Shelly Genovese Calhoun
9 min read ⭑
“I thought that if I wasn’t a Bible scholar, couldn’t quote Scripture backward and forward, or didn’t pray poetic prayers, God couldn’t use me. But as I really started studying God’s Word, I realized that almost all the people he used were not perfect at all. As a matter of fact, nobody he uses is perfect.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There's much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
My favorite restaurant, Houston’s, closed their doors during the pandemic. That was a sad, sad day. It had been one of my favorite places since the early 1990s. Everything on their menu was delicious, but the spinach dip was the best I’ve ever tasted. Not only was their food unbelievable, but I have so many beautiful memories there!
It’s where I met my husband, had countless lunches with my mom and even celebrated Christmas Eve on several occasions. Food, for me, is more than just what I put in my mouth. It’s about spending time together with the people you love!
Axel Houmadi; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So, what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
Surprisingly, one of my favorite things to do is ride four-wheelers. My family owns a cabin in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, that backs up to the Ouachita National Forest, where there are thousands of acres and trails that you could easily get lost on if you’re not good with directions. I love to go there especially in the fall when the temperatures have dropped and the leaves on the trees are falling.
We have a UTV and a couple of four-wheelers. I’m always eager to hop on the older four-wheeler because I like to manually shift gears. My husband always leads the way so we won’t end up on some episode of “I Shouldn’t Be Alive.” My kids follow him, and I bring up the rear. As I watch them from behind, I take it all in, never wanting to take one moment for granted.
My mind always seems to be a little clearer when I’m riding. There are no distractions — just being with the people I love. I think about everything, especially all that God has brought me through. And as I watch my family, I pray for them and thank God for the beautiful path he carved out for my life.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human too. We're just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So, what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
My kryptonite is thinking that if I’m not perfect, God can’t use me. I grew up in the modeling world, and most of my memories of that season of my life are unbelievable. But the push to be perfect in that world was difficult for me.
When I modeled in the late ’80s and ’90s, you had to be a certain height, weight and size to be considered for most jobs. Today, models of all types and sizes are on TV, magazine covers and campaign ads, which I think is fantastic. But back in the day, if you didn’t look like Cindy Crawford or Gisele, you probably weren’t going to be working a lot.
I struggled with comparing myself to others — always wanting to be taller and thinner. For years, I used that same kind of thinking in my relationship with the Lord. I thought that if I wasn’t a Bible scholar, couldn’t quote Scripture backward and forward, or didn’t pray poetic prayers, God couldn’t use me. But as I really started studying God’s Word, I realized that almost all the people he used were not perfect at all. As a matter of fact, nobody he uses is perfect.
A sermon from our pastor one Sunday really spoke to me. He was talking about David and Goliath, showing that we are not called to wear someone else’s armor. David wasn’t called to wear the coat of armor and bronze helmet that Saul gave him. From the time David was a young man protecting his father’s sheep, God had already equipped David with everything he would need to fight the battle with Goliath. I realized then that I didn’t have to be someone else for the Lord to do unbelievable things through me. God had created me for a certain purpose. Nothing in my life had happened by accident, and he can use every broken piece of it for his glory.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
My obsession right now is reading the Bible from cover to cover. Growing up, my family didn’t start going to church regularly until I was in seventh grade, so I missed precious years of learning Bible stories.
I’ve been involved in women’s Bible studies for years, which has helped me learn so much. But reading the Bible cover to cover is stretching me and giving me a great hunger for the Word of God! I have found so many hidden treasures in reading God’s Word that I would have never found unless I had been searching for them wholeheartedly. It never ceases to amaze me how alive and relevant the Bible is no matter what is going on in my life.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it's God when it happens?
I am literally the poster child for 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (NIV). Before I do a radio show, podcast or speaking engagement, my stomach is in knots, and I honestly feel like I’m about to jump off a cliff. I begin praying, singing and praising God and reminding him that I can’t do this on my own (of course, he already knows that).
Just being in his presence reminds me that the perfect love of Christ casts out fear. Once the interview starts, the Spirit of God takes over. I have this incredible peace and ability to say and remember things I know I am not capable of doing on my own. I’m reminded of everything that he has done in my life, how faithful he is and what he did for us on the cross.
