This month’s Purpose Driven Woman is Victoria Vrabi. She is a Christian who models for ethical fashion and beauty brands. She’s a Fashion Designer, Stylist, Blogger, and Founder/Editor-in-chief of SHEPHERD, Africa’s #1 Christian Magazine. She’s also a certified Anaesthetic technician at Ghana’s Premier Hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
This month’s Purpose Driven Woman is Maya Elious. She is a follower of Christ and as she puts it “a follower of the WORD, not the world.” She’s an Online Business & Branding Strategist, Coach, and Speaker; through her Content Prep Academy, she’s helping Bloggers, brands, and experts strategize, organize, and monetize their content so they can stand out in their industry and make an impact in the online space.
Sharon May is a wife and wonderful woman of God who is actively pursuing her purpose, which is to empower women through fashion, while wrestling with a full-time job that has become unfulfilling.
Jennifer Roberts is a wife, mother, and wonderful woman of God. She is the Founder and CEO of Versed Education Group, an organization dedicated to helping schools, school systems, and other education organizations begin courageous conversations about race and equity.
Natasha Brown is a Tragedy to Strategy Coach, Bestselling Author, and Christian Ghostwriter. Her mission is to help survivors thrive in their God-given purpose by helping them transform their tragedies into strategies for books, brands, missions, and ministries.
In celebration of one year, I thought I’d share some of my favorite quotes from those that have been featured thus far. A huge thank you to these phenomenal women!
Nyitre Rodgers (August 2015)
What have you sacrificed?
Nyitre: I sacrificed literally everything. Financial stability, my health…shoot! I don’t even have healthcare right now (LOL)! I sacrificed my relationship with my now fiancé - we broke up when things got rough but God brought that back. I left my family and very close friends. I walked away from my home and everything and anything that was nailed to the ground, that I had built up, I left. But now in retrospect, I didn’t leave anything. Nothing is gone. It’s just on pause. It’s still attainable, it’s still in reach. It’s still all mine!
Arnita Green (September 2015)
What have you learned about yourself?
Arnita: I learned that I’m strong. I’ve learned how to be a better steward of my finances. I learned the importance of stepping out on faith. I learned that God is able and capable…[She pauses for a moment and then speaks, voice quivering slightly and tears beginning to form] When things are going well for you, sometimes you question whether or not you’re deserving and you start waiting for whatever can go wrong. I learned to just be happy. It’s okay to be happy.
Tokeitha Wilson (October 2015)
When did it get so tough that you wanted to give up?
Tokeitha: Although I saw myself [in my dreams] on different platforms speaking and sharing, it was easier to believe the negative things from the past. And it was very difficult once the attacks got stronger at every level - spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and financially, which tends to happen the more boldly you walk in your purpose. But my purpose covered me. Your purpose has insulation, it covers you.
Neda Brown (November 2015)
What advice would you give to other women in regard to purpose, life, career, etc.?
Neda: My advice would be to first prepare - research, study, align yourself with goal oriented people, get in position, and practice. Whatever it is you’re pursuing you have to know the ins and outs of it and you have to create opportunities to practice whatever it is. Your preparation puts you in position. And then step out on faith. I think people often get paralyzed with fear because they of course don’t want to fail. I believe if you’re prepared though then you cannot fail. Obstacles might come or things may not develop the way you’ve envisioned but with preparation you’re equipped to tackle those challenges.
Stephanie Moore (December 2015)
What advice would you give to other women, moms, mentors, mentees?
Stephanie: In all your busy-ness (if that is a word) ask God for strength. Pray for good health and a purposeful life. If you are currently not where you wish to be in your respective careers, use this time to build your acumen in preparation for moving forward. Remember it is okay to seek a mentor for guidance and support in both your professional and personal goals. Whatever status you hold at present (single, married, divorced) be confident in that status. Find what makes you happy and thrive upon that happiness. In the end, when you’ve found success, always turn back and ask yourself who you can help.
Nicole Alexis (February 2016)
How does your faith play a role?
Nicole: If I didn't have faith, I would probably be in a psych ward right now [she laughs]. You have to keep God at the forefront because it’s so easy to allow all the feelings of negativity to take over. So I commit the start of my day to God so that even if my day is extremely busy, I’ve started with God. If I don’t make time for anything else, I’ve made that time for Him.
Portia Williams (March 2016)
What role does God play?
Portia: God is at the center of it all. [She pauses.] He’s at the beginning, middle, and end of it all. This work was assigned. This is my assignment so when it gets rough and I don’t want to go to another community center to hear of another child being murdered I look to God for strength. In those moments when I feel overwhelmed, God provides peace. Spending quiet moments with God is how I keep going. He is so amazing because He has a way of showing us that He’s got it. Every time we think we’re three steps back, He pushes us ten steps forward. Every time I try to put Him in a box, He turns it around and does more than I could ever imagine. It is confirmed every day that God is at the center of all of this. There is no way I would be able to be a mother, teach full-time, run three businesses, and deal with everything else without God. I would not be able to do it alone. [She laughs.] I wouldn’t even try to do it alone.
