Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Phillips.
Jennifer, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I came to a point in my life where I felt “stuck.” “Stuck” in the sense I could not progress. This new place I found myself in, was frustrating, to say the least. I felt like a failure… to not progress year over year truly felt as if I had fallen behind. After blaming managers, co-workers, ex-boyfriends and spouses, family, old friends, and anyone who did not provide me with the “yes” I needed to advance, I decided to take a look at the common denominator in all the above relationships: Jennifer W. Phillips. Through prayer, God allowed me to see myself and all the toxicity I filled my mind, body, and soul with. It was a gentle nudge on my heart to do the work necessary to not only become a better woman but to also help another young lady who may be experiencing the same “stuck” feeling which began to bang on my front door as if it were a warrant for my arrest. I prayed constantly and vowed to God I would do whatever necessary to become the woman I know He destined me to be.
The first assignment God called me to complete was to determine where all the hostile, offensive and defensive behaviors and the bitterness came from. I prayed even harder once I knew the pain which lies ahead and the level of vulnerability I would have to experience to truly tap into my purpose and ultimate destiny. There was no doubt, I was ready… SUPER ready. Wandering in the wilderness became my permanent resident and I was tired. Tired of running and blaming everyone besides myself. I accepted God’s assignment and felt another nudge on my heart. The next assignment was to serve others. I truly had an issue with this assignment because I was ready to advance and had no time to pause and serve someone else. My list was too long and I had not another second to delay my journey. However, I completely trusted God and knew I had done all that I could, my own way. It was time to try God… I mean TRULY try God. So, I did and He nudged me again. This time the nudge would be to use transparency to help others by telling my story. This story turned into my book “Perfect in All His Ways.”
The first and foremost step in my journey was obedience. I became very in tune with God’s voice and I quieted everything in order to clearly hear His voice. After obedience came total trust. I had to trust whatever God’s direction would be used to not only glorify His name and help others, but it was the ultimate key to my destiny. The next step was to actually do the work, whatever it took. Crying, feeling ashamed, apologizing, and accepting responsibilities for all the wrong I brought on to myself.
The most recent step, (life is a journey and I’m still traveling) is reconstruction. It was time to rebuild with all the new materials God had afforded me. Truly let go of all which weighed me down and use my new tools to live out the path God designed for my life.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Of course not! I’ve had to understand and accept: Everyone is not ready for the “New Jennifer!” Everyone will not clap and congratulate me when I believe they should. My mentors warned me: This new journey would be closely related to all stages of childbirth. Pregnancy, labor pains, crowning, birthing and postpartum. While writing my spiritual memoir, I listened to all their advice and paid close attention. However, I do not believe I truly took into consideration the realness of postpartum. My naiveness could have been due to me not having children and not experiencing childbirth.
When postpartum came to visit my doorstep after the book was published, confusion and offense also settled in. I called my mentors and explained my thoughts and feelings and they quietly listened until I took a breath. Each one advised, “Jenn, this is part of the process, my dear. I warned you about this and now you’re here. You WILL be ok but you have to know: If the enemy did not fight you on being obedient and carrying out God’s instructions, it would not be divine.” After dealing with naysayers, not receiving support from those I assumed would be elated about my accomplishments, and those who were determined to prove me to not be the person I claimed to be, I promised God I would keep pushing. I continued to trust God and He surrounded me with so many supporters, I could not even hear, smell or see the naysayers. I could feel God smiling down on me and hear him saying: “All you need is me!”
I was also discredited and abused in my professional life. I knew it was the enemy telling me to only focus on what I could see, (a paycheck) and let go of my dreams: Blessing others with a transparent lens of my past.
Please tell us more about your story. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from others?
I am an author, mentor, and speaker. My goal is to encourage and promote healing, self-accountability, vulnerability, transparency, and forgiveness of oneself as well as others.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have grown closer to God and obedient sooner. I would have been more confident in the woman God called me to be and I would have not been as concerned with naysayers. I would build my strength to let go of people and situations which were not a part of my destiny. Although this journey has been very difficult and painful at times, I would not change one single moment. In the process, I have experienced death and grieving more than once which left me angry. Not angry with God, but angry with myself for not learning my lessons sooner. I would accept death as God’s divine plan and acknowledge: all things must happen according to His plan. Death too is a part of God’s plan.
Pricing:
- “Perfect in All His Ways” = $20 on Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles, and www.jennphillips.co
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jennphillps.co
- Phone: 469-751-2625
- Email: jennifer@jennphillips.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferphillipsllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.phillips.186
Image Credit:
Santos Paris
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