How I Found My Voice (and how you can find yours too) ~ Marshawn Evans

One of the voices that inspire and encourage me is that of Marshawn Evans. When I saw this recent piece she wrote, I knew I had to share it with you. Here goes:

"I believe her voice is the most wonderful and powerful part of a woman. It takes some self-awareness to pull together all the threads of our lives in order to discover it, but I promise you this: When you get clear about your voice, you’ll be clear about your next step, too.

Here’s how it happened for me. Faith was an integral part of my life when I first started speaking, but I wasn’t talking about it so much. I talked business—that was my own comfort zone. Business was what I thought was the tone and tenor of my voice. What’s interesting is that I didn’t even know that I wasn’t talking about faith because it was so much a part of my life.

Then came my turning point. When my engagement to my former fiancé didn’t work out, I began to really discover who I was and what was most important to me.

I looked deep. I saw that I had always been this person of faith. In fact, my strong faith was what helped me enjoy the success I had achieved.  And yet I was so confused and nervous about including it in my business.

I decided to offer a Bible study teleseminar. I was scared to pieces, too. After all, who would listen to me talk about the Bible?

Who would listen to me—the girl from The Apprentice, the lawyer, the sports agent? But when I did it, the number of people who showed up humbled me.  This showed me there was a new aspect to my voice that I had no idea even existed.

I think a lot of you messengers are in this place, experiencing doubts just like this. Thinking, who would listen to me? Because you’ve always been this particular person… How can you also be someone bigger or different than this person?

One gentleman who listened to my Bible study said he didn’t know I had a faith component. That really bothered me. I don’t ever want there to be a question about what I stand for. As much as I love to help people succeed financially, my faith is important and Godfidence is all about being all that you’re called to be in every area, including the marketplace. And I had to apply that to myself.

Finding your voice is a healthy wrestling, weaving what you’ve been with what you’re becoming.

So today I have a clear ministry in my business. At the end of the day, I could help you figure out your logo and copy. Or I could help you figure out who God put you on this earth to be.  I know which I’m meant to do.

It’s a winning plan. God has not designed us to lose. If we do the things he’s put us here to do, then I believe we’re pre-set to win, so why not design in accordance with your divine design?"

Marshawn Evans is a Global Mentor and Catalyst for Women looking to Launch Their Dreams and Live Their Purpose. She equips others to AMPLIFY their lives, their leadership and their legacy by teaching the principles of influence, branding, and divine purpose. Her weekly eZine goes out to thousands of subscribers. Are you ready to unleash your brilliance and align with your REAL destiny? Sign up for a FREE subscription athttp://marshawnevans.com.

Saturday Inspiration: Be Strong & Courageous

“Have I not told you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." ~ Bible (Joshua 1:9)

...And Then I was a Mother

Mother. Mommy. Mom. Mum. Ma... 

Takes some getting used to the title, but the heart – that comes hard and fast. Living in a space of extreme joy, elation, fatigue and anxiety all at the same time is foreign to me. This is love like I have never known before. It’s hard to explain but it’s so real.

 Perfectly, intangibly palpable. Yeah, that’s it. I think.

So as I hold innocence in my arms and experience the unequivocal, undeniable and authentic thing called unconditional love, I swear in my heart to protect his every breath. I promise to do my part to make his world a better place. I commit to living a life worthy of my calling. I pledge to nurture this bundle of perfect potential that God has entrusted to me. All this I will do, sometimes imperfectly, but always with love.

Authentically. Awesome. Love. 

A Note on Tolerance

Very often we grow up insulated, protected in boxes where people are mostly alike. When we encounter people who are different, it can be uncomfortable, prickly, shocking, fear-inducing but also eye-opening.  Step out of your box and expose yourself to a variety of people, from different races, faith traditions, abilities, and socio-economic realities. Our differences, more often than not, are worth celebrating. Variety is indeed the spice of life; and in that variety blooms the beauty of life’s garden.
Voltaire describes tolerance as the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly.

I am by no means suggesting that we abandon our convictions. Indeed, having the courage to own one’s convictions is noble. However, it is faulty to believe that intolerance for those who believe differently than we do is also noble. If we are to embrace such a model, we will quickly find ourselves limited in an isolated box. Inevitably, someone else will be intolerant of our convictions.  
Russell Nelson once highlighted that “every religious group, while perhaps a majority somewhere, is also inevitably a minority somewhere else. Thus, religious organizations should and do show tolerance toward members of other religious denominations.”

E.M. Forster asserted, “The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.”

Finally, in the words of Durrenmatt, let us remember that “without tolerance, our world turns into hell.”

Recipe: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

You know I love sharing amazing recipes that I've tried with you. Today it's a recipe for Banana Oatmeal Pancakes from the Dr. Oz vault. I modified it a bit to suit my taste but you can find the original here.

Ingredients (I've modified them a bit)

2 tbsp light brown sugar
1⁄3 cup oat flour
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
2 bananas, blended or food processed (I mashed mine)
2 Tbsp (1 oz.) Tofutti sour cream (you may use regular non-fat sour cream)
Almond Milk (poured to desired consistency)
1 tbsp butter (for cooking)
Maple syrup or fruit topping

Directions

1. Mix light brown sugar, oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
2. Whisk in the sour cream, the eggs, and the bananas.
3. If the mixture is too thick, add milk a few tablespoons at a time.
4. Preheat a non-stick pan over low to medium heat. Wipe a paper towel that has been rubbed with butter on the bottom of the pan. (Remove excess butter with the same paper towel and use again before cooking the next pancake.)
5. Using a ladle, pour some batter into the pan.
6. Flip pancake when the underside is golden brown, and cook until no longer wet inside.
7. Keep warm until all the pancakes are ready.
8. Serve with maple syrup or fruit topping of your choice.

If you give it a try, be sure to come back and let us know how you liked it. Enjoy!