Tahj Mowry: I think if we’re consistently attempting and realizing how blessed we truly are, it helps us to to live with an attitude of gratitude and to stay humble and to remember that that little moment of waking up in the morning is the best thing ever, because so many people don’t get that. 

Experiencing Joy in All Our Circumstances: Tahj Mowry & Melvin Crispell III – Episode #422

Narrator: Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. This week, we talk with multi-talented actor Tahj Mowry. Known for his roles in beloved TV shows like Smart Guy, Full House, and Disney’s Kim Possible, Tahj shares his journey from a child actor to an adult in the industry, how he stays grounded in a sometimes chaotic environment, and the joy and gratitude he taps into through his faith. 

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Melvin Crispell III, a remarkable gospel recording artist who grew up immersed in the church and followed in the footsteps of his talented gospel music singing parents. He opens up about losing his mom and dad, how prayer became his solace and strength, and how he continues to honor his parents’ legacy and spread joy to others through music. 

Let’s begin with Tahj’s story.  

Tahj Mowry: My name is Tahj Mowry. I’m an actor, and I’ve been acting ever since I was about four or five years old. It is one of my favorite things to do and I get to do it as a job, and I’m very thankful for that. 

The Mowry Family

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. My parents were in the military, so my siblings and I were each born in a different location. I grew up in California, mostly Los Angeles. I have three other siblings, a younger brother and two older twin sisters. And my older sisters and I pretty much moved to California to act. My parents were very gracious in allowing us to do that.  

Growing up with my sisters Tia and Tamera, who are also actors, it was different compared to how another kid might grow up. But my childhood was normal for me because it’s all I knew. I think my parents helped out with that a lot because they still had me going to public schools, and I was playing sports all throughout my childhood, even while I was acting. I would leave the set and then go right to football practice or track practice or things like that. So they kept me very grounded in that aspect. 

Developing a Love for Performance

I would watch commercials at home, and I would memorize the commercials and then act them out, like, in the living room. I was always very lively and I guess wise beyond my years in a sense. Or as my parents like to call it, a ham. I was a ham. I was always on. I just wanted to act and I was blessed with the opportunity and the talent to be able to do so. 

I did so many commercials, and then from that, sort of went into the TV stuff. The first TV show I did was a show called Who’s the Boss? I think I was about five. And then from there, that’s when everything started. I didn’t really stop. And I loved it. 

I also grew up dancing as well. I used to dance with Debbie Allen at her classes, and was always tap dancing, hip-hopping, did all that. My mom sang in the choir growing up, so I got my voice from her, and did that for a little bit in a professional sense in my older years. I was able to sort of explore dancing and singing at my whim, I guess. I’m so thankful for that because I kind of have always just been able to go, Oh, I want to try this now, and then I just do it.  

But acting has always been that comfort for me and that is the true passion for me that I don’t think I’ll ever get away from or stop. And I’m thankful that I still love it to this day and that I’m able to continue to do what I love to do.

“Acting has always been that comfort for me and that is the true passion for me that I don’t think I’ll ever get away from or stop. And I’m thankful that I still love it to this day and that I’m able to continue to do what I love to do.” – Tahj Mowry

Finding Success and Keeping It Real

For me, the key to being in the spotlight, so to speak, is to separate your actual life from the whole glitz and glamor of the industry, of Hollywood. And I think for me, being taught at a young age from my parents that that separation was key and important, is what allowed me to stay grounded, humble, thankful and not go crazy, I guess.  

The first big TV show that I did was a show called Out All Night with Patti LaBelle. It was on NBC. It was Patti LaBelle, Vivica Fox, Morris Chestnut, and Dwayne Martin. The cast was insane. And from that show, I booked a show called Full House. I played Michelle’s best friend for three years.

And then from that, Smart Guy came about, which was a show that was developed for me, because I was just not a regular kid. And any meeting I went into, I guess the big wigs were just like, We got to give this kid a show. That was what sort of made me a bigger household name, I guess.

