So today marks the end of Season 1 of The Woman God Created You to Be Podcast, and I can’t thank you enough for supporting me over these last few months in such a huge way, as it has truly meant the world to me in more ways than I can explain! Today also marks the release of my 25th episode, another wonderful milestone, and while I will certainly miss discussing each of my weekly topics with you, I also know how important it is for all of us to take scheduled breaks so we can rest, relax, and...

So, no matter how strong and confident we may have been taught to be…or how strong and confident we may believe we are, the fact of the matter is, we are still human. Which means that, every now and then, we will experience times in our lives when our faith in God, our belief in ourselves, and our belief in what we’re trying to accomplish may not be as solid as it should be. But that’s okay…because the good news is that whenever we doubt ourselves, second-guess what God has clearly told us to...

Before the year 2014, no one could have told me that I would begin suffering with anxiety or that I would eventually begin having anxiety attacks—one of which became a panic attack that sent me to the emergency room. But here’s the thing: not only would I have never believed this would happen to me…in all honesty, I had no idea how debilitating anxiety episodes could actually be. I had, of course, read about them and heard about them from others, but it never dawned on me that anxiety could...

So, here’s the thing. Whether we believe we’re good enough or not, personally or professionally, we are who we are. We are the individual women whom God created us to be, and what I can also promise you is that He never, ever makes any mistakes. Which means that, right now, at this very moment, you have everything you need to become the absolute best you can be in all areas of your life. And what it also means is that you don’t have to do anything the way you see someone else doing it in...

So, if you’ve had a chance to read my book, The Woman God Created You to Be, then you know about the long-time struggle I once had when it came to forgiving others. And you also know that, at one point, I became lax with praying, reading my Bible, and with making God a priority in my life as a whole. And what that meant, was that during those particular times in my life, I didn’t have a true relationship with God. I mean, I did love him, and I honored him in certain ways, but when it came to...

You have, of course, heard that old cliché a thousand times…you know the one that says, “Age is just a number?” But here’s the thing…that old cliché is still so absolutely true. Because age really is just a number, and no matter how old you get, your age shouldn’t stop you from doing any of the amazing things you’ve been wanting to do. It shouldn’t stop you from changing careers, getting that new hairstyle you can’t stop thinking about, or from buying or building your dream home…if that is,...

So, here’s the thing. It really is important for us to carve out some “me time” on a pretty regular basis. Why? Because for the most part, we really do tend to place ourselves last on our to-do lists. Or worse, we don’t even include ourselves or our own wants and desires on the list at all. We simply focus on everyone we care about, and what their needs are, and we spend lots of time focusing on our jobs, careers, ministries, and other responsibilities. Sometimes we do it because that’s all...

So, one of the things I am most grateful about is the fact that my mom and maternal grandparents taught me how to pray at a very young age. Because even though when I was in my late teen years, as well as in my twenties, I sometimes became a little lax with my prayer life, well, being taught to pray as a little girl is still what gave me a permanent foundation for the prayer life I have today. It is the reason I pray and talk to God about everything, and it is also the reason I believe that...

It was many years ago when my mom began telling me that for everything bad, something good comes out of it, and even in the worst of times, I have never seen her proven wrong. This is also the reason I share this sentiment with anyone who might be troubled or hurting about anything, hoping they will stay encouraged and know that, at some point, things will in fact get better. Of course, I will say, though, that doing this is much easier said than done because when my mom became terminally ill...

As women, we sometimes ask ourselves if we’re good enough. Now, of course, it is true that most of us do know that God has certainly designed each of us to be more than good enough. But nonetheless, many of us will still ask ourselves if we’re a good enough wife, a good enough mother, a good enough friend, or even a good enough business owner, employee, or ministry leader. Because for whatever reason, it is human nature for us to second-guess ourselves about one thing or another. It’s normal...

So, I have always believed that, as women, we have an obligation to uphold and protect our reputations. As girls, most of us were taught to have respect for ourselves so that others would respect us in return, and to me, this tradition and way of thinking should continue well into adulthood. Meaning, we should also show great respect for everyone around us, both personally and professionally, and we should safeguard the brands and platforms God has given us. But sadly, this doesn’t always...

So, here’s the absolute truth: The enemy is a loser, and God wins every single time…in every single situation. Which also means that even when we lose—or at least when we believe we’ve lost a certain battle or even lost someone we love—in the end, God still wins, one way or another. And the reason He wins is because the enemy is simply no match for Him. Although, I will say, that, no matter how much we know that God is the Ruler of all rulers, and that He can do absolutely anything, what we...

