November 9, 2025 • 43 mins
This week on Actress, author, and woman of unwavering faith Edwina Findley joins us and shares how her journey from The Wire to Hollywood stardom has been guided by divine purpose every step of the way.
Edwina opens up about walking in obedience when doors close, finding joy through motherhood, and why you never have to compromise your peace for prosperity. It’s an inspiring conversation, reminding us all that delayed is not denied and that we all have the power to declare bold manifestations over our lives.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Calling all my sweeties to the forefront.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm your host, christ and this is the Keeping Positive
Sweetish Show. Sweety's my next guest. I've known for a
very long time. She's an actress, a wife, a mom,
and she's literally living example that God wings happen if
we can take the time to see them.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Sweeties, give a very warm.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to my dear friend, Edwena Finley Edwena.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
He love christal of my gosh for united and we
are here.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It really does. It feels amazing. How are you feeling today?
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I am blessed, Holly favor, I feel good.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You should. I feel amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I'm happy to have you here, excited about your book
and all the things you have going on.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
But I want to take it back.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Okay, back in the time.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Twenty fourteen was when if Loving Years Wrong came out.
I was a costumer, you guys, I used to actually
put on Edwena's shoes. In twenty fourteen and twenty fifteen
came the costume designer, and that's when I learned that
jewel Tones was your jam and still it was this
day when you came in, I said, jewel Tones is
still in you?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Like you remember absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I think as a costume designer, we learned so much
about the person, really, even more than the character. We
learned what you like, what you don't, like your body,
and like what you feel comfortable in. And I always
remember you loved Jewel Tones. So it's like something that
just was semented into my head. Jill Tones Readwena. Yes,
But I mean I know that's when I met you,
but I know there was so much more before we
(01:33):
got to that point, So tell us everything.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
So I was born and raised in Washington, d C.
I kind of grew up as an arts kid. So
my first memory of performing was around five years old.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I was doing.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Musicals and plays, and I grew up in the church,
so a lot of my arts background was in church.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Wire, Praise Deem, I'm a ministry all of that.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And then when I became you know, only kind of
school age, my mom let me go to a high
school for performing arts. Shout out Tokellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC.
And then when I was sixteen years old, I was
at that crossroads of Okay, what am I gonna do
with my life?
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Right, And there were some people in my family that said, well,
you should be a doctor, you should be a lawyer,
you know, get a safe job. But then there were
others that said, hey, you've been doing the arts for years,
maybe you should continue on that path.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
And so I really had to pray.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
And I just remember at sixteen years old hearing God
speak and tell me I'm calling you into arts and entertainment.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
And that was the turning point.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I ended up being accepted into NYU's Teach School of
the Arts, which office is a very prestigious drama program,
study drama there, and then it was okay, God, I'm
about to come out of college, like now what.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
What real world says?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
And so I was able to fortunately get an agent.
Right before graduating, I internarned at the public Theater. That
was Shakespeare in the Park Joseph pat Public Theater in
New York, and that was under folks that were doing
those plays with Sona Lathan, Joe Morton, Jeffrey Wright. And
so I was interning with them, right and helping them
(03:16):
run lines and making sure that they had what they needed.
And it was Shakespeare, so I would, I would, you know,
help them with their lines, and then I would memorize
all these grand soliloquies, you know, and kind of pretend
when everyone went home, I would take the stage and
like pretend I was.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Playing the role Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And then but shortly after coming out of college, I
was doing a lot of theater and Shakespeare, and then
I got cast on The Wire. So it was very
funny because The Wire. Any of you who used to
watch The Wire on HBO, you know it is a
gritty show, right, And so my character Tasha, I was
playing kind of a sidekick to Omar Bless Michael K.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Williams, Yes, And so.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
We would like kill Barkstales by day ended at night
I would run to the Shakespeare Theater performing well sh
don these big beautiful velvet robes, you know, sing classical music.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
And then in the morning it was like shoot him
up Bank Bank.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
And so that in some ways, it's kind of how
my career has been, like moving in and out of
very different types of characters and very different types of roles.
But that's one of the things I really enjoyed about
being an actress.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yes, I can imagine.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
What was it like working with Michael kay Williams. I
got to meet him. I think it was like.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Tyler's forty fifth birthday.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
He was at the house and this is before he passed,
and he was the kindest soul. His energy was just
like it was crazy. He was so nice, though. What
was it like actually getting no work with him? What
an honor?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It was one of my very first TV shows, and
so you know, by that point they had been on
for a season and.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
It had already kind of developed a lot of buzz. Right,
so here I am coming in as a young actress.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
He was so welcoming, so loving, yes, so generous, you know,
and he just became like a big brother to me.
And there was a point where God put it in
my spirit to start writing these inspirational columns. And he
is one of the people that kept emailing me. He's like,
keep these coming, keep these coming, keep these coming. Theies
up blessing me, keep these coming. And it was, you know,
(05:17):
scriptures and verses. And I didn't know, like all I
knew was God told me to do this.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
I didn't know how it was going to be received.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
And I also didn't know until he passed, some of
the things that he was going through at that time.
I didn't know we were working together, but I didn't
know a lot of the personal things that were happening,
and so that meant a lot to have that encouragement
from him. So now all these years later, it's almost
like a part of my purpose too. Like I remember
Michael in just such a beautiful way, and I think
(05:46):
about how in our industry a lot of people are
experiencing things.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
That we may not know from the outside.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Absolutely right, and so it's important for us to lean
into our calling and the things that God calls us
to do because we have no idea how we're blessing
each other.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yes, that is so true, and I'm glad that you
You didn't know the why, but you kept putting it
and he was like, he's sitting these I need it.
So you know, even if you're reaching one person, you're
doing what God told you do.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
The assignment was understood. That is so good. Do you
still write those so?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Honestly, a lot of that has been poured into this book.
The world is waiting for you.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
So you were practicing then and didn't really even know it, right,
it was just about obedience, and so I feel like
along the way, God has just given me these things
to do in obedience, not realizing that Oh, as you
follow this path of obedience, here's where it's gonna lead.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
So funny enough, when I was on set not too
long ago with the Residents at Shondaland, I was there
and this executive in production came up to me and
she said, did you used to write a blog like
fifteen years ago called it Weena's Words of Wisdom?
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It was like, yes, how do you know that?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:55):
She said, my mother used to publish them every month
in her Christian women's magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I am not kidding.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Wow, it's like even now things that were done ten
years fifteen years out of obedience. Yes, and so this
maybe about last month they asked if they could put.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Me on the cover of the magazine.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah. It was like, wow, It's just so funny how
everything comes full circle.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
It really does? It? Really?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Does?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
You talk about playing all these different characters.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Your range is so dynamic, Yes, from the Wire to
the Power and then recently Shonda Rhyme's the Residence. I
don't know if I DMG or text you, y'all. I'm
always behind on the shows, right, so I wasn't too
behind on this one. But my brother Marquis kept saying
you got to watch the Residents. So it's like, oh, yes,
I said, my girl ed when it's on there, I
gotta watch it.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
When I say she stole the show had me hollering.
I said, I did not know she was this funny girl. Well,
I say stole the show. You were so funny. And
then I saw the threads and people coming and I
was like, they are loving her.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
That was miss Sheila, y'all took the cake. That was
such a fun character. I loved her down and I
was so excited that people loved her too.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yes, Oh my goodness, it was so good. Where did
you go?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Like what places did you pull from for the comedy part? Yeah,
I'm talking about And it was like you weren't even trying.
You were just funny. I was like, this girl is
a natural, you know what.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
And thank you for that. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It's kind of this combination, like a lot of times
my work tends to be dramatic, right, it says, you know,
that's the type of work I've done a lot, But
then I have done some comedies like Get Hard with
Kevin Hard and Will Ferrell Deep you know. But but
sometimes when you're a dramatic actor. They don't always know,
like you have a whole other side me being from Washington,
(08:48):
DC and feeling very passionately about the African American culture
of Washington, and in fact, I myself had been creating
a show called Chocolate City that was rooted in the
African American culture of DC, and specifically that White House culture,
because we don't see that expressed on screen, especially when
it comes to White House shows. So that's exactly where
(09:09):
I was when I got the script from the Residents,
and when I read this character, I said, oh, this
is my opportunity to really create a multi dimensional character
who is herself, who is fully herself, and who's.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Not who works in the White House.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
But it is not from that area of sixteen hundred
Pennsylvania Avenue, right, And because I was raised in Washington,
I know Southeast, I know from whence others come. So
I said, you know, what I want to do is
honor the people that are not always honored on screen.
And it became about creating that type of character, you know,
(09:49):
but also not making her a stereotype, right, like giving
her these levels and layers and colors.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
The fact that she's just funny, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
And I feel like when it comes to black women,
we get together. You know, there's just a certain humor
and a vibe that we can share, and so I
wanted I wanted that to be reflected on screen too.
