The Power of Music & Storytelling: Stepping out in Faith & Trusting God with JJ Heller
Years ago the Hellers performed at my church, and when they told the stories behind their songs I just remember being memorized. It made the songs come to life! If you know me, you know one of my passions is worship music. I have been a worship leader since I was 15—that’s when I started singing. I used to be absolutely terrified. It was so hard for me to step out and sing in front of someone.
I have such a heart for worship, that I tend to think in terms of music. Music does something to us. It moves us and evokes incredible emotions. Music speaks to us. JJ and Dave’s music touch lives in ways, I know, they never expected. You are going to be blown away how God works in the lives of people who step forward in faith. If you are not familiar with her music, you are going to be addicted!
On a “Simply” & “Joyful” side note…
One of the funniest things I learned in this episode was JJ’s love for finding good food when she travels. Since I have had a busy year of traveling to homeschool conventions, I loved hearing how she took the time to enjoy the food from the area she was in. Now, who doesn’t get a little joy from good food?
Highlights from This Show…
I ask the Hellers to share a little about themselves and their family and what they do. Music wasn’t something they were planning on for a career—God had other plans!- Music wasn’t always the plan for JJ Heller. Get more of her amazing God-story on this week’s #SJP.
- I ask Dave and JJ to share the story behind the song What Love Really Means and a little about how their ministry got started.
- We wanted to sing the songs that weren’t necessarily “commercial”. We wanted to sing the songs that God laid on our hearts. –JJ Heller
- God was able to use my pain and turn it into a song and in turn use it to touch thousands of lives. —JJ Heller
- Growing always hurts. —JJ Heller
- I ask the Hellers to share how their song writing has changed through the years.
- We wrote a bunch of songs that we wanted our kids to hear as they were going to sleep. —Dave Heller on I Dream of You
- Even though we had low expectations for this album, it has become one of the most listened to albums of JJ’s career. —Dave Heller on I Dream of You
- To see the way the Lord has used this album has totally blown my mind. —JJ Heller on I Dream of You
- God is the one that is going to take those gifts and take those talents and multiply them. —Kristi Clover
- The Hellers have partnered with many hospitals and NCUs with their Lullaby Project. I ask them to share about some other organizations that they have been partnering with.
- World Vision | MOPS International
- JJ Heller had the honor of recording this year’s MOPS theme song.
- JJ shares a little about what tour life looks like with a daughter in elementary school and a preschooler at home.
- I ask the Hellers to share about being business partners as well as husband and wife.
- Sometimes you feel like a queen and king, and sometimes you feel like you’re in a trailer park, but we get to share the ups and downs of life together and it makes our relationships that much more rich. —Dave Heller
- Dave shares something that he and JJ do when they are on the road to make it a happy place and not just a grueling grind of being on the road.
- I ask JJ to share about the new project they are doing this year—releasing a song a month. JJ shares about the song for August called Paving the Runway which is about parenting (get ready to tear up listening to it! It’s such a great song!)
- Did you know JJ Heller releases a new song every month? Get to know JJ on this week’s #SJP episode.
- The hard part is letting them go so they can fly. —JJ Heller
- Dave shares about JJ’s new found love of putting together playlists on Spotify! Check out JJ’s playlists here!
Want to see when JJ will be in your town? Be sure to follow her on Bandsintown.com/jjheller
Please Note…
- Be sure to grab your FREE copy of my book, Sanity Savers for Moms, by joining our Simply Joyful community. It’s a great way to keep in touch…and get subscriber only freebies like my book. Click HERE to get the book and join!
Connect with JJ Heller…
I’m JJ and I love Jesus, my husband, my two beautiful girls, dark chocolate and writing songs that remind you that YOU ARE LOVED. For over 14 years I’ve worked side-by-side with my husband and creative partner, Dave. This year we’re working together to create something beautiful and then release it into the world on the first Friday of each month.
Over the past several years my music made its way onto TV shows, international ads, and radio stations around the world, but more importantly it’s kept listeners like you company in hospital rooms and war zones, in the middle of plane flights and sleepless nights, during weddings and car rides. I’m thrilled that the music I work so hard to create gets to be the soundtrack to major (and not-so-major) moments in your lives!
I never set out to be a career musician, but here I am with a heart full of gratitude and songs yet to be written. It’s my prayer that these songs will be a comforting, peaceful companion as you journey through this life. God is with you and He is for you.
You can check out JJ’s music HERE on Amazon! Be sure to visit her site as well at www.jjheller.com.
Thank you, Rend Collective for allowing me to use your incredible song “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength”!
(This podcast is by Kristi Clover. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central, and audio is streamed directly from their servers.)