Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Renay Patrick.
Hi Donna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am all about walking in my purpose. Growing up in Decatur, Illinois I was never told what I couldn’t be, or what I couldn’t do. I was surrounded by people who loved me, wanted the best for me, and kept me out of harm’s way. My family was a constant source of support, encouragement, and correction. I remember where my inner strength came from, and when I began the journey to becoming a strong Black woman. Somewhere around my second- or third-grade year, my parents divorced. At that age, I didn’t fully understand what was happening; I only knew my Dad would no longer be living with us. It was then that I decided I had to keep it together for my Mom. She struggled to raise three girls by herself, but she did it. God gave her everything she needed, even it that meant she worked two jobs to do it. I hated seeing my Mom so overwhelmed at times, but she never complained. She gave my two sisters and I all the love she had, and then some.
At the very basic, I was raised to graduate high school, finish college with a degree, get a job, then work till I die. That may sound crass, but there it is. There is nothing wrong with working a job until you retire, unless… you believe in your heart that there is more. And 15 years into corporate America, that is exactly what became real to me. When I finished college, I headed straight for corporate America; because that is where I wanted to be. I was good at my job, and I worked with some great people, but it wasn’t my passion; it may have been part of my purpose FOR THAT SEASON in my life, but my heart screamed for more. When getting accepted into law school did not materialize for me, I enrolled in and completed a paralegal program. From there, I was ushered into a line of work that I truly loved. I was meeting some great people, learning how to draft documents on behalf of my attorney-bosses, honing my time-management skills, and being taught what effective (and ineffective) communication looks like, both verbal and written. I was making a decent living, but I knew there was more. God had placed a level of vision in me that had absolutely nothing to do with my current employment. God truly has a sense of humor.
After about 20 years working for some of the most prestigious law firms in Dallas, I was laid off from my then-current position. It wasn’t a complete surprise because the senior partner I was assigned to had not been adequately prepared in how to make a strong, intelligent Black woman a viable part of his team. So when he spoke to me in ways I didn’t appreciate, and I alerted him that wasn’t a good thing to do, problems in our working relationship ensued. But the day I was laid off the first words out of my mouth were, “Thank you, Jesus!” I had been wanting to leave but had hoped to have another job before I did. My plan was to leave on my own, but God had other plans. Sometimes when we don’t make the necessary move, God will make it for us. God had answered my prayer to leave corporate America, but that had been my safety net all my working life. So stepping out on faith to do what was in my heart took a while for me to grasp. I had to first get past some self-limiting beliefs, a scarcity mindset, and not fully accepting who God had created me to be. No longer being a member of the corporate America culture, I embarked on a journey to reinvent myself.
What’s interesting is I had self-published two books while working a job I hated – one in 2012, the other in 2015. And if that wasn’t enough, I went back to school to get a Master’s degree in Christian Education to put myself in a better marketing position. My job allowed me to change my hours on my class days so I could leave early if I had to get to a 5:00 class across the metroplex. I knew there was more to life. So while I was miserable at work, I embarked on things that brought me the fulfillment that my job did not. It was hard working full time and going to class part-time, but God allowed me the courage and fortitude to do it. The two books were born out of a weekly Devotional that I sent out every Friday morning to a pretty nice size email list. Going to my rehearsals every week also gave me a welcome respite from the grind at work. Some great things happened after I was laid off – I started Contributing Writer relationships with three online, as well as print publications. Opportunities began to surface to co-author four books, and I began to learn how social media works. When I produced my first Facebook Live video, I was so nervous! But I knew it was what I was supposed to be doing. Those videos consisted of tips for Worship Leaders, praise team members, and others involved in music ministry.
Just about six months after my welcome exit from corporate America, I found myself hosting The Donna Patrick Show. My newest joy was sitting behind the mic at a local radio station each week, teaching three million people around the world why it is so important to make worship a personal priority. I had gone from dreading Mondays to looking forward to them because my show aired on Mondays, and I loved what I was doing. And then came teaching formal Master Classes teaching why biblical worship that pleases God is so much more than hearing some great music, speaking engagements, and offering resources to facilitate church growth and church health from a worship standpoint. Never did I think misery on my job would give birth to my purpose and passion. It was on the job I hated but was good at, that I learned to write, edit, be watchful of proper context, teach, and how to communicate well on paper. What I also learned was how NOT to treat people.