So I'm glad that that all came through. And just
as an actor, I was also doing improv. You know
a lot of elements in the show they allowed me
(10:18):
to improv. And also you know I went to UCB
and these different improv programs, so it kind of brought
it all together.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Now, tell me about how this audition came apart and
what was that whole journey? Like, I know, sometimes it's
you callbacks and other times it's like you're the one.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
What was this process like?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
So this is a very interesting process because, as you know,
I'm big on manifestation and big on manifesting the God
dream over your life and like I said, with obedience,
like sometimes God will call you to do things or
maybe drop something in your spirit.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You may not quite understand why, but you just go
for it.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
So one April Fool's Day, I got this vision of
because my social media manager was like, what.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Should we do? For April Fool's Day, what should we post?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And somehow we got this idea of posting me on
a Shonda lamp poster, and so she literally photo shopped.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Me and I thought it was ridiculous. I thought it
was so.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Funny, you know, she photoshopped my face like on to
this existing Shonda lamp poster. And then we announced this
big new role that I was doing, and so, you know,
I thought, oh, this is hilarious.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Like you could still see the.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Getty Images like label on the picture, but the way
people were like, oh, look at God, this is amazing,
this is wonderful. Gods open all these doors for you,
you know. And I was afraid to be like, y'all,
it's a.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
But as I.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Started seeing their comments, it started elevating my face. It
was like, could God do something like this? And it
helped me to start taking the limits off of my
own imagination of what God can do.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Well, let me tell you by that exact day.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
The following year, I was on set at Shondaland filming
this new show, The Residents, and of course that poster
ended up coming out which had my actual face on it,
you know. And so there's this chapter in my book
called this Time next Year, Yes, And it's really all
about like declaring and speaking into existence, prophesying your next year.
(12:30):
What can God do by this time next year? And
so for me, you know, when I got that script
for the Residents, it just hit me like, okay, Like
I had received maybe three scripts that same week, and
so I was just kind of going through all of them.
But that highlighted for me, Okay, lean into that. And
that's exactly what happened with me. If Loving You is wrong,
(12:51):
I'd received all these prophecies about Oprah, about Tyler, and
about Georgia and about Tyler Perry Studio. So that's four
I've received prophetic worries about all four. So when if
Lovin You was wrong offer came on Oprah's network with
Tyler filming in Georgia at Tyler Perry Studios, I knew, Okay,
this is a part of the God dream that has
(13:13):
that was over my life.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
This is a role that I'm supposed to accept.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes to talk about when you actually went to.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Was the open studio and then he went to Tyler
Perry and put your feet on the ground.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
So in the book, I give this story about how
I'd received.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
You know, I received prophecies first of all Oprah.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Then I received prophecies about Tyler and Tyler Perry Studios.
So I felt like I need to make a bold
manifestation move in the direction of what God is speaking.
So in twenty eleven, which is the very year that
OWN opened, I went inside of the lobby and I
literally just wanted to put my foot on it.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
And I asked one of the.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
People that worked there, do you mind taking a picture
of me in front of this sign? And it said
own Oprah Winfrey Network. Like, I said, will you take
a picture of me in front of this sign?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
She did.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I posted it to Facebook that day along with the
scripture Joshua one, three wheresoever the soul of your footshel tread,
God will give unto you.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Well.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Later that same year, I was in Atlanta on the
way to the airport.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
I was with Kelvin and I.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Said, wait, wait, wait, take me to Tyler Perry Studios.
He was like, well, we're going to miss our flight.
I said, no, I need you to take me to
Tyler Perry Studios. So we drive there. You know, we're
at the guard's desk. I was like, do you guys
offer tours or can I like sched on tour for
like right now?
Speaker 4 (14:35):
He was like, ma'am, no, this is not open to
the public.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Here's a postcard which I recently found out postally almost
years ago.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
He was like, here's a postcard. Go on, now you
know about your travels.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So I was cresfalling got back in the car, but
as Kevin was pulling away, I said no, no, no, Sap
stop stop. I got out the car, ran to the
to the fence, slipped my foot under, set a prayer
and declared that same scripture, Joshua one three, where'soever the
soul of your foricial track?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I will give unto you? And I raced back in
the car.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
We drove to the airport and literally my next time
there here I was being welcomed by Tyler in that
exact same place.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
That's one of the stars off loving you is wrong.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
And my next time at the Oprah Winfrey Network, I
was sitting on the stage in front of all these
press outlets. Yes doing you know, doing this interview? And
that was nine to nine. It was nine nine twenty
eleven when I first went to Oprah's and it was
nine nine, twenty fourteen, when If Loving You Is Wrong
premiere the exact same day, and then this year on
(15:39):
nine to nine is the exact day that my book
was released. And who interviewed me but the Oprah Winfrey.
So that's amazing, you know. I always tell people God
does have a plan for all of our lives, that
it's very specific and even dated, and I, you know,
I try to let people know that there's a sense
of urgency around the timing of your obi and the
(16:01):
timing of when you step out to do the thing
that He's called you to do, because the world is
waiting for you. We make it about ourselves for such
a time as there we're born, for such a time
a little rol time, yes, as this, you know, And
so dates like that nine to nine, you know, And
there's many other stories that give in the book two
examples of that. But I think that God does things
(16:23):
like that for a reason, to remind us that.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
He is on a schedule, right He's on a schedule, and.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
He's waiting on us to get on it.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Thank you. The world is waiting for us.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
And I think that if we really lean into that,
that we will allow ourselves to show up in the
world in an even bigger way.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Now our industry is over glamorized sometimes you know it's
a very glamorized industry. But you talked about sometimes we
can limit our imagination. But in those moments, that's when
you activated your faith or took the limits off. What
were some times throughout your career where your imagination really
wasn't kicking in and you were feeling like, come on, Lord,
(17:06):
I need you to make something move, make something shake,
Because I know those moments happened. But we see the wire,
we see the loving you is wrong, we see the
residents and the power, But what are those in between moments.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Like how do you navigate those?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Well, actually one of those was connected to when when
if loving you was wrong ended?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Right?
Speaker 3 (17:24):
And so when if loving you was wrong ended, I
knew it was ending. So of course now it's I
need another job, right, I need my next show? What's
my next show going to be? And so I just
started praying about it, like just putting it out there. Okay, God,
you got me right, Like, what's what's the new show
going to be? And so from January when we had
pilot season, it just became all about get the new show,
(17:44):
Get the new show.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Now.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
The caveat is that I was also pregnant during that time,
so I felt a time table ticking as well, because
May was when the baby was due, so I was pregnant.
My and my husband were going to name the baby
Brooklyn because we met.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
In Brooklyn, we got married in Brooklyn.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
So we're like, yeah, let's nay the baby Brooklyn. Well,
maybe I don't know. A couple of weeks later, my
husband was praying and he said, he said, God is saying,
name the baby London. And I said, why would we
name our baby London? Everything, like, our whole love story
is Brooklyn. And he said, God said, Brooklyn is our past,
London is our future. She's going to bring great joy
(18:24):
to our family. Name her London Joy.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
What wow?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
So by faith we name the baby London Joy. Now
for me, internally with the job thing, I'm still like, okay,
it's January February, by ch April Bay. You know, I
wanted to show in LA because I'm about to have
a baby. I wanted it all right there, and it
didn't happen, and I was like God, and so I
(18:48):
started wondering should I like, should I continue pursuing acting?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Is it over? Are you telling me that I should
do something else now?
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And literally, by August I received.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
A call about a show.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Called The Power that literally was filming in London, and
they moved my entire family to London to begin filming
an entire new show.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Your husband's a man of God too, because he's the
lyric spoke to him and told him and told him.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
And these little girls grew up with British accents, and
their names were all over London, London, and Victoria London
and Victoria everywhere. The street that we walked down to
take them to Nursey was Kelvindon Road, my husband's name is.
And then we go to another part of London and
it said Weena circle, at Weena Square, and Weena close,
(19:52):
said Weena everywhere. So God was letting us know, Oh,
I had this set up for you the whole time.
It wasn't according to my timetable. And I thought that
because my timetable wasn't working out, that that meant, oh,
I need a shift course.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
But no, delayed is not denied.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And so I talk a lot about that in the
book too, about that waiting season and how we just
have to continue to keep our faith and move in obedience,
in obedience. We named her that Wow, and then God
brought the manifestation up.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
It really did.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I feel like your whole life is just a trail
of obedience, you know, And if people could really just
learn to hear the voice of God and trust it
and obey it. And when you get those prompts to
why do I keep feeling like I should do this?
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Because that's God telling you to do it?
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Do it, you know, and move swiftly because we are
on his timetable and a lot of times things aren't
moving when we wanted to because we're not in the will.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
That is so oh my god, so profound.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Wow. I am just like speechless right now. That is beautiful,
Thank my goodness. So you are a wife, you're a
mother of two beautiful daughters. You are a powerhouse. How
do you even manage it all? You know now that
you your career, you got a book. Now you're traveling
the world, the world, y'all. She didn't just do a
(21:19):
state side tour. Okay, you went to Dubai. You were
just in Africa. You were in Cape Town and then
Where else did you go to London?
