November 4, 2023 • 41 mins
How can we find unity in diversity, and leverage it to uplift women of all colors? Today's episode of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa sees us exploring these thought-provoking questions with our inspiring guest, Shenora Lechleidner. She's using her platform at Ruby Ribbon, an innovative company offering bra alternatives for women, to not only provide for her family but also to become a beacon of positivity and faith. Her journey began at an online Ruby Ribbon party and evolved into a mission to correct the underrepresentation of women of color in the company's product catalogs. Now, she's a vocal advocate for the life-changing impacts of the product, especially for women of color.
As we peel back the layers of Shenora's story, we unearth a tale of personal and faith transformations. She shares her experiences with societal unrest, the COVID-19 pandemic, and how her association with Ruby Ribbon has been a catalyst for positive change as she shines her courageous faith as she speaks about her role as a role model and her decision to use her platform to share about Jesus. As you listen, you'll be inspired by her tenacity, resilience, and her message of spiritual empowerment. So, sit back and join us for a conversation that traverses the landscapes of faith, representation, and resilience.
Thank you for taking the time to like, subscribe, share, and comment. Visit leadingladies.life to find out more. Also, follow @leadingladieslife on social. Amber & Lisa are authors of the multi-award-winning book, Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success, which dives into the power of community and empowering women of faith to rise up and make a difference, using our gifts and faith to shine brightly in the world. Watch the Facebook Live edition on our YouTube Channel @coffeechatladies .
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning everybody and welcome to this
amazing special episode of Talkwith Amber and Lisa.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
As always, I'm Amber and Lisa is sitting up the live
stream making sure everything wegot to have our girls that make
sure everything's together,which I'm doing my best.
It is a perfect segment way tointroduce our shama girl Shinora
.
Thank you for joining us.
(00:31):
We've been wanting to have youon the podcast talking about
some uplifting things and I'mgoing to tell you about our
sisters who uplift us, and Itell you about this girl.
Not only does she uplift mewhen I have that down moment,
she's the one who has those brawsuggestions always braw
(00:54):
alternatives.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Let's get together straight.
This is going to be aninteresting segue.
Shinora is a lovely lady whorepresents, works for a company,
works with a company.
Actually, a company is workingfor her, if we're going to be
totally honest.
She works with a company calledRuby ribbon, and Ruby ribbon
(01:20):
supplies a bra alternative forwomen.
It's an amazing product.
We're not here to necessarilypitch products.
We are here to talk about whatGod has done with Shinora within
this company, not just withinthe company, but in her personal
life, as God has utilized hergifts and talents to lead women
(01:41):
through situations, lead inseasons of her life that may not
always have been constantly onthe up.
There been some downs, therewas some lows.
The wonderful part is thisproduct has produced an income
to help provide for her familyand enable to be this voice,
(02:02):
this personality that can speaklife into other women.
And what other way can youspeak life to a woman than to
say you never have to wear a braagain, right, why?
Let's go bra free, burn the bra.
It's true.
We're being truthful, ladies,and you can just move along if
(02:22):
you don't want to hear this.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I'm going to say Shinora, the Shimama underwire
slayer, for goodness sake, Ihate the underwire and, for
goodness sake, I've alwaysthought I need the uplift, the
extra uplift, and that's whatshe does in the physical realm
and in the spiritual realm.
(02:46):
I like how this kind of goestogether.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
It feels exactly what we're saying.
Shinora, just tell everybodyabout yourself.
I know you're married yourchildren Give us just a brief
little introduction here.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yes, I am coming to you from the beautiful but great
Georgia, my husband, george andour three children.
We recently moved here thisyear as a fulfillment of my
childhood dream, and RubyFreeman helped me do that.
We are a family of five thatwas told medically that we would
never have children, and thenwe had children.
(03:27):
I had C sections and then, onceI got all put together, my son
jumped on my back and that ishow my recruiting journey began.
I was a woman who was alreadyovercoming so much and the cammy
literally lifted me up assupport at me, better than any
(03:47):
other bra that, and I needed it,and a part of my mission has
always been to serve women whoneed this, regardless that they
know what or not, and it hasopened so many doors for me to
walk alongside women in theirintimate spaces where they say
you know what?
I think I can trust you withthis.
