In this espisode, Mitch Bakker recounts a story of a time when he was teaching during a prison ministry class. A sudden phone call for him at the prison interrupted his teaching, and sent his mind racing—was tragedy waiting on the other end of the phone? Relief came when Mitch discovered that the call wasn’t actually for him. But the remarkable thing was that the men behind bars quickly banded together to pray for Mitch, teaching him about prayer’s power as our best, first response.

What happens to joy in your life when disaster (or potential disaster) strikes? What impact does it have on your ability to live into joy? Be in touch with your stories and reflections at mitch@mitchbakker.com.

Learn more at mitchbakker.com, and get a copy of Mitch's new book, Drawn.

In this episode Mitch Bakker interviews his friends and colleagues, Peter and Katie, about their decision to adopt six children into their family. It's an amazing story, full of high highs and low lows.

But through it all runs the thread of incredible joy found in choosing not their ideal "happy" life, but of saying "yes" to the life that God had for them.

Listen in as they share from their journey moving from foster care parents, to adoptive parents of six, to now being on the verge of launching children from the home. As Katy shares, from 1 Co 6:10, there is a sense as adoptive parents of being "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" as each child has their own story and unique challenges and they find a "blend" rather than "balance" in their home life.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, and how Peter and Katy's journey landed with you. Did it help prompt you to reconsider your own story and the place of joy in your life in some new way?

We'll be back soon with an all new theme from Mitch's book, Drawn.

Learn more at mitchbakker.com.

Pick up a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn.

Joy, like faith, feels real when we experience it. We tend to think of joy as something that happens to us—a response to good circumstances, a reward when life goes our way. But that kind of happiness is fragile, tied to the moment, and slips away as quickly as it arrived.

Joy isn’t something we chase, a prize we earn or a feeling we manufacture. But in reality, joy is a by-product—a natural overflow of a life lived in alignment with truth, gratitude, and faith. It arises not from circumstance, but from the quiet assurance that even in the ordinary, the messy, or the painful, life is infused with meaning and hope.

Nehemiah reminds us, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” This joy isn’t circumstantial—it often comes as a by-product of how we choose to live our lives and perceive our circumstances.

The stories I share around this theme range from people who chose joy when every reason seemed to point in the opposite direction to seeing joy in moments we too often take for granted (such as the dog laying at your feet). Joy can and should be found in all our seasons: pain, loss, even disappointments. It’s not natural but it is supernatural.

Mitch Bakker invites us to reflect on joy—not as a fleeting feeling, but as a posture of the heart. A strength that endures in both good times and hard times.

Learn more at mitchbakker.com, and get a copy of Mitch's book, Drawn.

Have you ever felt directionless, like you’re adrift at sea? Everything was going just fine . . . until it wasn’t. Maybe you remember when you made course changes, or maybe you can’t. All you know is your boat is rocking and a long way from shore. Perhaps you’re seeking the peace of still waters but have begun questioning if they exist at all. We’ve all been there—disappointment, heartache, or disillusionment can take a toll on your soul.

No matter how far you may feel from God at this moment, He’s near, closer than your next breath. As we listen attentively to our lives and our stories, we begin to see the reality of God’s presence: from our greatest joys to seasons of deep despair.

Welcome to the Mitch Baker podcast.

We're currently working our way through my book Drawn, which is a collection of stories from my life and others, and we're learning to see the presence of God more clearly. I'm convinced that as we listen attentively to lives and stories, we'll start to see the reality of God's presence everywhere. Thanks for being along for the ride. Let's begin.

Learn more about my writing and speaking at https://mitchbakker.com.