From Hong Kong To Hollywood: Derek (DJ) Williams’ Inspirational Faith Journey Of Risk, Purpose & Motivation (Inspirational)

What if the life you’re meant to live requires faith without a roadmap, courage without guarantees, and the willingness to trust God in the unknown?

In this powerful inspirational podcast episode, Reginald D sits down with global storyteller, producer, creative leader, and author DJ Williams for a deeply motivational, faith-driven conversation about purpose, resilience, and trusting God when life doesn’t come with clear directions.

From growing up in Hong Kong as a missionary kid to navigating Hollywood boardrooms, international ministry, creative risk, near-death experiences, and bestselling novels, DJ Williams shares inspirational stories that reveal how faith is built in real life — not inherited, not performed, but lived.

Many people feel stuck between calling and comfort — knowing they were created for more, but unsure how to move without certainty. This episode speaks directly to that tension. Whether you’re navigating career transitions, creative dreams, faith questions, or personal growth, DJ Williams’ journey shows how trusting God in the unseen moments builds lasting purpose.

This motivational and inspirational podcast meets you where you are and reminds you that faith, creativity, and purpose don’t require perfection — they require courage.

Press play now to experience one of the most inspirational, motivational, and faith-centered conversations on Real Talk With Reginald D — and walk away encouraged to trust God, take the risk, and write your own story.

DJ's contact info:

Author of the Chase Hardeman thriller series & the Beacon Hill YA series. KING OF THE NIGHT and BATTLE OF LION ROCK are AVAILABLE NOW!

Website: https://djwiliamsbooks.com

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/djwilliamsbooks

 X:  https://x.com/djwilliamsbooks

inspirational podcast, motivational podcast, motivational speech, inspirational, motivation, faith and motivation, inspirational stories, motivational speeches, faith-based inspiration, motivational and inspirational, inspirational faith journey, purpose driven motivation, trusting God in the unknown, inspirational life stories, faith based motivation, personal growth inspiration, Christian, Self Improvement

Transcript

Reginald D: Welcome to Real Talk with Reginald D

I'm your host, Reginald D

Today I have a special guest and I'm gonna put it like this.

He's from Hong Kong to Hollywood, from ministry to the marketplace,

from risk to resilience.

Today's guest is a global storyteller, creative leader,

and a man who's learned to trust God in the unknown.

He's produced hundreds of TV episodes, built record labels,

traveled the world,

and has written bestselling thrillers,

all while forging his own God written path.

His name is DJ Williams.

DJ Williams: Welcome to the show, DJ Reginald, thanks for having me on. It's good to be here.

Reginald D: Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.

So, dj, tell us a little bit about where you grew up and what your childhood was like. That's what I like to start out with my guest.

DJ Williams: Sure. I was born and raised in Hong Kong. My parents were missionaries there for about 20 years and so we grew up there. I think I got on my first airplane when I was four years old, going to the Philippines to see some other missionaries.

So I've traveled my whole life all over the world.

I love growing up in a different culture. It was an incredible experience.

At the time,

we didn't think anything was different, you know, because that's just, just where we lived, where we grew up.

But as I've gotten older and looked back, I've realized that that was a pretty special time to be able to grow up in a different culture and have, you know, childhood friends now that live all over the world.

And so, yeah,

that was really great. It was a fun experience.

Reginald D: So you were raised in Hong Kong as a son of missionaries. So how did growing up between cultures shape the storyteller you became?

DJ Williams: Well,

definitely has shaped the kind of stories. I like writing stories, I like producing.

And I think it adds a level of realness to the settings because almost every place that's in the novels that I write, almost every place I've either been to or I know someone who's been there.

But I've traveled to a lot of these places, so countries throughout Asia,

Africa,

you know, I think it kind of instilled that adventurous storytelling part of me, you know,

kind of a funny thing. Growing up, I always thought I was going to play professional basketball, Reginald. That was my dream.

I played in Hong Kong growing up, came back to the States, I played here in LA even after high school.

But I think there were other plans, you know, God had other plans for me. And it took a season in the entertainment business for me to kind of figure that Out.

But I've always been a storyteller, and growing up overseas has definitely shaped the kind of stories I like telling.

Reginald D: So you said that faith is something you had to build for yourself, not just inherit. What moment made faith become real to you?