As a published writer, I have made it a point to handle my business with as much integrity, decency, and diplomacy as possible. Of course, there have certainly been times when I have had to stand up for myself and when I have shared my thoughts and opinions about things I don’t like as they relate to my books and events, or when I simply just don’t feel something is being handled in the best way possible. But at the same time, no one is going to tell you that I have cursed them out in the...

So, there is something I have always believed to be true, which is the fact that your childhood really will affect you for the rest of your life…regardless of whether you were blessed to grow up having lots and lots of happy times or if you had more bad times than you care to think about, still…what we experience as children will remain with us from now on. But at the same time, when it comes to those painful, disappointing childhood experiences, we don’t have to let them define us. Instead,...

In January 1999, when my mom’s neurosurgeon and radiologist jointly told her and me that they’d done all they could do for her, I remember feeling as though a knife had sliced my body in two. It was the most painful news I’d ever been told, and at that very moment, I began wondering how I was going to live without her. I wondered why this was happening to my mother, the woman who always went out of her way to do for others…the woman who always had the same smile on her face, even when she...

So, here’s the thing…whether you’re trying to discover your purpose, start a business or start a women’s ministry of some kind—or maybe you simply just have a certain project you need to begin working on. Well, if this is true, then today I am encouraging you too incorporate what I call my 4-P Process. I am encouraging you to Pray, Plan, Practice—and then Proceed. Because no matter what you are preparing to do, these are the four steps you need to take to accomplish your goals. Or at least...

So, I have a question for you. “Do you compare yourself to others?” If so, you are certainly not alone, because unfortunately, comparing ourselves to others is a normal characteristic of human behavior. Still, it’s not necessarily a good thing—especially if it causes you to feel less than or not good enough, which is usually what happens more often than not. And in this day of social media, the idea of comparing yourself to others can become even more tempting than usual because as you browse...

The whole idea of not judging others can sometimes be very hard to understand—especially when people continue saying and doing some truly awful things. But as women of God, what we still have to remember—what we still have to keep in mind—whether we want to or not, is this: We don’t always know that person’s heart or their entire story. We just don’t know their complete history. We also don’t necessarily know what they’ve been through in terms of childhood pain, or some other kind of pain or...

One of the most important things women can do is support other women. This, of course, is something that should happen automatically, but sadly, support from some women can sometimes be nonexistent. I mean, there is no doubt that none of us will ever be able to directly support every single woman alive, but what we can do is celebrate all women in our hearts—whether we know them personally or not. In today’s episode I ask you the following questions: Are you your sister’s keeper? Are you...

When I was in my twenties, my mom told me that not everyone wishes you well. But while I certainly understood what she was saying, and I appreciated her wisdom, it wasn’t until years later, in my early thirties, that I began experiencing what she’d tried to prepare me for. I mean, it is true that I may have slightly experienced it a bit earlier, but when I began writing my first book and telling a few people about it, that’s when I discovered that not everyone was happy about my new...

Being afraid is a feeling I know all too well because while in 1995, I did have the confidence to begin writing my first book, and I finished it by the end of that year, I was still rejected by every single literary agent I submitted my work to. I received one rejection letter after another, and soon, I became both disappointed and discouraged. Then when I took a chance on submitting my work directly to editors at publishing houses (even though I knew they didn’t prefer receiving unagented or...

There is no denying that 2020 has been one of the toughest and most trying years you and I have ever experienced. But what I also know is that God is still God, and that I will continue to trust Him and keep my faith strong through all of it. I’m doing this because as much as it may not seem like it right now…this too shall pass. Things will get better and when they do…we need to be ready. Which means it is now time, more than ever before, to ask yourself if you truly and wholeheartedly know...

As I sit remembering the reason for this holiday season and also thinking about how tough our current year has been, I am still so truly grateful to have yet one more opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because no matter what…we all have a lot to be thankful for. We’ve also been given quite a bit of time this year to reflect, refocus, and recognize what’s truly important…and what’s not important at all. This is also one of the reasons why today, I want to...

So, my question for you today is…are you suffering in silence, mentally and emotionally? There is no doubt that many, many people are suffering in silence because of our unfortunate pandemic, but I’m also asking this question because for years, I suffered in silence on such a private level that not even my husband, the rest of my family, or my dearest friends had any idea I was feeling the way I was. Why? Because I was very good about smiling and saying how fine I was. Can you relate? Has...