional Healing: Mental torment, anxiety, and depression are acknowledged as significant issues, and positive church experiences in these realms are highlighted.

  • Latricia: “God is healing the mind of people… They’re sleeping good, able to think clearly, not tormented anymore.” [05:23]

• Testimonies of Miraculous Recovery: Joseph Z. shares multiple stories:

  • His wife Heather's miraculous survival and healing after breaking her neck at age 14, including an out-of-body and near-heaven experience. [09:08–13:14]
  • Healing of their son diagnosed with severe autism: “It was not a fast transition, but after several years he began to speak…He works for us today.” [16:08]
  • Their daughter Allison revived in the womb through prayer after doctors declared her deceased. [16:37–17:54]

2. Enduring "Crisis Fatigue" and the Need for Spiritual Resilience

• Seasons of Trial ("Crisis Fatigue"): Panelists discuss long, difficult seasons of personal attack, ministry conflicts, and unjust treatment—and how they serve as spiritual proving grounds.

  • Joseph Z: “If you don’t let it break you, it can make you…we have to stand up and not give in.” [19:01]
  • Joni: “It is not easy, and it’s not short-lived.” [19:39]

• Obedience in the Wilderness: Joseph recounts God instructing him to be still in the midst of a successful ministry, leading to an extended period of “being still” and personal refinement.

  • Joseph Z: “We sat in the mountains for two and a half years doing nothing except ministering to our kids...It was two and a half years of being still and about an eight year total arc of issues that we finally broke out of.” [21:14–22:07]

• Purpose of the Wait: The group stresses the importance of perseverance, trust, and seeking God’s purpose in delay.

  • Joni: “The middle is the hardest place…don’t be weary in well-doing.” [22:07]
  • Joseph Z: “If you don’t faint, You’ll reap.” [21:52]

3. "Don’t Waste the Wait"—Navigating Waiting Seasons (with Jeffrey Graf)

Jeffrey introduces a framework using the acronym W.A.I.T.

• W – Watch: Stay attentive for life lessons and opportunities for growth in every season, even when the work seems beneath your calling.

  • Jeffrey Graf: “God connects seasons we think are not connected.” [37:24]

• A – Act: Don’t mistake waiting for passivity; be proactive, faithful, and serve where you are.

  • “You can do something. That one little thing leads to the next… waiting because you see step four, but you haven’t been faithful with steps two and three yet.” [41:28]

• I – Improve: “God gives gifts like IKEA gives furniture—everything you need is inside you, but it needs assembling. Keep improving.”

  • “God cares not just that you’re faithful, but that you’re fruitful.” [43:15, 44:05]
  • Joni: “You don’t just get to a place where you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m good.’” [44:38]

• T – Trust: Waiting is not inactivity; it’s active trust.

  • “In Hebrew, the words wait and trust are used interchangeably...So when you watch, act, and improve, that is a sign you are trusting God.” [51:20]
  • Joni (on hearing God): “In my 40 years of ministry… when I needed clarity, He would say, ‘Trust me.’” [50:56]

4. The Dangers of Rushing & The Value of Presence

• Don’t rush through seasons—learn to be “in” rather than always trying to “get to” or “get through.”
  • Jeffrey Graf: “You spend so much time getting to and getting through, you don’t really take advantage when you’re in.” [49:25]
  • Latricia: “If you don’t go through the waiting season, you will not be able to walk in the fullness of the blessing.” [40:10]

5. Encouragement, Prayer, and Calling for Response

• Prophetic Prayer & Words of Knowledge: Joseph Z. prays specifically for viewers’ physical, emotional, mental, and financial healing:

  • “If you have pain, cancer, arthritis, the Lord is touching that right now…” [13:54]
  • “There’s memories that play like a broken record...no more rehearsing the past.” [25:24]

• Salvation Invitation: Both Joseph Z. and Jeffrey Graf invite listeners to pray for salvation, stressing Jesus' sufficiency.

  • Jeffrey Graf: “Salvation is not about whether or not you’re good enough. Spoiler alert—you’re not. None of us are. But salvation is a free gift because he’s good enough and he loves you so much.” [56:17]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“He is the same yesterday, today, and forever…so he’s healed before, he’ll heal now.”
— Cindy Johnston [03:45]

“If you don’t let it break you, it can make you…”
— Joseph Z [19:01]

“You don’t just get to a place where you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m good.’”
— Joni [44:38]

“Waiting is an act of trust. It’s choosing to place your faith in God.”
— Joni [57:23]

“God connects seasons we think are not connected.”
— Jeffrey Graf [37:24]

“For a boss, you’re really quick to apologize… I’m a better boss at church because I was a good employee at a grocery store.”
— Jeffrey Graf [37:09]

“If you can do the difficult, He will do the impossible.”
— Joseph Z [24:48]

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Reference Timestamps for Important Segments

• Healing & Testimonies – 03:27–17:54
• Crisis Fatigue & Waiting – 18:22–23:07
• Panel on Purpose in Waiting – 32:02–34:39
• W.A.I.T. Framework – 35:34–51:20
• Vision of Trust & Prayer for Viewers – 51:20–57:23
• Salvation Invitation – 56:10, 57:19

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Final Encouragement

The episode concludes with a call to perseverance:

“Waiting is an act of trust. Scripture promises us in Isaiah that those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. So don’t waste the waiting—ask God what He’s teaching you, and have faith He’s at work even when you don’t see it.” [57:23]

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Resources Mentioned

• Book: Don’t Waste the Wait by Jeffrey Graf
• Joseph Z ministry: josephz.com
• Overflow Church, Fayetteville, AR: myoverflow.church
• Table Talk Podcast: Available on all major platforms

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For those seeking healing, purpose, or salvation, the hosts encourage viewers to respond—reaching out for prayer, support materials, and encouragement to trust God’s timing and love.

Transcript

[Latricia]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Martha Stewart]

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[Jeffrey Graf]

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[Joseph Z]

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[Joni]

but anyone can get the same Premium

[Jeffrey Graf]

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[Joni]

It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail]

[Latricia]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3

[Joni]

month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] I need to be healthy every day to survive it and go to the next chemo round and

[Latricia]

the next chemo round.

[Joni]

So it's important that work was part of that to keep my mind Busy for eight, nine hours. And then I had to go back and face the reality. I had a goal, and the goal is to survive.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Research shows there is a significant connection

[Martha Stewart]

between the ability to continue to work and cancer recovery.

[Joseph Z]

We can make work a better place

[Joni]

for healing, learn more, and sign the [e-mail]. We know the Bible refers to Jesus as the great physician, but what does that truly mean for believers? And does God still heal and do the miraculous? The answer is yes, and today we're going to dive deeper into that. But before we get to that, join me around the table someone who believes that. Cindy Johnson. Amen.

[Cindy Johnston]

Yes, I do.

[Joni]

You've seen some miracles in your time, haven't you?

[Cindy Johnston]

I have seen so many miracles of people being healed physically. I've been healed physically. I've seen people be healed emotionally, like from depression, anxiety, and set free from that. And God can heal. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

[Joni]

Amen.

[Cindy Johnston]

So he's healed before. He'll heal now.

[Joni]

That's right. And Akindl. He's our healer. He is our healer. You know, part of our testimony as a young child had cancer and he was healed. And his parents would call and say, our son has been healed of cancer. He can heal your marriage. And I would say, I don't really think he's been healed, you know? Cause I didn't have, you know, it's gonna come back. And besides, I don't want my marriage healed. But God changed all of that. That young man is in his 40s today, and God healed our marriage. He is a healer.

[Cindy Johnston]

Amen.