DJ Williams: Yeah, you know, when I was eight years old, I gave my life to Christ in the back row of a church.

And I think part of it was God definitely kind of reached my heart in that moment. There was also another part where my whole family was saved. So I figured, you know, I better get on with the program.

I don't want to get left behind, you know.

But, you know, there was a season in high school for me where I did walk away from my faith for a while,

even though my parents were still in ministry. And every pastor's kid and missionary kid can relate to that season of life where you have to figure out, you know, am I believing it because my family believes it,

or do I believe in Jesus and God for myself?

And so high school is definitely. I'd say my senior year is kind of where I.

I kind of got my life together.

A couple friends of mine were believers, are our believers,

and we were high school friends, and so they really kind of helped me kind of get back where I needed to be.

Reginald D: Yeah, because the thing about it with me growing up with a bunch of pastors and preachers in the family, man, it was just like church,

church, church. I mean, four times on Sundays. I mean, then all during the week, it's like.

And I was like, it's gotta be more than this. I mean, I wanted more than that, you know, And I kind of did the same thing you did. I kind of stepped away from as I got older because I can make my own decisions then.

You can make your own decision when you was a kid, you know, but made my own decision then, you know, which I.

I found balance in it.

I found balance in it because I don't think that church is who you are, you know, as a person. It's more to life than just church.

DJ Williams: Well, and I think part of it for me was,

you know, especially I shared a little bit with you before we started recording that. You know, after high school, I ended up working in the marketplace for a while, then ended up stepping into a role to run a record company out of a church.

So I was in ministry.

Never thought that would happen to me.

But there is a part of me, Reginald, I don't know if you've ever felt this, but where I felt more comfortable walking out my faith outside of ministry. Than I did when I was in ministry.

So there was a part of that where the people that crossed my paths, you know, especially over the years now, where I've worked on so many projects where there's people from all walks of life, you know, that you're working with and creating with and doing life with,

that I'm more comfortable in that environment to even share about my faith than I was when I was in the church 24 7.

Reginald D: And that's exactly the way I felt.

Exactly the way I felt. I felt all the things I did outside of the church.

You know, I was more comfortable with it. I was more comfortable with the people,

you know, like I told you earlier,

normal people. To me, you know,

if you was a homeless guy or you was somebody that needed help, or you just some, you know, person just needed life, you know, I think one of the things we looked at it, we came with love like Christ wanted us to, but we didn't start shoving Christ down people's throat.

We just wanted people to see Christ through us,

you know, and show you that we're going to be here for you. We're going to love on you. We're going to do what you need from us or what we can do just every day, hanging out, you know.

DJ Williams: Well, and it's the Great Commission to go out into all the world. I think for believers, the biggest challenge is we can isolate ourselves in our churches and our denominations and protect anyone else from getting into that group, you know,

But God's called us to go out. The whole point of being part of a church community is to. To be equipped to be discipled so you can go out and actually,

you know, use your life for the Lord.

But,

you know, because of kind of the culture of the church here, especially in the US you could easily just isolate yourself in a church community and never get outside of that, you know, And I've always been more comfortable kind of being on the outside doing what I do than,

you know, necessarily standing behind a pulpit.

Reginald D: Right,

right, exactly. So, dj, you've been from the jungles of the Amazon to the slums of the Far east to Hollywood boardrooms.

What did these radically different worlds teach you about purpose?

DJ Williams: You know, I think through different seasons of life, I learned something different in each one of those.

You know, when I think of.

When I think of the Philippines, for example.

We shot a documentary there years ago and interacted with families that lived in a kind of a slum area of Manila.

And that came at a point in my life where I was trying to figure out what I was going to do next.

And going to those who are forgotten by the world as a way of resetting your priorities and kind of your calling. In a way, that happened to me,

you know, South America.

Here's the thing, Reginald. I almost died a couple times on these trips. So I.

As you asked that question, that's the first thing that flashed in my mind. I'm like, I survived that trip. I survived this trip. But it definitely instilled, kind of the adventurous spirit, really reinforced,

I think, my gifts, my creativity, my calling, for sure.

I think if we're talking about Hollywood, it's kind of funny.

