Jai (pronounced JAY) is an American singer-songwriter, speaker, host, serial entrepreneur, brand strategist, leadership coach, philanthropist, actress, and media mogul. There’s literally nothing she can’t do! As a dynamic communicator, for the past four years, Jai was the witty “tell it like it is” co-host on the Joyce Meyer “Talk It Out” podcast, which has reached over 11 million impressions and is currently being televised in two-thirds of the world and translated in over 100 languages on Joyce Meyer’s internationally syndicated television program “Enjoying Everyday Life.” As a songwriter and performer, Jai has shared the stage with, written for, and toured with the likes of Erica Campbell, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds, Amber Riley, Shirley Caesar, Raz B of B2K, Natalie Grant and Devon Franklin, to name a few. She also made her acting debut in the independent film, “Dreams,” starring Terri J. Vaughn and Geoffrey Owens, where she was the supporting actress. Jai aims to influence, inspire, and boldly change the world one day at a time through her humor and transparency.

I Ascend: We are excited to interview the beautiful Jai, who is no stranger to I Ascend Magazine. Ms. Jai is our November 2022 & November 2023 Cover and the first to do it!

Jai:  I love it. November is also my birthday month.

I Ascend:  Happy Birthday! This is our catch-up with Jai time because you have been on the move! God has called you back to preaching. How are you enjoying the return?

Jai: Well, it has been a fantastic experience. I was hired as the Executive Pastor at Real Talk Kim’s church, which lasted six months and was the Creative Director and Stylist for her latest book launch. I have been pastoring for years, and as you know, I am a pastor’s kid. I was ordained at the age of eighteen. After my marital breakdown and divorce, I had to take a sabbatical I had a lot of healing to do. Though I have pastored for so many years, I knew that God was shifting me from a pastoral role into more of a consultant coaching relationship to work alongside the leaders. This affords me the ability to partner with multiple churches. This process, in turn allows me on a larger scale to reach the masses with the Good News. When the opportunity came with Limitless church, God said, that will be the vehicle to get you where I want you to be because you’ve been hurt so much that you are resistant and hesitant. God said, “Listen to me, follow me, obey me,” and I hearkened to His voice. That was the tool that got me to Atlanta. I have recently partnered with New Birth Missionary Baptist church, and I am doing more consulting work with other churches as well.

I Ascend: It is lovely to hear how God is expanding your territory. No one can do what He does!

Jai: Right; No one can! I used to be such a control freak I am a planner by nature. I like to plan things, and I love to say that I listened to God before I wrote the plan. I really do write the vision, make it plain, and then submit it to God. I didn’t realize how much I held on to that vision process. It really allowed God to do what he wanted me to do in me and through me. I must say, after finalizing my divorce from my marriage of 20 years, I really learned how to submit my plans to the Lord and say whatever you want me to do. The opportunity presented itself to return to Ministering, that is what brought me here to Atlanta. I was with Joyce Meyer Ministries for over ten years, and being a loyal person, it was hard to close that chapter. What I have learned in this new season is that God is teaching me how to trust Him on a greater level. The moment I said, yes, I am going to walk on water and do it. God has been opening so many more doors for me. It has been amazing.

I Ascend: You have been hosting all over the country and constantly moving, God is opening one door after the other.

Jai:  It is God alone. I remember being a little girl and going to conferences or concerts and wondering, how do people end up on the stage? I wanted to know what the process was for being a planner. I am always thinking, and this intrigued me. I had the opportunity several years ago, at the Stellar Awards, to connect with some of the producers. This enabled me to produce a show and even host several shows for the Stellar Awards and perform. These are things that when you position yourself and your heart is pure, if you do the work and make sure you’re prepared for the opportunity, God will open pathways. The Bible does not lie; your gift will make room for you. I just came from The Spin Awards, which is the Radio Announcers Awards, here in Atlanta, Georgia, and I hosted the Red Carpet Event. That was amazing, and then I went immediately to the Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee.

I Ascend: Last year, when we interviewed, you shared about your divorce. Now that there has been some healing, have you considered at this time or in the near future you’re open to dating?

