About this episode

In this episode, David Blease interviews Bonnie Saul Wilkes about her journey of finding true joy amidst pain and purpose.

What if joy wasn’t the absence of pain, but something deeper, stronger, and always available? In this powerful episode of Covenant & Conflict , David Blease sits down with author and missionary Bonnie Saul Wilkes to explore a lifetime journey of calling, sacrifice, and discovering what true joy really is. From growing up with a Jewish last name in a Christian home… to encountering antisemitism that sparked a lifelong calling… to living on a kibbutz in Israel and eventually moving to the former Soviet Union to disciple thousands. Bonnie’s story is marked by bold obedience and unexpected turns. But what stands out most isn’t just the mission… it’s the joy she found along the way. In this conversation, Bonnie unpacks: Why joy is not the same as happiness How joy can coexist with suffering, loss, and uncertainty The difference between joy, peace, and pleasure Why gratitude is one of the most powerful spiritual practices And how God leads us into joy through obedience, not comfort Even through cancer diagnoses in her family, hardship in missions, and seasons of deep pain, she discovered that joy isn’t something you stumble into… It’s something you walk into. Her new book, A…

People in this episode

Host: David Blease

Guest: Bonnie Saul Wilkes

Topics covered

• joy
• pain
• purpose
• spirituality
• obedience
• gratitude

Keywords

• joy
• pain
• spiritual practices
• obedience
• gratitude
• missionary
• antisemitism

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: A Roadmap to Joy

Places: Israel, former Soviet Union

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