From that, I became a Disney Channel kid. And I did Disney Channel original movies and a show called Kim Possible, and then actually took a break from acting just to step away, become a regular kid, to do high school. And then I came back during my college years and then sort of was able to transition into adulthood as an actor. So then I did movies like, Are We Done Yet? With Ice Cube and then did a show for six seasons called Baby Daddy. 

The latest show that I did was a show called Muppets Mayhem, which was just a bucket list role for me to be able to work with people like Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Hart. I’m just super thankful to have been able to transition from the child actor world into [becoming] an adult actor. 

I love being able to sort of represent many things, representing a child of God in the industry, and representing someone of my color in this industry. I’m honored and privileged for someone to look at something that I’ve done on TV or in the movie theater and say, “Oh, that person looks like me, I see myself in them.” I think that that’s important. So that’s one of the things that I really love, and which is why I like doing roles that maybe I haven’t done before. I try not to do anything that’s the same as something that I’ve already done, because someone might be able to see something in that character that they didn’t see in another character that I played. So for me, that’s a privilege and it’s a joy and it’s an honor to do this type of job that I do. 

The best stories that I’ve received from people who watch things that I’ve done are the laughter and the joy that they’ve received from watching me do a role. I’ve heard stories of people in the hospital with severe illnesses that all they did during their hospital time was watch Baby Daddy, and it made them happy. That means so much to me, because that’s one of the reasons why I do what I do, to make people smile, to make people feel, to make people see themselves in me. And that’s beautiful. That’s one of the most beautiful parts of my job.

“That’s one of the reasons why I do what I do, to make people smile, to make people feel, to make people see themselves in me. And that’s beautiful. That’s one of the most beautiful parts of my job.” – Tahj Mowry 

Tahj Finds Peace in Christ

One of the ways I love to share how I live my life, my beliefs, what keeps me going, what gives me hope and peace and joy in God—Jesus is the Prince of Peace, so I find my peace and my joy and my happiness in Him. 

And I think as a follower of Christ, the main thing that we’re called to do is surrender. By doing that, we gain life. There’s a rap lyric I love from a Christian rapper, and he says, “Dying just to live, that’s a paradox.” And as a Christian, that’s what we’re called to do. We’re called to die every day to our flesh, to ourselves, and to surrender to Christ daily, to take up our crosses daily. It’s not just like a one time thing. It’s a choice that we should make every day.

“We’re called to die every day to our flesh, to ourselves, and to surrender to Christ daily, to take up our crosses daily. It’s not just like a one time thing. It’s a choice that we should make every day.” – Tahj Mowry

So for me, surrendering daily in those little moments should look the same as it does in those big moments. For example, if something amazing happens to you and you’re all about God in that moment, “Yeah, God! Thank you. My dream came true.” But then when the big moments don’t happen, are you still thankful? Are you still surrendering? Are you still joyful beyond your circumstances? So I think it’s important to wake up with the decision to surrender your all to the living Christ. And from that, you’ll be more prepared for those bigger moments later on. 

So the fact that you woke up this morning, the fact that you’re loved, the fact that you’re alive and well, that should be enough of a little moment to bring you joy in those lead ups to those big moments. I think an attitude of gratitude, a heart of thankfulness, is where worship begins. If we stay thankful, we’re never ungrateful.

“I think an attitude of gratitude, a heart of thankfulness, is where worship begins. If we stay thankful, we’re never ungrateful.” – Tahj Mowry

I’m at a point in my life where I’m so joyful in the surrender because the more I surrender to Christ, the happier I am, the more peaceful I am, and the more I don’t have to worry about anything because He’s got me. Like, “Have it, Lord, you can have it.” He wants to take our burdens. And I think remembering that is so important in our walk. 

Prayer is a way for us to basically let go and let God in a sense, and to take the trust away from ourselves and to put it in the Almighty. And prayer should always be a reminder that He is in control and we are not. And the more you pray, I believe, the more it equates to you realizing how much you need Him and how much you realize you’re not in control. 