I was watching a interview the other day with Denzel Washington, and someone asked him about Hollywood,

and his response was interesting because he was like,

hollywood is a city,

but it's not entertainment.

And I thought, that's really interesting for. You know, I've lived here a long time now,

and I've kind of encountered that with the people that I've run across and created with.

You know, it's creativity meets commerce in a way, you know, so you have the business side of it. So I learned a lot about not only creativity, but about kind of the business end of the entertainment space.

And I've met some really great people,

you know, some that are. Are walking out their faith, some that aren't.

And,

you know, I think that's been kind of a.

An interesting thing.

And we've pitched dozens of shows to the network, so it's,

you know, it's a little bit like rolling the dice anytime you go out.

Go out with a new project. But,

you know, it's taught me to trust the Lord no matter what. You know, if the right door opens and we chase it.

Reginald D: It.

DJ Williams: If the door closes, then we create something else and go out and see if that's the one.

Reginald D: Yeah, that's it. And you mentioned Denzel. He won the best that ever did it.

DJ Williams: Man, oh, man, he is.

Reginald D: Kept himself grounded through it all, you know.

DJ Williams: Well, and I think that's what's made him.

In my point of view, what's made him so engaging is you believe every character he plays for one, you know,

and in recent years, you know, he's talked more. I mean, he's been a believer for a long time, but recent years,

they've captured him talking more about his faith,

and it's just so grounded in the basics.

You know,

sometimes we can make church complicated, we can make religion complicated. And this interview he was doing, I just sat there and just listened to it's like us having a conversation, it's like,

that's how simple it should be, you know, to share your faith, talk about your experience.

And I love the fact that he's been able to kind of walk in both environments. You know, he can speak in a church, but he can, you know,

be the bad guy in Training Day. You know what I mean?

Reginald D: Right.

DJ Williams: You know what I mean? So I love that. I love that part of it.

Reginald D: Right. So you talked about, you know, near death experiences. So you survive. Let's talk about this. You survived a charging elephant, literally.

DJ Williams: Yeah.

Reginald D: How did facing physical danger shape how you face emotional, spiritual danger today?

DJ Williams: Well, I'll tell you.

I mean, the elephant is one story. I'll tell you another story from South America, which is pretty funny. It's funny, and it's not funny at the same time.

So we were on a music tour in Guatemala,

and we were going to go one afternoon to an orphanage that was up in the mountains.

So I have with me one of the best bass players, Reginald, in the world is with me. And everyone else was in another vehicle or they were on their way already.

So I have him with me. And we have one of the local pastors.

He picks us up in this van.

And so we're in the van, we're driving,

but then he pulls over at like a little store, goes in the store,

comes back out, puts this plastic bag between the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

And, you know, my missionary senses, my traveling senses, I'm like, I need to see what's in this bag. I got to take a look at what's in his bag.

So as he's driving, I take a look down,

and it's like four bottles of brake fluid.

And I'm thinking,

this cannot be a good sign if you need four bottles of brake fluid. Where are we going? You know?

Well, he pulls off the highway and Reginald, we are on this dirt road,

literally only wide enough for one vehicle.

And I'm on the passenger side, and when I'm looking out the window,

it's like a thousand foot drop off the edge of this road.

And there's no guard rails, there's nothing.

Well, he starts driving and the van starts going faster,

and I'm like, what's going on? I look over at him and he's just sweating.

He's sweating and he's pumping the brakes, and the van is not stopping.

Reginald D: Wow.

DJ Williams: And we go down this hill, and as we come back up the hill, you know, the van just kind of rolls back, you know, and we Kind of stop, and then this little gully.

He gets out of the van,

goes around the front and pours all the brake fluid into the. You know, into wherever the. I'm not a mechanic, but wherever the brake fluid goes, you know.

And he comes back in. He looks over as he goes, it'll be okay. And I'm thinking, I don't know, man. This doesn't seem like this is pretty safe.

So he gets up this mountain,

and then we've got another little dip going down.

He is pumping the brakes, and the van is not stopping.

And literally,

we went through the same thing.

He gets the van to go up. It comes rolling back, and we're getting closer to this mountain edge, the cliff.

And he goes back and it stops. And he's going to look over at me. I knew he was going to say, it's going to be okay. And I said, hold on, hold on a second.