Leslie M. Michelle (April 2016)
What advice would you give to others?
Leslie: Wow, really simple! Do what God tells us to do! For whatever area He has shown you to operate in, do it! Believe in the word God gave you and go! Get it done. Stay in Gods will, plan for your life. It will pay off! I am so sure of it. Break away from all connections that will taint your witness and ability to fully rely and operate in Him. Be rooted in God’s word, not man’s! Give man no power (respect man), but only give power to God. Pray, fast, believe, work, move, and smile.
Liz Roy (May 2016)
What has surprised you the most about this journey?
Liz: The most unnerving realization I’ve come to is that it’s easy to talk about modesty and even dress modestly with an immodest heart. Taming pride and immodesty in my heart is a constant struggle as a fashion blogger because I am my brand. Growing my blog with a humble heart can be difficult at times. So I pray often for God to guide my steps and be at the center of my blogging efforts lest it become all about me, me, me.
Min. Deborah Chambers (June 2016)
We hear the word ‘balance’ thrown around a lot, what does it mean to you?
Min. Chambers: To balance means to distribute weight evenly. To me it just means a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do! I think the problem with this over used word “balance” is that we don’t also stress that each of us have to uniquely define what balance feels like for each of us as individuals. For me I find balance in doing what makes me feel even and that means learning to say no to some things even some good things so that I feel even. It also means paying attention to the warning signs. When life begins to weigh me down I recognize the weight is not evenly distributed and I throw some things overboard so I can feel even again – so I won’t make the meeting, I won’t clean the house, I won’t cook dinner, I will make the luncheon, I will go out for dinner, I will buy the shoes (and the dress). It means I color outside of the lines but stay within my value lines until I feel even or balanced.
Safiya Jafari Simmons (July 2016)
What does your daily relationship with God look like?
Safiya: I’m always talking to God. Literally. I talk to Him in traffic. I talk about Him with my kids. My husband and I hold Him to His word and promises about our family and future and finances daily. One of the most freeing moments of my life was when I realized that my relationship with God didn’t have to look like everyone else’s. I remember a point in my life being jealous and even worried when I’d hear friends say that they prayed in closets everyday or journaled everyday. Now I’m not knocking that – I’ve had those.
She is a wife, mother, and amazing woman of God. She is the CEO of SJS Consulting, the founder of the Leap Luncheon Series, and Curator of RadicalNewU. She walked away from her day job a few years ago to pursue her passion and hasn’t looked back.
She is a wife, mother, servant-leader, and the Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships & Community Engagement at Central Union Mission. Her heart for service is such an inspiration and she is a true role model for me.
She is the God fearing woman behind Downtown Demure, a fashion blog dedicated to faith and fashion. Per Elizabeth, it started out as modest fashion blog written from the perspective of a party-girl-turned-devout-Christian out to prove that women can dress modestly and stylishly; but I can tell you that it has become so much more
She is a mom, a good fearing woman, and the ministry leader of Singles Living With Purpose (SLWP) which is a Christian ministry committed to pushing singles into their purpose and holding them accountable to a lifestyle of abstinence, through dynamic teachings, spiritual development activities, social events and service opportunities.
She is the CEO and founder of Tumaini DC Inc., which provides mentoring programs to some of the most impoverished communities in Washington DC as well as academic enrichment and personal development workshops to students and family members. Her consulting firm, Portia Williams Consulting helps aspiring individuals explore the benefits of starting a nonprofit organization and provides assistance during the early stages of planning, formation, and 501c3 tax exemption
She is an author, the Owner of Primp Beauty Studio, and CEO & Lead Educator of Primp Beauty Academy. I met Nicole last year when I was looking for an esthetician to keep my unruly eyebrows intact. During my first appointment it was clear that there was something extra special about her; she didn’t just shape my brows to perfection, she dropped major jewels during the process.
A happily married mom of three, Stephanie is currently a Lead Technologist at Booz Allen Hamilton where she has spent the last 10 years of her professional career. She has led without compromising, kept family first, all while finding time to give back and mentor.
As a Public Diplomacy officer for the U.S. Department of State, she engages opinion leaders, civil society, media, academics, think tanks, and government officials in order to tell America’s story and promote mutual understanding and support for U.S. policy goals and objectives. Although it's not always easy, she relies on her faith to carry her through.
With a solid foundation of self-confidence and self-awareness, she rose to the surface and discovered her purpose while embracing every phase of embarrassment and shame. She has lived to tell her story and is walking boldly in her purpose as she empowers women who are suffering in silence.
After many years of working for the government she walked away from her ‘good government job’ as the baby boomers would say, to pursue her passion as a real estate agent. She is now a top selling agent at Keller Williams where she is leading other agents, teaching first time home buyer courses, and truly living life abundantly.
At 34, she literally walked away from everything - career, house, family, and livelihood to move to Charlotte, NC to attend culinary school and pursue her dreams of becoming a chef. She’s currently serving as a cook for the North Carolina Panthers Stadium