Woman Evolve with Sarah Jakes Roberts - Stay on Purpose w/ Gia Peppers

Episode Date: October 6, 2021

It's homegirl-time in the sanctuary, and our good Sis, Gia Peppers, is applying BIG pressure on the enemy! As an on-air personality & entertainment journalist, she's spilling the tea on how to be a faith-led generation in a media-driven society. Our bestie SJR wants to know—what are you trying to cure with your purpose & how do you speak against the voices of inadequacy? Chile, W.E. heard a Delegation & Beyhive collab happened in this episode! Followed by advice on pivoting from a job you dislike to a position you admire. Get creative in the kitchen at HelloFresh.com/womanevolve14 & use code WOMANEVOLVE14 for 14 FREE meals, including FREE shipping + Start, run, or grow your business with Shopify.com/womanevolve & sign up for a FREE 14-day trial!

God can't bless you for tend to be or who you can care yourself to. He can only bless you and the lane that was created for you. I feel that for somebody. You don't need no itch, it's a unique boundary. So what? I don't need your lights, I don't need your elevation. All I need is a God fighting for me that's there for all things. All things, all things.

Child. We love to get fancy from time to time over here at Womeningvall. And I just want you to know that this is one of those fancy times. Okay, because our next co-host, G.A. Pepper's, is here fresh off attending the Met Gala, okay, or Gala. Which one, hmm, talk, you say Gala, your mama said Gala, you say Gala, which one is it, Met Gala, for the first time, and sis has upped our fancy factor, okay.

If you follow Gia on any of the socials, then you know she doesn't shy away from her love of Jesus while taking up space in the culture. If you don't follow her, then I'm sure you will after this episode. Let's get into it. Hello, gorgeous. Hello, Sam!

How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm doing great. How are you doing, baby, went to the Met? When we told you something, this Oh, was not ready for ready for all the things that happened. Really? What happened?

This has called me like three days before. Like, you know how most people have like months to get ready for the Met? You get your stylist and your hair stylist and your friends and people have custom dresses and they were like, hey, are you in town on Monday? I was like, sure. Yeah, fashion week. Yeah, I'm here. They're like, are you in town on Monday? I was like, sure. Yeah, professionally.

Yeah, I'm here. They're like, you want to do the met? I was like, man, what? So I immediately called my glam girl. I was like, I was praying that they were available. They were both available. And then I just went to SACs and was like, I need something.

And it was New York Fashion Week too. That's a crazy part. Like, so all my stylist friends are booked. Child, that was Jesus. That was Jesus himself. He walked that dress right to me. It was like, here you go. Believe, because I was like, I'm not stressing.

So how was it? Was that like an out of body experience? Like, what was that moment like? Was it like, cause I've only seen pictures. I've never been. But like, it seems like a thing that you would be like pinching yourself while in it. Or is it not that serious?

For sure. Okay. It was, let me make sure. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. Like it was like, because we haven't been outside in that long, and then one, we haven't been outside where people actually look pretty, right? Unless you go to a wedding

or like a really nice baby shower or something where people just play, like you haven't seen people look that great. And so you're seeing all of your favorite iconic celebrities and then they look that good. Like it was just like wait a second, wait a second. Okay, so I just had to like ask God for the to not fan out because I work in entertainment,

but you kinda see the same people after a while. Then you were like, oh no, that's Kate Hudson from one of my favorite movies. I've got two days just right there. Just look at that. It was a different type of. But it was beautiful. It was I definitely like didn't get to go in or anything.

So I don't know, you got to pay $280,000 on the table. Oh my. So that was beautiful. It was, I definitely didn't get to go in or anything. So I don't know, you got to pay $200,000 on the table. Oh my. So that was crazy. Yeah, so I, I don't have that money. So I was right there on the outside, but it was fun. I mean, it was just, it was a lot. It was a lot to get ready, but I'm happy I did it.

I'm happy it's over. Yeah, well, you look gorgeous. You made us all very proud, all very proud. And you always do this though. I feel like for people who have not experienced geopieppers, you are black girl magic personified. You are so pure, so fun, such a gatherer of beautiful souls. And so thank you for doing this podcast with me

and for making the time to do it. Girl, you know I would have been here in negative two's. I would have cleared my schedule. When I got the email I was like, what? I was literally calling me. Hey, that, whatever she needs. So thank you for having me because you know how much I just am so grateful that you exist, that God made you who you are. So thank you for having me because you know how much I just am so grateful that you exist, that God made you who you are. So thank you for having me. Okay, so, yeah, I have to ask you. You know, we're all about like rescue Eve at woman evolve and rescue Eve is our way of kind of like we know better, but we don't always do better, but we're learning, we're growing, we're stretching. And, you know, I have seen you from a distance,