[Joni]

He is. Your marriage story is a miracle story. It really is. If you haven't heard Anna's story, you can look it up, and it's pretty powerful. Dorothy Newton, I'm so happy to be here. And yes, I've experienced it. I'll never forget climbing on a ladder in my closet and literally fell. And when I say I hit everything in sight and nothing happened, no broken bones, I'm telling you, that was a miracle. Truly. That was your ancient. I could have broken every bone. Yes. But people don't realize they have angels as Christians that help us, that we don't even know about that.

[Latricia]

Right.

[Joni]

Kendra and Kelly did.

[Latricia]

I pray that every day in the car with the kids, I'm like, lord, thank you. The guardian angel is standing so tall, especially over Brooklyn while she's driving. Yes. Guarding them, protecting them. And the whole school. They are. And you should. I think that all parents should go to their school where their Kids go and they should anoint the ground and pray over the building wherever their kids are.

[Joni]

Well, you know that the 23rd Psalm said, Surely goodness and mercy, goodness and mercy will folly. I believe those are your angels 100%.

[Latricia]

And what we're seeing at church is that God is healing the mind of people. Sorry. I get people that have been so tormented by their past, or they're not able to rest. God is coming in and he is healing them, and they're sleeping good. They're able to think clearly. They're not tormented anymore about what happened, but they're ready to walk into what he has for them.

[Joni]

You know, I watched the movie the Passion. I'm going to keep talking. So impacted me, but, you know, when Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane, I believe he paid the price for the anxiety, for the depression, for the fear, all the mental things that people deal with. He understood. He can understand because of what he went in the garden. And interestingly enough, he kept going back to see again, we're reading in the Gospels right now, and they were asleep, like, three times he checked.

[Latricia]

He kept waking them up, and they were like, oh, sorry, sorry.

[Joni]

Yeah. But I mean, they had no idea what was coming. And it was just.

[Latricia]

It was the weight of the world, the wrath. It was the pain. He suffered so much.

[Joni]

And you know what he said? He said, if you can take this cup from me, please. Because he knew the price. He was about to. But nevertheless, let thy will be done. Not my will. Thy will be done. Yes. In fact, three times he asked. Yep. Cindy Murdock. We could preach a little bit of.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Oh, my goodness.

[Joni]

Yes.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah.

[Joni]

I was thinking it's amazing. You went there on the mental healing, that there's somebody really close to us that was really going through some mental torment and anxiety and suicidal. And we have seen. We're in amazement every day because we saw a supernatural healing take place, not just of the mind, but the heart and the soul and salvation. It's like other human beings. It is amazing. You got to tell me that story. I will.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I will. It's amazing.

[Joni]

I'm in awe. I just. Okay. Well, look who's back at the table. Joseph Z. Hey, you like all these stories?

[Joseph Z]

I love these stories.

[Joni]

I know you've got a lot of stories to tell. Well, you know, in the book of Isaiah, we were told that he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes, we are Healed. That's why I keep talking about the Passion. It's the one. Mel Gibson really went through a lot of anguish to produce. But, I mean, it is life changing to watch that.

[Joseph Z]

You know, it's interesting, Joni, in 2017, the Lord gave me a word about the Passion.

[Joni]

Really?

[Joseph Z]

He said, when the sequel comes out, there's gonna be an unconscious.

[Joni]

Yeah. Cause there's a two coming out now.

[Joseph Z]

Yeah. And I released that word live in 2017, and the word was, when Mel Gibson makes the sequel, there's gonna be an unconventional move of God in that time in the earth. So I just wanted to share.

[Joni]

That's amazing. Yeah. Cause it ends with, of course, Jesus rising.

[Joseph Z]

Yes.

[Joni]

But I wanted to go on. I'm like, wait. Wait for Mary to come to the tomb so we'll get to see. Maybe all of that. That would be amazing. It was really. I mean, just the scourge and the suffering of what a humble man would go through just for us, that he did it just for us so that we could have eternal life.

[Joseph Z]

That's right.

[Joni]

All right, so we're talking about healing. And you really believe that's an important topic to talk about right now?

[Joseph Z]

I really do, because we're talking about mental healing, emotional healing, all these things.

[Joni]

And there's a lot of physical healing people are dealing with right now, physical healing.

[Joseph Z]

And so we're very acquainted with that in our life and our family. It's something that, you know, the foundation where we come from. My wife Heather, of course, when she was 14, broke her neck.

[Joni]

So tell that story. Was she at gymnastics or.

[Joseph Z]

She was a gymnast, yeah. Very competitive.

[Joni]

She's a little, tiny thing.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Little thing?

[Joseph Z]

Yeah.

[Joni]

They're always so tiny.

[Joseph Z]

They are, yeah. Just powerful. It's like. She beats me. No, I'm just kidding anyway. But no, she really was competing, doing this. And after practice one day, she got fatigued, fell off these parallel bars and hit her head on the ground and snapped her neck back.

[Joni]

Oh, wow.

[Joseph Z]

And she, come to find out, broke the same vertebrae that Christopher Reeves broke.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Oh, no.

[Joseph Z]

And so she wasn't even supposed to be moving.

[Joni]

And she walked, like, walked home. She had a lot of pain, but it was just a total break. But it was just holding in place.

[Joseph Z]

It was just holding in place. And it was miraculous that she didn't just collapse and lose her breathing. She walked home. They took her from there, took her to the hospital. When they got her to the hospital, they said, you moved her. We can't believe you moved her. And they put her in A machine. And a number of things started to unfold.

[Joni]

Completely braced it.

[Latricia]

Yeah.

[Joni]

Because they could see how dangerous.

[Joseph Z]

Oh, they did. And they put her in a machine and they were scanning her and they said, heather, we're going to leave you for a little while. When they stepped out of the room, she left her body because they were actually just waiting for her to die. There was no recourse. There was not much they could do because her breathing and all that was being affected.

[Joni]

What happened?

[Joseph Z]

Yeah, she left her body and she was looking down at herself. And then suddenly she was away completely. She was in another location. She believes it was part of heaven. And she was there standing in a home. And she was in this home and wanted to be outside and she could travel at the speed of thought. It was profound.

[Joni]

And she was only, what, 14?

[Joseph Z]

14. And she met the Lord. She went outside, out in this giant field, and she was there. And these giant hands came down. And suddenly she found herself sitting in these hands. And she said, when she would think a thought, the Lord would know it. And when he would think a thought, she would know it. And there was no speaking. And in that moment, God began to tell her about her future. She didn't have to go back and preach about me, about all these things.

[Joni]

What did he say about you?

[Jeffrey Graf]

I don't.

[Joseph Z]

No, be careful. Keep your options open.

[Joni]

She's got a great smile.

[Joseph Z]

No, but he did. He told her about it. And at the same time, actually right around that same season, that's when John Paul Jackson called me out in a meeting and told me who I was going to marry. Not who, but how it was going to go.

[Joni]

What did he say?

[Joseph Z]

He said she's going through a really difficult time right now. She's got a lot of challenges, but you're going to come in and you're going to be a protection, and I'm going to put you guys together and you're going to know all this by these signs.

[Joni]

Did you know at that time who she was?

[Joseph Z]

No, I didn't even know her.

[Joni]

Okay, so when did you meet her and know this is who he's talking about?

[Joseph Z]

Boy, we probably met. So when he prophesied that to me, it was a few years before I met her, but it was at the same time these events were happening to her and what was happening with me.

[Joni]

Okay, she's in heaven, so we got to get her back.

[Joseph Z]

Okay,

[Joni]

she can marry you.