I opened the passenger door, Reginald,

from where I was sitting,

I am looking down a thousand feet off this mountain,

and I look back at my buddy, who's this bass player,

and I said,

I'm getting out, and if you want to stay in the van, you're more than welcome.

He goes, no, I'm going with you.

So I climb over the back. We get out of the van,

and we told the pastor, we're like, we're just going to walk the rest of the way now.

We had no idea how far this orphanage was.

We were in the jungles of Guatemala. We had no idea what animals were out here.

So here me and my buddy are in the middle of nowhere. No cell service, no nothing.

We're walking down this dirt road,

no idea where we're going, Reginald.

And we look back, and the van is, like, in the distance.

And then we just started laughing.

And I said, well, why are we laughing? He said, because we didn't die. He said, because we're still alive.

So about half hour later, we are wandering through the jungle,

and a truck came and they were going to the orphanage. We didn't know these guys. We just hopped in the back of the truck and just rode in the orphanage in the town,

and all our friends are there waiting, going, where have you guys been?

Everyone's been so worried. We got a call from the past year saying you got out of the van and you just wandered off into the jungle.

Reginald D: We didn't have no brace, man.

DJ Williams: That's what I told him. I said,

we gave him two chances. After that, I was out. I'm out of there, man.

But, you know, Those, those moments you look back, those, they're fun, you know, I've seen moments where God's really moved in people in some of the most forgotten places.

I think that has stayed with me, you know, through all the years.

But, you know, I had about a 10 year run where I was on the road a lot,

you know, traveling all over the world.

And so these days I don't travel as much,

but all those places I've been, they make it into projects all over, you know,

most of the time.

Reginald D: Yeah, because you a busy man. I resource you. So you're a businessman.

DJ Williams: So I try, I tried. Reginald. I had a full head of hair when I started this entertainment thing. And now I'm completely bald, man. I mean, it just, all, all the creativity just took all the hair right off me, I tell you.

Reginald D: Exactly. Look at me.

DJ Williams: Yeah, Listen, us bald brothers got to stay together. That's all I'm saying. When it starts going, you just got to get rid of it. Right?

Reginald D: Right.

So, DJ, you helped build two record companies and produced 14 albums with Tommy Walker, traveling the world with ministry leaders.

What does those years teach you about worship leadership and humility?

DJ Williams: You know, we were.

When I first started working with Tommy,

you know, the label was a one office operation. The record company and I had a certain set of skill sets that worked for what was needed at the time.

But our goal was never to build a big record company.

Our goal was to capture what was happening at our church.

And so we took the songs that were written, you know, recorded them.

And then I think the,

probably the biggest lesson learned there was God was the one that brought the influence.

It wasn't anybody else.

And so over seasons of producing records and traveling around the world to places that were forgotten, you know, I think that really kept the humility in place for us. It would have been easy because the label did grow over the years.

It did really well. We had,

you know, the mega churches were inviting us, the Christian record industry. We signed a couple deals for Tommy with some of the bigger labels and,

you know, so you had all that kind of business,

church vibe.

But when we had the mission as part of that overall picture,

it did keep,

you know, everybody humble because it brought you back to the real reason of why we were doing this, you know,

And I think that probably the greatest lesson I've learned out of that is that when you're creating with others,

you have to embrace everyone's creativity. Can't just be one person's creativity driving the whole thing, you know, and so that's a big lesson I've carried with me kind of through the years with other projects.

Reginald D: Yeah, because you said something that I read that you said, which I had to learn that a long time ago.

And it's about people who are creators,

people all trying to do something, you know, that they're wanting to do in life, but they feel unseen.

You talked about the importance of the unseen work.

Why is what happens off stage more important than what happens in the spotlight?

DJ Williams: You know, I would say this is just my gut response.

Being in the spotlight's easier than doing what people don't see day to day.

You know,

how you treat people, how you express your creativity,

you know, and the spotlight only lasts for a minute where the, you know, creating in those other spaces when there's no one around or when you're really working with your team without others watching,

I think those are the moments that really show the character.

So I've watched too many artists or speakers, you know, they get put on a platform and they don't have a solid foundation beyond that. Like, it just, it doesn't last.

