Being raised in the small rural community of Prescott, Alabama and having parents with only a sixth grade education provided Joey with an education that very few have the opportunity to experience. With a strong Christian mother, the Bible became alive as she lived her life. Meanwhile, an honorable work ethic was instilled by a dad that usually had two jobs. Growing up with all the wonders of nature, one grandmother that was raised in an orphanage and the other a mother of ten, one granddad that was illiterate and the other a blacksmith, and a community that had an abundance of "characters," there was never a shortage of storytelling and activities. Joey earned a B.S. from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and a M.A. in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served Alabama churches as minister of education and bi-vocational pastor. In 2010, he was the recipient of the Troy L. Morrison Award as Bi-vocational Pastor of the Year in the Alabama Baptist State Convention. In addition to serving in churches, Joey is a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He and his wife, Donna, have been married for forty-three years and have two grown sons - Joey Jr. and his wife Emily who have a daughter, Elizabeth: and Matt and his wife Sarah who have a son, Micah and are expecting a second child.