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah? I was justin you had to go to London,
New York. I haven't been in London yet.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
That's coming, Okay, okay, you gotta go to London.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yes, in New York and you're bunting everywhere?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
How are you balancing at marriage and the children and everything?
Speaker 4 (21:40):
You know?
Speaker 3 (21:41):
One of the things that I realized as far as calling,
yes and even vision right. And so in the book
and the World is Waiting for You, I talk a
lot about vision and a lot about calling and how
you know, our our purpose stays the same, but the
method shifts, right and the things that we're called to
(22:01):
shift as well. And so there's seasons maybe when you know,
and you know as a performer, where the performing part
is like the main, main part.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And then there's.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Seasons where God is calling us to expand our territory
and that includes family and to be honest. At first,
like I received prophetic words that I was going to
have a baby, you know, and that I was going
to be married, like all these things, I was very
focused on career. But as the Lord began to open
up these other parts of my life, just like we
(22:32):
say about vision, if he.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Gives you the vision, he'll give you the provision.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
So it's really been about, Okay, having these specific things
in place to accommodate that enlarge territory, right, So like
being able to structure my time in such a way
that I'm giving my husband the time that he needs,
that I'm giving my children the time that they need,
while also being called to write a book and also
being called to travel the world in these different things.
(22:58):
And so there's some practical aspect of the book If
Love You is Wrong as well, I mean gets wrong,
there's some practical aspects of the book The World Is
Waiting for You as well, where I like, take people
through a time map and help them to identify what
are the top.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
Either goals or roles that you have in life, and.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
How can you begin to structure your time every day
to match the things that you've been called to in
the different areas of your life and your abundant life.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, that is so good because a lot of times,
especially people who have dreams like we did, a lot
of times, the resources that they really have in reality
don't match the dream, you know, so they need those
practical tips to help them get there or even like
to be prepared, cause you talk about make sure that
you are ready for what you're praying for, because a
lot of times like, God, I'm ready for this, and
he's like, no, you are not, And you wonder.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Why he's like delaying it. What you think is a delay.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Because you're not ready, right, So he has to get
that toolbox fool, so that when it's time for any
to be like all right, gone, then you have everything
you need.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
And I think also we as women also, like you know,
we want to have it all, right, you want to
have it all. We want to be successful in our careers.
We want husband, we want children, we want all these things.
But what I've noticed is that there are adjustments that
we have to be prepared to make in our lives
in order to accommodate these new things. Okay, if you
want to be if you want to be a wife,
(24:20):
right like, okay, then you have to start preparing in
that way. And there's and a lot of that is service.
A lot of that is rooted in service. And so
I think that, like you said, as far as the
industry and how glamorized it is, if you adopt an
idea that everything's supposed to be about you.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Then you may not be prepared to be a wife
or a.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Mother because hello, because I've heard you become last.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
When even Jesus.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Said, the greatest is the least. Yes, right, the greatest
is the least, and that and that really is true
when it comes to being a wife and a mother.
So so you're negotiating these different roles like in the public,
you baby an author, you maybe a podcast, your baby
an actor, all these things. But then, and honestly, I
learned a lot of that from Viola. From Viola Davis,
(25:08):
I learned.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
A lot living with her.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Yeah, let's talk about that your life. I'm just like
this moment, like God has really had his head, like
he's over, like boo boo boom.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
You live with Viola Davis, and she's like still someone
very near and dear to your heart and prominent in
your life. Let's talk about that, because that is I'm
just like and Wita, life is crazy.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Well when I told you that, you know, God told
me to start writing this inspirational column at uenas words
of Wisdom. She also along with Michael Kay would receive
them and say, keep going, keep going, keep writing this.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
This is so inspiring to me.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
And so not long after I came out of college,
she and her husband ended up commissioning me to help
write this one person show for them, and so that's
really how our relationships started. And then when I was
casting a show in LA they said.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Oh, well you can live with us.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And so my introduction to Hollywood was really with them
and through them and living.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
With an introduction, yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And she would take me with her everywhere the late
night talk shows, to interviews, you know, and to magazine
shoots on set, and I just got a chance to
soak it all up, to learn to experience. And so
that level of mentorship and love in those very intimate
ways were so key. And through her, I saw how
(26:37):
public life and private life like, I saw the difference.
I saw, you know, being a star but also being
a servant, yes, right, and she modeled that in such
a beautiful way. And so these are some of the
lessons that have also poured into the book and that
I've also just cherished in my own life that I
received from Viola.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, man, that is amazing. Shout out miss Viola Davis.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
She is an icon, a great in our industry and
even in our culture, something we look up to. So
that's amazing that you had that firsthand mentorship from her.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
What does mentorship mean to you? And how are you
giving back?
Speaker 2 (27:11):
So, I know, you and your husband you founded co
founded Abundant Life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
You or you're paying it for it, So let's talk
about that.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Yeah, I mean, I've been doing Abundant Life University for
over fifteen years, you know, before.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Ever getting into the industry.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
You know, like it was always important to me to
be pouring into other people's lives.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
And that's another thing. No matter where.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
You start, you don't have to have, you know, some
big podcasts or some big TV show or anything like
that to affect the people around you.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
The world is waiting for you.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That's your neighbors, that's your your schoolmates, you know, that's
the people at church. That can be anyone in your
neighborhood community. You know, you don't have to have some
big platform in order to do that. And so when
I started, I started very small. I was feeding almost
you know, doing all these things. And meanwhile, during that time,
my income was right near the poverty line, Like I
(28:07):
did not have much, but I did have a calling yes,
and so I knew that whatever it is I have,
that's what I'm being called to give. And so as
the platform has grown, you know, that just means that
more and more people can come in, right, And so
with Abundant Life you and now this program, the God
Dreamers Academy, we are just inviting so many people from
(28:30):
around the world to participate, to go through the book
and then also to join us in manifesting that God
dream that's over their lives. My husband, Kelvin and I
just really believe that God has a purpose and a
dream over everyone and if people need that help, that
that guidance to help pull it out of them and
(28:51):
bring it to past, you know, that's that's what we do.
So yeah, so anyone you can go to the world
is Waiting dot org and find out more about the
God Dreamers Academy.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Yes, please tapping you guys, you have said that your
faith has been the anchor in this industry for you.
Can you share a moment where leaning on God really
changed your trajectory in your career?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Yeah? You know, early on I received this offer for
this huge contract and it was so much money, and
I told you. I was like, I was living in
low income house and I did not have a lot
of money, and suddenly this contract came with all this
money attached to it, and it was in Hollywood, and
it was just you know, I was like, Wow, this
(29:32):
is my big break, Like, oh my god, this is that.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
But it came with a nudity clause.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Don't they always all the big ones come with It's
a heavy I was like, why, oh why, what do
I do right?
Speaker 3 (29:47):
And that was a place of conviction for me, and
I felt like I want I want what they're offering.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
I want the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
I love the role.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
But if that means that I have to perform nude
in order to get it, then that might mean I
have to wait a little bit longer.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
And so I didn't sign it.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
And I and I went back to hearing the sirens
outside my window and the rats running across the street
and people, you know, stopping drug fights and all these things.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
But I just believed.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I was like, God, I honored you, and I just
believe that you're going to open the door for me.
And three years later, I was invited to Hollywood again.
This time it was not with this huge contract it
was not first class everything.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
It was literally two minister.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
It was to speak to other artists of faith, and
I was phone out there to do that. And the
next day a friend invited me to a place called
Running Canyon.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
You know, it's like kind of this big mountain, you know,
like this hill right in the middle of Hollywood.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
So we're hiking, hiking, hiking.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
We get to the top and you know, up there,
you feel like you're just like you can see everything.
I literally felt like I was overlooking the Promised Land. Wow,
it just just swept over me. And there was this
sign in the distance that called my attention, and I
couldn't make out all the words.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
I was trying to piece it together.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, and finally my friend was like, come on, let's go.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
And so two days later, my last night in La,
I'm walking with another friend and my camera suddenly takes
a picture by itself and flashes.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
So I'm looking at her the same way you're looking
at me.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
We're looking at each other and then looking at the
camera like, how did that happen? So I picked up
the camera to turn it over to see what it
took a picture of.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
It was sign that I saw.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I got the seals of Running Canyon, Wow, two days prior,
now up close and perfectly framed inside of my camera,
and it said, from Harlem to Hollywood, You're a star.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
What literally the breakdowns?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
I collapsed.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
And then when I got back to New York the
next day, you know, I'm sitting with all of this,
And then I remembered that my uncle, uncle Howard, he
was a pastor in Maryland who passed just a few
days before my trip. I remembered that before he passed,
he a prophesied to me, but I couldn't remember what
he said.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
So I started looking everywhere. I remember that I recorded it.
