Huami Magazine Memphis May/June 2019

The Making Of A Soldier

There Are No

The Push, The Pull, and The Prize

There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

A Letter From The Editor

A Letter from the Editor

A Letter from the Editor

What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired today? What would you do?

What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired today? What would you do?

In your lifetime, there will be moments when you will be required to push. These moments happen when you get behind your purpose, and it appears that it has stalled in the middle of the road. You may want to move on to the next step, but you lack the enthusiasm and momentum needed to do so. During these moments you have to muster up the strength, lower your shoulders, breathe, and push! You must push those things which appears to have died. However, you can’t let it die because of the significance it has in your future. You must push the things which has carried you but is now out of gas. You have to push that of which others have determined to be valueless, back into brilliance. You must also push yourself into a position of effectiveness in order to meet the needs of others who depend on you to survive.

When you get too far ahead of yourself, you may realize that you have left someone behind. It might have gotten lost in the confusion, but now you realize that you need them. You must reach behind and pull them to where you are. Without them, you may not be able to reach the next phase of which God has prepared for you, and for them as well.

I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in return acquire life.

I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in return acquire life.

The best advice ever given to me happened when someone told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only hope provided. I have also learned the difference between what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and when to be quiet, because someone may get it confused with being arrogant.

The best advice ever given to me happened when someone told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only hope provided. I have also learned the difference between what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and when to be quiet, because someone may get it confused with being arrogant.

Believe it or not, there is a prize waiting for you at the end your journey. After all of the excitement that life brings, fades away, and the music stops and the winds calm, a prize awaits to be redeemed by you. The irony of it all is your reward was uniquely prepared and promised well before your first steps were planted on the road of life. God promises to give each and every one of us His very best. That is how much he loves us. Your decisions, both the good ones and bad ones, will play a role as to when and how the moment will happen.

www.huamimagazine.com

Email or Telephone terry.editor@yahoo.com 336-340-7844

Make you tomorrow happen today, but most importantly make it count. Life is but a whisper and we must put ourselves in a position to hear what it is telling us. bimonthly

Make you tomorrow happen today, but most importantly make it count. Life is but a whisper and we must put ourselves in a position to hear what it is telling us.

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

In the meantime, you must push your way through, pull that which has fallen behind, and press on to redeem your prize that God promises.

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

Terry L. Watson

Greensboro, NC 27420 HUAMI MAGAZINE 2014 All Rights Reserved mykelmedia@yahoo.com (336) 340-7844

Do you have a sweet tooth? Fon’s Sweets of Charlotte, NC can satisfy it.

Life Seeds Coaching and Developing from Richmond, VA.

Adriene Odom

The Making Of A Soldier

By Terry L. Watson

There is one word that can effectively describe who Adriene Odom is; survivor. Even more, she is a mother, author, and soldier. With all of these attributes, God has made her perfect and unique.

Adriene, who is originally from Yanceyville, North Carolina but, migrated along with her family to Virginia when she was about nine or ten years of age. For the most part, Virginia is home for her, but the path and roads traveled along her journey in life far exceeds the common wealth state.

“Becoming an author was something I never imagined for myself. The way I told my story bought me so much more strength and empowered me.,” she says.

In 2017, the aspiring author made the decision to share a sincere and precious part of her life in the pages of her book, The Making Of A Soldier. “This is my story of surviving so many obstacles which are similar to those that women have to face daily,” she shares.

Adriene says she had to rely solely on her faith in God to carry her from a state of brokenness as a teenage mother and single mother, to becoming a soldier in the United States Army, and now disabled veteran.

As a soldier, she did one tour to duty in Afghanistan during which time she began to realize who she was and her purpose for life. “I was put here on earth to become a soldier, not just in the Army but, for women and men who are too afraid to speak out for themselves. In my book I expose my darkest and most intimate secrets so that others would be inspired to tell their stories and be set free, no longer having to live in bondage,” she shares.

Adriene’s story opens the doors of her life to the its readers, and what lies behind them are pages of pain and triumph, as well as determination and self acceptance.

“I was put here on earth to become a soldier, not just in the Army but, for women and men who are too afraid to speak out for themselves.”

