Woman Evolve with Sarah Jakes Roberts - What to Do When the Dream Falls Apart with Terri J. Vaughn

Episode Date: September 16, 2026

What happens to a dream deferred? Chile, let us tell it—it makes room for something more honest to take shape. Creator, actor, and director Terri J. Vaughn has always bet on herself, holding tight to God’s “yes” even when life handed her a “no.” In a deeply personal conversation with Sarah Jakes Roberts, Terri talks about the sacred responsibility of carrying a vision, plus recognizing when it’s unfolding differently than you expected. This episode moves through the generational lessons of womanhood while also exploring the beautiful chaos of loving a life that can still wear us out. And sis, maybe that’s the real work. Not holding on to the life you imagined, but trusting God enough to imagine again. Check out this episode's partners! Get 40% off select Lola Blankets products at https://Lolablankets.com by using code EVOLVE at checkout. Experience the world’s #1 blanket with Lola Blankets. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/EVOLVE #rulapod Go to https://baskandlatherco.com and use code DAF for 20% off. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/kkzntqt9 #CashAppPodCash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One thing that I have learned is that self-care isn't always about doing something extravagant. Sometimes it's literally just creating little moments in your day when you're taking care of yourself that feel purposeful and intentional. For me, one of those moments is after I get out of the shower. I've realized that my face isn't the only thing that deserves good skin care. The rest of my skin needs that same attention, especially when it's going through a season where it's feeling a little dry or just needs a little extra hydration. That's why I've been using Ocea's hyaluronic body serum, and I honestly love how it feels on my skin. It's lightweight, absorbs almost instantly, and doesn't leave that sticky feeling behind. My skin just feels hydrated, refreshed, and incredibly soft.

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Get 10% off your first order sitewide with Code Evolve at Ocea Malibu.com. That's Code Evolve at OSEA Malibu. What's up family? This is your girl, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and you are listening to The Woman Evolve podcast. How are you? What's going on in your world? Listen, I am so grateful for the incredible team behind the Woman Evolve podcast because we are, you know, finding our rhythm again after my injury and we're actually like, the goal was always to like try and record these, you know, as far in advance as possible. so that the team, we're a really small team.

Like, you guys would not believe for the amount of work that we've been able to create and put out into the world. The team is, like, less than 10 people. Maybe right at 10, perhaps 11, maybe 12-ish, but basically, we'll see. I could count everyone. But listen, here's the point. So the further in advance we can get these done, the better. The only thing that I kind of don't enjoy a little bit is that, like, I love giving you all, giving you all, like, up-to-date information about, like, what's happening in my world.

By time you're listening to this, I would have done the Tamron Hall Show, which I'm actually filming on September 11th. It's going to air on September 14th. And by time you listen to it, it'll already be out. But we've been doing a lot of pre-production calls for us. So just so you know, like, I let's talk about how this came about. So I am, I had my injury. I don't have any relationship with Tamron. She's been on the podcast once before when we were still doing it primarily virtually.

But that was the extent of it. That's like talking to her assistant or PR and we filmed the podcast. That's it. And so I had this injury and literally on one of the most difficult days of my recovery, I was having a really hard time. I'm on Instagram and I get this message from her and she's basically like, I'm praying for you, I'm thinking about you. And it wasn't like the swell when everything first happened.

It was, you know, a little bit of time in. And I was like, you know, incidentally, this has been one of the tougher days. And so just thank you. And from there, she just kind of continued to check on me. I exchanged information. And she just continued to check on me. And she's like, when you're ready, if you'd like to share your story and some of the lessons that you're learning, I know you're still processing.

Like, I'd be grateful if you would join us on the show. the show has always been about platforming different stories and experiences. And so it's kind of weird because at the same time that was happening, like I was also writing on my book, which is like me having to get over myself so many times throughout this process, whether it was not being able to show up as a family in the family that I'm used to or in ministry the way that I'm used to or as a leader the way that I'm used to or even processing conference and all of the refunds. and I've had to like get over myself and get over this idea of who I thought I needed to be.

And so like I'm going through this injury, but also I'm working on this book and this opportunity. And the book is just coming together so beautifully. And then without seeking, pursuing, like it just also, throughout this process, I'm like, if God is in any of it, he's in all of it. And as much as I've had discouraging days, there have been things that have doors that have opened that I couldn't even, make up, like I couldn't even push myself into. And so, man, it doesn't take away from the fact that things have still been hard. Things have still been challenging. I'm still having to figure things out and to grow and stretch and step into it. But also there's like this duality of knowing that like these lessons that I'm learning about myself, this reexamining and restructuring that is required

for this season of my life has also been a season where God is. showing me that he's still with me, so don't give up. So if you're having one of those moments where you're like, how do I know whether or not I need to keep pressing forward? Like, there's going to be resistance when it comes to your purpose. And honestly, it's easy for us to say, like, it's just the enemy, it's just the enemy. But sometimes there are lessons hidden in the resistance that are meant to develop us for what God ultimately has for us. and if we just continue pressing forward and we just continue showing up strong

instead of allowing ourselves to break down, allowing ourselves to re-examine, like, what could I have done differently? What will I do differently knowing what I know now? What standard have I been holding for myself that was never realistic to begin with? What pressure have I been putting on myself just to keep up with what other people know about me

as opposed to accepting the truth about where I am? I got to ask myself a lot of these questions. And in the process of doing that, I can see why God allowed these things to happen. There were some beliefs and some tendencies that had I continued would have been unhealthy for me as a leader, for me as a mother, for me as a woman. And so I wouldn't wish this kind of season on anybody. It has been painful physically, emotionally, spiritually. It's been embarrassing. not because of the scar or the injury,

but because I haven't been able to show up as the leader that I would want to be. I want to show myself as responsible and well thought out, and I dropped the ball. And so it hasn't been easy, but I have learned. And my prayer is that God continues to allow me space

to apply the lessons that I'm learning. So I don't know what the show. Hopefully the show is impactful and that it helps someone, else feel less alone in the season that has been disorienting because I'm finding my way. Not to say that it doesn't still feel like a whirlwind sometimes, but I am finding my way and I'm grateful for who I'm becoming in the process. Okay.