I trusted you with my broadsize, and so it's other part of
(04:10):
my life knowing that you careabout me, not just how I look on
the outside, but how I feel onthe inside.
It brings me great joy when awoman that I may never meet on
this side of heaven says I thinkI can trust you to pray about
this.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Woo, that's good stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
That is good stuff privilege and and the bonuses to
get paid for.
It's a dream.
It's a dream I am walking inthe fulfillment of answered
prayers.
Not women are walking in there.
So, as an honor and approach tobe here with you leading ladies
(04:54):
, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Absolutely.
I want to talk just a littlebit about how I met you, shinora
.
During COVID, of all things, afriend of mine had a Ruby ribbon
party and, honestly, we're notgoing to talk to you about all
this business stuff about.
It is key to understand, Ithink, how we met and how I
(05:21):
began to just watch your lifeand honestly, just really
appreciate who you were from adistance.
And then, during COVID, afriend of mine had a Ruby ribbon
online party and during COVID,so many things were not
available to us or we weren'tgoing out in public, we there
were shortages everywhere and ofall things, a friend had a Ruby
(05:42):
ribbon to the party and I foundout about the product.
I was like, yes, I hate my bra.
Before I knew it, in all honesty, I made the decision to go
ahead and buy into the company,start to sell the product myself
.
So one of my first concerns,just to be honest, upfront, was
(06:07):
and people who know meunderstand why this is a concern
but my first concern wasthere's this beautiful product
and there's this amazing companywith this product that I think
can really change lives.
But most of the women in thesepictures are Caucasian and most
of my friends.
If I'm going to be honest, theyare not represented in the
(06:27):
pages of these catalogs and Iwas just unsettled there
wouldn't be women that lookedlike them, women of color to
relate to, and before and afterpictures and things like that.
And behold, the company put ona conference and you could do it
online because, once again,covid and one of the main things
(06:50):
that they did was a paneldiscussion with women of color
within the company.
Basically, you all said if youdon't have women of color that
you know that you can share thiswith, and you want people who
look like women of color, you'vegot nothing to Caucasian in
your lifestyle.
Just let us know.
(07:13):
We'll give you pictures.
We'll give you real life women,examples and stories of lives
that have been changed by thiscompany.
You were one of the first people.
I reached out to you.
You made your contact.
You said do it, contact me.
And I did.
I contacted you.
You don't know me, but I heardyou say and yes, I want those
(07:33):
pictures.
So I made friends with you onsocial media and I started to
recognize very soon that youwere not just about a company
that was selling a product.
You love the Lord, you talkabout Jesus.
You shared oftentimes from yourpage just uplifting words of
(07:56):
encouragement and you made itvery clear where you stood.
I really liked that during atime when we were all having to
turn to social media to get thatinteraction.
I loved how God was using youand since then I've watched as
your business literally took offon some viral videos and all of
(08:18):
a sudden, god is utilizing thisbusiness to really take care of
your home, your family, dothings like be able to move and
pick up and go somewhere elseand start your life there.
So I just once again want to sayhow grateful I am that I found
a like-minded woman whom I neverknew before and how it just for
(08:42):
me.
I knew I like what you're doing, I like who you are, and yet I
realize it is still very much asurface relationship, for
because we just talk here onsocial every once in a while we
comment on things the other willsay.
I will say that there's a wholelot more to Shinora than raw
replacements and I'm findingthat out every time I speak with
(09:04):
her and she's going to talk tous about that today.
But I also want to take thetime that says to say that this
is the first guest we will behaving on our podcast that is
not one of the contributors toour book.
We've been waiting for the day,and I've been telling Amber for
months and months.
There's this lady out thereWhenever we start to interview
someone that is not one of thewomen we've interviewed and put
(09:27):
within the pages of our book.
I really want us to talk toShinora, and so here you are.
First of all, shinora, I justwant you to just get right into
it.
Can you tell me what God hasdone within your personal life
to make you want to put him atthe forefront of everything?
(09:48):
A lot of people haverelationships with God, but they
aren't putting it out thereunblast.
What has he done?
Who is he to you?
He's sovereign.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
He's provider, he's protector.
I am someone who has not alwaysbeen as transparent.
Grown up in Detroit.
What goes in the house stays inthe house.
However, I've come so close todeath and devastation and all
(10:20):
those things so many times thatit was like why would I keep
this to myself?