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“In my lifetime, I’ve faced homelessness, domestic abuse, rape, and divorce. My testimony is my story.”

“In my lifetime, I’ve faced homelessness, domestic abuse, rape, and divorce. My testimony is my story. The story of a teenage mother having her first child at 15 and then her second at 19. It is a story of becoming a high school drop out, and later joining the US Army, and eventually becoming a disabled veteran. It’s a story of me becoming an author, entrepreneur, and founder of Joshua’s Place, a nonprofit that helps to house, and advocate for homeless veterans,” she shares.

Adriene finds inspiration in being a mother to her four sons Gabriel (26), Joshua (21), Kaleb (12), and Aldarius (5). Though now divorced, that experience alone caused a great deal of hurt and pain. “It was almost like grieving for my husband, except he wasn’t dead. The hurt that he caused me has given me the strength I needed to continue to be what others needed from me to survive,” she says. “I guess in so many ways it intensified my hunger and passion to continue to help others.” Throughout her book, Adriene shares similiar experiences, all of which lead to where she is today. And that is a winner.

Moving forward Adriene plans to continue to share her story through motivational speaking with the hopes of inspiring others to tell their stories. To purchase a copy of her book, The Making of A Soldier, please visit her website.

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To learn more about Adriene Odom, and to purchase a copy of The Making Of A Soldier, please visit www.themakingofasolndier.org

Patrycya K. Williams Power Moves Awards Gala 2019

By Junious Smith

Photos by Lollipops Photos

“Instead of looking for a job, I decided to hire myself” says Patrycya King Williams. In 2016, Williams used her experience in a litany of offices to run P.K. Williams Enterprises. Williams has an extensive career in marketing and public relations, highlighted by working as a manager in a Fortune 500 company and parlaying it into her own career.

“I find a need and fill it,” Williams said. “People ask what I do as it pertains to my business and I tell them the list is shorter of what I don’t do when it comes to helping my clients win. My talent and expertise expand to many areas, but my biggest asset is building and cultivating relationships. Relationships can open doors and get you a seat at the table when money can’t. My number one goal is always to help my clients achieve their personal and professional goals. If I help enough people achieve their goals, by default I will achieve mine.”

The biggest transition for her came after taking on her first independent music artist in 2010 without having any experience working with artists and then again when she decided to launch her company in August 2016. “I handled all operations and management along with booking, marketing and promotions. Throughout my years in the music/entertainment industry, I have helped a plethora of up and coming artists, musicians and actors. I love a challenge and the music/entertainment industry definitely provided a challenge,” she says.

Williams’ drive has only grown, as she is currently working on the 3rd annual Power Moves Awards Gala in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. The event, slated for August 17, 2019 at the Omni Hotel Nashville was initially going to be read instead of seen, but she went in another direction. “Initially, the idea was to do a magazine, but one day I told my husband ‘God said to do a gala. The premise was the same, but nowadays there’s more of a demand for something digital, so it was all a matter of creating a platform. We started the gala in 2017 and had 125 people attend the first year. It was captured by one of our local major TV stations and there was so much buzz about it on social media and in the city, that the Omni Hotel Nashville became our platinum sponsor for 2018 and we had 437 in attendance. This year, our goal is to double that or get close to it.”

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Williams said, “the gala is a way to celebrate people who don’t get the recognition they deserve. “Our platform was created to honor ordinary people doing extraordinary things by giving back to their communities. There’s a lot of misconception that power hitters make a lot of money, and that’s not always the case. We want to give recognition and create a platform for people who typically get little to no recognition for the hard work that they do.”

She shares, “With each category, we recognize three honorees— education, arts & entertainment, service & philanthropy, community advocacy and entrepreneurship. We also include one fraternity and sorority chapter, and last year we added two new categories: finance and health care.” Williams said she appreciates being able to create a platform for others to shine in Nashville. “Nashville is what I call a little big city that hasn’t gotten a lot of notoriety but is still growing by leaps and bounds. We just had the NFL Draft (in April) and broke records in attendance with 600,000 people coming over the course of the weekend. We beat out several major cities like L.A., Chicago and Atlanta. Nashville being known as ‘Music City’ does a lot — there are plenty of major producers and artists who send their music to Nashville to be mixed and mastered. We also have a lot of A List artists and industry people who live or have homes here.”