All right. We'll get back to the conversation, but first, let me put y'all on the ultimate sweater weather game because fall is around the corner and if you're anything like me, you want those pieces in your closet that you can reach for over and over again and know that they're going to work. Listen, when the weather starts cooling down, I want pieces that feel elevated and chic, but I also need them to be easy. I want the sweater that works whether I'm keeping it casual, dressing it up for dinner, or throwing it on when I need to get out of the house and still look like I put myself together. One of the pieces I keep reaching for is my Quince cashmere sweater.

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So if we're getting our fall wardrobe together, baby, we can do the whole thing. Everything at Quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen, so you're paying for quality instead of some brand markup. And Quince isn't just for your closet. They bring that same approach to hotel quality bedding and bath. kitchen essentials, and thoughtfully designed furniture. So whether you're refreshing your wardrobe or your home for the season, they've got you covered. Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince.

Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com slash evolve. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. That's QI-N-C.com slash evolve. All right, so you already know what it is. You just minding my business. Now it's time for me to mind yours. And let's see what the question is for this week.

Hey, Sarah, girl. First, I just want to say thank you for you, your husband, your family, everyone around you, for everything you guys have been doing. I've been going to One House, L.A., since I'm in California. 22, I moved, and then 2023. My mom found you guys, and she was like, you need a go. And I was like, okay. And I've been going ever since. So amen. Amen. But I just wanted to call in because the closer I've gone to God, the more I feels like I've

been getting attacked from every direction. I've had so much happen recently. My car was stolen. I had to pay to get it back. My license was stolen. My cat, like a converter was stolen. And now I'm dealing with insurance and expensive repairs. And on top of that, I basically got laid off. and I'm only kidding one or two shifts a week. So financially, things are really getting stressful. I'm also in a Christ's relationship that I truly believe that God brought me in life. But I struggle in securities and fears that I'm not good enough or that I'll be left. And I came out of a toxic relationship.

So sometimes I wonder if I'm, you know, bringing those fears into something God is actually blessing me with. But the crazy part in the middle of this is all this chaos and I have peace. Like, I'm completely, like, you know, I'm chilling. I keep asking myself, like, why am I not panicking? I do only feel like I was telling you to trust them and keep it moving. Even though everything around me looks chaotic and a lot of people could be discouraging, especially around this past, like, I'm not from California. I'm from Florida, you know?

And I moved from when I was 18, I moved from Florida to New York to here all by myself. I'm currently looking forward on September to do like a, 40-day fast, really seeking God for direction. I have goals and I have things that believe God has caught me to do. But I also need, you know, job, financial stability to get there. So my question here is, how do you discern from, how do you discern between spiritual warfare, normal life circumstances, your own fear, and God simply telling you to trust them and keep it going?

I really would love your advice because I'm trying to stay obedient, trust God, and not let my fear make my decisions. I know close mouths don't get fed. Someone's asking here, you know, for your help. I pray you to, or anything you can do to help me in this circumstances. I just want to say thank you, Tara. I love you and your husband and your family. You guys stay blessed.

And have a sister out. Thank you. Thank you so much for trust me with this question. You sound so brave and so courageous. And I'm just grateful that God is allowing. me to be a part of this season in your life. I want to congratulate you for shifting your focus and really being in pursuit of God and his voice and his wisdom and his will as it relates to your life that comes with a lot of sacrifice and a lot of surrender. And most of the time it's

sacrificing things that feel like it would be a lot easier if we weren't trying to live by this moral code and value, and yet we also can't deny the piece that comes with it. And I resonate so deeply with what you're saying, because I feel that same piece, even though I got a lot on me every now and then I'm like, you need to come up with seven figures as soon as possible. You know, you got so many different things. But that weighs heavily on me. That's the refunds. That weighs heavily on me a lot. And I think I have some breakthrough in that area. So I'm I'm really just wheeling that thing going in. But yeah, everybody's circumstance and uncertainty can be different.

But what you ask me is, how do I know the difference between like normal life circumstances and spiritual warfare? And I think sometimes it's hard to determine, right, because the rain falls on the just and the unjust. And sometimes it doesn't matter whether it's this or that. It's like what it's creating in my person. Is it making me question God? Is it making me question my faith? Is it making me pull away from him? And if so, then perhaps that's one of those things that I am sure is spiritual warfare

because it's trying to change who I am in the spirit. If something is happening and it's a normal life circumstance, it doesn't mean that a normal life circumstance can't create a spiritual, spiritual warfare or spiritual uncertainty and insecurity. But it does mean that we can go through normal circumstances without it being something that impacts us spiritually. When you begin to realize that I think that what I just went through was both. I think that random accidents happen to people all of the time. And I think that that is a part of life.

I think the way that I processed it about is this, is God mad at me? Do I need to quit? Is something wrong with me? You know, is this the enemy trying to keep me from? Because we were finally getting things established and making kingdom relationships and partnerships. Maybe this is the enemy trying to convince me to quit. I think it's about how we process what's happening

in those normal life circumstances that the enemy can use as a tool of spiritual warfare. And then there are moments where it's like, this is like not all of this happening at one time could happen to one person. This is definitely the enemy. But I think the intent is also, the same is like is it trying to pull me away from god and so i go back to the in in the gospels where

jesus tells peter that satan has asked for you he's asked to sift you as we but i've prayed for you um that your faith wouldn't fail and when you have returned to me and so i do think that we get this incredible depiction of what it means to experience spiritual warfare satan has asked for you so now we're in a war satan wants you for himself. But Jesus is in the process of that I have prayed for you that your faith wouldn't fail. So when Jesus prays he's not praying

that I hope you don't lose any friends, I hope you keep your job, that in the midst of this tug of war, this pulling on you, that your faith doesn't fail in the process. And I believe that one of the key components

of spiritual warfare is to get us to quit moving in faith. It's to quit, it's to get us to stop believing in God and believing in the promises of God. And so I had one of those moments, right? And then Jesus says when you have returned to me. So there are moments where we go through spiritual warfare and we have departed, where it's like I can't be who I'm supposed to be in God.

Like Peter went through. Like I don't know if I can stand up to it. I don't know if I have what it takes. I've denied him. I've disappointed him. I've disappointed myself. And yet Jesus says, and when you have returned to me that you would strengthen your brothers,

because there's something that we find out in the distance about who God is that strengthens us in a way that we would not have had strength had we not had the testing. It doesn't mean the testing is fun and it doesn't mean that when we're in the testing that we don't feel weakness. But when we return to that place of strength, to that place of certainty, we can be stronger than we were before. It doesn't sound like you're in the season where it's pulling you apart. And for that, you, baby, you better tell God, thank you. I feel like I'm in, like I graduated to a new level of faith after this experience where there are certain things that just can't pull me away from God now because I have been strengthened in the pulling away.