And when it doesn't last,

they're kind of put out in the wilderness and then no one walks with them to restore them either. They're kind of on their own. And so I seen too much of that.

But I would rather,

you know, and writing books is a very solitary thing. So you're writing by yourself a lot and then you go out and you meet people and you're on the book tours and all that and those are fun.

But my sweet spot is creating. It's not necessarily standing in front of a crowd, but, you know, but that's happened over the years. And so.

So whatever God wants me to do, I'll do it. But my comfort level, my sweet spot is more behind the scenes.

Reginald D: Right.

So let's go back to the books and the novels.

You talked about it. Your novels have earned acclaim from Hollywood producers, bestselling authors, major reviewers.

Can you tell us about your novels?

DJ Williams: Sure. I've got two series out right now. One's called the Chase Hardiman series.

The two books are the Auctioneer and King of the Night.

Picture James Bond meets Jason Bourne meets Jack Reacher.

So I get to dive into my thriller espionage,

full on action,

you know, creative bet.

The other series I have is called Beacon Hill.

That one's a young adult series.

That one picture Harry Potter meets a Young Indiana Jones meets Nashville Treasure.

So that was a fun series to write.

And then I'm writing a book right now which is nonfiction with David C. Cook,

which is coming out next year. That book's on creativity.

And then I'm writing a new series,

which I just finished the first book, all the edits and everything for the first book.

So we'll see what happens with that. That's the next kind of the next step. But I would say espionage thrillers,

the young adult supernatural genre.

And then this one's a little different, the new series,

this one's a little more like a modern day version of Magnum PI you know, meets. I can't even think of a good comparison. But it's two street smart guys out of la, grew up in the neighborhood and they basically hunt those who are on the run and they hunt those who are missing.

So every book opens up, you don't know if the person's on the run or if they've been taken or what's happened. And these two guys,

they break all the rules. They know how to bring them back.

And so that one's been a fun one to Write to.

Reginald D: Now,

D.J. you speak to teens and young adults about not living someone else's script.

When did you realize you had to break free from expectations and write your own?

DJ Williams: You know, that happened for me pretty early. I was probably about 16.

I was very independent.

I always knew that I wanted to build something.

So over the years it's been different things,

but I never wanted to settle. You know, I think that's one of the things that I had seen growing up. Different people that were around me that they kind of settled where they were and I didn't want that to be me.

So I would rather dream and chase a dream.

If it doesn't work out,

revamp the dream and go again then to just kind of get into the cycle of life. I guess now that's not an easy road. It sounds really fun and exciting and adventurous,

but there's a lot of challenges, there's a lot of heartbreak, there's a lot of breakthroughs that happen.

But if I'm talking with someone who's at that age, you know, one of the things that I've told them is especially if they're getting ready to go into college, you know, they, they believe they've got to have their whole future figured out.

And one thing I tell them is you don't have to have anything figured out,

you just need to take the next step.

You know, you might enter into college thinking you're going to major in something and then you get to college and by the 2nd, 3rd year your interest has shifted or some other Opportunities come up.

You might graduate from college thinking you're going to work in a certain industry,

but a door opens up to something else. You know, you've got to keep an open mind, keep walking out your faith,

and the road will open at the right place.

I would never have thought,

being a missionary kid in Hong Kong,

that my life would go from landing in la, going to one of the roughest schools in Los Angeles,

to being in ministry,

to running an entertainment company with others,

to launching my own production company. Like, that was never in the plan,

you know? And so I'm one of those where I'm like, I didn't have any of it figured out.

I just took the next step, Whatever the next step was, whatever the next door that opened.

I took that next step believing that God was leading me where I was supposed to be.

Reginald D: Yeah. And that's it.

So what does it look like to trust God when there's no roadmap?

Or when you're walking into the unknown with only a whisper of direction?

DJ Williams: It's not easy.

Reginald D: I know, man.

DJ Williams: Well, I mean, the hardest thing for me. I can say the hardest thing for me because part of my bent is as a producer or a director, as a writer, you have control over what's happening, over the project, you control what's happening.

The hardest thing for me is to surrender the outcomes, I guess.

So I've had to learn over the years to surrender where I think God's leading me. You know what I'm saying? You know what I mean?

Like, I've had to learn that, like,

surrender it and then just follow the open doors.

