A Roadmap to Joy: Finding God in Pain, Purpose, and the Unexpected

A Roadmap to Joy: Finding God in Pain, Purpose, and the Unexpected

Author: Gateway Center for Israel May 13, 2026 Duration: 45:06

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 Roadmap to Joy, is the result of decades of journaling, poetry, and real-life encounters with God, and every story somehow leads back to one truth: Joy is always available in His presence.

Watch now and discover what it means to walk the pathway of joy.

00:00 – Intro: A Life Marked by Calling

02:15 – From Antisemitism to a Calling for the Jewish People

08:00 – Leaving Everything for the Nations (Soviet Union Missions)

13:11 – The Unexpected Theme: Why Every Story Led to Joy

19:50 – Joy vs Happiness: What Most People Get Wrong

30:55 – The Counterfeits of Joy (Pleasure, Success, Isolation)

35:15 – Joy vs Peace: How to “Soar Over the Chaos”

41:10 – A Final Prayer: Walking the Pathway of Joy


Hosted by Nic Lesmeister and David Blease, Covenant & Conflict is a production of the Gateway Center for Israel. This podcast engages directly with the tensions between timeless scriptural foundations and the pressing questions of our time. Conversations with various experts navigate complex terrain-from social ethics to geopolitical currents-always anchored in a covenantal framework. The aim isn't to sidestep difficulty but to enter into it thoughtfully, demonstrating how a rooted perspective can inform rather than inflame our dialogues. You'll hear nuanced explorations that resist easy answers, prioritizing depth and understanding over rhetorical point-scoring. It’s for those who suspect that ancient wisdom has urgent, practical things to say about modern conflicts and who appreciate dialogue that seeks clarity amidst complexity. Tune in for episodes that challenge assumptions and encourage a more considered engagement with the world, all through a lens that takes both text and context seriously. The result is a consistently thoughtful audio experience that stands apart in the realms of faith and culture.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

Covenant & Conflict
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