And now that I am back close, I just don't feel, I feel a certainty that I didn't feel before a certainty about who I am and who I can't be and what I can control and what I can't control. and not allowing that to change who I am in God. And so I'm really, really proud of the steadiness that you have. My prayer for you is that you would hang on to it. And then more than discerning what's normal life circumstances, what's spiritual warfare, I would challenge you,

what I'm going to pray is that the Lord would make you sensitive and discerning to his provision for your life and that the provision would not be limited to your expectations and that the provision would be made certain and clear. And so, Father, thank you for trusting me with this season of your daughter's life, God. I pray right now just that you would continue to fill her with your spirit, God, that you would comfort her, that you would allow her to feel a sense of pride in the work that she has done to draw close.

to you, God. And I ask that she would continue to feel your nearness, no matter what she goes through, that she would experience your nearness in big and small ways. God, make her heart sensitive to the way that you're continuing to show up even as life seems uncertain. And God, as she's going through this season where provision seems lean, where she's wondering, God, what does it look like for me to reach a place of stability? God, I pray that you would just give her divine creativity, divine wisdom, humility, if necessary. God, that she would be open to any and all ways that you are going to grow her and in growing her, God, that provision would be a part of that growth. I thank you, God, for supernatural strength, wisdom, God, and I thank you for courage.

The same courage that had our move from Florida to New York to New York to California at a young age and survive, that that courage would be channeled in the direction of purpose and that she would experience breakthrough and that she would experience continued peace, God, and love for who she has become. May she love who she has becoming you and never let her go. And as she holds on to who she is becoming in you, God, I pray that you would open her eyes to the ways that you're providing, not just for who she is, but who you have already ordained her to become. In Jesus' name.

Amen. I'm sorry, but I need to stop for a moment to talk to y'all about Honey Love. Now, Honey Love has been that girl all year for the Woman Evolve podcast. We've been talking about all of the things Honey Love has when it comes to shapewear, tanks, body suits, and bras. And I just cannot get enough of their cross-flex activity braw. Now, let's be honest, sports bras are not always the most comfortable girls out there. Sometimes the band can be too tight. Everything is smashed together. and somehow those straps always find a way to dig into your shoulders. But that's why Honeylove is that girl, because they created the cross-flex activity bra.

What I like about it is that it gives you that supportive sports bra feel, but it's actually designed for all-day wear. It's supportive without feeling stiff or suffocating, and it has an easy hook-in-eye back, which means I do not have to perform an entire upper body workout just to get this thing off of me. It also gives you real shape and separation instead of that Unibube look.

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After you check out, they'll ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them we sent you. Experience the new standard in comfort and support with Honeylove. There comes a season when God invites you to stop shrinking, to stop second-guessing, and to trust the woman you've become, which I feel like coming off the heels of that question and that prayer, is like what I feel like I'm stepping into. I believe it's what my sister is stepping into who called in. And I honestly believe that that is what Terry J. Vaughn exhibited when she sat down and talked to us. We recorded this before my injury. We've got a few that we've been hanging on to. And I feel like she knew exactly what it meant to bet on herself, to hold onto her vision, even though she went through disappointment and to continue to become no matter what the season of life is.

And I feel like that as she hung onto that commitment to continue to her becoming, regardless of the season, that her confidence, her peace, her wholeness was really evident in our conversation. We talk about faith. We talk about family. we talk about purpose and what happens when you stop trying to fit into these spaces and start trusting that what God is placed inside of you is enough. My conversation with Terry J. Vaughn is one for the books. She is an actress, a director, a producer, and creator. And she has done so many things throughout her career.

Many of us have just grown up watching her go from one space to another space, constantly evolving. She discusses motherhood, marriage, friendship, menopause. honey and self-care and emphasizes that women need to make space for themselves while caring for everyone else. You're going to love this conversation. Let's get into it. This season is interesting because I feel like I'm in the gamut of all the emotions, the ups, the downs. So it's really a hosh-mash of all kind of feelings. I am more determined than ever to create my own stuff, my own content when it comes to work.

I'm excited to be challenged in new ways when it comes to my work, my industry, my craft. And I'm excited just my personal life with my family and the kids and everybody's growing and life is changing. And I'm excited about it. I was going to say, what is it asking of you? Ooh. To honor my vision, to honor the thoughts, the visions, the goals that drop into my spirit, to honor them and not brush them aside.

And as a woman, that's not always very easy. Right. It hasn't always been very easy. And I think this is, that's really the reason why I'm always such a cheerleader for us when it comes to women. and especially black women because, you know, just growing up as a woman, no matter where you grow up, you always are hit with the insecurities or just all the things that life brings, right? When it comes to boys and it comes to listening to your instincts,

like we usually second guess or question or ask somebody else's advice or guidance. When we have those strong feelings already ourselves, we don't trust them. And now in this season in my life, I really am trusting that voice. I know that is my connection to God. I know that's where my blessings lie and following that voice, which is not always easy. It's really scary sometimes.

Because you know it's hard because I feel like we want to trust the voice, but we also want to trust that we know what the outcome will be. And I have found that you can't do both at the same time. You cannot. You do not know that. come. You do not know how the plan is going to fold or what steps or what corners or turns you're going to have to make. You just have to trust moment by moment by moment. And it is scary, but it's also exciting. And I've always been a daredevil anyway. So I am totally excited about this time

in my life. What's exciting you the most? Like what is you think about your energy, your creativity? What is it? Is it who you think you're going to become? Like what is it that or just, the fulfillment of following that voice? I think I'm most excited about because I don't know what the outcome is going to be, right? You got to tell us how you get excited

about not knowing what the outcome is. That feels like the whole podcast could be taken up with that. Well, I get excited not knowing because the stuff I do know, I know that that's limited. I know it is. As great as big as my dreams are

and I have some Bitcoin. I still know they're not as expansive as God will make them as if I just listen moment by moment. I don't know where I'm going. I didn't know I was going to be here until what a few days ago or a week ago or whatever. Just saying yes when I'm just led. But I don't know. I don't know what this conversation was going to be. I know that I admire you.