Because for those of us that are, you know, if you're entrepreneurial or if you're used to kind of building something on your own,

there's certain doors, you know, I can just kick this door down and it can happen.

But is that really where God wants you? Is that really what God's calling you to do? You can make it happen,

but is that where he wants you?

So I found that over the years is probably the thing I've had to work on the most, you know,

surrendering.

It's not easy, Reginald. I can't always do it.

Reginald D: No, man. I know, dj. I've been there.

DJ Williams: Oh, man.

Reginald D: So, dj, I have what I call quick fire questions.

DJ Williams: Sure.

Reginald D: Just fun questions. You can answer how you want to. What's one risk you glad you took even though it scared you?

DJ Williams: Well, biggest risk would have been.

Well, I'd say. Well,

one of the biggest risks was I left.

I was the GM and COO of an entertainment company here in la.

And from the outside looking in, that was like the next stage of my career.

And I chose to leave that to start my production company,

which I've had the production company now for, well, almost. Well, 20 years. 20 years now.

If I hadn't taken that risk, I don't know if I'd be doing what I'm doing today.

So I'm glad I did it, but it was scary,

you know,

it was in a time of life where I had a lot of responsibilities.

And so making that choice, it could have gone one of two ways.

Reginald D: Yeah, exactly. So what's the biggest lesson the wilderness taught you?

DJ Williams: You know, I think there's seasons I've been through where I wasn't sure what was going to happen next.

And for anyone that's creative or built their own business,

you know, I don't know if that feeling ever totally leaves you,

but there are certain seasons where you really don't know, you know, what's around the corner.

And I've had to learn to just kind of not look too far ahead,

you know, just look at what's right in front of me and things work out however they're going to work out. But that's probably one of the biggest lessons, I think.

Sometimes you look too far down the road instead of just looking at what's right in front of us in that moment.

Reginald D: Yes. I'm always big on the moment. I tell people, you need to handle your moment. Yeah, your moment. You have this moment. It's going to take you where you need to go, but you got to handle each moment the right way.

DJ Williams: Yeah, totally. 100%.

Reginald D: So what's one piece of advice you will give to the younger version of you chasing your dreams?

DJ Williams: I would say don't be afraid to risk.

Always take the risk.

Because if not, you'll look back 20 years from now and you'll say, man, I wish I would have.

You know, I wish I would have done this or I wish I would have done that.

But if you always take the risk,

it may not work out every time,

but for those moments when the risk pays off,

then there's the satisfaction in knowing that you took the chance, you know,

and especially if God's really calling you to a certain place or a certain industry or a certain calling,

you know, if you really believe that's instilled in your heart, then you've got to always be willing to take that step. You got to take the step.

Reginald D: Yes, well. But that's it. You got to. If you don't take the step, you're going to stay stuck.

DJ Williams: Yeah, that's right. Yeah. You know, I've seen people throughout my journey that are believers and you know, they'll pray for years for a door to open when, you know, the doors have opened,

but God opened a door and they kind of looked and said, okay, wait a minute, let me just keep praying, you know, let me pray a little more. And it's like the door's open.

You got to choose. You're either going to take that step or,

you know, you're going to miss out on whatever he's got for you beyond that. So I would say to my younger self, here's what I would say. I'd say, always take the risk.

And Reginald, I would also say work on my three point shot a little more. That's what I tell my younger self when you get older. When you get older, you shoot farther out.

So that's just, that's the fact of life.

Reginald D: Yeah, that's it. So, dj, lastly, how can my listeners follow you on social media or purchase your books?

DJ Williams: Oh, sure, you can follow me. I'm mostly on Instagram, DJ Williams Books.

I'm on X every now and then.

The websites, the DJ Williams books.com,

all the books are on there. They're available wherever books are sold. But yeah, I'd love it for everyone to go check it out.

Reginald D: All right, there you have it. DJ Ways. Dj, thank you so much, man, for taking time out of your busy schedule. Hang out with me.

DJ Williams: Oh, man, thanks for having me on. Anytime.

Reginald D: Yes, sir.

DJ Williams: Thank you.

Reginald D: Thank you for listening to Real Talk With Reginald D. If you enjoyed listening to Real Talk with Reginald D, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. See you next time.