dreamfleur

Recently I was asked to share part of my story of overcoming obstacles and hardships as a teen with a website for teen girls called Girls 4 God. The editor of the site, Annika, has an inspiring ministry and features the stories of various women to encourage girls to grow in Christ. If you are a girl, woman or even man who would like to share a word of encouragement with teen girls you can email Annika at statement@girls4god.de. I was glad to be able to contribute part of my experience:

He Touched Me & Made Me Whole

Despite of the pain God has renewed me and I want to share my journey with other girls so that they know there is hope beyond the hurt…

It is amazing how God has taken me from being moss under a rock to being planted as a blooming flower in His fertile ground. Our teen years can be really difficult at times when we’re going through changes, pressures and frustrations, and mine were no different. Despite of the pain God has renewed me and I want to share my journey with other girls so that they know there is hope beyond the hurt…

In honor of Women’s History Month, here’s a tribute for women everywhere - “Every Woman.” (The poem and graphics below were part of a project I created for a Woman’s History Month celebration I had the opportunity to chair at the University of Miami.)

Every Woman

by Julene Fleurmond

Every woman should learn
To love her imperfections
To nurture the essence of her spirit
To admire her own reflection.

Every woman should live
Never compromising herself
To dream dreams that are impossible
To know when to ask for help.

Every woman should know
That a real man wouldn’t rob her of happiness,
That there is a Love even greater then love
And that she is too blessed to stress.

Every woman should believe
That she is indeed a queen
That she has the right to be herself,
To speak her mind and seek her dreams.

In this clip from Tangle.com, Marshawn Evans, an esteemed entrepreneur who has appeared on Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, and an inspiring woman of God, answers how she thinks the Proverbs 31 woman parallels to the woman of the 21st century. Marshawn is the founder of Skirts in the Boardroom, “the definitive guide to being a modern-day sassy, savvy, sensible, and smart woman leader.”

DreamFood: Inspiring Points
- “Comparing yourself to somebody else always results in a negative response…”

- The Proverbs 31 woman was fulfilling her calling, it was possible for her to be multi-dimensional

- We are not called to be the Proverbs 31 woman in doing exactly what she did - we’re called to be who we’re called to be

- “…it’s about how you can be multidimensional by maximizing your personal purpose…”

“Treasure You” is a segment on Good Morning Texas hosted by Pat Smith, wife of Emmitt Smith, and that profiles strong, inspiring women. Smith describes her vision for Treasure You as “a community of women that can share eachother’s dreams, and passions, and fears and insecurities with one another.” You can visit the Treasure You website at www.treasureyou.org to learn more about the vision, and you can also watch past episodes on Youtube.

I met Ms. Smith briefly at an event hosted by Women That Soar last summer, and she seemed like such a warm and beautiful person, both inside and out. I love what she’s doing with this show, and it seems like one that can even inspire younger girls to treat themselves as women of worth.

Here are some of my favorite episodes, with women I also really look up to:

On my other site Dream in Soul, I interviewed Dr. Naima Johnston an inspirational singer and author who gave tips for artists on following their calling. Check out part of the interview below and click “Continue Reading” for the full interviews. Dr. Naima also has seminars to help anyone who needs guidance to reach their dreams; visit her at www.naimajohnston.com for more information.

Called to Sing: Interview with Author and Singer Dr. Naima Johnston, Part 1

Dr. Naima Johnston shares how she overcame many obstacles to respond to her call to sing. Her new book Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry addresses issues that many artists fail to recognize as potential problems that can stunt the growth of their ministries.

Attempted suicide at 14. Sexually assaulted as a teenager. Told she wasn’t good enough to sing at 18. Struggled with eating disorders in college. Abused by live in boyfriend at 22. Saved by grace at 24. Broken-hearted and desolate at 30.

These are some of the tribulations that Dr. Naima Johnston faced throughout her life. In her early 30s, after she left her position as the Associate Director of Student Life at Wright State University to pursue a career in Christian music, she found herself confused, financially bankrupt, emotionally drained, and doubting the calling of God.

Growing into Your Calling: Part 2 of Interview with Dr. Naima Johnston

In Part 1 of the interview, Dr. Naima Johnston introduced herself and her passion to share her past mistakes in ministry to help aspiring artists. In Part 2 she shares how she overcame many obstacles to respond to her call to sing, and gives even more advice on finding your calling. Her new book Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry addresses issues that many artists fail to recognize as potential problems that can stunt the growth of their ministries. If you missed it click here to read Part 1 of the interview.

Dream in Soul: How do you think someone knows what their ministry calling is? How do you know if you are called to sing?

Soul Inspired is a word of inspiration from women and creative minds who have overcome obstacles and lived & dreamed boldly.

This Soul Inspired is about how blessing can come from anywhere, even hardship, if you choose to see it. I often have to remind myself to view the blessings in a situation whenever hardship occurs, and to overcome my dark times in order to be able to live more fully.

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.”
- Alice Walker

Herstory
Alice Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an author and civil rights activist. When Alice Walker was eight years old, she lost sight in one eye when one of her older brothers shot her with a BB gun by accident. She went on to received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983 for her critically acclaimed novel The Color Purple.

“Is it not true, then, that my life with all its limitations
touches at many points the life of the World Beautiful?
Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I
learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content…”

“Silence sits immense upon my soul. Then comes Hope with a sweet, sad smile and whispers, ‘There is joy in self-forgetfulness’. So I try to make the light in others’ eyes my sun, the music in others’ ears my symphony, the smile on others’ lips my happiness.”

- Hellen Keller, The Story of My Life

Herstory
“Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 � June 1, 1968) American author, activist and lecturer. She was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. What is less well known is how Keller’s life developed after she completed her education. She was a prolific author, was well traveled, and campaigned for workers’ rights, women’s suffrage, and many other progressive causes.”

Biography Source: Wikipedia