I know that, you know, that you have a good spirit and a good heart. I know that you're married to one of my favorite people in the world. I know that's the stuff I know. But I don't know where this conversation is going to take us, what we'll talk about, how I'll be changed or healed, or how I can help change or heal somebody else just from listening. Those are the things I don't know. But I'm just excited to see what happens. It feels like you have leaned into the reality that like experiences are not about my identity or proving myself as much as it is allowing me to experience more of myself. Because in those moments of uncertainty, when we do not take those leaps of faith, when we do not try new things, we don't learn new things about ourselves or God so we end up feeling trapped or stuck.

Correct. So maybe the gift of uncertainty isn't necessarily the thing we get is who we become in the process because you seem like excited about your becoming. I am. I'm just, you know, I've always been a very positive person, glass-houseful type of person, even when things, you know, seem like, you know, they are going in the total opposite way that I wanted them to, or it feels like a setback, or it feels like a loss, or a failure. I still find what is positive in those moments. And it makes it does. It makes me excited about life. And I think life is, life can be very challenging and hard.

It can be. But I just feel like it's always happening for my good, no matter what it is. And that is what excites me about life because I just don't know. I just know it's going to be something good in the end because it just is. Because it is. It is. I just don't see it any other way.

That's just how that works. And I feel like in order to have the career that you've had from acting, producing, writing, directing, that you have to have that optimism within yourself to survive some of the systems and what your gift must exist within. And I don't know if they told you our theme for this year is going rogue. So we're talking about and talking to women who have had to go rogue in order to believe in what God is placed inside of them. And so I want to know, especially with your career, what has it looked like for you to go rogue? Oh, wow. Yeah. Because I've been going rogue for a long time.

And I kind of think because I've been going rogue for such a long time, Um, it's, it's why my, my journey has been at a, it's always been going forward, but not at the pace that I wish it was, you know, that I would want it to go or that I expected it to go. Um, and you know, just, you see your peers and things are, it seems that things are going so great and things are like they're popping. And I am trudging along, trudging along. but I wouldn't have it any other way because I'm good at bedding on myself because I know by betting on myself, I am listening. I am listening to the voice within and the voice within me is God. And so I don't play it safe. I don't even when I decided I was going to move to Atlanta. This was about 17 years ago now. I've been living here.

And when I first told my friends and people close to me that I was moving, everybody was like, oh my God, you're going to mess up your career. You're going to miss out on so many opportunities and meeting this person and that and this event and that. And I was always, I was taught early on to not put my life on hold for this business. Wow. To live and explore your life. Live, don't put it on hold. live your life because that makes me a better artist.

My experiences gives me more things to pull from in my artistry. So again, like I said, I've always been a daredevil. So I moved anyway, even though everyone was telling me not to. Again, going rogue. I've never been one to just follow along and do it that way. When I felt like I wanted to direct, I created an opportunity, for me to direct. And then people were like, oh, now you direct so you don't act.

Nope, yes, I do. I still act and I direct. And they always try to make you choose or make you be in this box or do it this way because it's always been done that way. And it's just not in me. It's just not who I am. It's not how I was created. There are days when I want to be intentional about what I'm eating, but I also do not

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for $35 off your first order. Thanks to Wild Alaskan Company for sponsoring this episode. Were there women in your life who, like, influence this level of courage and boldness in you? I mean, I have to say, you know, I come from a family full of women. My mom and my grandmother and my aunt, they raised me.

I didn't grow up with my father in the house. And I think just being a, around them and watching how they move and watching how they provided for us and seeing them juggle and work two jobs at a time or three jobs at a time. Now go to your aunt's house because I got to go to work here. And, you know, and just watching how they juggled and shifted, making sure we all got what we need it. And maybe that's where it comes from. Just you got to keep it moving. Yeah. You got to keep it moving. And I do know that God has a special, I don't know, he has his hand on me in a special way because I know my mom had dreams that she wanted to pursue

and she didn't. And she thought because she became a mother and she couldn't pursue her dreams anymore. And we got into a conversation. I was like, well, mom, I think you still could have pursued your dreams. I think you just had limited, you know, you weren't taught that you could because I also know women around her age that still pursued a life as they were trucking their kids along. And so we got into this whole debate about it. And I just think that God made me in a way to where I I didn't allow whether it was having babies or moving to a new city. I never allowed it to deter me from what my dream was. I feel like women of a certain generation, you know, didn't believe and with good reason,

did not believe that things were accessible to them. And it's so funny, people always talk about, oh, my gosh, you're following in your father's footsteps and they always put a lot of emphasis on my father, whom I love. But I also realize that as a woman that I represent my mother's dreams too. And representing her dreams with my expression and my personality, but I do feel like there's something to be said about the daughters of women who couldn't be as bold as they wanted to be being able to see them. Like I have a daughter. I know we talked about your children.

And I can see the ways in which they're already more free than I got to be. Isn't that amazing? Yes. you're absolutely right because I learned so much from my daughter watching her like if she asked for something she expects to get it

you know she sets plans and tells me what they are you know and I admire that in her and she reminds me that if I have asked for something I should expect it

and it's my not expecting it that stops it from coming to me so she reminds me to believe in that voice, to believe in that ask, that if I asked, it's going to happen. I love this idea of what we can learn from one another as generations. Because oftentimes we think, like, okay, well, the generation that came before me got it all wrong. And the generation that's coming behind me have no idea what they're talking about.

And the truth is probably, you know, it's somewhere in the middle and having this opportunity to learn from younger women. it does it edifies our womanhood. I feel like we need women of all generation as we're figuring out what it means to be a woman. Like I'm looking at women who are graying, who have gone through menopause, who've had to send their children off to see what it looks like

to survive being a woman. Because sometimes it's so challenging and then I want to pass those lessons on to my daughter. What are some of the lessons that you can't wait to pass on to your daughter about womanhood? So we speak

often and very freely about anything that she, you know, that she's interested in or that she heard about. She has, for instance, my daughter, she's only 11, but she has a emergency pack that she's created based on our conversations of, you know, pads and wipes and stuff just in case at school, she starts, you know, her period. And we freely have those conversations And I never had those conversations with my mom Ever. Ever. And the fact that she is excited

I'm like, I don't know what you're so happy and excited about. Life isn't getting real, real around here. But I love that she is, that it's not taboo. Yeah. That none of it is taboo because it shouldn't be. But I feel like the way that we were raised, it wasn't that we were told it was taboo. It just was never spoken about. Even the things like when I started going through menopause, like my mom never told me about the hot flashes and the this and the that.