On the entrepreneurial side, there can be misconceptions when it comes to working on one’s own business. “One of the main things people think about entrepreneurship is that it’s so cool to make your own schedule,” she states. “That is true and you’re able to do that, but you work all the time and if you don’t work, you don’t eat. However, I had to learn to put my phone on silent because it would ring all night.”

To pull off an event such as The Power Moves Awards Gala is no small feat. “It is a very demanding job and you need great people around you. My team is amazing, and I would not be able to pull this off without them. They push me and help me create a higher level of excellence every year. One of the biggest things I tell people is that if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a team. Still, everyone who works with me has to be able to hold their own and I’m blessed to have upper level thinkers who are leading the charge. I also coach and mentor several people and mentees,” she said.

Williams admits there are some solid perks to her business. “Sometimes in this industry, you’re only as good as your next opportunity. Working in this industry provides a lot of challenges and flexibility, but when I opened my company, instead of looking for a job, I was able to hire others and give them a chance when others would not. I can give back to different entities, support who I want to support, nobody can fire me and I’m able to control every aspect of my company” she says.

When an individual steps into entrepreneurship, you

either win or you learn. Williams says “you can’t blame others because, you are your own brand and you must take ownership of the good and the not so good. For me, failure is not an option. Although, I bring people in to help with social media marketing for the gala, I do all my own day to day marketing and PR for my company — I do it myself because I can tell my story better than anyone else. Authenticity is what clients like. Remember, people can do what you do, but they can’t do it like you.”

Williams plans on moving forward to continue to build her brand. “There are still things coming along with what’s seen under the P.K. Williams umbrella. We’re looking to increase our presence and marketability of Power Moves by trademarking it, and putting it on merchandise, and much more. There’s also a women’s empowerment conference in the works and my nonprofit, The Power Knowledge Wisdom Foundation, Inc which mentors’ girls 5th through 12th grade, and is our primary purpose for hosting the Power Moves Awards Gala. It is our signature fund raiser for our nonprofit and this year we are excited to partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to bring more awareness to our community.”

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Kenda Sutton-EL

Ambrosia Food For Thought

Information and Photos

Provided by Kedra Sutton

Kenda Sutton-EL of Richmond, VA wears many hats. She attended Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, and New River Community College. She is a Holistic Nutritionist, Student Midwife, Reproductive Justice and Maternal Health Advocate, Iridologist, Birthworker, Vaginal Steam Practitioner, Reiki Master, Reflexogy, and Master Herbalist. She is also a passionate advocate of healthy foods, maternal mortality, reproductive justice, alternative medicine, and nutrition education.

Kenda believes that health starts on the dinner plate. She uses herbs, diet, and lifestyle shifts to mitigate and reverse health conditions, and focuses on addressing her clients’ metabolic individuality as a key factor in her functional nutrition protocols and health coaching. As a Holistic Vegan Nutritionist and Lifestyle Coach, she specializes in hormone healing. “That’s what it all comes down to. As a Holistic Nutritionist, I recognize there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet or magic bullet which is going to cure all illnesses. I focus on having a thorough understanding of your personal goals, needs, likes and dislikes, support networks, and lifestyle so that I am able to create a food and lifestyle approach that suits you. If your hormones are out of balance, chances are you will not be looking, and feeling, or performing at your best,” she shares.

Prior to launching her private practice as a holistic herbalist and nutritionist, Kenda spent years as an Executive Director of a skilled nursing facility, working with individuals with developmental disabilities. She says this experience greatly improved her communication skills, compassion, flexibility, and understanding of the specific needs of others. Kenda also became passionate about birthwork while working with her late great-grandmother who was a Granny Midwife.

