Joyce Becker is an ordained minister and her title is Evangelist. She works in federal prisons, state prisons, youth centers and detention homes. She has spoken in churches, tent revivals, banquet facilities and on the streets. Joyce moves supernaturally under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit through the gifts of the spirit to strengthen the inner man in the body of Christ, and to set him free.

The following testimony and the above introduction are condensed from Joyce Becker's biography, From Nightclubs to the Pulpit. The testimony begins just after Joyce was divorced from her second husband, Charles. ed.

Joyce went back to work to support herself and the boys. Besides waitressing, she found a job which she would have for next ten years, at Western Electric. As an additional supplement to her income, Joyce started dancing at night in clubs as a featured modern dancer. Her costumes were extremely fancy, but not exotic. Her dancing was meant to intrigue, not to titillate. The customers were high class, and the salary helped pay the rent. Bringing up two boys all alone was expensive.

Months later, Joyce and Charles discussed reconciling. He had found a good job as a long-haul truck driver and he had stopped doing drugs. They still loved one another. They talked on and off for weeks, and planned for the day that they would again live as man and wife.

During a siege of pouring rain, Joyce's basement apartment was flooded by five feet of water. It destroyed almost every belonging that Joyce and the boys had. She grieved over this loss, but was devastated two weeks later when she learned of Charles's death over the television. He was burned beyond recognition while driving his truck.

The overwhelming trauma would permanently erase part of Joyce's memory. To this day, she has difficulty remembering some of her childhood, her school years, important dates and some words.

After Joyce recovered enough, she returned to work at Western Electric and also at the night club. Joyce would eventually dance in night clubs for a total of 16 years.

Joyce received a cash settlement for the flood damage and a generous life insurance settlement from Charles's death. She purchased a beautiful new condo, and started on a whirlwind of dancing, men, parties, fun, fun, fun. She thought that all these things would bring happiness, but instead that empty void remained in her heart.

Driving down the tollroad one day she said out loud, "I wish I could die. If there is a God, please take me. I hate my life and I'm so desperately unhappy!" Though she "had it all;" a beautiful house, a car, two wonderful kids, money, boyfriends, prestige and limelight, the void was always there.

Two days later while waiting at the beauty parlor, a girl told Joyce about Jesus and gave her a phone number written on a small piece of paper. "If ever you need someone to talk to, just call." Joyce tucked the piece of paper in her purse, mumbling that she didn't need anyone. Why, she had it all, didn't she? She had plenty of money because she worked three jobs. She had prestige because she had been named "Miss Western Electric," and traveled to conventions. She had stardom by working as a dancer in the clubs. She had tons of boyfriends. And most of all, she had a sense of accomplishment because she did it all on her own. Why would she need someone to talk to? But the void was still there.

Several days later a voice spoke to her, encouraging her to call the telephone number that had been tucked into her purse. With all the strength that she could muster, and swallowing her pride, she dialed the number. To her surprise it wasn't the girl she spoke to in the beauty parlor, it was the girl's pastor! Joyce was furious. But the pastor had such a calming voice, and he spoke with such love and compassion, that Joyce wanted to hear every word that he spoke. She spoke to him on two occasions, pouring out her life's story. He listened intently, and then asked Joyce if he could pray for her. They said a short prayer together and then hung up. Joyce went to bed that night feeling somewhat calmer and more peaceful.

The next day at work she was testing huge and very tall telephone switching equipment. While atop a ladder, she became paralyzed by a force which she now knows to have been the Holy Spirit. Wave after wave of warmth and love kept pouring over her body. She has no idea how long the experience lasted. She never wanted it to end, but when it did, she found that she had received a miraculous healing of painful arthritis in her hand, and also of female problems. When she finally came down from the top of the ladder she felt like a clean person for the first time in her life. She felt wonderful and so alive! She called the pastor and told him the experience, to which he replied, "Joyce, you got born-again!" While under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Joyce was born again. The void was filled!

That same night, she attempted to go to a nightclub with a girl friend, but found she could not stay in the building. She ran out and drove wildly down the streets to get home and find her old Bible which had been packed away in the attic. Once she found it, she started to read from it, randomly and aloud. Soon she began to vomit violently and the bed started to shake on its own. It was a frightening experience, but when it was over she was encompassed by a sense of peace. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Joyce was delivered from the spirits that controlled her. The anointing from the experience stayed with her for almost one week. She said she felt so "light" from the experience that she had to constantly catch her balance.

Joyce attended two Bible studies a week and church whenever there were services. She was so filled with Jesus that everyone she came in contact with saw Him too. Hundreds came to the Lord at Western Electric as a result of her testimony. She even took to preaching on the street corners in Wheaton and Aurora, to tell everyone about the saviour. Evangelizing came naturally to Joyce. She was set on fire for the Lord the very day she was born again. At Western Electric, at the waitressing job, even at the supermarket, Joyce couldn't help but bubble over with the good news that Jesus loved them and that Jesus could fill the void in their hearts, too.

Since her conversion, Joyce has done two monthly Rallys, Prisons and just started the Rejoice School of Ministry which has almost 40 students.

DEAR READER — A letter from Joyce

Not until the Holy Spirit miraculously moved, and I experienced the power and anointing of Jesus Christ, did I realize that Jesus was my only hope. I had been crushed by years of abuse, emotional and physical losses. Each time, I tried to compensate for those traumas and brokeness through a life style that I thought was the height of excitement. But the excitement, money, beautiful home and new car did not fill the void that was in my heart. The emptiness ached for a saviour. Now, I can tell you that he has brought me from death to life. He took my broken life and restored it. Now he uses me to help bring restoration to others.

Dear reader, Jesus took all of my sins on the cross. And he can take yours too. As the Bible says: "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". Realize that God loves you and you are a special person to him. Let's receive him now into your life. Just where you are right now. Yes, this very minute.

Pray this with me:

Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned and need all your forgiveness. I know now that you are real and alive and that you were sent into this world to take away my sins. You want to restore my life. I ask you Lord Jesus to come into my heart and live your life through me. I take you as my Lord and Saviour. According to your Word, I am now born again and I am going to be in heaven. My special name is being written in heaven right now in the Lamb's Book of Life. I thank you Lord! I am free, free, free! Thank you for saving me! John 3:3: In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (NIV)

God bless you!