A few months later she received a gift she would never forget. Her husband spoke to her on Christmas morning and said: "I know God has gifted you and called you to be ordained. I give you my 100% support." By the mid 1990's Joy had married and was blessed with two sons. But a call to be ordained was on hold because she did not yet have the needed support from her spouse. With all of her heart, Joy believed God would make a way. In the meantime, she did not stop serving, but found many ways to use her gifts both inside and outside the local church.
During the 2011 gathering hosted by Wesleyan Women, God used Rev. Patty Bray’s message to speak clearly to Joy, promising that her wait was almost over. With Dr. Jo Anne Lyon praying over her, Joy clearly remembers sensing God removing the chains that were holding her back from being ordained.
By December 25, 2011, Joy’s wait had ended, and on July 12, 2014, her husband knelt beside her as she officially became Rev. Joy Bryant.
John Wesley taught that spiritual formation is a lifelong process, but with supernatural moments of crisis along the way. While these moments cannot be manufactured, Joy is excited to see The Wesleyan Church create space for God to move mountains in women’s lives.
Join Joy and hundreds of other women in Nashville, Tenn. on April 17-19, 2015. This will be the largest gathering of women The Wesleyan Church has ever seen. Expanding our reach using live simulcast technology, ALIVE will emphasize Wesleyan distinctives, call women to biblical justice, and create a space for God to move mountains!