I video recorded it, so I was looking for the video.
I finally found it. I pushed play, and here is
my now deceased uncle looking into the camera, prophesying to
me that God is about to take me to Hollywood
and the instructions that the law wants me to know, scriptures, instructions, everything.
(32:51):
Soon there after, I was casting a show in Hollywood,
living with Viola on red carpets.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
My entire life changed.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
And while we were on the red carpet Forget Hard
with Kevin Hard, Will Ferrell.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
We're on Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Chinese Theater.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
I'm doing all this press, you know, and then look
up and I see that I'm standing in the exact
same spot where I was when that camera took the
picture by yourself.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Oh Lord, this God is just winking out over your life,
just winking.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
He's like.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I looked up while I was on the red carpet
and literally almost collapse right there. And so the first
chapter of the book is from Harlem to Hollywood, and
it's all about that prophetic journey and the fact that
God already his vision for us is already ahead of
where we are. Just take the steps in obedience because
he already hasn't planned out.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
But that's just an example. You know.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Sometimes we're being called to say no to things yes,
and we don't know how it's going to turn out.
We think, oh, we have to say yes. I have
to say yes, because if I say no, then what's
going to happen to me? But when we honor God, yeah,
he also honors us.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
He does, and it's always way more worth it than
if you said to say yes to that thing.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
You know, you're suppoed to say no to I'm.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
A living testimony and yeah, you know, and it's always
that when and then you look back, like I knew
I shouldn't have done that, you know, and there was
always that still small voice that was trying to guide
you in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So you have to listen to that. This is God
has his hand on your life.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Do you hear me, not.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Good Edwin, I'm glad we're sitting down because.
Speaker 4 (34:35):
I did not. Yeah, like we hear time were able.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
To do me too. This is so good.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Lord have mercy, Okay, because even like when it comes
to nudity app I'm the same way, like that's something
I won't do because I haven't had children yet.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
But I'm like, if I do, that's just.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Something I don't ever want to have to explain or
just have it out there because now they can do
anything with your body. And it's just like there are
certain things I just want to keep sacred, you know,
There's certain things I'm not gonna show. I was like,
if there's a way we can do it where I
will not show these things, then we can work around it.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
But I'm not. These are my hard lines.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
In the sand that I'm not going to cross, and
I think that's so important to share too. Sometimes we
can be afraid to have clear lines yes right. And
so as a young actor, I mean literally, my agents
were like, well, if you're not willing to appear nude,
then you'll never work in this town. Like I received
that kind of messaging and felt, you know, it was
like God's voice and their voice was just always in conflict.
(35:35):
So I just want to encourage anybody that's watching. If
there are certain things that you know that you don't
feel comfortable with, whether it's in your industry or whether
it's in your life, lean into that spirit that that's
telling you, that's gently guiding you no, no, it's okay
to say no, while also believing that there's a yes
that's going to come straight from God and that's already
(35:58):
prepared for you. That's gonna be even and better than
the no.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Yes. Oh that's so good. I just got a script.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I'm doing a movie in Houston in like two weeks,
thank you. And I remember he was tak telling me
about and I was like, oh, yeah, this sounds great,
got the script great?
Speaker 1 (36:14):
And then oh, I just got this idea.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Have you can I remember the name of the movie
and I was I was like, okay, so I want
to see you that. He was like the two couples,
He's like, they were sitting in chairs, they were in
the nude and this idea just came to him.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
And that's how I was looking.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
As I'm on the phone like say why not And
I was like m I was like, I don't. I
don't do that.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
I don't do nudity, and he was like, no, it's
gonna be.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Then it went to even further, well you know, it
won't even be your breast, like we can like yeah,
that's exactly how they'll like, it'd be a I like,
it won't even be it won't even be you. And
I was like, no, we're not doing that. And the script,
the final script came out. The contract comes and I
see nudity in the contract and I'm like, my writer
(36:57):
says no nudity, like I only have certain things that
I'll show that I'm okay with. And so he's like, yeah,
I want to call you and go over the script
and I said yeah. So it was so funny he
cause and we're going over the script. He said yeah,
he was wren thing and I was like yeah, seene six.
Let's go on and get to that. Let him go
(37:17):
over heres, and it says in the nude. And I
was like, so this is what I will do and
what I want to do. And he was like, I
can work with that, but if you have to stay
in your ground, you know, because if not, you'll be
doing things that you'll look back and regret. Yeah, and
I don't want to look back and regret.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Can I just insert this story because this is really important.
I had a very dear friend in the industry who
got a huge break, like when we came out of college.
I mean, he got a huge break and said yes
to it. But there were a lot of things. There
were a lot of things in it that really compromised
his values and morals.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
But he said yes to it and became a big star.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Big star was on the cover of buzzes and on
the cover of magazines, and on the cover of billboards.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
And you know, all these things.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Became a big star, earned lots of money. But then
he became an alcoholic because it was very difficult for
him on the inside to grapple with what he was
doing every day. It was like the stardom and the
fanfare and the money was not enough to fill him
(38:26):
up compared to how he was giving his soul every day.
And unfortunately he's no longer with us. And so I
just want to say that as a cautionary tale. We
can think that the money, that the fame, that the
followers you know, are all just like, oh, that's what
(38:46):
life is about. And then you get there and it's
not enough. But if you know that you are rooted
and grounded and you are in the place where God
has called you to be, there's a sense of peace
that there the prosperity is coming. But you don't have
to compromise your peace for prosperity. You can have both.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
You can really have both.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Eduena, I don't know what's left to say.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That was good. I've been blessed.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
It's funny you said that because I just had tied
Trivin on and he was talking about when he got
his first two Grammys and he said he got back
to the room, he said, look about the box, and
it was just like it was a reminder of everything
he sacrificed, his family, children, time, and it was like
was it worth it?
Speaker 1 (39:34):
And it didn't feel him the way he thought it would.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
And that changed his mindset and perspective on how he
looked at it. And I said, yeah, and I said,
you wanted the next time because you weren't coveting it.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
He got it again.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
He wasn't even because he wasn't what he wasn't hitting.
He wasn't coveting. Did you see that biblical language? He
wasn't coveting it, and therefore the Lord gave him even
even more.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Yeah, but it's a real thing, like we think, like
the followers, like you said, the money, all these things
are gonna make us happy. And yes, you have upsense
of peace when you don't have to worry about how
you're gonna get your next meal. You know, it does
bring that, but it does not feel your soul, especially
when you're selling it. Honey, you just you ap preach
for me. Y'all, going and get the book. The world
(40:20):
is waiting because it is waiting for you. All right,
this is so good? Is there anything else you want
to share with us?
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Is?
Speaker 4 (40:27):
I would?
Speaker 2 (40:28):
We would love to follow you or we can find
where we can we buy the book, all the things
we want to support you.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Thank you, thank you. So I know, right, so far
and so like.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Oh but I knew we were going to be this full,
And I do want to say to you, Crystal, because
I feel like you embody a lot of the things
that I'm talking about and that we're talking about in
this conversation.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
You from the moment I met you, I feel like
you've had such a servants heart.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
You've had such a servant's heart, You've had such a
humble heart, and it's been beautiful to see how God
has exalted you. Thank you, you know, and the fact
that you know it's not lost on me that you
started this interview saying I used to I used to
put on her shoes on if loving you is wrong, right,
And now you're an actress yourself, and now you have
(41:16):
this great platform and great career.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
But but that just goes to show those when we
humble ourselves, we will be exalted. A lot of times
we think we have to exalt ourselves, we have to
exalt ourselves. We got to tell everybody about ourselves. We
got to make sure we put ourselves out there.
Speaker 4 (41:33):
You know. But like you started your career serving.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Yeah, and I loved it and loved.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
It because you have a gift of service.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
And now even through the podcast and all the other
wonderful things that are happening. You're still serving it's but
it's now a greater level. So I just want to
express how proud I am of you who you are,
who you've become, but you are the same person.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yes, I mean that, and you are to thank you
you as well, and you are still in Waena like, yes,
thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
For those of you who want to join the community,
the world is waiting for you. You can get the
book everywhere books are sold. You can also come on
over to the website The World is Waiting dot org.
We have the Dreamers Academy. You can also connect directly
in with me. You can also follow me on Instagram,
on Twitter or x on Instagram, on x TikTok at
(42:29):
Edwena Findley and on Facebook Atwena Finley Dickerson.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
Come on the journey.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
The world is waiting for you, and I cannot wait
to see what God is going to do in your
life by this time next year.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Thank you so much, Adwena.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I am proud of you and I'm just this is amazing.
This conversation has blessed me. I am fool Yeah, thank you.