I have found that the more that I am called to step out of my comfort zone, the greater his presence is in my life. He is constantly leading me, carrying me, guiding me and directing me — always beyond what I’m able to accomplish on my own.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So, spill it, which spiritual practice is workin’ best for you right now?
When I don’t have a speaking engagement, I’m a stay-at-home mom. After I drop my son off at school and my husband leaves for work, I get my day started doing normal daily tasks such as laundry, dishes, cleaning and organizing my family’s schedule. But the first thing I do is say, “Alexa, play praise and worship!”
I have always loved music, but listening to Christian music makes me feel like I’m never alone. There have been times I was right in the middle of loading the dishwasher and started sobbing because God spoke to my heart through a song.
I feel like no matter what we are doing, God can be a part of it if we simply invite him. Just the other day, I was getting a pedicure. I could have sat there, checked my emails and not talked to anyone, but I started up a conversation with the nail technician. One thing led to another, and the next thing I know, the sweet man who was painting my toes is now praying for me. God is so good like that, always showing up right when we need it.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources — lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are some resources that have impacted you?
I would say my favorite study tool right now is Bible Hub. As I’m reading through Scripture in my Bible, I often want to get a more in-depth understanding. I love how I can look up Scripture in several different translations at the same time on the app. Sometimes a different version makes a verse more relatable and meaningful. The app also has cross-referencing features, which allow me to dig deeper into whatever I’m learning.
Second, Christian music has always resonated with my heart. I know that listening to it and letting your soul absorb the words can change you.
And lastly, godly friends. I love to surround myself with godly people. Iron sharpens iron. They encourage me, inspire me, and keep me on the right track. I must add, it’s also very handy to have a team of mighty prayer warriors!
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season — and tell us what it's done for you.
My Bible. It seems like in our current culture, physical Bibles are becoming extinct. Everyone loves their Bible apps! Don’t get me wrong, I love mine, too, and use them when I’m studying Scripture. But I could not live without my printed copy of God’s Word. I love to write in my Bible and highlight everything that speaks to me. But my absolute favorite is when I’ve dated Scripture for a time in my life when I’ve needed it, or for when it has spoken to me.
God’s Word and his promises have changed my life and my way of thinking. When I am old and gray, I want my Bible to be so worn out that my children will know I spent time with the Lord.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So, give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
It took me nearly eight years to write my first book. Not eight years of actual writing, but eight years of believing lies from the enemy, including that no one wanted to hear my story, that my story wasn’t important and that I couldn’t write it.
I knew that God had clearly spoken to me, and I knew without a doubt that I was supposed to tell my story. I never once doubted that God could do all things, but I had a hard time believing that he could do them through me.
Once I took a leap of faith and put pen to paper (literally), God was able to use it. Who knows what he has for me in the future? But I know one thing for sure — I will be willing when he calls.
We live in a culture that’s obsessed with self-betterment. Be healthier. Be smarter. Be richer. Be more attractive. Be thinner. Businesses make billions of dollars in the name of self-improvement.
Yet despite this incessant striving for perfection, people are just as unhappy as ever. Shelly experienced this truth firsthand during her modeling career, and the facts back up her personal experience. In 2020, a poll showed Americans were unhappier than they had been in 50 years. (And even before the pandemic struck, a 2019 study showed negative feelings were on the rise around the globe.)
The question is, if we’re so focused on becoming better versions of ourselves, why are so many of us unhappy?
God’s Word shows us that it’s because happiness doesn’t come from us being perfect. It comes from the only one who is truly good in and of himself — Jesus. That truth takes us back to the Scripture verse Shelly quoted earlier:
“My grace is sufficient for you,” God says, “for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).
This promise is for you, friend. Will you trust that Jesus’ grace is enough for you — today and every day?
Shelly Genovese Calhoun is a speaker, wife, mother and author of Twice Blessed: A Journey of Hope Through 9/11. A former fashion model, she represented East Texas in the Miss Texas USA pageant. During her modeling career, she worked for Anne Klein, Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, Panhandle Slim, Dillard’s and many other notable companies. She resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and is married to her best friend, Heath, and their two children. Her daughter, Jacqueline, is a senior at Texas A&M University, and her son, Cash, is a freshman in high school. For more information, visit TwiceBlessed911.com.