Why would I keep hissovereignty, his goodness to
myself when there are otherpeople who may not know him, who
are over church?
Let's be honest with that andsee, my story is a little bit
different.
Even though I grew up in church, in my individual life and in
(10:43):
my marriage we have gone throughchurch, heard on various levels
, just places where I didn'tfeel protected as a woman.
I didn't feel protected as aperson of color and even through
that, god said I still love you.
I know that my children got itwrong this time.
(11:04):
Sometimes you got it wrong, buthere's how I'm going to show
you how I love you.
And it all ties into who he hasbrought in different seasons.
When you reached out to meabout this opportunity, that was
one of those days where I didnot feel worthy of his love or
worthy of saying oh yes, I'm onthis platform, you just reading
(11:28):
your guys' books with theleading ladies.
We all have something in commonand I think that he allows
certain pain points in our livesso that we can be a testament
and encouragement to someoneelse.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe on a huge platform, but you
just never know what your painis going to give you the
(11:51):
opportunity to do.
He never, ever fails.
During this move.
Yes, ruby Ribbon gave us thecourage to move my husband.
He has been the sole providerfor our family.
As I said, I thought I wasgoing to fish out this miracle
baby and go to work and use mydegree and just be a normal
(12:13):
American family, and the Lordhas always allowed those places
where I couldn't physically beavailable in the ways that I
wanted to be.
He allowed me to minister tothose who were in different
situations, even while I'm in mypain.
See, we love to put on the facethat once we come over, once we
(12:34):
come out of it, then we'llshare.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, yep, yep, yep, yep.
I get it.
That's not even biblical.
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
He gave us these stories so that we could realize
that there's a testimony in themidst of it.
There's times when I felt likeElijah, like no one's listening
and you know, not just thegospel, but the beauty of these
products and what they can do.
There's freedom, right, there'sso many different ways Freedom
from the constraints of whatsociety says is beautiful, what
(13:04):
society says is necessary, yeah,and held up by wires.
And how many times have we beenheld up by the wires of what
society says is normal orhealthy, or what rose women
should be in, and what we just Ihave to tell of his goodness,
(13:24):
because I have a generationthat's coming after me, that's
right.
It's going to have a way worsethan I did.
Yeah, the external, but in theinside they will have the
preparation and the tools thatendure through my grandmother.
I went to church with her.
My dad was a pastor but I wentto church with my grandmother,
so all already out there.
(13:46):
It's just a I don't have ausual church story but she said
in the midst of people notalways understanding why she
gave the way she gave, why shehad more volunteer hours than
work hours and how she justsurvived, and I would watch
people say she thinks she allyou know, those little snare in
(14:06):
and I said come on, why don'tyou just defend yourself?
She said I'm not doing this toplease them, I'm doing this to
please the master.
And all that you say and do yougo?
Oh, my God, even when it's noteasy, even when people are not
telling you that it's a good job, if you're doing it to serve
him you've done your job Exactly.
Exactly so.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
I do that.
I love what you said about wedon't wait till we are pain free
and perfect to do what God'scalled us to do, because that's
what, literally, that's whatthis book is all about.
And sometimes I felt myselfbeing hypocritical, because
sometimes I say things and Iknow that this is where I need
(14:51):
to grow, but that's why I say it.
This is why I know, evenpositive, I know what to do.
I know what to do and I do thewrong thing and I don't know why
I'm doing it.
But it's a constant reset andpeople don't get it sometimes
that you're not a hypocritebecause you struggle with the
(15:14):
things you talk about.
You are human, you are a humanbeing and it's okay.
It's okay to be human, it'sokay to struggle.
It's okay also to be real andvulnerable.
And I just admire your giftingso much, sonora, because you
(15:36):
have a ministry that's unlikeothers, that can touch people
who are totally out of the realmof the church and the Father,
and you bring that intimacy inand that's what God wants,
that's what Jesus wants.
He wants the intimacy.
(15:56):
Going to church is not thepoint, it is intimacy.
It is getting into your broadspace, right, yeah, yes, and
unfortunately, god knows yourperfect size, he does.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
He does, my friends.
It leads me to the nextquestion, and that is okay.
So, sonora, you're in thiscompany.
You're successful.
At the same time, this companyis a secular company.