[Joseph Z]

Yeah. Thank you, Jesus. Bring her back, Lord. And in that moment, she was there. And the Lord finally said to her, after Telling her about her ministry, what she's going to do about family, about me. And he said, it's time for you to go now. But he said, remember, I have you in my hands. Everything's going to be okay. And he sent her back, and she woke up on the table. And lungs. Her lungs filled up with air. And when they filled up with air, there was a lot of signs there that she had actually passed, you know, medical signs. And she kind of came back, and then a specialist happened to be there who was a specialist in that exact issue, the breaking of the neck that way. And they were able to just put a soft collar on her. And when he looked at the X rays, he said, there's a break here. If it had been one way or the other, she would have died. But something's happened. It's almost like it's fused is what they said. Something's happened here. And she was in a soft collar for a little while and began to just come out of it.

[Joni]

Wow. So they never did surgery?

[Joseph Z]

No.

[Cindy Johnston]

Wow.

[Joni]

Is that amazing? Yes. God did the surgery. Did they say it was a miraculous thing they saw?

[Joseph Z]

That's what he said. He said it's like it's been fused. I don't understand this and that.

[Joni]

That's like the finger of God. Yes.

[Cindy Johnston]

A great physician.

[Joni]

So. Wow, that's neat. What year was that you met John Paul?

[Joseph Z]

My goodness. That had been 1992.

[Joni]

Oh, my goodness. Did you ever have a chance to see him again after that?

[Joseph Z]

I did. I talked with him after the event, especially backstage. I spoke with him for quite a while. He was very impactful to me.

[Joni]

That's awesome. Okay, so he was the favorite here at the table, by the way. He was the favorite. We'll see him again.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, Amen.

[Joni]

We'll see him again.

[Joseph Z]

Amen.

[Joni]

So, okay, so let's just continue on kind of what the Lord has shown you as far as speaking to people who are watching right now.

[Joseph Z]

Well, I want to say this to everybody also watching on the broadcast.

[Cindy Johnston]

You.

[Joseph Z]

If you have something going on in your body, God wants to touch your life. He wants to help you. He wants to bring healing and wholeness to you. If you have pain that's arthritic, if you have pain in your head, if you have pain in your breathing, pain in your joints, I see the Lord touching people, even cancer. God's touching that right now, and he's healing you from all these ailments right now. You know, and I get really encouraged when we talk this way, Joni, because we have Quite a history in this space. We have a son that was diagnosed autistic at a very young age. Massively autistic to the point he couldn't speak. He had 12 specialists. He'd just sit in the corner and bounce. And we prayed. And Heather, after she received the healing in her neck and many other areas, she has a violence against sickness. I mean, I've seen people. We've seen AIDS healed when Heather's prayed for them. We've seen cancer healed a lady that had her entire womb removed. Heather kneed her in the stomach in a meeting in Scandinavia, and a year later, she had a baby.

[Latricia]

Wow.

[Joseph Z]

And I'm just like. I'm watching this. I'm like, oh, lawsuit. And Heather's just like, bam. And I'm just like, what are you doing? I'm like, woman.

[Joni]

And so that was once she fell on her head. It was.

[Joseph Z]

Oh, yeah, that's what it was. That's what it was. But no, she really did. And the lady got healed. She actually had a baby a year.

[Joni]

Amazing.

[Joseph Z]

And those kind of things kept happening. And, you know, one meeting. I remember Heather, after she'd been in dialysis, had a kidney transplant. A lot of things that we had to fight through for five years for the healing. And she is totally healed today after the transplant, I mean, healed. But after that, we went on a trip. And this healing grace got on Heather. We were in another nation, and I had prophesied to about 300 people in a row. And I was just done. You know, sometimes you get done in meetings. You need to go home now. And we're there. And I got off the floor and got back onto the stage, and Heather got into the power of God and jumped off the stage. And I was like, woman, we've got to go. I don't want to be here right now. Let's leave. She jumps off the stage. She's down in the crowd. And a guy came up that had eczema from his shoulders to his wrists. Heather's like. She turns into, like, a little Benny Hinn, you know, and, you know, come on, Steve, stand him up again. And she goes over and grabs this guy by the arms, slides it down, and this stuff fell off his arms onto the ground.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Wow.

[Joseph Z]

I saw that. And I thought, whoa, I'm sorry, Lord, we can stay. I did. And she goes down that road. And from there, you know, we had all these things. And I brought up our son, who was autistic, and he had injuries and all this. Couldn't speak. 12 specialists. Heather said, no, this is not how it's going to be. And began to pray over him every day. And it was not a fast transition, but after several years, he began to speak, he began to operate. He works for us today.

[Cindy Johnston]

Wow.

[Joseph Z]

And so it's just tremendous. He's got a little bit more to go, but I'll tell you, he started speaking with clarity and creating. And so we saw that, you know, our daughter Allison, she actually quit moving in the womb. And Heather and I are together and we went in to get a scan over this. We went in, they're doing the ultrasound, all the things. And as they're doing it, I asked the technician, I said, do you ever see things that, you know, you can't talk about? He's like, I do. He said, sometimes I see dead children on the inside and I can't say it. And he's staring at me and I'm like, huh, that must be hard. And then it was about three in the morning because she was having some pain. Nothing was really happening with movement. About three in the morning, they said, hey, we're going to send you home for a moment. You come back again and we want to meet with you. We went home. And as we were there, I had this unction in my spirit, lay hands on Heather's stomach and say the words, life. So I did. I said, baby live. And I thought she was fine. I didn't know baby live. And come to find out, after that, we woke up, baby started kicking. And when she started kicking, then we got a doctor's report that said, we regret to inform you your baby has passed.

[Joni]

Oh, my goodness.

[Joseph Z]

And now we have to make plans to do all the things.

[Joni]

Oh, my goodness.

[Joseph Z]

And you know what? They were just too late. Because Jesus had healed our daughter, brought her back home.

[Joni]

Wow. So what happened when you went back in for the ultrasound?

[Joseph Z]

They just didn't know what to say. They just put it to the wayside. We had the paperwork and all this and they just, they said, well, you know, they didn't want to really acknowledge anything.

[Cindy Johnston]

There's a mix up or something.

[Joseph Z]

Yes.

[Joni]

What about the, like, the personal anxiety and just the heaviness a lot of people are dealing with right now? I know there was a season in your life. It was a dark season.

[Joseph Z]

Yes.

[Joni]

Really. Almost. Before the Lord called you out to do what you're doing today.

[Joseph Z]

It's true. I call that crisis fatigue. You hear so much that's going on in the culture, you hear so much what's going on in society, and you're attacked Personally, and you get attacked personally, and it can weigh you down. We got into some.

[Joni]

Well, I know a little bit about that.

[Joseph Z]

Yeah, you know something?

[Joni]

All of us at the table really know a little bit about that.

[Joseph Z]

Yeah, we do.

[Joni]

Yeah.

[Joseph Z]

We got into major conflict years and years ago. And it was just like unjust, all these things. And I think when people have a prophetic calling, there's something about that. And of course, this ministry is prophetic. And I call you the prophet wrangler. And when you begin to step into that space and you're doing that, there is a spiritual onslaught that wants to silence that voice, with crisis fatigue, with health attacks, all of it. And it's actually a proving ground. I hate to say it that way. I don't want it to be that way, but it's a proving ground where God proves you to him and he proves you to you. Where at the end of that you begin to stand up and go, okay, the Lord's called me. But in that process can be the crisis fatigue. And if you don't let it break you, it can make you, you know. And everybody says, what doesn't kills you, make you stronger. Well, I don't know if I even believe that. I just think that there's a lot to it, that we have to stand up and not give in.

