What happens when everything that once defined you—your strength, your calling, your ability to serve—falls away?

In this episode of the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Denise and Sarah sit down with Joy, a former medical global worker and physician assistant whose life and ministry were radically reshaped after severe illness brought her fast-paced, highly productive life to a sudden halt. What followed was a long, painful wilderness season marked by loss, waiting, and deep questions about identity, worth, and God’s goodness.

This conversation is an invitation to anyone who feels stripped, sidelined, or unsure of who they are when they can no longer “do.” It’s a reminder that the wilderness is not punishment—but a place where God meets us with comfort, identity, and surprising goodness.

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Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!

We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about the ⁠2026 In-Person Tuscany Retreat

That Sounds Fun Episode 1021

The Uninvited Companion: God's Shaping Us in His Love Through Life's Adversities by Scott Shaum