It is not a Christian per secompany.
There's nothing about how thiscompany is run, although I think
(16:34):
they do a really good job atbeing a company of integrity.
I really like the things I see.
But how do you, as a person offaith, how do you go into this
company knowing full well theymay not understand your faith?
What has it been like and whatopportunities has God given you
to shine His light within thiscompany that isn't built upon
(16:58):
His precepts, his rules fortreating people the right way?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Absolutely.
I feel spoiled sometimesbecause there are areas in the
actual church where I sharedtransparently that I was
censored.
A lot of people may not notice,but when COVID shut everything
down, we actually left thechurch that we loved so much.
(17:25):
We left and we knew that it wastime to leave way before then.
But COVID just gave us the exitplan and it was like okay, so
how do we with the body ofChrist?
How do we do this?
Let's be really clear here.
I didn't join this business onpurpose.
(17:45):
I thought I was helping out mysponsor.
I told her I would never sellthe product.
I said let me get a kit.
I don't know anything aboutdirect sales.
I'm gonna get a kit andhopefully it'll boost her July
and I'm gonna keep going, goingwith my life.
And she says anybody's at home,let's just do a live.
And I'm like oh, I said I had aparty and no one showed up.
(18:06):
I actually get a real aboutthat.
Nobody showed up.
I did a time hop with my posts.
And she says you just neverknow what may happen this time.
Now, this is when not onlyCOVID was going on, but we had
to deal with the things thatwere going on in society with
Amon Aubrey and George Floyd andme being this person.
(18:30):
No one had these diverseexperiences.
My timeline is just as diverseas my personal life and I'm
seeing all those people ondifferent sides and yet no one's
coming in the unity of Christ.
And so, way before the business, I'm posting like hey guys, I
can see it from both sidesExactly.
What about that unity in Christ?
(18:50):
What about that unity in Christ?
We have so many things we wantto flare off at the mouth, but
are we really pausing andlooking at the whole picture
here?
So she was coming to cater tomy soul with Chick-fil-A OK,
because that's how you cater tosomebody.
Knowing that our family was inthis space, we're all at home
(19:14):
trying to figure out what's next, because if I get a cigarette,
my husband, we didn't have anyfamily around, it was just just
outside.
I said I'm going to get it back.
Now she did.
I already made an agreementI'll never sell this, but I will
help you on a vendor event andI will pray for your business
Backs forward.
I said I'm going to quit after30 days, once I get the product
(19:37):
credit and I could help thebreast cancer warriors in my
life.
I'm out of here because I'mstill going to run a product and
no one came to the party in thefirst place and then, all of a
sudden, all these people who hadtold me no before started
saying yes, and it wasn't untilsix months later that someone
(19:58):
said hey, sian, how did you sellalmost $10,000 in less than 60
days?
I said when?
That's what I said.
That was my point.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
When did I?
Speaker 3 (20:07):
do that, because that wasn't my focus.
Yes, it was doing something formy family that I hadn't
realized, like when I did decideto leave the preschool, because
I was working with my kidsChristian preschool.
It was so hard for me to leave,but I knew I wouldn't be a good
employee.
I said, god, how am I going tomake money?
And I got my food and drink andI said, oh, ok, I'm still going
(20:27):
to quit though, because I'mgoing to go back to preschool
next year.
So I kept telling my customershey, get it while you can, and
then I'll move you on tosomebody else.
And God is like there was alwaysone other woman that said, hey,
I've been watching you for awhile.
I know that you are who you sayyou are because I had always
(20:48):
been encouraging people onlinethe best way that I could.
That's just who I am.
If I was stuck in the house, Istill wanted to be able to be
used to God.
I was stuck in the house waybefore COVID and I would always
be one woman that comes out.
And it happens every time whereI'm like God is this season up?
And a woman will say, hey, youdon't know me, but this is what
I struggle with, and I just knowthat this product is the
(21:11):
beginning to mine.
Next, you're the one.
I've seen others, but you'rethe one and Ruby ribbon has
never said hey, you're the onetoo much.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You're talking about Jesus.
Stop.
They've never said that to you.
Never said it.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
I've had.
My first runway conference wasonline.
It was right after I hadstarted the business and that's
when we had the CEO and he wastalking about everything was on
site.