Kenda interest in nutrition came while she was trying to heal herself. “I took a nutrition class and was amazed at how little I knew. It wasn’t until a few years later when I began to seek out alternative medicine, than my obsession with the idea that “food is my fuel” started. It was during these long workouts with my husband that I experimented with food to help fend off hallucinations (from sleep deprivation), prevent muscle cramps, and more importantly, avoid bonking. I learned what worked and what didn’t work. What foods kept my muscle glycogen topped off, and what foods repaired my body. Regardless of how big or small, it taught me that my body requires proper fueling for optimal performance and recovery,” she said.

Kenda says one of her professional goals is to create individualized, custom nutrition programs for her clients. “I enjoy teaching clients about the benefits of eating whole foods while learning about their specific needs. I do this without judgment. I do not believe in quick fixes or unrealistic diets. Nutrition programs are a lifestyle change and I understand it can be an overwhelming concept at first. I believe in setting realistic goals, making a commitment to those goals, and working together to accomplish the goals with patience, compassion, and encouragement. Change takes time,” she says.

Jiyah Fennell

By Terry L. Watson

by Antony Brown Photography

Wimington, Delaware native Jiyah Fennell is a 15 year old author, entrepreneur, professional face painter, speaker, traveler, podcaster, and star of her family’s very own cartoon. She is also very outgoing and is somewhat an overachiever. “I don’t look at obstacles in my life as challenges. God puts those things there for a reason, so you can get where you need to be at the right time,” she says.

One of the books she has written, Journey Through Atlanta with Jiyah (that is also a part of the Choose Your Fennell Journey series) consist of places to go and things to do in Atlanta, Georgia and includes a guide in the back of the book. Her other book, Princess Jiyah’s Face Painting teaches character traits to children of all ages, and shows full faces that she has painted.

According to Jiyah, the best thing she has ever read is the Choose your Fennell Journey series. The series is unique, true, and authored by kids. “It’s amazing having a family of authors. We’re all supportive of each other and help out as much as we can,” she shares.

Jiyah began writing about two years ago. Then she was awarded the citizenship award at her 7th grade graduation. That’s when I had the idea to teach every kid how to achieve a great character by learning positive traits. “I love inspiring people of all ages by helping them believe they can do anything. It doesn’t matter what your age is, go do it! It can be done. I began painting at the age of nine,” she says.

If she could change the world, she would do it by helping as many people as she could, and in anyway possible. “I want to make sure people grasp the concept of believing and achieving,” she says. “The best advice I can give someone is to put your faith in God and He will guide you in the right direction. It doesn’t matter what it is, God will work it out. My life is proof. This is one of the reasons I began writing my books, so that I could thank Him.

When she is not writing or doing one of the many other things she is good at, Jiyah enjoys her time being a kid. She is inspired mostly by her mom and Ariana Grande. “My mom supports me in all I do, and I would love to meet Ariana someday,” she says. Still a little unsure of what she would like to be when she becomes an adult, she has a peaking interest in psychology or being an audiologist.

The Fenell Family Adventures book club offers a family membership, the Be Anything Club, for families. Members get amazing perks including a free coloring book, publishing discounts, books mailed, travel discounts and more. Please subscribe to their YouTube channel ‘Fennell Adventures’ to see the launch of their full cartoon in May.

Kendra Diggs is a Greensboro native and author. Her book, His Masterpiece, was inspired by her very own life experiences. She is a domestic violence survivor and though she admits it can be frightening to tell share her stories, she understands they must be told. What makes her book unique is its rawness, uncut, and honest description of resilience and courage. “I’m the voice of many women who are silent and are afraid to share their scars of domestic violence, and losing their identity and abandonment. I just want to help people, especially women who have dealt with this, and maybe I can help save a life. I pray that people are inspired and blessed by this book and God is glorified,” she shares.

Kendra has started a movement called (#lovedoesnothurt) and has partnered with the Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation in Greensboro, North Carolina to help bring awareness of domestic violence in North Carolina and beyond.

