In April 2024, Daystar Television Network President and co-founder Joni Lamb opened her heart in what became the cover story for Charisma magazine — a deeply personal reflection on storms, suffering, faith and the sustaining power of God.
Now, following the recent passing of Lamb on May 7, 2026, Charisma is resharing portions of that powerful message as a reminder of the faith that carried her through decades of ministry, personal trials and public challenges. In many ways, her words read even more poignantly today — not simply as reflections on hardship, but as a testimony of enduring courage and unwavering trust in Christ.
You don’t have to live very long to know that life is challenging under the best of circumstances and downright overwhelming at times. Storms of life are inevitable. They come in a variety of ways, with varied intensity. Some threaten to blow us away, sink us and drown us, while others are minor inconveniences that seem huge in the moment.
One thing is certain, regardless of the intensity, we all experience storms. We are either coming out of one, in the middle of one, or about to go into one. At some point all of us will go through severe storms. This is not a negative statement. It’s simply the reality of living in our broken world. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matt. 7:24-25).
It is not a matter of if storms will come, but how your foundation is built when they do. Jesus also said, “In this world you will have trouble.” That’s a promise not many of us have taped to the mirror. The good news is He also said, “Be of good cheer, I’ve overcome the world” (John 16:33b).
To order Joni Lamb’s book, Through the Storm, visit Amazon.com.
With Jesus as our foundation, we can face the storms of life courageously, without fear. The Lord is in the storm with you. Before He made that statement, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace” (v. 33a). With Him holding your hand, you can experience peace in the middle of the storm. Jesus doesn’t always stop the storm from coming, but He is always with us and will calm the storm and lead you through to the other side.
Many Storms Lead to Many Peaceful Days
Taking hold of Jesus’ hand and letting Him walk me through the storms has become a theme in my life. I’ve known firsthand His peace in the turbulence. With each storm the Lord has brought me through, the more confidence I have in His absolute faithfulness. Over the years of walking with Him, a calm assurance has grown in me that we can absolutely trust Him in the most turbulent of circumstances. Not only that, with each storm He brings us through we grow stronger in that trust. It’s like a notch in our life belts. It’s not that we are somehow better. We are still human vessels, but our trust becomes more secure in Him.
Personally, the Lord has brought me through so many storms that I could write a book. I did! After 40-something years of being in public ministry, and particularly Daystar, which is now reaching over 2.2 billion households worldwide, many of my storms were public, though the details of what I went through behind the scenes were not. Other storms were private.
In all of those cases there was a deeper story that the public didn’t see. As a result, people talk, speculate and create lies. So many have speculated, “Well, what happened to Marcus and Joni?” Or “What happened when Marcus was in the hospital?” Or “What’s Joni doing now?” All these questions, and people deciding they know the truth or looking at the internet. I understand that’s part and parcel of being in a ministry like this, and that’s a storm in itself. Well, I’m now telling the true story, and this is my story. And God has been faithful through it.
With the big platform, you’re going to get criticism, but at the end of the day, I don’t have to please everybody. I have to please God. And that’s my goal. And that’s for people who know me, people who walk with me. They know my heart. And people who watch me regularly, they know that. What people don’t see, though, is the crying out to the Lord in private until you can’t cry anymore, then eating too much ice cream and crashing with the pillow over your head. They don’t see the desperate prayers to the Lord for wisdom and then the supernatural confirmation and guidance. They don’t see the personal surrendering to the Lord, the courage it takes to obey and keep going when everything in you wants to quit, especially when you know the whole world is talking.
In my new book, “Through the Storm: Courageous Faith in Turbulent Times,” I am sharing some of my deepest thoughts and reflections, the truth that gets to the bottom of so much speculation. Ultimately, the goal is encouraging you in your own storms. If the Lord can do it for this South Carolina gal, He can do it for you.
Being in ministry for all these years, I’ve not only watched the Lord walk with me through my storms, but I’ve watched Him walk others through theirs, often much more turbulent storms than what I’ve been through. I’ve learned a lot, especially from the people I’ve been privileged to interview on “Table Talk” and “Ministry Now.” I want to let you know that “The Lord is faithful, no matter what you go through.” I pray you will see, “You know what? I can make it through anything, because God is faithful.”
Thankfully, none of us have to go through our storms alone. Jesus shows up on the threatening waters, holding out His hand and saying, “Take it. Trust Me. I’ve got you.” But we have to grab hold and not let go.
My grandfather Trammell told me many times when growing up, “Joni, hold tight to His hand. He will never let go.” I certainly don’t have all the answers to the zillion questions of “why?” but Jesus promises not just peace, but “perfect peace” in the midst of extreme distress and suffering. He is real and fully present, even when we don’t feel it. He sees and listens. He hears our cries. And He directs.
My wounds sting like everyone else’s. Yet, the Lord is teaching me day by day to take courage in His power, grab hold of His hand, like Grandpa told me, and trust Him when everything around me screams, “I’m going under!”
Joni Lamb was the president of Daystar Television Network, co-founded with her late husband, Marcus Lamb. The network reaches over 110 million homes in the U.S. and over 5 billion people worldwide. She was executive producer and host of her daily talk show, “Joni Table Talk,” which earned 10 Telly Awards, three Lone Star Emmy Awards and five Daytime Emmy nominations. Lamb also co-hosted Daystar’s daily, live flagship broadcast “Ministry Now,” with her husband, Dr. Doug Weiss. Her book, “Through the Storm,” is available at this link.
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