Hi, my name is Joe Miller (FYI, I use J.R. as my pen-name). Welcome to my blog More Than Cake. Thanks for taking the time to visit and hear my story with Jesus.
I was born and raised among the beautiful hills of west-central Pennsylvania. Throughout my young life, my parents were obedient to God, raised me to fear the Lord, and at age thirteen they gave me the opportunity to attend church camp. My reasons for going to camp were 
simply wanting to hang out with friends and have fun, but God’s purposes were above my own. During “One Way Camp” at Jumonville, I embraced Jesus as Savior of my life. In a heart so small there seemed such a great expanse filled only with loneliness and tears, but through Jesus Christ these troubles were removed and replaced with warmth and love. My understanding was limited, my theology simple, but God’s grace sustained my childlike faith, for it was not until some five years later, during my engineering studies at Pennsylvania State University, that I began my transition into spiritual maturity.
Confronted with personal challenges by inquisitive roommates and antagonistic acquaintances, I began to investigate my faith; learning to question without ever rejecting the fundamental truths of God’s eternal Word. My first two years of university were not just a spiritual struggle, they were also an academic one. School was challenging and just to keep pace with the workload I found myself staying up all night at least two or three times a week. The strain of academia was almost too much to handle, but God had His unseen hand working in my favor and he brought the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ into my life. Through the men and women of God who surrounded me, I perceived a great call upon my life to serve God in Full time ministry; not as an engineer, but as a pastor. However, with no accompanying call to leave my engineering studies at Penn State, I pursued my studies with a sometimes ambivalent heart. By the grace of God, and upon completion of my five years of intensive study, I pursued my ever steady call to enter seminary.
Many times in life God calls us to places we would never think of going. And yet, by honoring His will, we become better servants for His glory. My final decision to attend seminary at Oral Roberts University was one of those times. Although I had plans to attend Dallas Theological Seminary, God used my circumstances to prod me into this very different, and most implausible, direction. My experience at ORU challenged me to grow spiritually and forced me to investigate my view of God in new and exciting ways. Where Penn State challenged my belief in God, ORU challenged my belief about God. I learned that for each polemic or contentious circumstance, I must either entrench myself in long held beliefs, fortified through prayer and study, or I must embrace new and sometimes difficult ones. But in either case, the truth is not determined by professors, friends, pastors, or even my own predilections, but by the unerring Word and Spirit which God has given for this very purpose.
One of the unexpected blessing I encountered through my obedience to God’s call into seminary at ORU was meeting and marrying my wife Suzanne. For many years I had a strong desire to wed, but had no prospects. When I arrived in Tulsa Oklahoma I still had a strong desire to share this seminary experience with a wife, but in God’s timetable patience was still the key. God knew my heart’s passion and yet if bachelorhood was His will, I was willing to remain single forever–I asked only that He take away my longing to 
marry. God never did remove my desire, and even though my future love still lived far away in southern California, God was able to bring our lives together. Through many months of long talks on the phone, Suzanne and I discovered in each other a kindred spirit and a call to serve God in a complementary manner. Sight yet unseen, my resolve began to build that it was this woman whom God had planned for me all along, and by our individual obedience to His call, on May 25, 1996, our lives were united as one. You can even share in one of our first ever dates on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
More than a decade has passed and my life has changed in every imaginable way. My love of reading has taken me to Talbot School of Theology where I am finishing my Doctor of Ministry degree. I have traveled all over the world and met so many amazing people. My wife and I share the joy of three amazing sons who teach me every day about God’s love. I am blessed to share so much of my life on this blog, and I wake up each day with an excitement to add one more chapter to my story with Jesus…
- If you want to know more of my story, then you may want to check out this insightful video.
- Read about my personality type “ENFZ” along with some of the details and how it influences my leadership style
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Nice! Thanks for stopping by the ol’ blog. How is Talbot? How has your experience been?
My talbot experience has been mostly good, but there are some rough patches with the leadership and organization.
What a great life story so far. Praise the Lord.
It looks like you grew up in a beautiful area. I love the hills of Western Pennsylvania.
JR, this is a neat story of God’s providence – still unfolding.
I have 3 teens and are going to read your story in an upcoming house church meeting. I know they will enjoy it and be challenged as they think about serving the Lord at college, discovering a career path, and finding a life partner.
Godspeed and pass some more of that cake around, brother!
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
Wow! I am truly honored and humbled to think you will read my story at your house church gathering. Thank you brother!