and I think we've been just kind of been in one another's orbits for a much longer time, but I am wondering, like, how did you become who you are today? Like, what were some ratchet, righteous mindsets that you had to grow out of in order to like really own who you are, because that's what I think we see. When we see you, we see someone who is owning who they are, but with grace and patience and humility, have you always been this way, or did you have to like work some eve out

of you? I am, I am this way half the week. And then the other half the week, I'm like, ooh, child, okay. This is why we steal me faith. This is why we steal me prayer because we aren't all the way delivered. Yeah, right. Like God is still working on me. And I'm very, like you said, I do make it a point to make grace a part of my faith process because, you know, we're in our 30s.

We don't have it figured out yet. There's not going to be a day, I don't think, soon where I'm like, oh, all the answers I need, I got. I know everything, like there's always something new to learn. But I would say, my Eve, I think that I am my own worst critic and my own worst enemy. The only reason why I haven't been in places are certain things that I wanna do is because of me. I'm the only thing that stops me. There's no one else, no other thing. It's me, it's my overthinking, it's my, you know,

worrying about perfectionism. And then I realize that perfectionism is a response to trauma. Like, okay, all a way to say it. We're getting deep here. Okay, say more. Because, and I think I heard it, I'm sure I heard it in sermons, I'm sure I've heard it somewhere else,

I'm sure I've heard it, I'm big on therapy and all those things. I'm sure I've read it somewhere, I don't know who said it, but I remember it immediately being defensive. Like, no, it's not. You just always put your best but forward. Everything you do is for the best of me here, your best, and all that.

And then I realized, no, it's because I didn't think that I was good enough without putting my perfection first. And a lot of the times I've seen it explained as, you know, you want people to look at this, my Instagram, my page, my, my work, and not realize that back here I'm learning everything that I can, I'm trying to get out the bed in the morning, I'm praying that God, you know, does all this because up here I need it to stay looking a certain way. And once I start now that I'm learning how to unpack perfectionism and realize that I am whole and enough without being perfect, without the lie of perfectionism

or even grasping for that, I become just more graceful of myself. Like, I don't got lashes on today, but I'm here. And I'm good, I'm just like, this is what the Lord called me to be and do, right? But like, I'm just like, every single day, I'm learning how to give myself more grace, I'm learning how to be more softer and gentler

with how I speak to myself. And I'm also learning how to, again, it is the way that I grew up, the keeping up with the Joneses and all that in PG County and BC, like, you know, this chocolate city. But, you know, you also know that people are watching you. So when you walk out the house, you gotta look good. Make up gotta be cute. You hear it, it's gonna do that. I have learned to be like,

this is what y'all gonna get. I'm gonna say for you. So, it is what it is. I'm just going to the grocery store. I don't look cute. Don't ask me no questions today. You know what I'm learning every single day and it's hard. It's hard.

When it's the last time that you like really checked yourself when you were like, you know what? I'm out here and that thought that I thought about myself, that thing that I just did, like that was raggedy. Like I need to do better when it's the last time you had one of those moments. I need an example.

Okay, I'm gonna, okay, because there's so many of them. One was the last time I did that. Because I'm like, so I would say the last time I did that. I would say the last time I did that was oh okay if you if any of my friends would be on here they would smack me right now because they would be like tell them about all the times you say you're gonna give up and then tell us what happens right after. So me and God have this thing. Where? Isn't you and God are as a just you?

Is he is God in on it or is it just you in on it? Me, God isn't in on it, but like I go to him and I'd be like, yo, the timeline that you have said, the I, I'm sorry, the I said is not matching up. Okay, and I'd be like, okay, it's not happening the way I wanted to. I give up. I'm done I'll be like, okay, it's not happening the way I wanted to. I give up. I'm done.

I don't need it anymore. Reporting is fine. On air talent, I'm good. I didn't get that show. I'm good. Like sometimes my humanity and my emotions, I let drive my actions for my thought process. And when I'm not being spiritually sound

and I'm not checking you with my phone, I'm not doing my prayer work, I know the difference. And so I was on my friends' couch, I'm doing a year in LA so like soon. So I was on my friends' couch while I was putting in apartments and I was like, girl, I'm done. Honestly, I'm giving myself a year, which was like three weeks ago, four weeks ago. I was like, I'm giving myself a year. After that, I'm just going to move back home and I still plan to move back home.

Like, I'm planning to be a DMV girl to the day I die. But I was like, I'm just gonna go, like, I try. Like, it is what it is. It's just not happening for me the way that I wanted to. And she's like, what are you talking about? You're so annoying. Please, look at your life. You are doing, okay, you are doing more than okay.