I have many devotionals, and Jesus Calling was actually the first yearly 365 day devotional that I ever fell in love with. And so it holds a special place in my heart. Jesus Listens is so wonderful because it’s in the form of prayer. Sometimes we just don’t know what to pray for. And those prayer devotionals help me create new habits and different ways of praying that I never would have thought to pray for. It reminds me that we’re the body of Christ, and I don’t need to only be praying for myself. I can speak to God the Father with the familiarity of a child to a parent. And that is so beautiful. 

So prayer, for me, is something that I want to always do more of. And I think beginning your day in a state of knowing who’s in control—which is not us—is the key to starting off our day properly. We did not wake up on our own accord. We are not breathing on our own accord. Our hearts are not beating on our own accord. There is someone in full control and orchestration of every part of our bodies and beings and the universe, and that is God Almighty. And realizing and choosing to dive into that every day is the key to a peaceful, joyful life.

Narrator: To keep up with Tahj Mowry and his upcoming projects, follow him on social media. 

Stay tuned to Melvin Crispell III’s story after a brief message.

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Our next guest is Melvin Crispell III. Melvin grew up as part of a prominent gospel music family, with his parents leading the way. He shares about the devastating loss of his mom and dad, and how he continues to use the gifts they gave him to bring hope and healing to others.

Melvin Crispell III: My name is Melvin Crispell III, I am a gospel recording artist. I just love Jesus, I love serving, I love serving His people. And I really just make music and put out music to bring hope back into the lives of believers and nonbelievers, and really just want to see the entire world come to Christ.

A Legacy of Gospel Music

Growing up, I was heavily, heavily involved in church. I mean, I’m talking three, four services a Sunday, three to four rehearsals during the week, just going around with my parents, because my parents were heavily involved in the gospel music industry themselves. My mom was a renowned singer/psalmist alongside my dad, who was a composer, songwriter, and musician as well. He’s written songs for a lot of different gospel artists back in the day. And so that was my life, church and just growing up wanting to sing, just around music all the time. Singing has always been my passion. It’s always been a source of peace for me, and strength.

My parents, their music, a lot of it was before their time. And it was music that really helped bridge generations. Some of the songs my dad has written have impacted the young people of my generation today. Like, they bop to his songs and dance to his songs and different things like that. But they have no idea that he was the writer. And all those years ago, this music was how we feel it today. I would learn so much watching them perform and go to different places and minister and treat people right and be kind and teach. Those things have really impacted not just me as a person, but my sound, how can I invite people in using my voice, using my music, my gifts, and just show them who Jesus is through all of that. 

And so [I’m] able to carry that legacy, whether it’s redoing some of their music and bringing it back to life, or just polishing it and making it fit modern times and being able to release it so the generations to come can really remember it and enjoy it.

Coping With Losing Your Parents

My father had diabetes. And it was a challenge for him. He wound up being an amputee. And he was starting to recover, doing well. We were so excited that he made it through all that he had already been through, and were trying to just get him on a road to recovery and taking better care of himself. And with having diabetes, in most cases you get diabetic neuropathy, which is when you start losing feeling in your extremities, so he had no feeling in his feet. He stepped on a piece of glass, and it was there for a couple of weeks and he had no idea. And so, of course, it got super infected. So we went to the doctor, they were going to give him a surgery to remedy it. And in that surgery, his blood pressure plummeted three times before his heart stopped and he passed unexpectedly. They didn’t know why at first. They said it was a septic shock. So that was a major shock to us. And so that was in 2014.

For about six or seven years, my mom had been battling on and off with cancer. It was just a really tough battle for her. She went through so much, but she was one of the strongest women that I had ever known. To see her go through all that she went through and still find the strength and find every opportunity to just lift her hands and thank God for all that He was doing in not only her life, but in her family’s life, was incredible to see. And so through that, it was very tough. Finally, in 2016, she passed from cancer.

I was young, seventeen, eighteen years old, and there were so many times where I thought, Well, they’re gone. Why am I still here? What is my purpose in life? Like, I haven’t even fully come into my adulthood, and most people have their parents to help them through these times. I had to pray and ask God to show me what to do and to show me how to handle all of this, because I’m an only child. I don’t know what to do. God didn’t fail me. He literally answered my prayer and He placed so many people around me to make sure I was good, to make sure that I stayed on my feet, to make sure I didn’t go without. That’s just one example of God’s goodness.