Jai: Yes, I was a virgin until I got married, and I vowed that when I got married, I was going to be a wife until death do us part. I would be that Godly wife to the best of my knowledge. Now, was I perfect? No, but I had no intentions of divorcing. When I found out about my ex-husband’s affair, it really blew my mind. The hurt was more from the shock of it all, I had known my husband for over 30 years. I had been married to him for 20 years, then suddenly, he was not in my life anymore, and he’s loving someone else, and he remarried quickly. That is a lot to process, especially when you think this is my husband for the rest of my life. When we spoke even a year ago, I had gone through about a year and a half at that point of healing, counseling, therapy, and lots of it.  I had to talk through it, process it, and deal with the hurt. I felt like God left me hanging, I questioned God and asked where He was in that situation. How have I prayed for people’s marriages, and mine didn’t come back together? I have learned, I have grown, and there’s been so much healing to the point where now I pray for my ex-husband and his wife. I pray that they have a great marriage, I pray for him because I need my ex-husband to be a good father to my daughter, who’s now twenty years old.

Even though I am now living my single life, though it has been fun, I realized, as a Christian woman, we don’t talk about singleness enough. We don’t talk about sex in the church. We don’t talk about what happens after a divorce. The church does not teach young women how to keep a husband. We don’t teach how to please our husbands, we don’t teach anything about that. Then, in retrospect, we don’t know what it’s like after a divorce because that is so taboo. I must say I have seriously been enjoying my single life and finding out who Jai is.  I never lived alone, I went straight from being with my parents to college to being a spouse. I got forced to get married as my dad didn’t want it to look like we were having premarital sex. So, we got married immediately after we got engaged. As a forty-plus-year-old woman, I literally cried picking out a couch. It was the first time I could pick out a couch I wanted without someone else weighing in. What seemed like a curse is now such a blessing to me. I am open to dating if God helps my mate find me because I know I’m a builder. I’m a relationship person; I love to build with someone, I love collaboration, and I love – Love. I want to go on trips and be booed up with my future Mr.  (Light Chuckles)

I Ascend: Yes, and he has to be a God-fearing man.

Jai: Yes, he has to be a God-fearing man, and he cannot be jealous of what God has put on my life. He needs to be secure in who he is and ready to partner with me to push me forward. He can be a roofer as long as he is sent and finds me. The Word indicates I don’t have to seek him he will seek and find me. He’ll be the one that I’m supposed to be with, somebody who’s going to love me and be loyal to me.  He will communicate if things get stale instead of cheating on me. I need someone who understands we have to be able to talk through it and go to counseling if we need to. My Dream Mr. will be a person who’s open to communicating, a man who supports me and loves the Lord, and that’s all I need for me and my daughter. My daughter’s grown, but he still has to love her.

I Ascend: What are you doing currently, and how can readers follow and stay abreast of everything you’re doing?

Jai: Well, one of the pathways God has opened for me is instead of being on staff at a single church, I have been helping churches through my branding, marketing, and consulting company called Echo My Brand and Five Talents Coaching & Consulting, where I come alongside churches, and help them with brand strategies, organizational communications, leadership training, leadership development, etc.… which is super cool. Instead of working for them, I work with them, and now I can work with multiple churches around the globe. I also create marketing strategies for independent artists, actors, anyone in the entertainment business, or small business owners. Musically, I am coming out with several new projects. I just released a song with Story Collective & One Chance called “God Like You.” We released it with Capital Records. I am also releasing a new single called “555” in November I am super excited about that. “555” is very special because right before my divorce, I started seeing the number five everywhere. My birthday is November 5^th, and I know it is the number of grace. I also began to wake up daily at 5:55 in the morning. I asked God, what does this mean? I talked to one of my mentors, and they said it was because you’re graced to do this, this, and that in this next season. I wrote a song that says your grace and mercy got me seeing 555. It is a fun, Afrobeat Caribbean-type song. I am speaking a lot more with “Women of Tomorrow.”  And we just released season three of “Women of Tomorrow” podcast

I Ascend: Will you still be traveling to join the podcast with Joyce Meyers Ministries?

Jai: Unfortunately, no, they closed that chapter when I decided to move to Atlanta. I was with Joyce Meyer Ministries in various roles for ten amazing years, and like I said, I am a loyalist. I would have stayed because it’s hard for me to let things go.  I loved it so much, and stepping into a new season of my life will already have so many adjustments, but it was necessary. However, the shows are still airing. I did over one hundred episodes with them, and they are all available on YouTube, in addition to her Enjoying Everyday Life.   Be sure to stay connected at www.JustJai.com and on IG @JaiTalks.