And I'm like, why? How come this wasn't just like normal conversations for women? Because these are natural, normal things in life that we're going to have to experience. And for us to just get hit with it and never having talked about it or had experiences shared with us, you have figured out on your own, you're not prepared at all. I'm like, but why? So I make sure I talk to her about everything, anything that she questioned. This episode of Woman Evolve is brought to you by Alloy Health. Now, since Terri J. Vaughn and I are already having a real conversation about menopause,

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I went all. I'm looking because the way the girls say that menopause got hands, they say she run up on you and she don't let up. Yeah. I think everybody's experience is different. I definitely got hit with the hot flashes, but it wasn't to the extent to where I've heard some people, like really, like they wake up and their sheets are wet and sweat.

I didn't have that. But I, you know, the mood swings are real. Okay. Like, did you notice them when they, okay, you, okay, you knew. Okay, so you would be like in the mood, like maybe happy go lucky and then over it? I would all of a sudden, I would just be walking, you know, just nothing has happened, but I would just be irritable. Okay. For no reason, nothing's happened.

And I was just irritated by everything. Like, why hasn't somebody called or why aren't y'all wiping this down? I mean, and stuff that I get on them about all. the time, but it was just really irritating. Little things. And nobody's done anything to me. And I used to like just call it out. Like, okay, this is really troublesome for me. I am irritated and annoyed. And I don't know why. And I don't have any reason. And I would literally tell my husband, I'm irritated today for no reason. And I have such a great husband. Man, I mean, he literally did his own research when

down the rabbit hole. And he was telling me stuff that I hadn't ran out. So he is all in. And he was talking about some of his friends, talking about creating a group for them. They need a support group. To deal with their wives that are going through the change. So I love that.

I love having that kind of support. But as we were growing up, that never was of conversation. So I'm happy that we can just freely talk about it. that it is not anything that is wrong or that is bad. It is just life. I love that. How are you like balancing, you know, your life, taking care of your family, still continuing to create without feeling burnout?

You know, sometimes I do feel overwhelmed. I cannot lie. Me too. I feel overwhelmed sometimes. But, you know, I really love my life. Yeah. When it comes down to it. I love my job.

I love, you know, creating content that represents us, that gives voice to us, that brings joy and light and laughter into people's lives. I love that with my whole heart. And I love that I have my family that needs me equally as much as my job needs me. And, you know, I love being a mom. I love being a wife. And all of it gets on my nerves at times. But I love that I have that. Yeah.

That outside of work, I have this big, beautiful thing that calls my attention to. And it just makes me better. It makes me a better person. And when I need to sit down and go take a bath, you know, I tell my family. Everybody is, we talk. Everybody supports. Yeah, go take a bath. Mommy, you want me to put some salts in your bath for you?

You know, it's, it's, we've created a beautiful, balanced life. So I take care of myself in the midst of it all. And I show up 100% whether I need to be at home or whether I need to be on set. You get all of me. Okay, so I love this idea of like. You can be exhausted from a life you love. Oh, yeah. Because sometimes we think that I don't deserve to be exhausted or I can't be exhausted because I'm so

blessed that there's no room for me to be tired. And I feel like a lot of women who have beautiful lives can often feel guilty for feeling tired from those beautiful lives as well. I feel the same way you do. There's like not one thing in my life that I do not love. I'm back in school to get my bachelors. We're doing this. We're pastoring.

We're raising children. We've got cheer competition. volleyball, like we're doing all of the things and when I start getting tired and I start assessing my life

well like which one of these things are you willing to give up like I'm not dropping out of school the girls are still going to do cheer and volleyball like I'm going to continue

pastoring we're just going to have to figure it out yeah and it's nothing wrong with shutting it all down sometimes yeah

I'm gonna go take a nap oh well let me tell you I'm going yes to staycation I'm out of here for about two or three days so I think

that's the important part of it is you have to listen to your body and honor and love that part of you too. Yeah. So when you do feel overwhelmed and, you know, pulled, and we'll allow ourselves and keep going and push, you know, beyond, you know, the, I don't know, well, it's not beyond our limits, but we'll keep pushing. It is close. But we have to also honor that and shut it all down.

When you were speaking, I just heard a voice say to me, do you love yourself as much as you love your life? Absolutely. You have to. Yeah. You have to. You have to. Yeah. You got to shut it down.

And loving yourself, even if it's just for a day. And it gives you the joy of going back full. I mean, because think about it, you want to be, you want to have fun with your family. Yeah. You want to even taking them to cheer in the volleyball and, you know, doing whatever. whatever we have to do with our husbands and okay, yeah, we'll go hang out with your friends tonight. You know, you want to show up and be the light still. Yeah.

You don't want to show up and be like, irritate. You don't want to do that. And the only way to not do that is to make sure you fuel yourself. Check out sometimes. Relax. And, you know, I'm older than you. So I do it. I learned that I, that is.

equally as important, if not more important, than all the other aspects of our life. Yeah. More important than raising and loving our kids and showing up for work and giving our all. More important than all of that is you taking care of you. That's... I feel like that's a clip right there that we're going to need to put out for women to just hear and rehearse over and over again. For me, it sounds like reclaiming your identity from all of the different. different things that you do for people.

Yeah. I think it just happens where you end up just drawing yourself out of the picture and you're creating this beautiful life for everyone else, but there's no space for you in it. And it's also honoring God. Taking care of you is honoring God. It's, he's, she is in this temple. Gives me my breath, gives me my hopes, my dreams, my desires that tell me, where to go, how to do, what you need to pursue next.

That's all inside of me because of the creator. So if I don't take care of this, I'm not honoring the creator. So I have to. Now, you said that growing up, like there wasn't as much open discussion as you have created in your family. How did you go about creating this culture within your family that didn't exist for you when you were growing up? Um, well, see, the fact that that I grew up without my father in the house, I knew I didn't want that. Like, you know, just things that I was checking in my life that I knew I wanted different as I became an adult. So I knew I wanted to have, you know, be with a mate that I knew would be equally yoked and be there with me in the house with the kids, um, being present.