I see everybody shaking their head behind the scenes is yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Everybody's like, yes, this has been good. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Welcome, Yes the counsitive sweetie.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Yes, the world is waiting for you. Get it now
because I'll say it so you're like, this is all
we gotta do. That video was like this is my
friend and Weena, she wrote a new book. You better
go get it. And then they be like, no time
about your book, Sonase, thank.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You so much for joining me for another conversation. Remember
you don't have to have a big platform to affect
the people around you. The world is waiting for you
until next time. He did positive sweeties,
Calling all my sweeties to the forefront.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm your host, christ and this is the Keeping Positive
Sweetish Show. Sweety's my next guest. I've known for a
very long time. She's an actress, a wife, a mom,
and she's literally living example that God wings happen if
we can take the time to see them.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Sweeties, give a very warm.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to my dear friend, Edwena Finley Edwena.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
He love christal of my gosh for united and we
are here.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It really does. It feels amazing. How are you feeling today?
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I am blessed, Holly favor, I feel good.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You should. I feel amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I'm happy to have you here, excited about your book
and all the things you have going on.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
But I want to take it back.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Okay, back in the time.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Twenty fourteen was when if Loving Years Wrong came out.
I was a costumer, you guys, I used to actually
put on Edwena's shoes. In twenty fourteen and twenty fifteen
came the costume designer, and that's when I learned that
jewel Tones was your jam and still it was this
day when you came in, I said, jewel Tones is
still in you?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Like you remember absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I think as a costume designer, we learned so much
about the person, really, even more than the character. We
learned what you like, what you don't, like your body,
and like what you feel comfortable in. And I always
remember you loved Jewel Tones. So it's like something that
just was semented into my head. Jill Tones Readwena. Yes,
But I mean I know that's when I met you,
but I know there was so much more before we
(01:33):
got to that point, So tell us everything.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
So I was born and raised in Washington, d C.
I kind of grew up as an arts kid. So
my first memory of performing was around five years old.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I was doing.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Musicals and plays, and I grew up in the church,
so a lot of my arts background was in church.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Wire, Praise Deem, I'm a ministry all of that.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And then when I became you know, only kind of
school age, my mom let me go to a high
school for performing arts. Shout out Tokellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC.
And then when I was sixteen years old, I was
at that crossroads of Okay, what am I gonna do
with my life?
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Right, And there were some people in my family that said, well,
you should be a doctor, you should be a lawyer,
you know, get a safe job. But then there were
others that said, hey, you've been doing the arts for years,
maybe you should continue on that path.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
And so I really had to pray.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
And I just remember at sixteen years old hearing God
speak and tell me I'm calling you into arts and entertainment.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
And that was the turning point.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I ended up being accepted into NYU's Teach School of
the Arts, which office is a very prestigious drama program,
study drama there, and then it was okay, God, I'm
about to come out of college, like now what.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
What real world says?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
And so I was able to fortunately get an agent.
Right before graduating, I internarned at the public Theater. That
was Shakespeare in the Park Joseph pat Public Theater in
New York, and that was under folks that were doing
those plays with Sona Lathan, Joe Morton, Jeffrey Wright. And
so I was interning with them, right and helping them
(03:16):
run lines and making sure that they had what they needed.
And it was Shakespeare, so I would, I would, you know,
help them with their lines, and then I would memorize
all these grand soliloquies, you know, and kind of pretend
when everyone went home, I would take the stage and
like pretend I was.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Playing the role Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And then but shortly after coming out of college, I
was doing a lot of theater and Shakespeare, and then
I got cast on The Wire. So it was very
funny because The Wire. Any of you who used to
watch The Wire on HBO, you know it is a
gritty show, right, And so my character Tasha, I was
playing kind of a sidekick to Omar Bless Michael K.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Williams, Yes, And so.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
We would like kill Barkstales by day ended at night
I would run to the Shakespeare Theater performing well sh
don these big beautiful velvet robes, you know, sing classical music.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
And then in the morning it was like shoot him
up Bank Bank.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
And so that in some ways, it's kind of how
my career has been, like moving in and out of
very different types of characters and very different types of roles.
But that's one of the things I really enjoyed about
being an actress.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yes, I can imagine.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
What was it like working with Michael kay Williams. I
got to meet him. I think it was like.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Tyler's forty fifth birthday.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
He was at the house and this is before he passed,
and he was the kindest soul. His energy was just
like it was crazy. He was so nice, though. What
was it like actually getting no work with him? What
an honor?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It was one of my very first TV shows, and
so you know, by that point they had been on
for a season and.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
It had already kind of developed a lot of buzz. Right,
so here I am coming in as a young actress.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
He was so welcoming, so loving, yes, so generous, you know,
and he just became like a big brother to me.
And there was a point where God put it in
my spirit to start writing these inspirational columns. And he
is one of the people that kept emailing me. He's like,
keep these coming, keep these coming, keep these coming. Theies
up blessing me, keep these coming. And it was, you know,
(05:17):
scriptures and verses. And I didn't know, like all I
knew was God told me to do this.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
I didn't know how it was going to be received.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
And I also didn't know until he passed, some of
the things that he was going through at that time.
I didn't know we were working together, but I didn't
know a lot of the personal things that were happening,
and so that meant a lot to have that encouragement
from him. So now all these years later, it's almost
like a part of my purpose too. Like I remember
Michael in just such a beautiful way, and I think
(05:46):
about how in our industry a lot of people are
experiencing things.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
That we may not know from the outside.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Absolutely right, and so it's important for us to lean
into our calling and the things that God calls us
to do because we have no idea how we're blessing
each other.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yes, that is so true, and I'm glad that you
You didn't know the why, but you kept putting it
and he was like, he's sitting these I need it.
So you know, even if you're reaching one person, you're
doing what God told you do.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
The assignment was understood. That is so good. Do you
still write those so?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Honestly, a lot of that has been poured into this book.
The world is waiting for you.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
So you were practicing then and didn't really even know it, right,
it was just about obedience, and so I feel like
along the way, God has just given me these things
to do in obedience, not realizing that Oh, as you
follow this path of obedience, here's where it's gonna lead.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
So funny enough, when I was on set not too
long ago with the Residents at Shondaland, I was there
and this executive in production came up to me and
she said, did you used to write a blog like
fifteen years ago called it Weena's Words of Wisdom?
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It was like, yes, how do you know that?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:55):
She said, my mother used to publish them every month
in her Christian women's magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I am not kidding.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Wow, it's like even now things that were done ten
years fifteen years out of obedience. Yes, and so this
maybe about last month they asked if they could put.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Me on the cover of the magazine.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah. It was like, wow, It's just so funny how
everything comes full circle.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
It really does? It? Really?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Does?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
You talk about playing all these different characters.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Your range is so dynamic, Yes, from the Wire to
the Power and then recently Shonda Rhyme's the Residence. I
don't know if I DMG or text you, y'all. I'm
always behind on the shows, right, so I wasn't too
behind on this one. But my brother Marquis kept saying
you got to watch the Residents. So it's like, oh, yes,
I said, my girl ed when it's on there, I
gotta watch it.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
When I say she stole the show had me hollering.
I said, I did not know she was this funny girl. Well,
I say stole the show. You were so funny. And
then I saw the threads and people coming and I
was like, they are loving her.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
That was miss Sheila, y'all took the cake. That was
such a fun character. I loved her down and I
was so excited that people loved her too.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yes, Oh my goodness, it was so good. Where did
you go?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Like what places did you pull from for the comedy part? Yeah,
I'm talking about And it was like you weren't even trying.
You were just funny. I was like, this girl is
a natural, you know what.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
And thank you for that. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It's kind of this combination, like a lot of times
my work tends to be dramatic, right, it says, you know,
that's the type of work I've done a lot, But
then I have done some comedies like Get Hard with
Kevin Hard and Will Ferrell Deep you know. But but
sometimes when you're a dramatic actor. They don't always know,
like you have a whole other side me being from Washington,
(08:48):
DC and feeling very passionately about the African American culture
of Washington, and in fact, I myself had been creating
a show called Chocolate City that was rooted in the
African American culture of DC, and specifically that White House culture,
because we don't see that expressed on screen, especially when
it comes to White House shows. So that's exactly where
(09:09):
I was when I got the script from the Residents,
and when I read this character, I said, oh, this
is my opportunity to really create a multi dimensional character
who is herself, who is fully herself, and who's.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Not who works in the White House.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
But it is not from that area of sixteen hundred
Pennsylvania Avenue, right, And because I was raised in Washington,
I know Southeast, I know from whence others come. So
I said, you know, what I want to do is
honor the people that are not always honored on screen.
And it became about creating that type of character, you know,
(09:49):
but also not making her a stereotype, right, like giving
her these levels and layers and colors.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
The fact that she's just funny, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
And I feel like when it comes to black women,
we get together. You know, there's just a certain humor
and a vibe that we can share, and so I
wanted I wanted that to be reflected on screen too.