Kendra Diggs

Book Release Party - June 29, 2019

Exerpt from His Masterpiece

“How dare you compare me to him?” He screamed. We started to fight in the bathroom and his nail dug deep in my chest as he threw me in the shower. I got up with tears in my eyes and I tasted blood. “ I’m sorry. Please stop!” I pleaded. We were fighting until we got into our bedroom. “I’m my brother, you said?” He sneered and proceeded to throw me into the wall, which left a huge hole. I fell. He kicked me in my shins. “Please stop! I’m sorry, Please forgive me.” I cried as my body laid weak on the floor. He stopped and looked at me with disgust. He gathered his things and left. I just laid there and cried. My shoulder was throbbing. I can’t believe someone I loved would treat me this way. I must’ve deserved it. Tears started to roll down my face but I cleaned them up quickly. When I arrived at Panera Bread I sat down at the table and waited for my client. When she walked in, I put on my fake smile. We sat and talked for an hour. My shoulder and my legs were on fire. After the meeting, I sat there for another hour or so. I was just quiet. My ears started to ring again. I stared out into blank space. Tears flowing from my eyes. Maybe I should kill myself. This will get me out of my misery. With my eyes blurry from my tears, I looked outside, it was night time. I got up and walked back home.”

“My ears were still ringing, I was still in a daze as he held me. As he was talking, I still couldn’t hear the words but I saw his mouth move, I heard a voice say, “Take his life and take yours. You won’t have to deal with him or yourself anymore. Why go through this? Do it.” Then the voice left me. That voice shook me to the core. I looked into his eyes blankly. I saw this man who I thought was supposed to love, protect, and be there for me turn into a nightmare but I could forgive him again right? I breathed in and exhaled, “I forgive you and I love you, too.” He stood up, hugged me, and kissed me. He laid me back down and started to rub my shoulder. Then he laid down beside me. “We are going to be okay.” He reassured me. I nodded my head. “I know.” It was quiet for the rest of the evening. When he fell asleep, I got up and looked out the window. Our window sill had an alarm on it. It was 2am. I walked in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at my face, with heavy bags under my eyes, the scar from my chest, and my bruised up shoulder. I didn’t see myself. I didn’t see beauty. I didn’t see virtue. I saw a failure. I sat on the bathroom mat and I grabbed my head. I began to wail and cry. “There has to be more than life than this.” I said to myself. “I want to be free.”

To order your copy of His Masterpiece, please visit: www.thekweenexperience.com

Kevin Thornton Author and Life Coach

By Terry L. Watson

Kevin Thornton is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. There he obtained a BS in Health Administration. He also has a Master’s in Organizational Psychology from Argosy University. Additionally he is a life coach, holistic health coach, author, indoor cycling instructor and internet radio personality, and someone who understands his life purpose; To inspire, educate and empower others to create the healthiest versions of themselves mind, body and spirit. Kevin uses his platforms to change the narrative of how society and the media portray black men. “I want the world to know there are more men like me than what they see and hear on TV and radio,” he shared.

Kevin is the brains behind 1 on 1 Health Coaching (which offers 60 minute session of 1 on 1 coaching), 1 on 1 Life Coaching and Group Coaching. He also produces meal plans based on the assessment he conducts. He also offers (7, 14 and 30 day) Detox. “Detoxing is a way to cleanse the body of toxins while allowing the body a chance to heal. Seven day detoxing is for someone looking to cleanse while lose a couple pounds. The 14 and 30 day detoxing is for people with medical conditions looking to create a change in their health. I also offers Juice Plus, vegan capsules with fruits, veggie and berries. These capsule should be taken daily as a supplement, and this product with help you reach the goal along with eating a healthy diet,” he said.

Kevin began life coaching in 2013 after he was coached by Iylanla Vanzant and her team in 2011. During that process, he realized his life’s purpose and the need for mens coaching. “I believe the best life coaches are people who have been coached themselves. They are able to understand the process,” he shared. He became a health coach in 2015 after graduating from Integrated Institute of Nutrition. He was already a fitness instructor and I wanted to incorporate the holistic health coaching into his program. He began detoxing as soon as he graduated from school, knowing that most people tend to have between five and 30 pounds of feces in their systems, and because he . Once his system was aligned, he started offering the product from Juice Plus.