You're doing great things. like, please shut up. And so I've had this talk several times in my career with my friends who are also in this space and they understand because this industry is traumatic. I don't think people realize how much people go through in this industry on a daily basis. They have to check in with themselves. They have to check themselves, but also it's just grimy.

There's a lot of grimy underhanded things that happen that you don't talk about because you don't want to be looked at as a victim. And so I've been through a lot in this industry with backhanded promises and things going wrong or people just trying to shut me out of certain rooms because I don't look or represent a certain type of girl.

And all in all, it just overwhelms me to the point where I'm like, oh my God, I can't do this anymore. Like just tears, Lord, I can't do it. If this is what you call, like, if this, if I'm not supposed to be here anymore on this path, please let me know. Because sometimes I feel like I'm like a 40 year old rapper. Like I was like, I never want to be a 40 year old rapper. I'm still like, I never want to be a four year old rapper. We still like, I got that hot single coming out today and they never had like that defining moment. So I was like, I don't want to be here past my time, Lord. This is not for me to let me know. And so that's what got me to the feeling of like, yeah, I'm giving myself one more year to my friends couch. Literally 10 days later, the met happens, the Gabrielle

Union thing happens, like all those things happen and she checked me. It was like, do you see what God is doing? Please stop saying you're giving up. It's all good. It's all unfolding as it should. And so, God has to drag me a lot. And I'm getting better.

I'm learning how to be like, okay, my bad boy, my bad. But I have to check myself all the time because I am so easily, I have been so easily able to just let my humanity and my emotions drive me. And that's why I be watching sermons with past the theorem, past the ring and past the tea because I have to check in with myself. Like your language is,

your language is tough. I have to check in with myself. Like your language is, your language is tough. I am. When I tell you, I was running around my little apartment like, okay, Lord, I heard you. Like you don't, you know how many times you,

you, your sermons have put me back on the path. So I'm just thankful for you, for real. But yeah, I definitely have to check myself a lot of not throwing in the towel and just letting letting my call be the reason why. Okay, so I have to ask you a question because I can totally relate to this idea of, you know, I'm going to give up. I am pursuing this thing that I felt like God gave me the grace to pursue. He opened some doors, but now I met with resistance. And I felt like there is this beautiful tension of resistance that comes with purpose.

But when you're in that tension, it really makes you feel small. And so many of us give up on our purpose and our destiny because we cannot live in those moments where we are forced to feel small and fragile and uncertain. And yet there are still these reality moments even when we feel small, where we see God is blessing it, where we see God is opening up doors. What are we looking at instead that keeps us from seeing how God is continuing

to fill our tank, right? And I love this so much because in purpose, like I see purpose like a vehicle, right? And it will take you anywhere, right? But it is not, it could be an electric vehicle or a fuel vehicle regardless of what kind of purchase you have, you have to take moments to fill back up. You have to have moments where you're being refueled and re-energized or otherwise we run out of gas.

But I want to ask you in those moments where we don't see it. It's there but we don't see it. What are we looking at instead? Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Powerbook, three. You know, like all of the things that are vibrationally low, like the messiness that is happening online, like this all, I think we live, our generation should be a case study, because we were the last generation to like understand what dilapidated, and understand what it up. Yeah.

And understand what it was like to actually go to a library and have to look through each letter or whatever in your book and not have, you know, right on tend to candle, you can down like we're the last generation to probably want books and not like, you know, just things on your laptop all the time. Like I need a book. I need my woman about I need my book in my hand because if not, I don't feel like I really get it. And so I think we are a case study generation because we were the last to get that we built the internet that everybody loves and lives on. We was the my fasers that were building all the things that made Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all of those social networks

that blow up. And I think somewhere along the way we forgot that yes, all social networking is great in some aspects, but it's really just a big distraction. So many times, instead of opening our Bible first or opening our Bible at first, we'll go to Instagram or Twitter to let someone else inform how we feel about ourselves. And I think it's really scary when we think about how many energies we are encompassing in our daily lives by just opening up our phone. Like I follow I think like 14 to no over 3000 people on Instagram, which I'm going to try to tailor down, but I follow that many people because I always feel bad if I don't follow them back.

I'm like, oh my god, like, hey, like that, my god. So I follow them back, so I gotta learn how to do that. But anyway, I think we take in so much before we say hello to ourselves in the morning that we forget who we are and just become reflections of what everybody else is or doing. So I think our generation has to be active about pouring into ourselves, whether that looks like journaling while you're praying, whether that looks like getting in your word. And the first thing in the morning, like thinking about for life, thinking about for the day, because if not, we're just becoming reflections and reactions of what we see on our timelines.