So I'm glad that that all came through. And just
as an actor, I was also doing improv. You know
a lot of elements in the show they allowed me
(10:18):
to improv. And also you know I went to UCB
and these different improv programs, so it kind of brought
it all together.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Now, tell me about how this audition came apart and
what was that whole journey? Like, I know, sometimes it's
you callbacks and other times it's like you're the one.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
What was this process like?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
So this is a very interesting process because, as you know,
I'm big on manifestation and big on manifesting the God
dream over your life and like I said, with obedience,
like sometimes God will call you to do things or
maybe drop something in your spirit.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You may not quite understand why, but you just go
for it.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
So one April Fool's Day, I got this vision of
because my social media manager was like, what.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Should we do? For April Fool's Day, what should we post?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And somehow we got this idea of posting me on
a Shonda lamp poster, and so she literally photo shopped.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Me and I thought it was ridiculous. I thought it
was so.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Funny, you know, she photoshopped my face like on to
this existing Shonda lamp poster. And then we announced this
big new role that I was doing, and so, you know,
I thought, oh, this is hilarious.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Like you could still see the.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Getty Images like label on the picture, but the way
people were like, oh, look at God, this is amazing,
this is wonderful. Gods open all these doors for you,
you know. And I was afraid to be like, y'all,
it's a.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
But as I.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Started seeing their comments, it started elevating my face. It
was like, could God do something like this? And it
helped me to start taking the limits off of my
own imagination of what God can do.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Well, let me tell you by that exact day.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
The following year, I was on set at Shondaland filming
this new show, The Residents, and of course that poster
ended up coming out which had my actual face on it,
you know. And so there's this chapter in my book
called this Time next Year, Yes, And it's really all
about like declaring and speaking into existence, prophesying your next year.
(12:30):
What can God do by this time next year? And
so for me, you know, when I got that script
for the Residents, it just hit me like, okay, Like
I had received maybe three scripts that same week, and
so I was just kind of going through all of them.
But that highlighted for me, Okay, lean into that. And
that's exactly what happened with me. If Loving You is wrong,
(12:51):
I'd received all these prophecies about Oprah, about Tyler, and
about Georgia and about Tyler Perry Studio. So that's four
I've received prophetic worries about all four. So when if
Lovin You was wrong offer came on Oprah's network with
Tyler filming in Georgia at Tyler Perry Studios, I knew, Okay,
this is a part of the God dream that has
(13:13):
that was over my life.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
This is a role that I'm supposed to accept.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes to talk about when you actually went to.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Was the open studio and then he went to Tyler
Perry and put your feet on the ground.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
So in the book, I give this story about how
I'd received.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
You know, I received prophecies first of all Oprah.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Then I received prophecies about Tyler and Tyler Perry Studios.
So I felt like I need to make a bold
manifestation move in the direction of what God is speaking.
So in twenty eleven, which is the very year that
OWN opened, I went inside of the lobby and I
literally just wanted to put my foot on it.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
And I asked one of the.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
People that worked there, do you mind taking a picture
of me in front of this sign? And it said
own Oprah Winfrey Network. Like, I said, will you take
a picture of me in front of this sign?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
She did.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I posted it to Facebook that day along with the
scripture Joshua one, three wheresoever the soul of your footshel tread,
God will give unto you.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Well.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Later that same year, I was in Atlanta on the
way to the airport.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
I was with Kelvin and I.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Said, wait, wait, wait, take me to Tyler Perry Studios.
He was like, well, we're going to miss our flight.
I said, no, I need you to take me to
Tyler Perry Studios. So we drive there. You know, we're
at the guard's desk. I was like, do you guys
offer tours or can I like sched on tour for
like right now?
Speaker 4 (14:35):
He was like, ma'am, no, this is not open to
the public.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Here's a postcard which I recently found out postally almost
years ago.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
He was like, here's a postcard. Go on, now you
know about your travels.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So I was cresfalling got back in the car, but
as Kevin was pulling away, I said no, no, no, Sap
stop stop. I got out the car, ran to the
to the fence, slipped my foot under, set a prayer
and declared that same scripture, Joshua one three, where'soever the
soul of your foricial track?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I will give unto you? And I raced back in
the car.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
We drove to the airport and literally my next time
there here I was being welcomed by Tyler in that
exact same place.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
That's one of the stars off loving you is wrong.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
And my next time at the Oprah Winfrey Network, I
was sitting on the stage in front of all these
press outlets. Yes doing you know, doing this interview? And
that was nine to nine. It was nine nine twenty
eleven when I first went to Oprah's and it was
nine nine, twenty fourteen, when If Loving You Is Wrong
premiere the exact same day, and then this year on
(15:39):
nine to nine is the exact day that my book
was released. And who interviewed me but the Oprah Winfrey.
So that's amazing, you know. I always tell people God
does have a plan for all of our lives, that
it's very specific and even dated, and I, you know,
I try to let people know that there's a sense
of urgency around the timing of your obi and the
(16:01):
timing of when you step out to do the thing
that He's called you to do, because the world is
waiting for you. We make it about ourselves for such
a time as there we're born, for such a time
a little rol time, yes, as this, you know, And
so dates like that nine to nine, you know, And
there's many other stories that give in the book two
examples of that. But I think that God does things
(16:23):
like that for a reason, to remind us that.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
He is on a schedule, right He's on a schedule, and.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
He's waiting on us to get on it.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Thank you. The world is waiting for us.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
And I think that if we really lean into that,
that we will allow ourselves to show up in the
world in an even bigger way.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Now our industry is over glamorized sometimes you know it's
a very glamorized industry. But you talked about sometimes we
can limit our imagination. But in those moments, that's when
you activated your faith or took the limits off. What
were some times throughout your career where your imagination really
wasn't kicking in and you were feeling like, come on, Lord,
(17:06):
I need you to make something move, make something shake,
Because I know those moments happened. But we see the wire,
we see the loving you is wrong, we see the
residents and the power, But what are those in between moments.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Like how do you navigate those?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Well, actually one of those was connected to when when
if loving you was wrong ended?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Right?
Speaker 3 (17:24):
And so when if loving you was wrong ended, I
knew it was ending. So of course now it's I
need another job, right, I need my next show? What's
my next show going to be? And so I just
started praying about it, like just putting it out there. Okay, God,
you got me right, Like, what's what's the new show
going to be? And so from January when we had
pilot season, it just became all about get the new show,
(17:44):
Get the new show.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Now.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
The caveat is that I was also pregnant during that time,
so I felt a time table ticking as well, because
May was when the baby was due, so I was pregnant.
My and my husband were going to name the baby
Brooklyn because we met.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
In Brooklyn, we got married in Brooklyn.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
So we're like, yeah, let's nay the baby Brooklyn. Well,
maybe I don't know. A couple of weeks later, my
husband was praying and he said, he said, God is saying,
name the baby London. And I said, why would we
name our baby London? Everything, like, our whole love story
is Brooklyn. And he said, God said, Brooklyn is our past,
London is our future. She's going to bring great joy
(18:24):
to our family. Name her London Joy.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
What wow?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
So by faith we name the baby London Joy. Now
for me, internally with the job thing, I'm still like, okay,
it's January February, by ch April Bay. You know, I
wanted to show in LA because I'm about to have
a baby. I wanted it all right there, and it
didn't happen, and I was like God, and so I
(18:48):
started wondering should I like, should I continue pursuing acting?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Is it over? Are you telling me that I should
do something else now?
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And literally, by August I received.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
A call about a show.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Called The Power that literally was filming in London, and
they moved my entire family to London to begin filming
an entire new show.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Your husband's a man of God too, because he's the
lyric spoke to him and told him and told him.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
And these little girls grew up with British accents, and
their names were all over London, London, and Victoria London
and Victoria everywhere. The street that we walked down to
take them to Nursey was Kelvindon Road, my husband's name is.
And then we go to another part of London and
it said Weena circle, at Weena Square, and Weena close,
(19:52):
said Weena everywhere. So God was letting us know, Oh,
I had this set up for you the whole time.
It wasn't according to my timetable. And I thought that
because my timetable wasn't working out, that that meant, oh,
I need a shift course.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
But no, delayed is not denied.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And so I talk a lot about that in the
book too, about that waiting season and how we just
have to continue to keep our faith and move in obedience,
in obedience. We named her that Wow, and then God
brought the manifestation up.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
It really did.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I feel like your whole life is just a trail
of obedience, you know, And if people could really just
learn to hear the voice of God and trust it
and obey it. And when you get those prompts to
why do I keep feeling like I should do this?
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Because that's God telling you to do it?
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Do it, you know, and move swiftly because we are
on his timetable and a lot of times things aren't
moving when we wanted to because we're not in the will.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
That is so oh my god, so profound.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Wow. I am just like speechless right now. That is beautiful,
Thank my goodness. So you are a wife, you're a
mother of two beautiful daughters. You are a powerhouse. How
do you even manage it all? You know now that
you your career, you got a book. Now you're traveling
the world, the world, y'all. She didn't just do a
(21:19):
state side tour. Okay, you went to Dubai. You were
just in Africa. You were in Cape Town and then
Where else did you go to London?