Kevin says he is inspired mostly by his father Sam Thornton. “He played a big part in my journey in holistic health and personal development. Growing up, he has always been into holistic living so he planted the seed in me. Seeing him at 77 years old and in great health without taking any medication motivates me daily to be my best self, and help others be their best self,” he says. Kevin credits Iylanla Vanzant with giving him clarity of his purpose and teaching him how to be the vessel to help black men and all people become their best self.

“I want the world to know there are more men like me than what they see and hear on TV and radio.”

If you are interested in purchasing a book, please use the PayPal link below

Jessica Jordan

Fon’s Sweets

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton

As a child, Jessica Jordan watched family members bake cakes, pies, and other sweets. It was her mother, LaFondra Jordan who baked so much that there was a different dessert on the kitchen counter at least once a week. She loved sniffing the sweet smells and seeing her mom bounce around happy and content during the process.

“One year, in middle school, I decided to bake my mother a cake for Mother’s Day. Even though I loved doing it and the cake was really good, for some reason, I didn’t keep it up,” says Jessica. Fast forward 20 years; she dusted off an old family recipe and baked a cake for a holiday event. A friend sampled it and wanted to purchase it. The reaction shouldn’t have surprised her, considering a love for food runs in her family. In addition to her mother, her father also bakes, and two great aunts had a restaurant and owns a catering business, respectively.

On March 18, 2019, Jessica realized she was on to something. She launched ‘Fon’s Sweets’, named after her mother, who succumbed to breast cancer a few years prior. It was fitting that she opened on the anniversary of her passing.

Using recipes passed down from the beloved matriarch of the Jordan family, Jessica was confident that her desserts would be wellreceived. “After my mom passed, I had been looking for a way to honor her and thought ‘This is perfect!’” To Jessica, it just felt right. It was something she knew she had to do.

The majority of Jessica’s orders are custom, for birthday parties, special events, or holidays. She’s creating her first wedding cake this summer. Moreover, she has designed the ‘naked’ cakes, which are layered and have less icing. Maybe those that are health conscious would prefer this new approach. Fon’s Sweets also features the ‘cake-in-a-jar’ which includes flavors like strawberry, lemon pound cake, and red velvet pound cake, Jessica’s fan base continues to grow. “I’ve just been blessed the entire time. When I tell people my story, they just want to help. Some may not even buy a cake, but they donate,’ says Jessica.

Jessica recently had the pleasure of partnering with her younger brother, Dexter Jordan, a recording artist, on creating desserts for his album release party. “Having a strong foundation is just as good as having a good product. And I’m blessed to have people around me that are knowledgeable and supportive,” says Jessica.

“I can’t do anything without thinking of my mom and how she would do things. She was always proud of me and my siblings and made me feel like I was Superwoman.”

Since she embarked on this therapeutic journey, Jessica, who works full time as an IT specialist, spends most weekends in her kitchen and in her car delivering her goodies. Currently based in Charlotte, the Mississippi-born (Alabama raised) southern girl spent time in Greensboro during high school and college and has deliveries there occasionally. To grow her passion, Jessica plans to showcase her sweets at vendor events and will appear at the Rock Hill Galleria Mall on Mother’s Day weekend.

She will, no doubt, have her own mother in her heart that day. “I can’t do anything without thinking of my mom and how she would do things. She was always proud of me and my siblings and made me feel like I was Superwoman. I always felt courageous, like I could do anything. Even after she passed, I feel the same way. She was very smart and also worked in IT. And I know she would be proud that I’m doing the same. And that I’ve started a baking business with her recipes,” Jessica explains.

She recommends staying connected to family, especially your elders who have stories and recipes and other things to pass down. Jessica feels she wouldn’t have become interested in many of the things she’s involved in had it not been for family legacies and her mom instilling confidence in her. She’s also adopted the idea that she can’t be afraid to fail or at least try something new.

Knowing that her mother would be proud of her keeps her encouraged and her great aunt reiterates that every chance she gets. “She reassures me that my mother would be so happy for me. Her and my other aunt passed their recipes on to my mother and then she passed them down to me,” Jessica beams.

One day she may pursue a storefront to expand, but for right now, she’s happy being small and intimate.