And our timelines are a big part of how we operate, unless you're one of those really dope people that's like, I don't do social, I don't have that luxury. And I tried it. I tried all the time. And if my people are like, girl, if you'll get back on social media, and I'm like,

sorry. So I have to learn how to like, make it a major, a major point of the day that even if I get on my Instagram first, what are you doing? Get back in your word. Who are you? Remember who you are before you go into the world

because if not, you just become a reflection of everything you see. To know me is to know I love to cook. Being able to combine various ingredients and create a delicious meal for my family is my happy place. When my life gets busy, HelloFresh helps me live in the overflow of my happy place with their quick and easy meals. Their breakfast on the go and 15-20 minute dinners are clutch.

Try America's number one meal kit for yourself and tell them that I sent you. Go to HelloFresh.com slash 1min.Val14 and use code 1min.Val14 for up to 14 free meals plus free shipping. You'll be amazed at the high quality, fresh ingredients sourced directly from growers and delivered from the farm to your front door and under a week. Contact free, of course. Again, that's hellofresh.com slash woman evolve 14 and use code woman evolve 14 for up to 14 free meals plus free shipping. Okay, so when I think about like my purpose and me knowing that I need to be refueled because otherwise if I'm not refueled, I am more susceptible to those moments of insecurity

and inadequacy and ultimately saying, you know what, I just want to quit. But I really do feel like those moments in purpose, and I wish that I could like, I say this all the time, now I was getting on my own nerves, but I wish I could say this the way that I am feeling in my head, but the thing is this. I know what you're saying. So I feel like when I am in purpose, and purpose does not yield the results that I feel like my effort or my heart desires. And I begin to feel small. The reason why I want to quit is because I have been running

my whole life from feeling small and an adequate and I think that in an effort to avoid those feelings I chase purpose because I fall for the illusion that purpose is going to make me feel bigger and better and greater But when purpose doesn't give that to me then I want to quit purpose too and yet I am challenged to remind myself that the feeling I'm running from, that I experienced when I was a little girl, a feeling inadequate and small, isn't true,

that I accepted the lie then. And in those moments where I want to quit purpose, I am accepting the lie again. And so I think I am blinded from the impact and the progression of my purpose, because I'm still seeing it through the lens of the girl who was trying to outweigh, outwork, outperform the trauma of what she experienced before.

And so I am wondering. To me. Yeah. What is, what are you, All And so I am wondering. To me. Yeah. What is, what are you, All right. Come for me. What is purpose? What is purpose?

What are you trying to cure with your purpose? Like what voice are you trying to silence with your purpose? And do you think that voice even has earned the right to take up space in your heart? Hmm, that's so good. That is so good. It's so scary to even think about, come on therapy. Okay. So I think the voice is the feeling of not being enough, like the feeling of like if you are not being dismissed, being invisible, that feeling that no one sees you, that you don't really matter.

Like, oh, you did all that work and you love that interview. And it went out, seven people saw it. See, you don't matter. Like that voice, that voice that says, you have one good week. Don't think the rest of your career is gonna go great though. Like that boys.

That boy came in like last week in the house. And had to be like, oh, we fight. Okay, come on, let's get in the ring. Let's go right into the word because no, we're not gonna let that be the narrative. I've had to learn how to speak to myself in those words and literally write down the lie. Like when I start spiraling, I write down the lie because I would like, when I have the energy to, because

sometimes when I spiral, I'm like, oh, we're spiraling today. Yeah, whatever. Call to plenty people. We're gonna get that ice cream. We're gonna do what we do. But when I'm back on my P's and Q's, I'm like, I agree, you had to bet 24 hours get it together. I'm like, okay, let's let's write down the lies. What lies are we saying? What lies are consistently in our minds right now this day. And it's usually those same like you, you don't really matter. They don't really see you see someone's

always doing this. You're not like those little things. And I have to write down, and like, you know, all things work to the good for those who love the Lord and are called to his plans and purposes. Like I have to write down, I'm fearfully wonderful. You may, I have to write down the replacement thought that is the truth instead of the lie that I buy into. And so I think that purpose, that, that feeling is always going to bring me to my knees. And I wonder, you know, when I will be over that completely, I'm doing

much better. But like those little voices, they, I'm trying to get you all the time. You'd be like, oh, I thought we were having a good day. We're not in the game. Well, let's fight. Oh, I thought we were having a good day, we're not? I'm game. Well, let's fight. Sometimes I wonder if we are supposed to get over the voices of inadequacy or just learn to speak back to them. Because I feel like as our lives change and grow, that we have new reasons to feel inadequate.

