S7 Episode #14- Joy Callaway

THE ONE WITH JOY CALLAWAY

This week we are excited to welcome Joy Callaway. Joy is an international bestselling author of historical fiction and southern contemporary romance (and she is Jes’ favorite author!). In this episode, Joy reminds us that when we are in Christ, we are never alone. God is the author of our lives and He is writing a beautiful story of hope and redemption. If you are walking through a difficult season and need a reminder of the hope and provision of The Lord, then this episode is for you!

A Little more about JOY

Joy Callaway is an international bestselling author of historical fiction and southern contemporary romance. She formerly served as a marketing director for a wealth management company. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Public Relations from Marshall University and an M.M.C. in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina. She resides in Charlotte, NC with her husband, John, and her children.

L I S T E N

W A T C H

S H O W N O T E S

From the earliest time Joy can remember, she has always known Jesus. When she went away to college she was introduced to different faith denominations and began to see the beauty of various worship styles in the body of Christ. 

After moving to Charlotte, Joy and her husband started a Bible study in their home. She invited everyone she could think of and this group would become a close-knit community. 

YOU ARE NEVER ALONE 

After Joy had her son, she had a mrsa mastitis infection. For the first time in her life she was experiencing extreme anxiety 24 hours a day. This went on for 3 years. She couldn’t figure out what was happening in her body until she went to a new doctor and was diagnosed with celiacs disease. She was so thankful to finally have an answer. 

Over the course of those three years Joy had to learn to rely on God in new ways. She drew closer to God and experienced His love in new ways. 

Jesus is walking with you through every stage of life. Even when you are experiencing destruction, confusion or devastation, Jesus will never leave your side. You may not get an immediate answer as to why this is happening to you, but you will always get the reassurance that you are never alone. 

God promises us that He is walking beside us. He is our strength. He is our hope. You are here for a reason. 

When you are walking through hardship, Joy encourages you to see what you can do to serve someone else. When we can look outside of ourselves, it will often give you a glimmer of hope and goodness in a dark time. 

You are made for more. You are made for a purpose. God can use things that are “not great” to bring about something good. 

DON’T GIVE UP ON THE DREAM 

Joy wrote three full novels before she finally found the story that was right for her and was published. So often in life we feel like we are on the right path, but things don’t seem to be working out how we had hoped or expected. 

If you have a gift, it has been given to you by God. If you feel like you are on the right path and using your gifts in a way that honors God, then keep going. If you give up, then the only answer is “no”. However, if you keep going, then the “yes” could be right around the corner at any moment. 

The Lord puts you in situations when it is time, when you’re ready… and not before. God is never late, He is always right on time. 

Sometimes on this side of Heaven, we don’t get to know all of the answers. We don’t always fully understand why something needs to happen on a certain timeline. But God sees the big picture and knows how the big story all fits together. 

Joy puts so much care and love into the ways that she develops her characters. So how much more would God care about every little detail of our life and development. He is always working on our behalf with more care and concern than we can fathom. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The overall theme of Joy’s books is that “no stories are small stories.” You don’t need to quit your job and move to a foreign country to be used by God. He can use you right where He has you in this very moment. You can be the light in your workplace, to your family, to your friends. You were made for a reason and there are no small stories because we are all a part of God’s BIG Story! Your life is touching more people than you will ever realize or understand. You are part of something so much larger than you know. 

You are never left without hope when you are in Christ.

N E X T S T E P S

Here are a few action steps to help you dip deeper this week!

  1. Is there a dream or desire in your life that you are tempted to give up on because the road has been long? If so, spend time in prayer today– release that dream once again into the capable and loving hands of The Lord. Ask to see Him move in new ways and that He will continue to shape you into a person after His heart. 

  2. Think back on the story that God has written so far in your own life. Make a list of the ways that you have seen him provide and show up throughout the years.

  3. Write a prayer of gratitude to God– the author and perfecter of our stories. Praise Him for the ways that He allows us to participate in the BIG Story of His redemption and love. 

CONNECT WITH JOY:

| Instagram | Check out Joy’s Books! | Website |

Thank you, as always, for listening! Please remember that everything we do is funded by those who benefit from our ministry. Our ministry a 501(c)3, so your contribution is tax-deductible.

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  • The Collected Podcast is a production of Collected Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disciples of Jesus discover and live from their true identity in Christ, recognize and walk in their divine purpose within the Kingdom of God, and experience growth in their capacity for mature, healthy relationships.

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  • The Collected Podcast is produced by Jes French and edited by Jacob Early. Cover art designed by Ben Biondo.

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