DeAnna Morris

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton

Photos by Photography by Lechelle

In life, we don’t always get to choose our paths. Many believe that our steps are ordered, by our creator, before we even travel through the birth canal that delivers us. Some will arrive at their destinations sooner than others and some will get derailed and turned around, get lost even. But make no mistake, your experiences throughout your journey will shape you into the person you were meant to be. And if you know DeAnna Morris, you know she has had one heck of a journey to arrive where she is today.

Growing up, DeAnna thoroughly enjoyed helping people and always knew that was her passion. She had no idea in what capacity she would do this, but understood this was her calling. At age 13, DeAnna was diagnosed with leukemia (a form of cancer) and needed a bone marrow transplant. The experience was so traumatic that being self-encouraging and pushing herself through the treatments made all the difference. “I had to keep telling myself I could do it. I can make it through this.” And she did. She made it through the treatments, was cured of cancer and was ready to encourage others with their struggles.

At 14, she was asked to speak to a high school health class about her experience as a cancer patient and survivor. When the speech was over, the students showed their appreciation and had so many questions that the nervous teen knew she had made an impact. That day was the catalyst to her motivational speaking career.

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Since she grew up in the church, motivating others wasn’t far-fetched at her young age. By her early 20’s, DeAnna was preaching, evangelizing, and serving in many other capacities. A few years later, she started a non-profit organization, where she provided resources to those facing depression and other mental battles just as she had previously. “People don’t know that there are so many resources for them. If I couldn’t help the person, I always found someone who could.”

“I had to keep telling myself I could do it. I can make it through this.”

The year 2007 would prove to be a difficult one for DeAnna. She was ending her first marriage, preparing for a cornea transplant, and decided to pick up and move to Richmond, VA – a town she barely had a connection to.

It was an unorthodox decision, but it was necessary, to carry out God’s vision. In the years following her relocation, God’s plan manifested into creating her coaching firm, marrying the love of her life, Mercell Morris, and cultivating their joint venture, The Ministries Church. DeAnna and Mercell, also a pastor, married in 2009, two years prior to her

receiving her pastoral ordination in 2011. Now they’re partners in life and in Christ. In fact, as a married woman of the cloth, DeAnna takes pride in the role she plays in her husband’s life, but also honors the meaningful position she holds as a leader and mentor in the community. To support her beliefs and coaching methods, she published “My Husband’s Rib” in 2013 and “S.Q.U.A.D. Leadership Coaching Manual” in 2016. She is currently working on her third self-help book, due out next year.

Her biggest endeavor to date, however, is Life Seeds Coaching & Developing Firm. It incorporates DeAnna’s pastoring with her life coaching to elevate and expand her clients’ lives for the better. In addition to life coaching, she’s a certified behavioral coach, a certified marital coach, and a prayer coach with more than 20 years of coaching and mentoring experience. Naturally, her primary target is women and uplifting them, allowing them to ascend to where they want to be.

“I don’t want to inspire people, I want to have an impact on them,” DeAnna explains. The latter of the two is more meaningful to her, in that she feels it has more of a lasting impression. Under the Life Seeds umbrella, DeAnna has spearheaded a support group named S.I.P. (Sisters in Partnership) that was created as a safe space for women to talk openly and be vulnerable without being judged. She teaches that it is an injustice to one’s self to not recognize personal growth and live in cycle behaviors without expecting or desiring change. She also lives by those words.

The cancer survivor has created a safe space for countless people and fortunately her family continues to be hers. “My family is very close with each other. I’m the oldest of five children, and the only girl,” says DeAnna. When she suffered a heart attack in 2017, it was discovered that she had kidney cancer, as she recovered in the hospital. Ten days later, one of her four brothers unexpectedly passed away. As devastating as it was, her family held each other up and supported her through more treatments. In the fall of 2018, DeAnna triumphed over triple bypass surgery. Once again, her family, especially her husband, was with her every step of the way.

DeAnna has dedicated the better part of her life proving the depths of her conviction by helping others feel whole, mentally. She continues to walk by faith in everything she does and attributes her success to God, the trials she has faced, and her nurturing family. Her parents, brothers, and husband have been her biggest fans throughout her journey of finding a place to plant her feet.