[Joni]

But it's not easy.

[Joseph Z]

It's just not easy.

[Joni]

It is not easy, and it's not short lived.

[Joseph Z]

No.

[Joni]

How many years were you up in the mountains with Cindy in North Carolina?

[Joseph Z]

Well, yeah, we were building a log cabin.

[Joni]

You're in the mountains somewhere else?

[Joseph Z]

Of Colorado?

[Joni]

Of Colorado.

[Joseph Z]

I was way in the mountains. The Rocky Mountains, way out there.

[Joni]

You just kind of got away with God, right?

[Joseph Z]

Well, you know, Joni, what it was is we'd been running about 15 years. We'd never taken a vacation. We'd never done anything. It was nonstop. Some of our meetings go 8 to 12 hours long. And we did this for years and years and years. Ran kids with us, everything. Heather got sick during that time. And at the end, we got into all kinds of conflicts with people, and it was horrible.

[Joni]

And then there were lies being spoken.

[Joseph Z]

Oh, badly.

[Joni]

And false allegations. And you're trying to defend yourself and

[Joseph Z]

there's no way to.

[Joni]

People are jumping on board against you.

[Joseph Z]

Yep. It's true.

[Joni]

And you feel like you're just being covered up.

[Joseph Z]

Oh, yeah. And so at that time, I'm in the mountains and I had actually a stadium meeting to go do. I'm thinking, wow, I got a stadium meeting. I better Take this opportunity with all. And the Holy Spirit came to me and said, you can go, son, and I'll bless it because my word doesn't return. Right. Or you can sit down right now and I'm going to take care of your family. And I thought he meant, like, cancel this meeting, all this. But the spirit of the Lord apprehended me, and it was an obedience thing, so I canceled everything. And we had a very thriving ministry at the time. I canceled it. We sat in the mountains for two and a half years doing nothing except ministering to our kids, going to church, you know, going to school with them. I'd actually go sit in my daughter's class.

[Joni]

Did you think that, you know, you weren't sure if you were gonna go back full time? At that point?

[Joseph Z]

I was convinced I wasn't gonna come back. I think when David, you know, King David, when he was being chased by Saul, you know, we call that his cave days. I think David called that his last days.

[Joni]

Yeah.

[Joseph Z]

So in that whole process, I sat down for two and a half years, and the Lord met with me at the end of it and basically said, you've done what I've asked you to do. If you can be obedient to be still now, you can be obedient to go. And all this stuff had broken off. We won all the battles, all the things that took place.

[Joni]

But I'd say overall, God was faithful.

[Joseph Z]

He was.

[Joni]

It was not a slow process, but the truth always wins.

[Joseph Z]

Always. If you don't faint, don't faint. You'll reap. And I'll tell you, it was probably. I would say it was two and a half years of being still and about an eight year total arc of issues that we finally broke out of.

[Joni]

And that, you know, that's not easy to hear, like, especially for people that, you know, God has called you to do something. And you're in the middle right now. The middle is the hardest place.

[Joseph Z]

It is.

[Joni]

And so. But that's a word for you, to not faint. Don't be weary and well doing. We've all felt weary. But don't be weary and well doing and don't faint. And, you know, in due season, you will reap what you've sowed.

[Joseph Z]

That's the truth, is that, you know, you come to the Lord, you make him your source. And if you can, if you can survive that. There's a scripture, it's in Jeremiah, and it says, paraphrasing. And it says, there are those who were in the wilderness who survived the Killing is what it says. They thought they were looking for God, but God was out there looking for them. And he began to say, I've never stopped loving you. I'll never stop loving you. And now we'll go back to what I called you to do. And there's those seasons where we go through these times. We got to survive the killing.

[Joni]

Do you think those two and a half years, the scripture says, be still and know that I am God? Is that what it really means?

[Joseph Z]

I believe so. Because when the answers aren't coming and you believe that this is probably your new normal and that's where you are, and the answers just don't seem to be coming. Maybe it's the healing you're waiting on. Maybe it's the breakthrough. Maybe it's the family member. Whatever it is you're waiting on, the persecution's not ending. I believe when you can get still in that place, I believe that you prove yourself to God. Cause he weighs and measures us. And you get proven to you where, you know, if God tells you to do something, you know, I did it before, not in my own spirit, but I did it in faith and agreeing with him. I can go through anything.

[Joni]

And it really gets down to one word. Trust. Yes, that's so true. I mean, and God, whenever he talks about faithfulness, there's very few in the Bible that he says that. And when he says it, you have to pay attention about, they were faithful. That's a big thing to God. A wonderful pastor from London sent me this, and I just want to read a little bit. It's Psalms 136. And this is what. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good his love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of God his love endures forever. To him who alone does great wonders, his love endures forever. Who by his understanding made the heavens, his love endures forever. Who spread out the earth upon the waters, his love endures forever. Who made the great lights, his love endures forever. The sun to govern the day, his love endures forever. The moon and stars to govern the night, his love endures forever. You can read it. Psalms 136. It goes on to say that but at the end of the day, love is the only thing that will break through everything. We're talking about love and obedience and

[Joseph Z]

trust and knowing how much God loves you in that process. You know, think about this, Joni. There's a segment of life or a season of time, if we will do the difficult, he will do the impossible.

[Joni]

That is so true.

[Joseph Z]

So we just got to do the difficult and it's really even meditating on the love that he has for you. And love brings you through it all.

[Joni]

Yeah. So good. I want you to pray for some that are watching right now that you need healing in some area of your body, whether it's physical, mental or emotional, spiritual. I don't know. But I just want you just to. I just feel the presence of God here as we talked about all this. Just look in the camera and pray as you feel led by the Holy Spirit.

[Joseph Z]

I would love to, Father. I lift up our friend right now. The Lord is healing your mind. You know, there's memories that they play like a broken record. I see it. There's memories they play like a broken record. They play over and over and over. I speak to that circular cyclic memory and I say, break right now. Let go of them right now. You let go right now. No more rehearsing the loss, no more rehearsing the past. In Jesus name, it breaks right now. And the Lord is with you and he's raising you up and bringing you out from that crisis. In Jesus name, there's another person. And you thought you were at the end of the crisis and then it blew up again right at the end of what you thought was over. And the Lord is saying, don't grow faint, don't grow weary. I am with you. You will come through this also. It is almost the end. But I am with you until the end. I see that in your life right now. Somebody's had a major tax crisis, this tax thing. And the spirit of the Lord is saying, am I not enough? I will meet you there and I will lead you right through it. Unravel like a ball of yarn. It will be as nothing. The Lord's going to take you through that. I speak life over you now. Pain in your body. I see a spinal pain, this spinal pain that's happening. The Lord is saying, I am bringing healing and wholeness. You might even begin to feel warmth in your back right now. As I'm praying, this warmth is coming down upon your back and he's healing you right now. You're being healed. Your vision, somebody with one eye that is having a hard time staying direct and straight. I see the Lord helping right now. I release healing to the eye In Jesus name. There is a medical physician that God is touching your body and you've healed others, you've helped others, but the Lord is helping you. You're in the medical field and the Lord is saying, I'm Meeting you there, there's been like a form of. I'm looking for the Word. It's a form of pain in your body, phantom pain that you don't know how to deal with this phantom fatigue and pain that continues to be there. And the Lord is dealing with it right now. So I release healing to you in Jesus name right now. That phantom fibromyalgia, I come against that right now in the name of Jesus. That's leaving you. There's a demonic thing coming on people that's trying to say you have dementia. You have dementia and you're not able to remember thoughts and you're working through this process. Well, I bind that in Jesus name. That is not your destiny and that's not true. I release strength over you and I come to against brain fog. I come against these things. Right. I'm seeing like a fog where you're trying to recall. You're grasping for words. You're grasping and the Lord is saying, I sever that right now. I come into agreement that you are healed and you have clarity from God Almighty and it is your inheritance and your covenant right now. You're not going to go out with a sigh. You're going to go the distance with power. I bless you in Jesus name. I speak strength to you, healing in all your flesh. The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you and will quicken your mortal body right now.