Okay, so like, okay, I'm finally feeling inadequate as a 30-year-old woman. Now I'm finally feeling inadequate as a 30 year old woman. Now I'm in my mid 30s and I feel inadequate. Like I feel like life constantly offers us new opportunities to say we don't measure up. And I think in the picture perfect world, we would come to a place where we are completely confident and we have outrun those voices. But I'm wondering if a more powerful tool is like, I just need to know what to say back to them. And it sounds like you have found those words.

Yeah, yeah. And it's literally, I think, the practice of it. In the same way that we get in a gym, where we wanna look cute. In the same way that we, you know, we all became COVID hairstylists and we had to learn how to do things of YouTube TikTok.

And to be like, the same way that you have to practice that first time you do that hairstyle, that twist out. You're gonna have the same afro. But if you keep that style, right? That's all right. And that is okay. But if you keep trying, you don't face time with your auntie who have been doing natural hair

the whole lot. Or if you get on those calls and you, you know, buy that, that, that, that, that, that, that tutorial online from your favorite celebrity hair stylist, that's what I would know. And you really pay attention, you keep practicing, keep practicing, next thing you know, you will have a beautiful head of hair and a twist out.

And then you can become a curly blogger and do whatever you wanna do. But I say that to say, it all takes practice, it all takes being comfortable with failing. Our good sister's Beyonce knows. Our sister's sister. Our sister. Our sister.

My blood. Yes. Happy birthday to Beyonce. I'm still celebrating. Her birthday. My birthday was the sixth. So I'd be like, oh, we're celebrating one day when I get that call to call and celebrate with her. No one talks.

It's going to happen. I'm such, and I really need help because, you know, I grew up, Destiny's Child. I saw everybody. I saw the whole thing. And like, I'm really trying to mind my business because that's where I should, but I was like be, what are we doing for your 40th birthday? Then I started seeing the drip of them photos. And I was like, so y'all on a carnival cruise?

Is this a carnival? I don't know. It's a whole cruise. Did you read what the boat had? No. The boat had a hospital. What? On the boat.

What? Yeah, just in case, there was pools, there's gyms, there's like, it was, they literally had a carnal crew, crews for their family and it's out the front. I think they're still on it. I think they're on it for the whole month. Because why not? And when you get that call,

I just want you to know that like, there are several members of the delegation who just wanna go and be a part of the prayer team. We wanna be intercessors. We just wanna handle things. Okay, hallelujah. Okay, wait, but then I don't want to handle things. Okay. Okay. Hallelujah. Thank you. Okay. I don't remember what I was asking you at this point. Oh, yeah. We were talking. Okay. We talked about rehearsal. So in homecoming, yes. Beyonce talks about how uncomfortable it is

to get back one, your body after you've had children, but two to get back in the studio of anything you're doing. but she was like, people hate rehearsal, dance rehearsal, because it shows you where you need to improve. And nine times out of 10, if you're not in the right mind space, you looking ugly for two weeks will keep you from getting to that performance. You just give up all the gift.

You're just like, oh, I can't dance anymore. I'm rusty, I haven't danced in three years, did it, did it up. And that hit me so much, because even when I was a little girl, I grew up singing dancing and acting like my mom kept us in all the things. I went to the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and when we were in my sister and I, when we were in high school. So I grew up dancing with these incredibly talented human beings

and I never felt good enough. Like I will always put myself in the back. I'll be like, I'm not that good. So I'll just stand back here. And I always say, wow, I wonder if I would have just tried a little harder to let myself be uncomfortable so I can be more comfortable in that choreography and those steps.

I've just gone a little harder and shut that voice up and been like, okay, we messed up that time, but we can get better. How different my experience would have been. So now, when I see things like Beyonce saying, like, yeah, nobody likes to be in the choreography part because that shows where you need improvement. Now I'm like, okay, so that was a horrible,

a horrible day we just had. But instead of giving up, let's see where we need improvement. Let's watch back those tapes. Let's see what question I would. Let's watch back those tapes. Let's see what question I would have wanted to ask there. If I was really, really super, super prepared and not worried about the left braid that wasn't giving it sitting right,

what would I really have done better to get to the next phase of where God needs me to be? So now I challenge myself. Now I'm like, cool. Instead, we're not gonna give up. We're not going to throw in the towel. We're not going to rehearse. We're going to look at it, call it out, and you make it better. And so that's what that's what I was getting out with being safe.