And not, you know, you, I wanted a teammate that was really a teammate. I don't want just to have a man in the house, just to have a man in the house. I want somebody that's like, we have fun and we're friends. I didn't see that in my house. Yeah. You know, we come from very humble beginnings. I wanted to create a lifestyle for my family. I wanted us to be able to have a big yard.

I wanted to have a pool. I didn't even know how to swim as a kid, but these are just visions that I feel like were, and this is how you know it's from God. Because I didn't experience that. I didn't see that. Where am I getting this? So that's why I trust everything that drops inside of me. I trust that it's supposed to be mine, that God is telling me this is your life if you want it. You got to believe and you got to put in the work.

Believe in putting the work That's my job The rest, how it unfolds, where it comes from Who I team All that is That's, you know, alignment That's God putting the things in place So just growing up

Without having those things Made me want to have those things And yeah And I pursued it And you kept that vision in front of you Oh yeah Yeah Because a lot of people they want it

But they struggle to believe that they can have it so they let the vision kind of move past them. Yeah. And it's daily work, to be honest, because I still have visions and goals that I carry that I want to have happen. And I believe they're happening already. They're already happening. As long as I keep moving, keep going, keep trusting, and keep believing.

And that's where people fall short is that belief when you don't see it. Are you writing them down? Like how do you, okay, you write it down? I write them down. I, you know, I think about them often. I see myself as that already. I'm already that. God already told me I was that.

Yeah. So just because y'all don't see it yet, that doesn't mean anything to me. Because I'm living as that, whatever that is, that successful business person, that producer, creator, actor. of my own show. I already see myself as that. Y'all just got to catch up. I was going to say, how do you deal with those moments where they haven't caught up and like they're the people who are closest to you? Oh, yeah. Again, that's why I say it's daily work.

I have to continue to remind myself because there's nobody else's responsibility. Yeah. It's not. It's no one else's responsibility to keep your vision in front of them. No. They don't even know my vision. And just because I tell them they still don't get it. They can't visualize it because it's not theirs. So it's hard for them to even grasp what it is I'm talking about.

And so it's not there was, it's no one's responsibility but mine, my happiness is my responsibility, my achievements of all the hopes, dreams, goals. It's my responsibility. So I can't put it in the hands of someone else or in the hopes and dreams. of someone else. That's not even fair to them. Yeah. Yeah, you worry about your own dreams.

I'm here. Right. That, like, you don't need to jump on my dreams. Can you tell me about a time where it seemed like the vision was like within reach, like, it's happening? And then it felt like it died. So you had to like go through the work of like bringing it back to life. I asked that because there are many women who have felt so close to the vision. Maybe it didn't happen at all.

And they think to themselves, well, I guess that wasn't. for me like do you hang on to the vision in those moments or do you let it go is there attention there yeah i still hold on to the vision and so it's funny that you asked that in that way so i did um a year ago or two years ago or so i sold my own my tv show okay finally this is after years 20 years of creating developing pitching my own series and I finally did it. And I sold my show and it was the biggest, oh my God, it was the biggest accomplishment in my career since booking the Steve Harvey show.

Okay. Like booking the Steve Harvey show was like huge for me. That was my first thing that I, my first series regular. And it was overwhelmingly joyful. And so this. Was that, like, on another level, though, on something that I created from my mind, my heart, my spirit, trusting God, kept going through all the nose, and it happened. And then, after the season, it aired, and it's not coming back. It got canceled.

After all of that, right? After all of that, hit show, number two on Netflix. people are loving it and it doesn't come back devastated devastating doesn't even make sense doesn't make sense I'm like what is happening

this doesn't make sense and so you know I had to sit in the disappointment of it for a minute you allow yourself to feel the feels or whatever it's going to be but is this the end was that it

no way that was just the stepping stone that was just the stepping stone because that was the vision how i created it how i envisioned it would be and it happened and then it went away because i know that god has something even more again it goes back to yes i have the vision i have dreams i have goals but I know whatever I can envision, there is something way bigger than that vision that Terry has. Yeah. And so that's what I had to lean into. You accomplished your vision, Terry.

Good for you. That is great. But now let me take that away so you can get ready for what I'm trying to show you. And so that's the space I live in right now. Get back to the drawing board. What's that other show idea you had? Wow. So now I'm happy in that moment right now, creating what that is going to be.

And I'm really excited and happy. And I don't have a show right now. I don't have a show. I don't have a job. But I'm super excited and happy. Yeah. Because I still trust. I still have faith.

I still know what I was told. I know that I'm going to have a hit television series that wins awards, that goes on for season after season after season. I know I still have that. You know what I love. I think, you know, we talk a lot about honoring disappointment, honoring those feelings, but you also honored the win. Yeah.

The wins before the disappointment, you know? And I think sometimes we get so stuck on the disappointment that we don't honor the wins that happen along the way. So maybe someone's trying to figure out, how am I going to pay for school next semester? And then we forget, yeah, but we made it through last semester. We got into school. You know, those wins along the way, those to me are some of the momentums that keep us going.

Yes. And I feel like as maybe someone's listening right now and they're in their season of disappointment because something hasn't panned out the way they wanted to. And there's an opportunity for us to like go back and not just marinate on the disappointment, but let's think about the wins so that we can get the confidence to get back to the drawing board. Correct. I feel like some of my joy comes just from saying yes to God, you know? And then it shifts from saying,

okay God I just I'm just going to say yes to you and then as I'm in the doing of the obedience it shifts into like the outcome instead of the obedience but there's joy to be found in obedience yes yes 100% and and if I if I'm about what I say I'm about yeah there's no way that show being canceled stops me yeah it can't because that's not even who I am to stop and And so you can't wallow in it. You can't even stop believing because that's just not who I am. So if I was in that win, right, and I'm sharing the story, the whole journey of how that win happened for me, 20 years of pitching, 20 years of creating, 20 years of being told

no. And then because I kept going, because I kept believing, I got the yes. I got the yes. Okay. But do you still believe now? Are you still believing those exact same words that you were sharing with people in this season of another no? Or a different kind of no. Because you got the yes for that.

And you did it and you experienced it and you lived it. Okay. So now that's no longer there. Am I still living in the, I believe in my yes? My yes is still on the inside. even though now no is going on all around me on the outside. Am I still leaning into that yes? Yes, I have to.