[Joni]

Thank you, Jesus. Amen. We have about a minute left. Anybody else feel anything? Word of knowledge as far as for somebody that's watching right now, I just have a scripture that came to mind as we were praying and it's Ephesians 3:20. God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine.

[Joseph Z]

Yes.

[Joni]

And I just believe that, you know, people are watching and they. We don't have the faith. But through your prayer, I believe it is not finished as Jesus said on the cross. But, you know, it has been God's will that they are free from whatever they've been praying for. There's someone that has been. You've been witnessing to someone in your life that's really important. And they. You feel like they haven't received what you've been trying to share with the Lord saying, no, you're obedient. There's a seed that's planted, there's some that plant, there's some that water and others that will see, you know, the fruit of it. So you just be encouraged, keep allowing the Lord to use you because he wants to use you for such a time as this. And if you're watching today and you don't know Jesus, could you just lead us in a short sinner's prayer?

[Joseph Z]

Yep. Just say this after me right now. Say, jesus, I repent of my sin and ask youk to repent. Rescue me. I trade my life for your life. I'm going to serve you and be loyal to you, Lord. I am yours.

[Joni]

I am yours.

[Joseph Z]

Amen.

[Joni]

Amen. Amen. Well, we're almost out of time, but I want you to remember that Jesus has already paid the price for your healing. So I want you to believe for it, stand on the firm foundation of His Word and draw closer to Jesus. We are standing together with you in faith for your healing. If you're watching today and you prayed that prayer, I'd love to send you the Gospel of John. It's a great place to start in the Word of God. If you've been watching today and you need healing in your body, I want you to call that number on the screen. Let us pray with you. Just say, you know what, this is what I'm going through. And our prayer partners will pray with you. I want to thank Joseph for joining us today. For more, you can visit him [e-mail] and as always, make sure to follow us on all social media and subscribe to our YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive content. Let us know how Table Talk is touching your life. We love hearing from you. Of course, you can also listen to the Joni Table Talk podcast, available now on all major platforms. So thank you so much for watching and just thank you for receiving whatever God has for you today. Just say, lord, I receive my healing right now in Jesus name. You don't have to understand it kinds of people are healed and they. They didn't have a clue. But I'm just telling you, in Jesus name, we thank you for healing people right now. Until next time, bye. Bye for today. Well, you know, in every believer's life, there will be a season of waiting because it's inevitable and it can be easy to want to give up, but there is purpose in the waiting. With the help of today's guests, we'll look at what to do in that season and how God is using it to prepare for what's next. But before we get to that, joining me around the table is Ms. Latricia. How are you?

[Latricia]

I'm doing great. I'm happy to be here.

[Joni]

Yeah, it's always good to have you look beautiful.

[Latricia]

Thank you so much.

[Joni]

Cindy Johnston, how are you doing?

[Cindy Johnston]

Hey, I'm doing well.

[Joni]

Are you ready?

[Cindy Johnston]

I'm ready for this topic. For patience or waiting? I didn't do a good job the other day at the bank.

[Joni]

Uh. Oh. What happened?

[Cindy Johnston]

Well, there was a teller. One teller in the bank.

[Joni]

One teller.

[Cindy Johnston]

Yes. And I walked in, and one person was in front of me, and he started to go up, and he couldn't get in because she was doing something else. And then the lines kept growing. Seven or eight people. Fifteen minutes later, I got up to the teller, and I don't know that I handled that so well. Oh, no, but I mean, I did. But waiting isn't easy always.

[Joni]

No, it's not.

[Cindy Johnston]

But it's necessary.

[Joni]

It is necessary. Rebecca Lamb Weiss, welcome to the waiting table today.

[Latricia]

Hi. I'm happy to be here.

[Joni]

All right. There's a lot of learning we can do in the waiting.

[Latricia]

Yes. It's not easy.

[Joni]

It's not easy.

[Latricia]

But the waiting seasons are necessary for growth and development, for walking into the promise.

[Joni]

That's right. That's true. Kendra Kelly. Ding. You can attest to the fact.

[Latricia]

Oh, yes, the waiting.

[Joni]

I know waiting's easy for you.

[Latricia]

Oh, yeah. So, so easy. But, you know, I do appreciate that nothing is wasted. And if we do go into the waiting saying, what are you trying to show me and teach me, he will. He will reveal things to you. And you do need the stuff that you learn in the waiting for what's coming next. You have to have it.

[Joni]

Oh, yeah, we're going to talk about that for sure. Well, he is the founding pastor of Overflow Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the author of Don't Waste the Wait. Please welcome Jeffrey Graf. Here he comes.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Hey, guys. All right. How y' all doing today?

[Joni]

Good to see you.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Good to see you guys. Yeah, thanks.

[Joni]

You hear how anxious that we are to wait here at the table, right?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah. That's what we're about to talk about, right?

[Joni]

We are. Well, does your life feel stuck? Like your breakthrough hasn't come yet? Well, you may be in a waiting season, and Jeffrey joins us today to talk about how you can navigate that season. Talk a little bit about why you wrote the book and who needs to read the book.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah.

[Joni]

And how long was your longest wait?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, I wrote the book because I knew I wanted to be a pastor at 17 years old. I didn't start until I was 31, so 14 years took forever. And he's like, I know what I want to do.

[Joni]

You were a youth pastor now? During that time, I was for, like,

[Jeffrey Graf]

Five of those years, but seven of them was not. I was working in grocery stores and restaurants. I was the guy that put all the cards back.

[Joni]

Even though you went to school and you went on and got rush back.

[Joseph Z]

Thank you.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I appreciate you.

[Latricia]

I, like, take that seriously.

[Joni]

I don't think it's coming out. I put the card back to you. I haven't always, but I'm doing it now. Okay.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I do it. But, yes.

[Joni]

I mean, you went to school and you got your degree, and then you went on to get your Master of Divinity. All the time you're bagging groceries.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yes, I. Yes, all of it. I waited a lot.

[Joni]

All of it.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But, yeah, I preached this message. And I was just so surprised how many people resonate with it because, like, waiting seasons, I often think, like, maybe like college kids. But no, I had people from all walks of life be like, I'm in a waiting season. And you realize it's not just practical, but it's spiritual. People are waiting on God to move, make good on a word. He gave to him all this stuff. And so I just was kind of surprised, like, oh, a lot of people hate waiting. I'm not the only one, right?

[Joni]

For sure. For sure. Let's go through your breaking down of the word wait.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joni]

And listen, I will maybe talk a little bit about some seasons we've had to wait in. Built with W, the acronym. What did you have for that?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, it's watch. So I just tell people, keep your eyes open. Watch for any lesson that you can learn in the. Wait, I mentioned working at the grocery store.

[Joni]

Like, yeah, mention that. What the Lord taught you in that season.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Well, it was just funny because I had this boss, and she was not the best. She was just horrible.

[Joni]

No, no, you had this boss that was really bad.

[Jeffrey Graf]

She was horrible.

[Joni]

Okay, I appreciate.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I don't know what. She's horrible. I hope it's not.