There's such a mental toughness connected to that though, because a lot of people study the tape, but they study the tape and never get back in the game. And there is this like, there's this momentum, there's this switch that has to take place, where you're like, I'm not just studying the tape to remind myself of why I failed. Studying the tape to remind myself of how I couldn't show up in the moment

and to beat myself up. I'm studying the tape because I'm going to get back in the game, like I am not gonna stay on the sidelines. I may have to miss a game, I may have to go to some rehab and some therapy in order to get my in the game. Like I am not going to stay on the sidelines. I may have to miss a game. I may have to go to some rehab and some therapy in order to get my mind right. But I am going to get back in the game and I feel like change and transformation and looking at a life that you feel like God, I don't even know how you did this to me. Doesn't mean that we don't have moments where we aren't broken. It doesn't mean we don't have

moments where we don't want to give up. It is because we decided that even when we reviewed the tape, when we reviewed the tape in prayer, reviewed the tape in worship, that we were reviewing the tape with intentionality of getting back in the game. And I feel like that is what I celebrate about you. That is what I'm able to celebrate about other women.

When I look at their lives, I don't just look at the score. I look at how many times they had to get back in the game in order to achieve that score. And so like people are watching right now, and maybe they're having a sideline moment. They're having a sideline season in their life. And I feel like part of what happens

when women come together is we get to say, you know what, I'm broken there too. I had to put a cast on my heart there too. But I made the decision to get back in the game and not because I was confident that I was going to be able to do it and do it well. But because I felt like I owed it to my trauma, I owed it to the little girl inside of me and I owed it to the women who are watching to get back in the game and to just prove that we can keep showing up even when it's tough. And that's what you do.

You do this all the time. Thank you. Thank you. I have to ask you because I know your life is crazy. And I know that you have children. You have a husband. You have your sermons. You have women evolve. You have books.

So what do you say to yourself when you feel like you have to, like you gotta step back in the rain, but you're not quite ready yet. Like what do you say? What is that Sarah talk like? A lot of times I say wait until you're ready, waiting until you're ready to step back into it. And in those moments where I can't wait,

I remind myself, and this is the difference between like positive thinking and relationship with God, positive thinking and being spirit-led, is that if I have to have all of the resources to show up in that moment, then it is a lot easier for me to sit down and say, I can't do it because there are moments when I quite literally can.

But when I say, God, this opportunity has been presented in front of me. I don't have what it takes. I'm going to need you in order to show up in this moment. Like, I can't do it by myself. And I don't know if it would even be healthy for me to do it by myself because I would have so much pride and ego for doing it by myself. But if you would step into this moment with me, if you would allow your strategy, your wisdom, your language to step into this moment with me, if you would allow your strategy, your wisdom, your language to step into this moment with me, even when I can't, you will fill in the gap with your can.

And when God fills in the gap with His can, people are like, oh my gosh, you did it. You did it. But you and God know like, bruh, if you want to show up for me, we would have been out there looking crazy. I was just recording a message and I was talking to Shanese and I was like, I don't know what I'm about to preach about. So this is going to be fun. But like, this is going to be hilarious.

But then like, I'm like, listen, we're out here. God you gave me a little something to work with. Make it make sense. Like, make it make sense. This is you. You did this. Make it make sense. I love that. See, and I wonder how many times you went out there and was like, make it make sense. This is you, you did this, make it make sense. I love that. See, and I wonder how many times you went out there

and was like, okay, I've got one verse. You say that. Yeah. This was it. Just talk to me, talk through me. But it always works. Like that's such a good point. Like my, my, one of the biggest things

that I've been praying on and challenging myself like every single day is like, how did I biggest things that I've been praying on and challenging myself like every single day is like, how did I activate my faith today? How did I apply? Yeah. Because I am good for a, ooh, ooh, I got the word of the day. Let me share it, I love the word. I'm good for that.

Well, when it comes down to those tooth and nail moments and my back is against the wall, that giving up instead of moving forward, that shows me I didn't really learn how to apply my faith. So now I'm in the gym of how we applying it every single day. What can I do to show God that I believe that I am who he says I am. And so this moves to LA for a year. I literally saw my leaves. I'm leaving tomorrow to go get my keys. Child is, okay, God, I leaves, I'm leaving tomorrow to like go get my keys, child, is, okay, God, I don't know how he wants to do this. I'm a while going, my mom's like, Greg, I need to go jump out there.

What is we doing? I'm like, mommy, give me a moment. Give me a moment. God, but I just believe that there is something there that I need to do right now, or else I'll never do it. Like I'll just never do it. I'll get to a point where like I don't have, I have not been blessed with a child or a man yet in Jesus' name.