It's who I am. And I'm not going to be anybody other than who I am. So allow myself to, you know, have the disappointment, okay? Go ahead, wipe your tears, do all your things and get back to it. So I'm back to it. I have a feeling because you said you have an incredible husband and I know what that's like that you also need people in your life who will help you protect that yes within you even when the world turns against you. You spoke about your husband, but are there other like girlfriends?

Like who are your, who's your tribe when you're down and now? Who's the person who's like, girl, get up, brush your teeth, you know, who talks to you that way? So you are absolutely right. I'm such a, I'm a girl's girl. I love my husband, but I'm a girl's girl. Yeah. And I do have a tribe. I surround myself around women who are bosses in their own rights.

They are incredibly giving, supportive, cheerleaders, and we do that for each other. Le Shea, who's here with me today, these are all women that call me on my stuff. Oh, come on. Because I never want to be surrounded by yes and people. Tell me when I'm doing it wrong. Tell me when I'm not being my best self. Tell me. Because I want to know, I don't want to go out into the world looking crazy.

So I have her. I have an amazing manager on my team, Loranda. My sister is my best friend, Tracy. Melinda Williams is one of my best friends. She's a godmother to my daughter. Ricky Hughes, Cassiars. I have a tribe of women that are honest with me. Can we talk about maintaining friendships throughout all of the changes in life?

Like, what do you think a woman has to be willing to do, be, receive in order to maintain friendships in every season? I think you just have to be authentic. I think that, you know, we're human beings, so we're always changing and growing. We should be. you know, because that's what life is. Life is, if you're living, you're continuing to grow and change. So you always have to be authentic to who you are in the moment. And who I am now is not the same who I was 10 years ago.

So surrounding yourself with people that honor the change, which means it starts with me. I have to honor that I'm changing. I'm not the same. And so I'm not going to show up for you how I did 10 years ago. That's so good. I'm going to show up for you how I am right now. And I think that's all it takes to really have real friendships. And if it doesn't jive with them anymore, then maybe that was a friendship for the season,

for the 10 years ago season of my life. but, you know, the friendships that I have were we've all changed and evolved and we cherish each other on through it. You've got to be authentic. You can't fake it. Like I'm still going to be that girl that I was. I can't even be that person anymore.

I feel so convicted because I'm thinking about a friendship that I had and we didn't survive one of the changes in life. And I really think that part of it I said that part of like this is who I am I can't be who I once was But you know what I wish I would have said in addition to that Is and I want that to be enough for you Because I think sometimes when our life changes

Whether you know someone's going through divorce Someone gets married we have baby like all of these things Can shake up a female friendship It's one thing for us to say well this is just who I am now But it's another thing to say this is who I am And I want like I want that to be enough for you I want us to find a way to make that work And I think I could have done better and saying, I want that to be enough because there's one thing to be authentic and then there's another thing to be vulnerable enough to say, I can't feel the space I once feel, but I do still want to take up space in your life.

Yeah. And then you also, you have to honor when the changes do mean that now it's time to part too. And there's really nothing wrong. And it doesn't mean that you guys, you still don't love each other. And still, it's just life changes. It just does. And I want the best for you, just like I hope you want the best for me. And sometimes that means it has to be separate.

Yeah. Because that friendship, she may need a certain kind of friendship. She may need to be able to call somebody at 2 in the morning or whatever. And you're no longer at that space where you can pick up a phone at 2 o'clock in the morning. Yeah. And so it's just not that kind of friendship anymore. Always sisters, but maybe not that kind of friendship anymore. And I think that's okay.

Again, it goes back to honoring each other where we are, how we are, being really authentic. I'm not going to be mad at you that you can no longer take my calls at 2 o'clock in the morning. I get it. I get it, sis. So it's just a different kind of friendship now. I want to read you something. wrote on social media. Uh-oh.

What I said. You said, for too long, I felt like I had to hide parts of myself, shrink my voice, and dim my presence just to make others comfortable. I carried the weight of expectations that weren't mine and silenced my own power to fit into spaces that weren't built for me, but not anymore. I am reclaiming my space and you need to as well. No more shrinking, no more hiding. It's time to rise, lead, and inspire.

What season of your life were you in when you wrote that? I feel like that was during the time when the show came out. I feel like it was. And I really wanted to, you know, I'm always just trying to give light, guidance, love, support to women through my messaging. And for one thing, I want women to know that it's okay to know that you're not perfect, right? That there was a time when I didn't believe in myself enough. And I can admit that. That was a time.

It was a journey. And a lot of times when you're in your 20s and in your 30s, you are trying to find your your space, your place. So you're like, okay, well, do I fit in here? Let me try to adjust and be a part of this crew or this team because they're thriving and they are this. But it doesn't feel good on me. Like now I feel like I'm not being authentic to myself. Well, let me try this.

So you go through that until you finally just land on, whoo, let me just not, stop trying to fit into anything and just, be where I am right now and be who I am. And when you do that, just the circle that starts to build around you, it's effortless. It's like you don't have to do all this shifting, changing, feeling uncomfortable, trying to figure out, trying to, uh-uh, at a certain... I'm not doing any of that. just really just showing up because this is a thing if I show up authentically

as myself, flaws in all, who I am, that's going to be the gift to whoever I'm around because it frees you up too that you feel like you don't have to,

okay, she's so regular and I hear this all the time. You're so regular meaning I get what they mean that there's no airs, there's no fronts. You don't have to be a certain way to be around me.

Like you can literally just be yourself, girl. Totally be yourself. Because look at me, I am so hot. I'm flashing. I'm this. I'm that. My stomach is blow it. Whatever it is.

I'm comfortable and so more than comfortable. I love who I am. And in every moment, an aspect of life now. And I'm not trying to figure out how to love who I am. No more. No longer. I love who I am exactly as I am. You know what you just said,

that thing's going to stick with so many people, if you stop trying to fit into different circles and just be still, the circle will build around you. Yeah. Oh, that's so good. And it feels good. Yeah. It feels way more safe and free.

I want to be free. Yeah. Okay, I'm going to ask you some fun questions before we go. What is your comfort show or movie when you want to relax? Oh. So I love things that make me laugh Okay So there's a show called Hacks that I love to watch

I still watch Blackish Yes It still makes me laugh And I watch it with my daughter My daughter loves Blackish So I love that I still love Miss Governor I still watch our show

I was watching some of it the other day Things that make Anything that makes me laugh I love things that make me laugh Okay, if you had a full day off with zero responsibilities, how are you spending it? Getting probably a two-hour massage. Love that. Are they coming to you or are you going out?