[Joni]

And you're trying to be. You're trying to be.

[Latricia]

Most people end up being bosses.

[Joni]

I don't know why.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I know.

[Joni]

So how long did you have to endure, like, her being your boss?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Well, funny enough, she got fired, so probably, like, only, like, four months. The Lord had heard my prayers.

[Joseph Z]

Oh, I know.

[Joni]

I thought you were talking about four years or something.

[Jeffrey Graf]

No, no, no, no. But it was still.

[Joni]

But it was six months.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It was while I was getting my Master's Divinity, so it wasn't like I knew I was just there to make money to pay for my apartment. But she would tell us stuff. It'd be wrong she'd get us in trou. She told us she wouldn't follow back up. Like, I know I told you that. Sorry. And I was just like, lady, we all know. And so it just made me think, like, you know, if I'm ever anybody's boss, I'm just gonna be. I'm just gonna be humble. Just be like, hey, if I messed up, I'm gonna own it. Because I saw from the employee view, like, I would have respected her more for owning it. Not like, oh, you're not perfect. Right?

[Joni]

Yeah.

[Jeffrey Graf]

So, you know, flash forward a couple years. I was people's boss, and I remember somebody being like, you know, for a boss, you're really quick to apologize. And I realized I'm a better boss at church because I was a good employee at a grocery store.

[Joni]

Oh, that's good.

[Jeffrey Graf]

And we don't like to connect seasons, but God connects. Seasons, we think, are not connected.

[Latricia]

I feel like every leader should have an opportunity to have a mean supervisor or boss. Yes, absolutely.

[Joni]

Because it does.

[Latricia]

Especially if you're going to go into pastoring or leading in any capacity. It does help you have grace and mercy and an understanding for people and their lives and what they're going through outside of just the job, so.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Right, right, right.

[Latricia]

I commend you on that. I think that's great.

[Joseph Z]

Thank you.

[Joni]

I remember I worked in the secular world for a while at engineering firm and had a really good boss for a good period of time because I worked there for several years. But he kind of got worse as time went on because there were things that he was doing that I found out about. And so it put me in a different category, you know, and so I remember thinking the same thing, like, you know, if you're going to be a leader, if you're going to be over people, you need to live a life that is upright, not perfect. You're going to make mistakes, you're going to apologize. But a life that, you know, especially in the church, that reflects not only the love of God, but that you are trying to live your life based on the word of God. It's so important.

[Jeffrey Graf]

My dad used to say something I love. He's a pastor. He said, if I can't be an example in the way I acted, then I will be an example in the way I repented. And I feel like that's such a huge. Because nobody's going to get it right 100% of the time.

[Cindy Johnston]

Yeah.

[Joni]

Cindy's got to go back and apologize to the teenager problem.

[Cindy Johnston]

But I was doing this yeah, yeah.

[Latricia]

You twiddled your thumb.

[Joni]

Oh, my goodness. You twiddled. I twiddled my twiddled crime. No, think about it, y' all at the table. Think about it. How many times we represent the Lord, right?

[Latricia]

Right.

[Joni]

There are some people who would know us or whatever, and we did the wrong thing or we responded the wrong way to someone, and then we have to go back and make it right.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Joni]

Has that ever happened, Latricia? Yes, it has.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It has.

[Joni]

I can't imagine.

[Latricia]

I can't imagine. Latricia. I really had to, like, like, you know, ask God to give me the

[Joni]

word to speak to this person, and

[Latricia]

because it was a back and forth thing, but I had to ask him, speak through me, God, and remove my hurt and allow this to just bring unity and understanding in the situation.

[Joni]

So that's good. You got a waiting moment.

[Latricia]

Yeah, I was at the bank and it was taking 35 minutes. Did you do this?

[Joni]

Did you do this? I twiddled my thumb. No, no, no, no, no.

[Latricia]

I've been to your. I've been through a lot of different waiting seasons, you know, And I think it's all about preparing you for the next season. And if you don't go through the waiting season, as hard as it is, you will not be able to walk in the fullness of the blessing.

[Joni]

That's good.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah. Now, I was gonna say one of the chapters is called Watch for Growth. Cause you're talking about, like, God had to do things in you before you moved on. And basically in the chapter, I talk about how when you shop for, like, baby clothes, you always buy clothes that are too big.

[Latricia]

Yeah, always.

[Jeffrey Graf]

They'll grow into it, right?

[Cindy Johnston]

Always.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But I talk about how a lot of times God does that. Not with clothes, but with circumstances. He'll put us in circumstances that are too big for us, like, inwardly, where our character is at that moment. But he sees our potential, and he's like what a father would say to a kid with clothes. He says to us with character, like, hey, you'll grow into it. And so you get out of that waiting. You watch for those opportunities to growth, to grow. And then you realize, hey, growth is happening and I'm ready to move.

[Joni]

That's good. Okay. Wa.

[Jeffrey Graf]

A is at.

[Latricia]

Word. A.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Finally. We made it.

[Joni]

We made it to A.

[Jeffrey Graf]

A is to. At. This is probably my favorite section because I just get so annoyed if I can say that with people who justify, like, a spiritual passiveness and like a spiritual laziness. And they call it waiting because we're called to act and to walk by faith and to do something.

[Joni]

They're almost waiting for God to drop it in their lap.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yes.

[Joni]

Their worldwide ministry.

[Jeffrey Graf]

And it just doesn't.

[Joni]

They haven't done a thing.

[Jeffrey Graf]

No.

[Latricia]

Which is a good question, though, because for people who have been in the waiting, how do they know now is the time to ask that the waiting is over?

[Jeffrey Graf]

I think there's always something to do. So I think, like, you can do something. Don't sit around and do nothing. And you'd be surprised at, like, what one little thing leads to. The next leads to the next, leads to the next. So you're waiting because you see step four, and God's like, yeah, but until you're faithful with step two, three, you're not even going to get there. And you don't know that step two and three are even connected to four

[Joni]

and the servant's heart in all of that. And the acting is important because that's what Jesus.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Absolutely.

[Joni]

He was a servant above all. And people just want to go right into, you know, the limelight and be the big pastor. But there's a time of training and serving and, like you said, working in the grocery store.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah. And honestly, too, when you get to where you want to get, it still better be about serving. You know what I mean? Like, you don't ever get exempt from serving.

[Cindy Johnston]

True.

[Jeffrey Graf]

And I don't know. That's one of the things I talk about about acting. Like, you don't have to wait to be great because to Jesus, like, greatness was serving. And so if we could redefine how we think about greatness, it would drastically change what we acted on and what we didn't act on.

[Joni]

Yeah. And serving, like, acting is also what we are. In that process, God will bring people across your path. Your neighbors.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah.

[Joni]

People in the grocery store, people you work with that you have the opportunity to serve or to minister to. Right. Absolutely. It's so important. All right.

[Jeffrey Graf]

W A I I I is another soapbox for me. It stands for improve. I say that God gives gifts like IKEA gives furniture. I don't know if y' all ever been to ikea.

[Joni]

Yeah.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It's like you thought you bought something. Like, you thought you bought a chair.

[Joni]

You saw it in the picture, man.

[Jeffrey Graf]

You bought a cushion. 90 million screws. You know, you're like, ah. But everything about the chair is in there, but it's your job to assemble it in waiting seasons. I think we need to realize everything God's called us to do is in us but you put it together, you assemble it, and so you just keep improving, improving. And I think sometimes if we're not careful in Christian circles, we'll start thinking like, oh, no, God just cares that I'm faithful. No, God cares that you're fruitful. He wants to see what you put your hands to is growing. You think about the servants with the talents. Right?