Bring them. Bring them to me. But I don't have those responsibilities and all of my friends are like girl, if I didn't have a kid, that's where I'll be at. If I didn't have a man, that's where I'll be like go. And so I've learned that's me activating my faith. I'm just like all right, I'm a jump. I'm a leap Lord, I know you're going to catch me. And so I'm at that space where I'm just like,

okay, I'm scared. Literally all my friends in LA are like, gee, please, get on the plane. Please come because I know you would turn. You would talk right back around. Like please. So I'm like literally every single day activating and applying my faith. And I'm like, what advice can you give me some advice on continuing that? Cause I don't know how to make a consistent system. I'm learning. Okay. So the only thing I would say to you is this, when you move to L.A.,

there's going to be lots of pressure to figure things out, to figure out what your next move is going to be to move into the next dimension of your career. And I would just say to you, because even as you were speaking, I just feel like you coming to LA is so that God can reveal to you another dimension of who you are, that it really has nothing to do

with the opportunities and everything to do with what God wants to show you about you. And I think that if you enter LA.A. with that mindset that you won't put pressure on yourself to perform, instead it will be awareness of how you become, which is so powerful. Because if you have that pressure, then you're going to miss how you're changing and developing, which means you could perform well, but then not have your sintering, not be anchored, not have your soul. And that's how so many people come here and end up lost. But if you come in here with the awareness of who I am becoming, why did I want this

so bad? Am I desperate for it? Do I feel like this is going to improve something about me? Or am I aware that when I walk into this room, it's because I have something to give the room, whether it moves to the next level or not, like there is a light that I have, there's an energy that I possess that is going to elevate the rooms that I step in. And so you're coming to LA to be a gift to our city.

I'm excited about you coming because I know that the circle of women who are drawn to you are gonna become better. My city is gonna become better because you're in it. And you have to hold on to that when you come because that's what you carry. Yeah. Well, thank you for the word. Yeah, I'm going to be by coastal because I'm still keeping my apartment here in New York because my little brother is starting to act more. He's very famous in South now. So we're keeping it, you know,

so it could be both I'll be by coastal, especially for this for the first few months. But I'm excited and I'm like, you know, just trying to get it all together. It's a lot, LA is a lot. It's a lot, it's a lot. I can see already that it's a lot. I'm not even there yet. But I am excited and I'm proud of myself for not allowing the doubt to like inform how I show up because I've let it inform too much and God has still blessed me

in the midst of that. And so that's why I'm like, okay, imagine if you just actually did what God was asking. Imagine what would that be like? Imagine the one. If you didn't just fight yourself every single night and you're like, Lord, I know you taught me over it, but I'm scared. I can't do it. I'm not. And so that's what I'm challenging myself to do. And I appreciate you in that word, and I will be replaying that when I feel scared. Being an entrepreneur is such a game of learning how to work smarter and not harder. For me, working smarter is selling my products through Shopify.

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We have a fellow sister in need of our thoughts and opinions. Okay. So it begins. Hi, Pastor Sarah. I have a bit of a dilemma and would love to hear you. And this is like you have to answer this question because this question is for you. Okay. I have a bit of a dilemma

and would love to hear your take on this and any guidance that you may offer. I have been working in my current position for eight years and I am now at a point where I truly do not like my job and it's not just the actual job that I don't like but I feel like I'm supposed to be doing something else. The issue is that I don't know what that something else is. I have tried several other things from starting a business to try to transition into a new career,

but none of it has been successful or felt right to me. I think part of the reason is because I was just looking for a source of income so that I can escape this place. I have to admit that I'm scared. I am more of a creative type of person currently in a very non-creative role. And I dread going to work every single day. I feel a strong pull to quit my job

and work towards something new, but I am terrified. I honestly feel like the traditional nine to five life is not for me, but it's all that I know. I want to trust God and have faith that everything will work out, but I can't stop myself from thinking about who is going to pay this rent when the savings get low. Okay?

Yes, I realize that this is a contradictory, but I, a contradiction, but I'm being very honest about the battle that I'm having with myself right now. Any advice for someone who feels stuck, lost, and confused while still somehow being hopeful that something greater is on the horizon, signed, a confused 30 something who hates her job. Well, I just want to reveal that I wrote, I'm just playing, right that in. Like, just want to reveal, no, that is not me, but whoever you are out there,

I think I have literally been in that exact situation where I was working at this incredible opportunity. I hated it though. Like it was like, that's when I learned that there's no such thing as the dream job because all of the dream jobs you have, someone is sitting there hating it right now, right? Like there is just no such thing. But I will say that the way that I planned my way out of it is I studied exactly what from it from that position how I could get to the places where I admire.

So like in that position I was like helping wrangle talent. I was helping you all this stuff and I was like wait, I am talent. What is this? I'm confused. I'm confused. wait, I am talent. What is this type of feeling? So I was like, cool. I'm confused. Why am I wrangling you since we are the same. And so I was sitting there studying their, the way that they asked about certain things,

the way that they showed up in the room, the way that they demanded certain things, and would say no to certain things. And so I would ask her to study what it is, like if there's a place that she admired, if she wants to create a business, if she's a creative, if she is somebody who wants to have a creative lifestyle, that means that there's a craft associated with it.

