Joy in the Sacrifice — Carol McLeod Ministries

A Note from Carol: One of the greatest joys of my ministry is introducing you to voices that inspire us to love Jesus more deeply. Today, I’m honored to share D’Lytha Myers with you—a gifted writer, creative, and woman of deep faith. D’Lytha and her husband have walked a unique journey of trusting God through seasons of sacrifice, creativity, and calling. In her story, she invites us to consider what it means to surrender our comforts for the sake of God’s greater purpose—especially in the sacred work of raising our children. Her words remind us that while sacrifice is never easy, it often leads to our greatest joy.

In 2014, my husband—an actor, filmmaker, and artist—heard a clear call from God: sell our home and his truck, and step into the unknown to follow Jesus into our next assignment.

We had no idea what that meant, and it was both exhilarating and frightening. My husband, a former missionary and preacher’s kid, worried that God might be pulling him away from his creative calling to put him in a pulpit—something he didn’t desire.

Meanwhile, as a new mom, my concerns were more practical. I wanted security, safety, and a stable home. Our daughter was only 18 months old, and now God was asking us to uproot our little family.

The Bible is full of stories of God’s people wandering—Abraham, Israel in the wilderness, Mary and Joseph on their journeys. So while I knew this was part of God’s pattern, it still felt intimidating. Yet, as someone who knows Jesus, I believed He was up to something good. And, trusting my husband (most of the time), we obeyed and put the house on the market—a sacrifice I didn’t fully understand.

To our surprise, God didn’t lead us away from the arts but back into them, with a new purpose: to create films that honored Him. That clarity came with yet another sacrifice—moving in with my parents. Like the patriarchs living with in-laws or Joseph leading Mary on a donkey, we set out on this strange journey of faith.

At first, I thought my role would simply be production support and standing by my husband. But soon I began to “download” ideas that became the seed of our screenplay. Thirty days into writing, I realized I needed his help. Together, we nurtured the story like new parents, combining creativity and strength. He rewrote the screenplay and added original songs, and our collaboration deepened.

Making a movie is like gestating an elephant—it takes longer than you’d think and requires more than you imagined. The process stretched across years, filled with ups and downs, sacrifices, a season of living full-time in an RV, and the near shipwreck of the pandemic, which almost destroyed us and our project. But by God’s grace, Aria Appleton finally came to life. Today, it’s available on Prime Video and has won an ICVM Gold Crown Award, along with several others.

I feel joy when I think about what we accomplished together. But as much as we’ve called the movie “our baby,” nothing compares to my real children, Aurora Jane and Maxwell Asher. They are my greatest collaboration and joy—and they came at far greater cost.

When I think about the sacrifices of motherhood—the pain, the sleepless nights, the homeschooling challenges, the constant pouring out of myself—I realize the sacrifices for the movie pale in comparison. The joy of my children far outweighs the pain. It makes me wonder if there’s a divine connection between sacrifice and joy—that the more we give, the deeper our joy. Surely the martyrs would tell us of even greater, unspeakable joy in laying down their very lives.

I don’t share this story to ask what you’re willing to sacrifice for a project or a ministry. Instead, I want to ask: are your priorities in order? What might God be asking you to give up for the sake of your children?

Maybe it’s time to set aside devices and screens, change schools, or even make a career shift so you can homeschool. Maybe it’s simply carving out more intentional time together. Whatever the specifics, God-honoring motherhood and fatherhood always require sacrifice.

The sacrifices you make to nurture your children, to labor them into the world, to feed, teach, and raise them in the instruction of the Lord—those are your highest calling. They may be costly, but they lead to your greatest joy.

“Though darkness may last for a night, joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

On this episode of Significant Women, I have the absolute joy of sitting down with my dear friend, D’Lytha Myers. D’Lytha’s story is one of courage, surrender, and an unshakable trust in God’s faithfulness. From unexpected detours to God’s surprising provisions, her journey will encourage you to keep saying “yes” to the Lord no matter what season you are in. You’ll walk away inspired to hold onto hope, pursue intimacy with Jesus, and trust Him with the story He is writing in your life.