[Joni]

Right.

[Jeffrey Graf]

One with the one bag. He buried it, he did nothing with. And Jesus called him wicked and lazy. But the other two grew it, they multiplied it. And he said, man, you've been faithful with the small amount, now I'm going to give you more.

[Joni]

And who did he bless? The one that did the most. Yeah, the one that worked. The one that put his hand to the plow and made a difference. So in the waiting and in the. What was they again? Act, act. In the acting, the waiting and the

[Latricia]

acting, the watching and the acting and the improving.

[Joni]

And the improving. Thank you, y'. All getting. Keep listening. But in the improving. You know, I mentioned the story about myself is that early on in ministry. And Kendra, I know you can relate to this as a singer, to practice.

[Latricia]

Oh, yes.

[Joni]

I mean, I was all the time in those early days when we would travel and sing and stuff, practicing, took voice lessons to improve. So you don't just get to a place where you're like, okay, I'm good.

[Jeffrey Graf]

No, no.

[Joni]

Is that true?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Absolutely, it's true. And I think so many times we will like, it's a pride thing when we don't want to improve. I think about the story of Naaman. He had the leprosy, but as long as he kept it under the armor, he was good. And I think that's like a good metaphor, how we often will use our strengths to hide our needs. And we'll just try to coast on this, this, this, and it's like. But get a little bit like, where do you need to improve? And it's a humbling thing to admit. I gotta improve. But that's one of the most important things you could learn in the weight.

[Joni]

You know what I mean? I remember Cindy when I. Well, in fact, you were one of the first pastor's wives that asked me to speak at a women's conference. And I think I look back then to now, how different that I prepare now. Because literally, y', all, I don't know if you do this, Jeffrey. Rebecca, I don't know if you do it or not, Kendra. I bet you do. But, I mean, I will get my message and then I practice it.

[Latricia]

Oh, yes.

[Joni]

And Then I practice it in front of the mirror. Then I time it out, and then I take stuff and add stuff, and it's so much better than when I used to get up by the hair of my chinny chin chin. And, you know, and I would think I would have a message, but I didn't really improve it. Like, I could have. Do you remember?

[Cindy Johnston]

Well, I thought you did a great job.

[Latricia]

Wait, did you do that with Cindy?

[Joni]

Yes. Yes.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Oh, yeah.

[Latricia]

Every time I've seen you speak, you've always been super prepared.

[Joni]

You were, like, about.

[Latricia]

I was a wee lad.

[Joni]

You were, like, 2 years old. Yeah.

[Latricia]

Cause I was like, every time you

[Joni]

were, like, 2 years old.

[Latricia]

I've seen the improved version where you, like, practice so much.

[Joni]

Thank you, dear.

[Cindy Johnston]

But, yeah, no, getting better, improving ourselves is so important. Darris said a quote this past Sunday and asked the question, when is the last time you did something for the first time? And encouraging people to try something new for the first time, and that's improving. That's improving who you are helps you gain greater understanding. And so people should maybe try that.

[Joni]

Okay. Do you practice or not?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Oh, for sure, for sure. I've changed it. But my dad said something to me once and I never forgot it. He said, listen, son, if you watch anybody and they make it look easy, that means it wasn't.

[Latricia]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Joni]

Oh, that's so good.

[Latricia]

But the thing about improving is you're training, and the training brings endurance.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yes, absolutely.

[Latricia]

And so you're able to sing because you did the voice lessons. Because you did. Now you can endure. You're able to get up there and handle whatever might happen in front of real people as you're delivering the word, because you did the hard work, you trained, and now you can stand up there with the energy that you need and hear clearly from the Holy Spirit.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Right, Absolutely.

[Latricia]

It's important to do it today. I do have, like, a practical question. When you say improve, is it like, improving like working on yourself, or also like, improving like the things that you're called to in that.

[Joni]

Everything.

[Jeffrey Graf]

All of it.

[Cindy Johnston]

All of it.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But I think one of the biggest things we don't understand is how much of our next step comes because we're good and we. I think the biggest thing for me, I tried to get across to people is we disconnect it. Like, the Shepherd's Field looked nothing like the throne David was going to step into. But if you read the story carefully, he got into King Saul's because he played the harp. Well, who would have thought the harp Would have been. But it's like, no, like, God's called me to. Shepherds used to play the harp for sheep. So he's like, God's called me to do this. I'm going to do it. Well, and then he fights Goliath and he's like, oh, I. You know, I can fight you, because when the bear and the lion came to get my sheep, I killed them. So, like, I'm just going to do to you what I was doing to them, you know? And it's like, whoa. He was called in that moment to be a shepherd. So he did it with all of his heart, not knowing. Oh, that wasn't a stepping stone. It was a training ground.

[Cindy Johnston]

Right.

[Jeffrey Graf]

You know, what if he didn't, like, what if he didn't? He'd have got by Goliath, you know, but he was there and he was doing his best side. I think it's like, wherever God's called you both at a practical level and a spiritual level, don't worry about the next season that much. Just improve and be good at where you're at, and he'll move you along. But you're not going to be ready if you don't improve where you're at.

[Cindy Johnston]

That's good.

[Joni]

So good.

[Latricia]

You were talking in your book, because I was reading some of the notes on this about how you wanted the next so badly and how you. You were having this moment with the Lord where he was showing. You were missing so much in this car season because you're thinking of the great. You're thinking of what's coming. Like the future. Yeah, absolutely. Really grounding yourself in the moment.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Well, I don't know if y' all do this. This relates to y', all, but I think we spend so much of time focused on getting to or getting through.

[Latricia]

Oh, yeah.

[Jeffrey Graf]

And it's like, oh, I just gotta get to the next. And then you're there and you're like, oh, I just gotta get through this. You know, it's like, this is just what you wanted to get to.

[Latricia]

That's what I used to do all the time.

[Joni]

Yes.

[Latricia]

Just like, grit and bear. Get through. And then, oh, my God, I gotta get this.

[Joni]

And you don't enjoy anything. I would feel like that about sometimes speaking like, you get to a big event.

[Latricia]

Oh, completely.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Or Sunday. Gotta get to Sunday. Gotta get through Sunday. Gotta get to Sunday.

[Latricia]

But then you're kind of exhausted.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But then it defeats. You spend so much time getting to getting through. You don't really take advantage when you're In.

[Joni]

Yeah.

[Jeffrey Graf]

And it's like God's an ever present God, you know? So be present. Don't think about getting to. Getting through. Say, lord, use me, Lord, help me be faithful. In. But I just. I don't know. I think our culture is very much like, onto the next. Onto the next.

[Joni]

And what they say. Microwave.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, true.

[Joni]

For sure. Okay. We got to get to the last and most important one.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Trust. Trust is hard.

[Joni]

I love the way that you put trust and weight together. I can just tell you in my 40 years of ministry what the Lord has continually said to me over and over and over in situations in the last 40 years. When I would ask him about something and I needed clarity, he would say, trust me.

[Latricia]

Yep.

[Joni]

And I'm like, that wasn't the answer I wanted.

[Jeffrey Graf]

That's not an answer.

