Episodes

What if the quiet nudge you've been feeling is God inviting you into something more? In this inspiring episode of The Joy Stories, I sit down with bestselling author, speaker, and retreat leader Kathy Izard for a powerful conversation about purpose, courage, and learning to trust God's voice. Kathy shares the remarkable story behind her books The Hundred Story Home, Trust the Whisper, and The Last Ordinary Hour, and how one unexpected encounter changed the trajectory of her life. What began as...

In this episode of The Joy Stories, we explore the powerful truth that we were never meant to do life alone. God created us for relationship — not only with Him, but with each other. While modern culture encourages independence and self-sufficiency, Scripture teaches that believers are called to support, encourage, and strengthen one another. This episode highlights how Christian community, discipleship, and prayer support help us grow in faith and experience deeper joy. True, God-centered comm...

What does it look like to choose joy in the face of fear? In this deeply moving episode of The Joy Stories, Jessica sits down with her dear friend Lucy—a wife, mother of three, and “Dancing Queen” who has been courageously walking through a cancer diagnosis she calls “the element.” With honesty, warmth, and even humor, Lucy shares how her journey has transformed her faith from routine to deeply personal—shifting her view of God from distant to a constant companion and friend. Through late-nig...

Are you in a battle right now? Do you feel surrounded — by fear, anxiety, uncertainty, or circumstances you didn’t see coming? In this episode, we dive into 2 Kings 6:14–17 and the powerful story of Elisha and his servant. When an enemy army surrounded them, the servant panicked. But Elisha prayed a simple, profound prayer: “Lord, open his eyes.” The miracle wasn’t that the army disappeared. The miracle was that God revealed what was already there. Sometimes God doesn’t remove the battle imm...

Trusting God With My Love Story | A Testimony of Faith & Timing In this episode of The Joy Stories Podcast, Danielle shares her powerful Christian love testimony about trusting God with her heart, waiting on His timing, and surrendering control in her faith journey. What began as a solo bucket-list trip to Panama unexpectedly turned into a God-ordained love story. Through long-distance challenges, language and cultural differences, COVID shutdowns, visa delays, and seasons of deep uncertainty, ...

Learning to Fly: When God Uses Love, Loss, and Grief for His Purposes With Children’s Author Erika Lopez In this episode of Joy Stories, Jessica sits down with children’s author and advocate Erika Lopez to share a powerful story of faith, grief, and unexpected purpose. After losing her mother to pancreatic cancer, Erika wrestled with anger, loss, and deep sorrow — until God began gently guiding her through writing, dreams, and meaningful signs. A vivid dream of flying with her mom inspired a be...

How do we know when God is speaking—especially when we’re facing big decisions? If you’ve ever asked, “God, is that really You?”—this episode will encourage you to slow down, listen closely, and trust that God still speaks because He deeply loves His children. In this heartfelt and Scripture-rich episode of The Joy Stories, Jessica walks listeners through how to recognize, discern, and respond to the voice of God amid the noise of our thoughts, culture, and spiritual opposition. Jessica also i...

My mother shares her journey from addiction to healing through faith, prayer, and surrender to God. Summary: In this powerful episode of The Joy Stories, host Jessica sits down with her mother, Shelley Winters, to share a deeply moving story of addiction recovery through faith, the power of prayer, and the life-changing impact of surrendering to God. Shelley opens up about years of struggling with alcohol addiction, working multiple jobs to support her daughters, and walking through seasons of ...

In this episode of Joy Stories, Jessica explores the profound difference between happiness and joy, emphasizing that while happiness is often fleeting and tied to external circumstances, joy is a deeper, more enduring state rooted in faith and connection with God. She discusses the cultural obsession with happiness and the emptiness it can bring, contrasting it with the stability and peace that joy offers. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, Jessica illustrates how joy can coexis...

In this episode of The Joy Stories, Jessica explores how busyness quietly steals our joy and distracts us from what truly matters. She invites listeners to pause, reflect, and reclaim the sacred gift of time God has given each of us. Through personal stories, biblical insight, and gentle encouragement, Jessica shows how our minutes—though small—hold immense value and can shape the course of our hearts and lives. This episode is a heartfelt call to slow down, live intentionally, and prioritize th...

In this inspiring episode of "The Joy Stories", host Jessica sits down with Hope Skouras to share her remarkable journey of overcoming chronic illness through faith, community of prayer, resilience, and holistic healing. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at just 17, Hope faced years of health challenges—including a life-threatening medical crisis that tested her strength and spiritual foundation 13 years ago this very week. Through her powerful testimony, Hope reveals how her darkest moments ultim...

In this episode of Joy Stories, Jessica shares her transformative journey through an unknown health issue that led her to discover deep joy and faith. Starting with a terrifying health scare, she navigates through misdiagnoses, explores holistic healing, and ultimately surrenders to God. Throughout her struggles, she finds support in community, learns to appreciate life's small moments, and experiences profound healing, both physically and spiritually. Jessica emphasizes the importance of faith,...

Welcome to The Joy Stories, I'm so glad you're here. This episode is a brief description of what The Joy Stories is and who it's for. It's an introduction of who I am and why I have created this podcast. I hope to encourage you, lift your spirits and of course bring you JOY! Get ready to be encouraged, inspired and filled with Joy!