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah? I was justin you had to go to London,
New York. I haven't been in London yet.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
That's coming, Okay, okay, you gotta go to London.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yes, in New York and you're bunting everywhere?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
How are you balancing at marriage and the children and everything?
Speaker 4 (21:40):
You know?
Speaker 3 (21:41):
One of the things that I realized as far as calling,
yes and even vision right. And so in the book
and the World is Waiting for You, I talk a
lot about vision and a lot about calling and how
you know, our our purpose stays the same, but the
method shifts, right and the things that we're called to
(22:01):
shift as well. And so there's seasons maybe when you know,
and you know as a performer, where the performing part
is like the main, main part.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And then there's.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Seasons where God is calling us to expand our territory
and that includes family and to be honest. At first,
like I received prophetic words that I was going to
have a baby, you know, and that I was going
to be married, like all these things, I was very
focused on career. But as the Lord began to open
up these other parts of my life, just like we
(22:32):
say about vision, if he.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Gives you the vision, he'll give you the provision.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
So it's really been about, Okay, having these specific things
in place to accommodate that enlarge territory, right, So like
being able to structure my time in such a way
that I'm giving my husband the time that he needs,
that I'm giving my children the time that they need,
while also being called to write a book and also
being called to travel the world in these different things.
(22:58):
And so there's some practical aspect of the book If
Love You is Wrong as well, I mean gets wrong,
there's some practical aspects of the book The World Is
Waiting for You as well, where I like, take people
through a time map and help them to identify what
are the top.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
Either goals or roles that you have in life, and.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
How can you begin to structure your time every day
to match the things that you've been called to in
the different areas of your life and your abundant life.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, that is so good because a lot of times,
especially people who have dreams like we did, a lot
of times, the resources that they really have in reality
don't match the dream, you know, so they need those
practical tips to help them get there or even like
to be prepared, cause you talk about make sure that
you are ready for what you're praying for, because a
lot of times like, God, I'm ready for this, and
he's like, no, you are not, And you wonder.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Why he's like delaying it. What you think is a delay.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Because you're not ready, right, So he has to get
that toolbox fool, so that when it's time for any
to be like all right, gone, then you have everything
you need.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
And I think also we as women also, like you know,
we want to have it all, right, you want to
have it all. We want to be successful in our careers.
We want husband, we want children, we want all these things.
But what I've noticed is that there are adjustments that
we have to be prepared to make in our lives
in order to accommodate these new things. Okay, if you
want to be if you want to be a wife,
(24:20):
right like, okay, then you have to start preparing in
that way. And there's and a lot of that is service.
A lot of that is rooted in service. And so
I think that, like you said, as far as the
industry and how glamorized it is, if you adopt an
idea that everything's supposed to be about you.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Then you may not be prepared to be a wife
or a.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Mother because hello, because I've heard you become last.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
When even Jesus.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Said, the greatest is the least. Yes, right, the greatest
is the least, and that and that really is true
when it comes to being a wife and a mother.
So so you're negotiating these different roles like in the public,
you baby an author, you maybe a podcast, your baby
an actor, all these things. But then, and honestly, I
learned a lot of that from Viola. From Viola Davis,
(25:08):
I learned.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
A lot living with her.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Yeah, let's talk about that your life. I'm just like
this moment, like God has really had his head, like
he's over, like boo boo boom.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
You live with Viola Davis, and she's like still someone
very near and dear to your heart and prominent in
your life. Let's talk about that, because that is I'm
just like and Wita, life is crazy.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Well when I told you that, you know, God told
me to start writing this inspirational column at uenas words
of Wisdom. She also along with Michael Kay would receive
them and say, keep going, keep going, keep writing this.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
This is so inspiring to me.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
And so not long after I came out of college,
she and her husband ended up commissioning me to help
write this one person show for them, and so that's
really how our relationships started. And then when I was
casting a show in LA they said.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Oh, well you can live with us.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And so my introduction to Hollywood was really with them
and through them and living.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
With an introduction, yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And she would take me with her everywhere the late
night talk shows, to interviews, you know, and to magazine
shoots on set, and I just got a chance to
soak it all up, to learn to experience. And so
that level of mentorship and love in those very intimate
ways were so key. And through her, I saw how
(26:37):
public life and private life like, I saw the difference.
I saw, you know, being a star but also being
a servant, yes, right, and she modeled that in such
a beautiful way. And so these are some of the
lessons that have also poured into the book and that
I've also just cherished in my own life that I
received from Viola.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, man, that is amazing. Shout out miss Viola Davis.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
She is an icon, a great in our industry and
even in our culture, something we look up to. So
that's amazing that you had that firsthand mentorship from her.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
What does mentorship mean to you? And how are you
giving back?
Speaker 2 (27:11):
So, I know, you and your husband you founded co
founded Abundant Life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
You or you're paying it for it, So let's talk
about that.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Yeah, I mean, I've been doing Abundant Life University for
over fifteen years, you know, before.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Ever getting into the industry.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
You know, like it was always important to me to
be pouring into other people's lives.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
And that's another thing. No matter where.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
You start, you don't have to have, you know, some
big podcasts or some big TV show or anything like
that to affect the people around you.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
The world is waiting for you.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That's your neighbors, that's your your schoolmates, you know, that's
the people at church. That can be anyone in your
neighborhood community. You know, you don't have to have some
big platform in order to do that. And so when
I started, I started very small. I was feeding almost
you know, doing all these things. And meanwhile, during that time,
my income was right near the poverty line, Like I
(28:07):
did not have much, but I did have a calling yes,
and so I knew that whatever it is I have,
that's what I'm being called to give. And so as
the platform has grown, you know, that just means that
more and more people can come in, right, And so
with Abundant Life you and now this program, the God
Dreamers Academy, we are just inviting so many people from
(28:30):
around the world to participate, to go through the book
and then also to join us in manifesting that God
dream that's over their lives. My husband, Kelvin and I
just really believe that God has a purpose and a
dream over everyone and if people need that help, that
that guidance to help pull it out of them and
(28:51):
bring it to past, you know, that's that's what we do.
So yeah, so anyone you can go to the world
is Waiting dot org and find out more about the
God Dreamers Academy.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Yes, please tapping you guys, you have said that your
faith has been the anchor in this industry for you.
Can you share a moment where leaning on God really
changed your trajectory in your career?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Yeah? You know, early on I received this offer for
this huge contract and it was so much money, and
I told you. I was like, I was living in
low income house and I did not have a lot
of money, and suddenly this contract came with all this
money attached to it, and it was in Hollywood, and
it was just you know, I was like, Wow, this
(29:32):
is my big break, Like, oh my god, this is that.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
But it came with a nudity clause.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Don't they always all the big ones come with It's
a heavy I was like, why, oh why, what do
I do right?
Speaker 3 (29:47):
And that was a place of conviction for me, and
I felt like I want I want what they're offering.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
I want the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
I love the role.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
But if that means that I have to perform nude
in order to get it, then that might mean I
have to wait a little bit longer.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
And so I didn't sign it.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
And I and I went back to hearing the sirens
outside my window and the rats running across the street
and people, you know, stopping drug fights and all these things.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
But I just believed.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I was like, God, I honored you, and I just
believe that you're going to open the door for me.
And three years later, I was invited to Hollywood again.
This time it was not with this huge contract it
was not first class everything.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
It was literally two minister.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
It was to speak to other artists of faith, and
I was phone out there to do that. And the
next day a friend invited me to a place called
Running Canyon.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
You know, it's like kind of this big mountain, you know,
like this hill right in the middle of Hollywood.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
So we're hiking, hiking, hiking.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
We get to the top and you know, up there,
you feel like you're just like you can see everything.
I literally felt like I was overlooking the Promised Land. Wow,
it just just swept over me. And there was this
sign in the distance that called my attention, and I
couldn't make out all the words.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
I was trying to piece it together.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, and finally my friend was like, come on, let's go.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
And so two days later, my last night in La,
I'm walking with another friend and my camera suddenly takes
a picture by itself and flashes.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
So I'm looking at her the same way you're looking
at me.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
We're looking at each other and then looking at the
camera like, how did that happen? So I picked up
the camera to turn it over to see what it
took a picture of.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
It was sign that I saw.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I got the seals of Running Canyon, Wow, two days prior,
now up close and perfectly framed inside of my camera,
and it said, from Harlem to Hollywood, You're a star.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
What literally the breakdowns?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
I collapsed.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
And then when I got back to New York the
next day, you know, I'm sitting with all of this,
And then I remembered that my uncle, uncle Howard, he
was a pastor in Maryland who passed just a few
days before my trip. I remembered that before he passed,
he a prophesied to me, but I couldn't remember what
he said.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
So I started looking everywhere. I remember that I recorded it.
I video recorded it, so I was looking for the video.
I finally found it. I pushed play, and here is
my now deceased uncle looking into the camera, prophesying to
me that God is about to take me to Hollywood
and the instructions that the law wants me to know, scriptures, instructions, everything.