[Joni]

Trust me. Trust me. Because I remember John Paul Jackson used to say, God can see time past, present, and future simultaneously. And so. So we have to trust he's not confined in time like us. So he can see the end, and we have to trust him for the end.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Absolutely. So, yeah, what you were saying is, in Hebrew, like, the words wait and trust are used interchangeably. And it's kind of interesting because they

[Joni]

that wait upon the Lord, or they

[Jeffrey Graf]

that trust upon the Lord. It just depends what translation are you

[Joni]

trusting the Lord with? All your. Oh, that's cool.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Depends what translation. So the whole premise of the book is, how do I trust God? And what I try to communicate is when you watch, when you act, and when you improve, that's your job. And that is a sign that you are trusting God. Trusting God always looks like some sort of action and some sort of peace. My grandfather, this is an old story, and I'm sure you know it, but he used to tell this story about a guy was walking on a tightrope between two skyscrapers and gathered a crowd, and he started playing to the crowd, like, do you guys think I could do it? Yeah, he'd do it. And then he's like, start upping the ante, right? So he'd be like, who thinks I can do it with my eyes closed? Yeah. Then he does it. And like, who thinks I could do it with the wheelbarrow? Yeah, he does it. Then he's like, who thinks I could do it with someone in the wheelbarrow? And they're like, yeah. He's like, all right, someone get in?

[Joni]

No.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But it's like, oh, so you don't really trust. Because when you really trust, it doesn't look like just screaming about it, it looks like getting in looks like putting some, something in the game. And so when you really trust God, if you really trust that he's going to be faithful, you're going to be faithful.

[Joni]

And so I always think about that. My favorite movie about Sir William Wallace.

[Latricia]

Braveheart.

[Joni]

Braveheart. Thank you, Beck. Do you remember like that famous scene where you stand there, wait. Oh, yeah, wait.

[Latricia]

Oh, when they're charging.

[Joni]

Yeah. And they're just ready. They're so ready. He's like, wait, you know, and that's one thing I learned from my late husband, if not anything else, is just to wait on the Lord and to not move until the Holy Spirit directs you to. And sometimes it's just the hardest thing to be still and to wait to be still and know that I'm God. God is a lot about that. Yeah, he really is.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It's interesting. And this is really hard for me. I say this as someone who's still trying to get good at this, but one of the, of the, I think, greatest indicators of whether you trust God or not is your internal life. And there's a chapter in the book where I talk about Jesus calming the storm. And I always got so annoyed that Jesus gets mad at the disciples. Like, what did they do? They were scared, so they called out to God. That's called prayer, you know what I mean? Like, why are they getting in trouble?

[Latricia]

Seems like a normal reaction to the situation.

[Jeffrey Graf]

But the Holy Spirit started to show me, like they didn't get in trouble because of what they did, they got in trouble because of what they doubted. And if you look at their one line, they say, don't you even care? And I think a lot of times we start to not trust God because we think he forgot about me. He's going to leave me in this weight forever. He doesn't even care. But if you can, like you said, trust that God sees the past, present, future, all simultaneously and he cares about human. You, when you pray it from your head to your heart, it gives you some sort of peace to be like, you know what?

[Joni]

It does.

[Jeffrey Graf]

He cares.

[Joni]

And then later on, like for me, for me it was like a six month period there where he was just like, trust me. I was like, okay, what are we going to do? Did you think about this God? You know, I'm just asking a million questions. He was just like, trust me. And then like within six months, so many things had changed. Miraculous doors had opened and I was just, I got with him, God good to get with him, spend time with him. And I was just like, you knew all along that you were gonna do this. It's like I can almost hear him. A chuckle.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah.

[Joni]

Yeah. I told you to trust me. I told you to trust me.

[Jeffrey Graf]

He doesn't give all the info because he's more. He's most concerned about our character. That's the thing about.

[Joni]

Well, you know, Jeffrey, there may be someone watching right now that you can kind of relate. You feel like you're in the waiting period for something, and you really don't even maybe have clarity as to what God has for you. But I want to say whether not just talking about people in ministry, but there are people in the workplace. There are business men and women watching. There are nurses and doctors. And, I mean, you've been called to do something special on this earth, right? And. And God's not through with you. Okay? So no matter what's happened in the middle of the waiting, because we've all had stuff happen, God wants to encourage you today. But I think the most important thing we can ask you today is if you were to die right now, do you know where you would go? And that is really why we exist, is to share the message of the gospel. And I wonder. Jeffrey, you just take a moment and just pray with our audience. We can repeat the prayer after you here.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Absolutely.

[Joni]

And just take a moment to explain the gift of salvation and why this prayer is the most important prayer we can ever pray.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I love to do this. Yeah, absolutely. Hey, listen, Salvation. Let me just be very clear. It's not about whether or not you're good enough. Spoiler alert. You're not. None of us are. But salvation is a free gift from Jesus because he's good enough and he loves you so much. The Bible says if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you'll be saved. And I always say the first part of the goodness news is bad news. We need a savior. But guess what? We got one through Jesus. So if you feel him knocking at the door of your heart, let me just encourage you. Don't push him out. Let him in. He loves you. He wants more for you. If that's you, just repeat after me. Say, heavenly Father.

[Latricia]

Heavenly Father.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I know I'm a sinner. I know I'm a sinner, but I know you're the Savior. Thank you for loving me.

[Joni]

Thank you for loving me when I

[Jeffrey Graf]

didn't care about you When I didn't care about you. Thank you for running me down.

[Cindy Johnston]

Thank you for running me down When

[Jeffrey Graf]

I was running away When I was running away make me new, make me new and if I fall and if I fall give me the grace to

[Joni]

get up Give me the grace to get up.

[Jeffrey Graf]

I believe that you are Lord.

[Joni]

I believe you are Lord.

[Jeffrey Graf]

In Jesus name.

[Cindy Johnston]

In Jesus name.

[Jeffrey Graf]

Amen.

[Latricia]

Amen. Amen.

[Cindy Johnston]

Amen.

[Joni]

Well, that is the most important prayer that you can pray is just to invite Jesus into your heart. It sounds so simple and yet it's such a profound truth that will change your life. Well, we are out of time. But don't you remember this? Waiting is an act of trust. It's choosing to place your faith in God. And Scripture promises us in Isaiah that those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. So don't waste the waiting. Just say, God, what are you trying to teach me right now? God is strengthening you in ways you may not see yet, but he's at work. If you're watching today and you need prayer and encourage, call the number on your screen. If you prayed that prayer with Jeffrey, call us. We'd love to send you the Gospel of John. It's our free gift. It's a great place to start in the Bible and just read the Book of John. Be good for you to get a Bible that you could understand and start reading as well and just allow God to begin to work in your life. I'm just telling you right now, doors are going to open. People are going to cross your path. Things are going to happen in the days ahead. Those of you that prayed that prayer sincerely, you're going to be amazed at what God does in your life. So you just receive that right now in Jesus name. Well, I want to thank Jeffrey for joining us today. Be sure you pick up a copy of his book. Don't waste the wait. Got a lot of great stuff in it. Four steps to Take When God's Timing Feels Too slow. And for more, you can visit him [e-mail] if people want to go to your church, it's in.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It's in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

[Joni]

Fayetteville, Arkansas. And the name of it is.

[Jeffrey Graf]

It's called Overflow Church.

[Joni]

Overflow Church. And how can they. Is there a website?

[Jeffrey Graf]

Yeah, you go to www.myoverflow.church not.comchurch okay.church

[Joni]

well, as always, make sure to follow us on all social media. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for full episodes, exclusive content. Let us know how Table Talk is touching your life. We love hearing from you. Of course, you can also listen to the Joanie Table Talk podcasts on all the major platforms. Platforms. But thank you for watching. I'm excited for those of you that pray the prayer. Thank you, ladies. Thank you. Jeffrey. Hey. I tell you what. I'm still in the wait at times. I'm still learning, growing. And I tell I never want to stop until the day I meet Jesus face to face. We'll see you next time. Bye Bye for today.