If you are more of a creative person, that means there's a crafting that you are a vessel to create through it from. So at the end of the day, you master your craft, study what it is, study where those people are right now that you are inspired by because there's something you're seeing that's telling you that you don't belong in the Ninety-Five. Let me tell you something about the freelance life, sis. That'll just rock your world. You don't get a check every two weeks. And that's not no one in your checks come. Net 30, net 45. So have your savings. Like don't play about it. Give yourself a real plan. Maybe don't go, you know, maybe after the holiday, because the holiday way to be expensive. Give yourself maybe a three to six month plan. Do your savings.

Give yourself maybe six months of, okay, I'll have this much leeway to be creative. But in the meantime while you're doing your nine to five, have your five to nine, that is crafting what your craft is, like honing in on your craft. Get in some classes, like get in some online classes, Skillshare has incredible things, Google has incredible classes, Britonco has incredible classes, you can learn anything anywhere. You want to be a video editor.

Adobe Premiere has classes. Sign up for them. So you are setting yourself up for the best things. And a little by little, start saying who you are. I was the editor working behind the scenes, but I was hosting all over the place. And I was like, they don't know. I'm an editor, but I'm a host too.

Let me host some things. And at first you might have to do it for free, but that's why you have your savings. So then when you finally have that time, I'm like, oh, this is actually my rate. This is my rate. So since you got it, but it's gonna take some research and some honing in on your craft.

And some realities that like freelancing, because you're not, your freelancing is that leeway part before you become a creative entrepreneur business owner yourself. There's a lot of things that people don't tell you. It's not cute. I don't think there are a lot of things that you're going to miss from the United five like helping shirt. Like are you ready to pay out of pocket or helping shirt? Okay. That's all I have to ask her. Just be mindful about what you're really walking away from. Are you comfortable with being your own boss, your own talent, your own makeup, your own whatever? It's gonna be a lot of that until it's that. That's a word because when I tell you those checks

don't come every two weeks, I promise you they don't. I promise, I promise you they don't. You'll be like, hello, so you want something to be paying me today, who are they? Where are you? Hello, what's Who are they? Where are you? I want to pay me. Where are you? And then you have to be on the people too. Like if they say they sent you an invoice, put it in your calendar today, 30 days from today. Yeah. Because they will try to get you. They're like, Oh, our bad. We got it. Yeah. You'll get it. Yeah. Have your savings.

Gia, I love you. I love everything that you represent and who you are in this world. And I know that you moving to LA is just going to offer so much more inspiration for those of us who are watching your journey online. Thank you for doing this with me. Thank you for having me.

And I'm so excited for all the things that you were doing in this world. And I'm a part of one thing. So I'm so excited for all the things that you were doing in this world. And I'm a part of one thing, so I'm so excited I'll be able to do challenge. But thank you so much for all that you are because I tell you, you are a lifesaver to so many of millennial black women out here and older and younger,

because I was called out the lives we did. Somebody was like, wait, I'm 50. Wait a minute. You gotta see me anytime. I'm saying my bad. So to all of us who you bless just thank you for saying yes to the call. I know it's not easy and thank you for continuing to show up for us because I love you you save us all the time. So thank you for all you that you are past Sarah. Thank

you. Thank you to you. I love you. I'm going to make sure you have my number for you move. Yes. Okay. Bye. I'm gonna make sure you have my number for you to move. Yes, perfect. Okay, bye. I tried to warn you all that that was going to be so much fun. I have so much love and respect and just intrigue when it comes to Gia. I can't wait to see what she's gonna do next. Gia is gonna always be you for me. I'm inspired by your joy and tenacious drive to go after everything God has promised you. We're praying for you as your feet touch down

and lost, Angelois. I'm just so grateful to have shared this time evolving with you. Now, which one of you all are going to come and fill GSUs as my next GoHos? Is it you? If so, hit our inbox at podcast at wamanivov.com. That's the same email for advice questions too. So if you're

trying to get in where you fit in and you need our help to understand how you gonna fit, email us so that we can answer your questions. I feel like you also need a reminder that the Wamanivov virtual experience that GIA is going to be at is November 5th through the 6th. And there may be a few on in-person tickets available. So if you wanna come to Dallas, make it happen. This is us, this is your reminder, reminding you that it is time for you to get on the plane.

If you're ready to travel, come hang with us in Dallas or get comfy at home as we evolve together. So I love you guys, can't wait for the next episode. Make sure you stay plugged in, rate, subscribe, tell all your friends we are evolving every week on this podcast. Now let's keep doing life together. Same time next week, okay? Love you. you