My years in corporate America taught me how to speak to anyone with respect, whether you feel they are your equal in position or not. There are many people, male and female, who invested so much into my development, not only growing up but even into adulthood. All of the shoulders I now stand on, my Mom and so many others, helped me get where I am – award-winning author, writer, worship leader, choir director, award-winning radio host, and podcaster. My Mom raised us to carry ourselves in such a way that, if we needed the help of any kind, we could get it. That home training has rung true throughout my life. God has always placed people in my path to help me get where I was trying to go in life. I thought I had learned all I needed to know to run a business while I was employed as a paralegal; I found out that wasn’t the case at all. Yes, I had learned some valuable lessons in business, but I needed help. So I began seeking out people who knew more than I knew. They coached me in how to plan, execute, and celebrate even the small wins. There is no way I got here by myself. My business, Infusion Worship Global, was born of the belief that your worship, purpose, and leadership are all connected. It is a new venture, but I am committed to growing it and making a difference globally so that the world knows we were created for worship and that it may start at Sunday morning but certainly should not end there.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No! It has not been a smooth ride at all. There have been financial as well as emotional challenges. I have never been told what I was not capable of doing, but somewhere along the way I picked up some stinking thinking. Those thoughts that tell you, “You can’t do that,” or “nobody wants to hear what you have to say,” or even, “just go get a job and forget about it.” But when God has impregnated you with purpose and vision, you can’t ignore it, and you can’t settle. In his book, The Path of Least Resistance, Robert Fritz said, “If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromised.” I have struggled with comparing myself to others. But what God showed me was, when I compared myself to others, I am really telling Him, “I don’t like what you gave me.” I did not see the totality of the greatness He had placed in me. Someone else’s path is not my path.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a worship leader, choir director, musician, author, and transformational speaker. Being a worship leader is perhaps what I am most known for. The fire for training and development in worship ministry was ignited in me several years ago while serving on the music staff at a church in Dallas. The pastor asked me to teach a praise and worship class as part of the Sunday School curriculum. From that point on I knew this was my purpose. That one class led to teaching in other churches, conferences, and conventions around the country. Most people know I am an award-winning author because not only have I turned excerpts of my books into memes, but I did a video series called Chapter Chat, where I share chapters of my books through Live video. It is a passion of mine to teach church leaders that worship and coming to church are not the same thing. And that worship and great music are not the same things.
What I am most proud of is, upon invitation from The African American Pulpit, an online resource compiled by preachers for preachers, I submitted a Commentary on worship and music from a biblical view in the African American tradition. I am also very proud of the fact that for four years, I used my global platform as a radio host to take my message on worship to the masses. My show covered such topics as how to construct a praise team, why some people sit in church and miss worship, why ministry leaders should develop as worshippers, the universality of praise and worship, and the connection between worship and spiritual warfare. My entire premise is to elevate people’s thinking from outward performances to ministry, where lives are transformed in the worship experience, whether public or private. What sets me apart from others is that I teach worship as a daily pursuit, not just from a musical standpoint. Yes, music is a tool, but I am different in that I give them what the Bible says about the kind of worship that God requires. Great music is not what God is really after; He is after worshippers. We don’t hear this taught nearly enough in the church, especially from the pulpit. It is traditionally left to the music ministry to educate the congregation on intentional worship, but it should come from the pastors, as well. The worship experience can begin on Sunday, but it should not stop there. That’s what makes my mode of teaching different.
What were you like growing up?
Well, I was the youngest of three girls. When I was ten, my sisters were 15 and 16. So, naturally, they wanted to hang out with other teenagers. I knew I was too young, but of course, I wanted to do what they did. Sometimes my whining helped, and sometimes it didn’t. As a very young child, I was deathly afraid of dogs, and our neighborhood was full of them! I remember one day I was playing in the backyard and our dog, Bobo, ran up to me wanting to play. I screamed bloody murder!! As a result, my Mom gave the dog away. I think my sisters preferred she had given ME away instead of the dog! They were NOT happy. By the time we got another one, though, I had grown out of my fear. So, it was all good. I was a pretty independent child. Knowing full well I could not successfully comb my own hair, I tried anyway. And that went for dressing myself, too.
My mother would tell you I’ve always had a mind of my own. I have loved chocolate as far back as I can remember. This may have been on account of my Mother consuming Sara Lee chocolate cakes the whole while she was pregnant with me! Do you think I came here marked? Speaking of being independent, when my sister taught me to ride a bike, I was pretty determined to do it on my own. When I thought she still had hold of the bike as I pedaled, I said, “Jackye, let go.” Little did I know she already had – about half a block ago. I loved snow (I still do), tuna sandwiches, and playing with other kids – especially my best friends, Lolita and June. Lolita often visited her grandparents, who lived near us, and June’s family lived across the street. So we were together in one place or another all the time. We are still friends today. I was always a girly-girl. When I played outside, I got dirty, of course, but I had no interest in climbing trees, scaling fences, or sliding down banisters. That’s what the boys did. I was much more into hopscotch, jump rope, jacks, tag, turning flips, etc.
Pricing:
- 1st book, At All Times, $12.00
- 2nd book, It’s In Your Praise $13.95
- Co-author, The Perfect 7, $15.00
- Co-author, Stories of Roaring Faith, $16.00
- Co-author, Be Refreshed, $14.00
Contact Info:
- Email: donnarenaypatrick@gmail.com
- Website: www.donnarenaypatrick.com/
store - Instagram: www.instagram.com/donnarpatrick/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/donna.r.patrick
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/DonnaRPatrick
