MINISTRY FOCUS

Joy serves as a Cadence Associate Field Staff (CAFS) at the Bridge Hospitality House in San Diego, California, where she loves connecting with fellow military members. Alongside House Directors Ed and Joy Bissonnette, she focuses specifically on ministering to and discipling women. Her 16 years in the Navy give her a unique insight into the military experience and a profound understanding of the need for Christian community. She uses her own journey to relate to other service members, helping them grow in their faith by teaching Bible studies, mentoring women, facilitating community-building events, and supporting weekly gatherings for the Bridge.

FAITH

Joy grew up in a Christian home, accepted Christ at age five, and was baptized at eight. While this provided a strong foundation, her faith became personal in high school. The power of the Christian community, a lesson she learned from her childhood church, became especially important. When she first joined the Navy, she struggled to find a place of belonging with other believers. However, shortly after being stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, a friend invited her to a Cadence House. Since then, she has sought out Cadences houses when she had the opportunity during deployments and work travels. She has been blessed by various ministries in Okinawa and The Homeport in Hawaii. Her faith journey and life have brought challenges, but she relies on God and her faith family (especially Cadence) to help navigate them. Now, she is excited to serve others by facilitating that community as a Cadence staff member.

FAMILY

Joy’s story begins in Alaska, where she was born and raised by her parents, Marvan and Julie Chase. Growing up in Alaska gave her a love of the outdoors as she gallivanted across the state with her three siblings: older sister, Jessica, older brother, Michael, and younger sister, Julianna, who graced the family with her presence ten years after Joy. Trading the Arctic chill for the desert heat, her parents now live in Benson, Arizona, where her father is a heavy equipment operator and her mother is a schoolteacher. Her sister Jessica ambitiously runs a small farm and homeschools her three children, Joy’s beloved nieces and nephew. Julianna lives with Joy in San Diego and is a student at Colorado Christian University studying creative writing. Sadly, Joy’s brother Michael was born with severe disabilities and passed away in 2012 due to complications from his illness. He is still greatly loved and missed by his family.