You know what? It depends. Okay. Because sometimes I want to get out my house. Exactly, yeah. And go to like a sacred, serene place. And then just sitting in the sun. Yeah, I love being in the sun, looking at some water with a cocktail.

I love it. If I had a day with zero responsibilities, I was torn between like getting in the bed and just sitting outside and I need a bed outside. That'll do it for me. I love doing nothing. People ask about hobbies.

I'm like my hobby is nothingness. Can that be a hobby? 1,000% I'm real good at it. Me? I'm sure. I'm real good at it. It's because you're on the move all the time.

Yeah. So that quiet space of doing nothing. So good. It's a gift. It really is. Oh, yes. Okay. Are you a clapback or stay silent kind of girl?

Stay silent. Really? You give stay silent. You're like all peaceful and zen. I'll vent to my friends. Yes. That's what I usually do. If it's something that really burns me.

Oh, yeah. Something somebody said or just something, I'll vent it out to my friend. Sometimes I even type it out. I just need to get it out of me and then I'm good. Okay. I'm quiet. I'm like that too. Sometimes I'll be like in another thing.

Like I know I already said, but to beat a dead horse, I just want to circle back. Another thing is this. Okay, if you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? I love Mexican food. She's so good. What's your favorite type of Mexican food? I love tacos. Me too.

I really feel like California has the best street tacos. You are absolutely correct. I know, and I hate to give it to them because I'm from Texas. And I tell my husband all the time, like Mexico borders more on Texas than California, but y'all eating them tacos up. Yes. Oh, okay. Build your Mount Rushmore of actresses. Ooh. Mm-hmm. Do they all have to be living?

No. Okay. Well, I love Merrill Street. Yes. I love Diane Carroll. Yeah. I love... I love Mary Talemore.

Okay. here. Yes, ma'am. I know. I'm crazy. Angela Bassett. Oh, yeah. Okay. Fill in the blank. The world needs more. Grace. Yeah. For ourselves and others. Yes. For each other. I knew I was evolving when.

Wow. I knew I was evolving when, because I'm still evolving. Yeah. But I knew I was evolving when, gosh, Sarah. When maybe I just feel like it's too simple, but when I totally surrendered to trusting the messaging inside of me, totally surrendered to it. Totally surrendered to it. And I still remind myself to stay surrendered to that messaging. that's good yeah

I kind of want to leave it there but I have a random question to ask you okay you're so kind I've enjoyed this conversation with you full of light and grace it's obvious God lives within you do you pop off on people

because you don't get like do you have you ever had to like really drag somebody for feels because you give like you would never shut your mouth yes girl I have a whole other side of me this is the side yes that I love

being. Yes, and this is who I want to be all of the time. Yes. However, sometimes people. They do. They push you. They do. And I try to keep her locked up. I do. I really try to keep her locked up.

Because she's reckless. Terry. And she speaks very ratchetly. Not like this. You know, and she likes being reckless. She does. And she's usually not Because if you have awakened her, she feels like whatever you get from here, you bought it and you earned it.

1,000%. Okay. Yes. And she just wants to, she wants you to burn. She wants you to feel these words. Let me tell you about her. When people say don't cut off your nose despite your face, she smelled everything she needs to smell. She'll cut the whole nose off to make sure that you understand what took place here.

1,000% and she loves it. Period. And I love her. And I love that she's in there. Everybody needs to know that she down in there. You don't need to. Oh, my husband knows she in there. Oh, my husband knows she's in there.

They know. Yeah. They know. I was like, y'all know y'all can get it. Every now and then I'll be like, all right. And they know that that's a wake-up call. That means the alarm is starting to go off and she could hit snooze or she could come on up and wake all the way up.

Okay, Tara, I had to ask that because you, I mean, I love all the lights you just gave me. But yeah, no. I just need to know. Yes, girl. Amazing. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate you.

You're amazing. Thank you. I hope that you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. There are some women who you sit down with and you're like, yeah, a piece of her too. So as I think about like the woman I'm going to be in the next few years, there are so many women who are paving away for like, yeah, I want some of that. I want some of her joy, her peace. She just, when it's just giving Velvet. Terry J. Velvet. I don't know.

there's something about her that's like, there's just so much peace. And I'm going to take a piece of that with me. I hope that you have enjoyed this episode of the Woman Evolve podcast. It is honestly one of the safest places that God allows me to navigate as a woman and a leader that I get to have these transparent conversations with you and other women. And I hope that you continue to see it as a safe space because I'm grateful for what we're cultivating. here and how we're growing together. Hey, if you're in Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville, or San Antonio, come holla at the kid, baby. I am going to be on the

rogue route tour and I would love to go rogue with you, baby. Life is tussled. Life has turned us every which way but loose. But God is still here, still on the throne. And we may be taking the rogue route, but we're going to get there. Do you understand what I'm saying? We may be taking the rogue route. It may be unconventional. It may not look like everyone else's path and everyone else's journey, but we're still going to experience purpose. We're still going to experience peace. We're still going to experience fulfillment. We're still going to experience confidence. We're still going to become everything that God has planned for us. We're just taking the rogue route to get there. My path don't have to look like everyone else's path because what God has for me is for me.

And it may be uncharted, but it'll only be uncharted once because when I get finished going through, I'm going to show another woman what it looks like to take a road less traveled. I can't wait to see you on the road. Lord, thank you so much for the gift of your presence, for the gift of reconciliation with you, for the gift of wholeness that is available to us, even when life feels so heavy, so weighty, so heartbreaking. God, I thank you for the women who are connected to this movement. Thank you, God, for allowing me to experience their hearts, to experience their stories.

and for me to share mine, God, you make up the difference. Wherever we have weakness, your strength shows up and says, I can, I function perfectly in this area of weakness. May we be honest about the areas where it feels like life is tearing us apart so that we can experience your strength being made perfect. And in those seasons where we feel our strength coming, we feel our help coming, may we honor and acknowledge it because we remember the days when it wasn't so near. God bless these listeners as they go throughout their week. Be with them as only you can do in Jesus' name.

Amen.