(32:51):
Soon there after, I was casting a show in Hollywood,
living with Viola on red carpets.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
My entire life changed.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
And while we were on the red carpet Forget Hard
with Kevin Hard, Will Ferrell.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
We're on Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Chinese Theater.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
I'm doing all this press, you know, and then look
up and I see that I'm standing in the exact
same spot where I was when that camera took the
picture by yourself.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Oh Lord, this God is just winking out over your life,
just winking.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
He's like.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I looked up while I was on the red carpet
and literally almost collapse right there. And so the first
chapter of the book is from Harlem to Hollywood, and
it's all about that prophetic journey and the fact that
God already his vision for us is already ahead of
where we are. Just take the steps in obedience because
he already hasn't planned out.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
But that's just an example. You know.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Sometimes we're being called to say no to things yes,
and we don't know how it's going to turn out.
We think, oh, we have to say yes. I have
to say yes, because if I say no, then what's
going to happen to me? But when we honor God, yeah,
he also honors us.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
He does, and it's always way more worth it than
if you said to say yes to that thing.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
You know, you're suppoed to say no to I'm.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
A living testimony and yeah, you know, and it's always
that when and then you look back, like I knew
I shouldn't have done that, you know, and there was
always that still small voice that was trying to guide
you in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So you have to listen to that. This is God
has his hand on your life.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Do you hear me, not.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Good Edwin, I'm glad we're sitting down because.
Speaker 4 (34:35):
I did not. Yeah, like we hear time were able.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
To do me too. This is so good.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Lord have mercy, Okay, because even like when it comes
to nudity app I'm the same way, like that's something
I won't do because I haven't had children yet.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
But I'm like, if I do, that's just.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Something I don't ever want to have to explain or
just have it out there because now they can do
anything with your body. And it's just like there are
certain things I just want to keep sacred, you know,
There's certain things I'm not gonna show. I was like,
if there's a way we can do it where I
will not show these things, then we can work around it.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
But I'm not. These are my hard lines.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
In the sand that I'm not going to cross, and
I think that's so important to share too. Sometimes we
can be afraid to have clear lines yes right. And
so as a young actor, I mean literally, my agents
were like, well, if you're not willing to appear nude,
then you'll never work in this town. Like I received
that kind of messaging and felt, you know, it was
like God's voice and their voice was just always in conflict.
(35:35):
So I just want to encourage anybody that's watching. If
there are certain things that you know that you don't
feel comfortable with, whether it's in your industry or whether
it's in your life, lean into that spirit that that's
telling you, that's gently guiding you no, no, it's okay
to say no, while also believing that there's a yes
that's going to come straight from God and that's already
(35:58):
prepared for you. That's gonna be even and better than
the no.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Yes. Oh that's so good. I just got a script.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I'm doing a movie in Houston in like two weeks,
thank you. And I remember he was tak telling me
about and I was like, oh, yeah, this sounds great,
got the script great?
Speaker 1 (36:14):
And then oh, I just got this idea.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Have you can I remember the name of the movie
and I was I was like, okay, so I want
to see you that. He was like the two couples,
He's like, they were sitting in chairs, they were in
the nude and this idea just came to him.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
And that's how I was looking.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
As I'm on the phone like say why not And
I was like m I was like, I don't. I
don't do that.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
I don't do nudity, and he was like, no, it's
gonna be.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Then it went to even further, well you know, it
won't even be your breast, like we can like yeah,
that's exactly how they'll like, it'd be a I like,
it won't even be it won't even be you. And
I was like, no, we're not doing that. And the script,
the final script came out. The contract comes and I
see nudity in the contract and I'm like, my writer
(36:57):
says no nudity, like I only have certain things that
I'll show that I'm okay with. And so he's like, yeah,
I want to call you and go over the script
and I said yeah. So it was so funny he
cause and we're going over the script. He said yeah,
he was wren thing and I was like yeah, seene six.
Let's go on and get to that. Let him go
(37:17):
over heres, and it says in the nude. And I
was like, so this is what I will do and
what I want to do. And he was like, I
can work with that, but if you have to stay
in your ground, you know, because if not, you'll be
doing things that you'll look back and regret. Yeah, and
I don't want to look back and regret.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Can I just insert this story because this is really important.
I had a very dear friend in the industry who
got a huge break, like when we came out of college.
I mean, he got a huge break and said yes
to it. But there were a lot of things. There
were a lot of things in it that really compromised
his values and morals.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
But he said yes to it and became a big star.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Big star was on the cover of buzzes and on
the cover of magazines, and on the cover of billboards.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
And you know, all these things.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Became a big star, earned lots of money. But then
he became an alcoholic because it was very difficult for
him on the inside to grapple with what he was
doing every day. It was like the stardom and the
fanfare and the money was not enough to fill him
(38:26):
up compared to how he was giving his soul every day.
And unfortunately he's no longer with us. And so I
just want to say that as a cautionary tale. We
can think that the money, that the fame, that the
followers you know, are all just like, oh, that's what
(38:46):
life is about. And then you get there and it's
not enough. But if you know that you are rooted
and grounded and you are in the place where God
has called you to be, there's a sense of peace
that there the prosperity is coming. But you don't have
to compromise your peace for prosperity. You can have both.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
You can really have both.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Eduena, I don't know what's left to say.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That was good. I've been blessed.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
It's funny you said that because I just had tied
Trivin on and he was talking about when he got
his first two Grammys and he said he got back
to the room, he said, look about the box, and
it was just like it was a reminder of everything
he sacrificed, his family, children, time, and it was like
was it worth it?
Speaker 1 (39:34):
And it didn't feel him the way he thought it would.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
And that changed his mindset and perspective on how he
looked at it. And I said, yeah, and I said,
you wanted the next time because you weren't coveting it.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
He got it again.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
He wasn't even because he wasn't what he wasn't hitting.
He wasn't coveting. Did you see that biblical language? He
wasn't coveting it, and therefore the Lord gave him even
even more.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Yeah, but it's a real thing, like we think, like
the followers, like you said, the money, all these things
are gonna make us happy. And yes, you have upsense
of peace when you don't have to worry about how
you're gonna get your next meal. You know, it does
bring that, but it does not feel your soul, especially
when you're selling it. Honey, you just you ap preach
for me. Y'all, going and get the book. The world
(40:20):
is waiting because it is waiting for you. All right,
this is so good? Is there anything else you want
to share with us?
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Is?
Speaker 4 (40:27):
I would?
Speaker 2 (40:28):
We would love to follow you or we can find
where we can we buy the book, all the things
we want to support you.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Thank you, thank you. So I know, right, so far
and so like.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Oh but I knew we were going to be this full,
And I do want to say to you, Crystal, because
I feel like you embody a lot of the things
that I'm talking about and that we're talking about in
this conversation.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
You from the moment I met you, I feel like
you've had such a servants heart.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
You've had such a servant's heart, You've had such a
humble heart, and it's been beautiful to see how God
has exalted you. Thank you, you know, and the fact
that you know it's not lost on me that you
started this interview saying I used to I used to
put on her shoes on if loving you is wrong, right,
And now you're an actress yourself, and now you have
(41:16):
this great platform and great career.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
But but that just goes to show those when we
humble ourselves, we will be exalted. A lot of times
we think we have to exalt ourselves, we have to
exalt ourselves. We got to tell everybody about ourselves. We
got to make sure we put ourselves out there.
Speaker 4 (41:33):
You know. But like you started your career serving.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Yeah, and I loved it and loved.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
It because you have a gift of service.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
And now even through the podcast and all the other
wonderful things that are happening. You're still serving it's but
it's now a greater level. So I just want to
express how proud I am of you who you are,
who you've become, but you are the same person.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yes, I mean that, and you are to thank you
you as well, and you are still in Waena like, yes,
thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
For those of you who want to join the community,
the world is waiting for you. You can get the
book everywhere books are sold. You can also come on
over to the website The World is Waiting dot org.
We have the Dreamers Academy. You can also connect directly
in with me. You can also follow me on Instagram,
on Twitter or x on Instagram, on x TikTok at
(42:29):
Edwena Findley and on Facebook Atwena Finley Dickerson.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
Come on the journey.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
The world is waiting for you, and I cannot wait
to see what God is going to do in your
life by this time next year.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Thank you so much, Adwena.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I am proud of you and I'm just this is amazing.
This conversation has blessed me. I am fool Yeah, thank you.
I see everybody shaking their head behind the scenes is yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Everybody's like, yes, this has been good. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Welcome, Yes the counsitive sweetie.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Yes, the world is waiting for you. Get it now
because I'll say it so you're like, this is all
we gotta do. That video was like this is my
friend and Weena, she wrote a new book. You better
go get it. And then they be like, no time
about your book, Sonase, thank.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You so much for joining me for another conversation. Remember
you don't have to have a big platform to affect
the people around you. The world is waiting for you
until next time. He did positive sweeties,
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