“God didn’t fail me. He literally answered my prayer and He placed so many people around me to make sure I was good, to make sure that I stayed on my feet, to make sure I didn’t go without. That’s just one example of God’s goodness.” – Melvin Crispell III

Music and prayer were the two things that kept me sane. It kept me whole, together, being able to sing and release that pain through music, whether it be in church, whatever it may be, just giving it over to Jesus was my remedy. God was with me through it all, and He literally guided me through that season. And that’s why I’m still here today. He took care of every one of my needs, and that’s the reason why I sing. It shows up in my music because I go and minister to these people and in these places to show them the God that showed Himself to me, to show them the love that He showed me. To let people know that, yeah, you’re going through this, that, and the third. But just like He came for me, He turned around for me, He’ll do the same exact thing for you. And you’re going to leave here today after this ministry moment, knowing that you have a Father who cares about you.

“He’s Never Failed Me Yet” 

So CeCe Winans put out an album a couple of years ago. And I’m the one that will listen to maybe one or two songs on an album and just kind of take my time getting back to the rest of the songs on the album. That album came out and it really hit me. And “He’s Never Failed Me Yet” was the first song on that album I heard, and I had that song on repeat for literal days. You know how you hear a song and you just envision yourself in the place that you want to be, the place that’s so peaceful to you? And it’s just like nothing can go wrong in this space. That’s literally what that song did for me. And so this whole EP is called Covered, and “He’s Never Failed Me Yet” is a part of it. It’s really about re-releasing music that artists have put out that have really inspired me. I’ve really wanted to just show my respect and give them their flowers while they’re still here, and just let them know that there’s somebody in the world that has really been impacted by their music. I just wanted them to know that I’m one of the ones. And because that song really helped pull me out of a dark place, I really wanted to just pay tribute to her.

People are listening to music and it is really changing lives. And I’m grateful that God saw fit to use me because I’m nowhere near perfect. I really have such a long way to go in my walk, in my journey. But I’m grateful. And I’m honored that God decides to use me in the way He does. 

“People are listening to music and it is really changing lives. And I’m grateful that God saw fit to use me because I’m nowhere near perfect. I really have such a long way to go in my walk, in my journey. But I’m grateful. And I’m honored that God decides to use me in the way He does.” – Melvin Crispell III 

If you’re in a season of your life where it seems like He’s silent, hold on to what He said the last time. Because His word still stands, and He will speak again. So just pray and ask God to send signs and show you the lessons that need to be learned in this season. And He will do it. I’m a firm believer and I’m a witness to what the power of God can do. So stay encouraged. Nothing can defeat you. Nothing can take you down. Because God is in control, and that’s it! 

Jesus Listens, November 6th: 

Dear Jesus,

Help me to lead a victorious life by living in deep dependence on You. I used to associate victory with success—not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But being successful in my own strength made me vulnerable to going my own way, forgetting about You. It is through problems and failure, weakness and need, that I’m learning to rely on You.

Sometimes You instill a dream in me that seems far beyond my reach. I know that my own resources are inadequate for attaining such a goal. Thus begins my journey of profound dependence on You. It’s a faith-walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on You for strength and guidance. This is not a path of continual success but a way of multiple failures. However, each failure is followed by a growth spurt—nourished by increasing reliance on You. I want to enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life by deepening my dependence on You.

In Your victorious Name, 

Amen

Narrator: To learn more about Melvin Crispell III, check out his newest EP, Covered Vol. 1, wherever you get your music.

If you’d like to hear more stories about having joy no matter our circumstances, check out our interview with Kathie Lee Gifford.

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Next week: Dr. Ming Wang

Next time on the Jesus Calling Podcast, we’ll hear from laser eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang, who shares the gripping story of escaping a life of hard labor during China’s cultural revolution, and how he became a medical professional who uses his gifts to serve others. 

Dr. Ming Wang: My life story from darkness to light spiritually has really taught me that science and faith still work together. Science is tools, and faith in Jesus Christ is the purpose, what we are going to use the tools for.