He said we don't want to followthese quality rules where we're
just putting out productsbecause we think it's going to
sell to the woman of color.
And then nine months later hesaid hey, what do you think
(21:53):
about this?
And I said oh, you were serious.
I thought people in thecorporate just lied all the time
and they said hey, we want youto be the first one to wear our
espresso lace, this beautifulchocolate brown, and I cried
because someone who did notbelieve like I did, who had no
(22:15):
reason to have integrity in thisarea.
I said this and I'm going tofollow through and we're not
going to make it cringy orcommercial.
I see you, the total you and Iwant to make sure that other
people who look like you can seeyou too and that we're here.
And so I modeled it for thefirst time and I've been doing
(22:39):
TikToks.
I was at home, my kids and mykids are hilarious, so we have
those TikToks and reels andstuff.
My family's been getting thosesince my kids have been born.
It just wasn't on Facebook,that's just who I am.
That was no like marketing ployor anything.
And so then I said, okay,somebody's got to say something
to me when I go in person torunway.
(23:01):
And here's what happened I raninto the body of Christ.
I am not a member of a church,I am not this.
I don't have a title, but Istill women of faith.
I saw my best shebo, who I'venever seen before.
Her husband's name is David, soshe's on her knees and prayer
(23:25):
with another sister stylist thatshe had never met before.
And there were women who werecoming up to me and they said
I've been watching you and yourfaith and my faith, and I'm not
and I'm like, huh, that's abusiness conference.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
So you actually within this company.
It's not a Christian company.
See other Christian women whoare very out loud and on purpose
about their walk with God, tothe point where you see them
praying together and they startto approach you because they're
watching you.
They're watching you talk aboutyour relationship with your
(23:58):
creator.
Yes, and all of a sudden, wow.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
And it's okay.
God, this is the place where Ibelong.
Not everybody is going tobelieve you don't want to be in
those comfortable spaces anyways.
But getting back to breasthealth, I was connected with a
woman named Krista who I'venever met on this side of earth
and our hearts were knit likeDavid and Jonathan and never
(24:25):
been.
Had it had this company, thischoice to step into something
new, it would have never beenand we had been in some common
places.
But it was a need of a separategroup and our team group where
women kept asking for prayer andI'm like oh yeah.
(24:47):
And then someone said, hey, canyou guys like make it a
separate group?
They could have said, hey, justso you know we don't do that in
here.
They said, no, can you take aseparate group?
So those women who need prayer,can we just end?
So another leader and I calledat the grace place.
She said I want you to partnerwith me on this.
I'm like grace place because weall need it.
I want you to show it.
(25:07):
We're all in this common ground.
We want to help women, eventhough we're in our own
vulnerable spaces.
So today, just to put it intoperspective.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
To date, how many women?
How big is the grace place?
How big is that?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I'm going to be honest with you.
The grace place has now becomea little bit smaller.
It was about 100 women in thatgroup.
The team is no longer, butthere were certain women that
said, oh wow, the Bible studywith you.
And so we had a Bible study onZoom once a week and Krista was
(25:49):
a part of that.
Her name was Krista Daughertyand you can hear more of her
story on myshamamacom becauseshe recorded a video for me.
So any of you guys that want tolook on there and just see what
her full testimony is becausethat would be a whole other
podcast I actually did a podcastepisode with her as well.
We did Bible study and we stillgather, not for Bible study,
(26:13):
but we're trying to figure outwhat that new vision is, because
as a small group you have ahuge loss, and so now we're
trying to figure out where doesthat go?
And I'm the only one, I mean twoof us.
We're actually doing thebusiness, but it's not that it's
exclusive or anything.
We always invited people, butit's just since her death this
(26:38):
past year we're trying to figureout.
Where do we want to take?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
it If it needs to.
So like.
Let's talk about that, becauseyou just said through her death,
krista.
Tell me about Krista and,ultimately, her death.
We are talking about breastcancer awareness month.
We're almost to end of thismonth and I just want you to
talk a little bit about Kristaand what she walked through and
(27:05):
how, even in the most difficultspace, this woman used every
moment she had and God utilizedevery bit of her in that moment.
Tell me about Krista in that.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
I think I'm open with my faith.
That woman is bold with herfaith.
She was this presence of yeah,god loves you.
And I'm going to tell you thetruth, too, in love, and the
truth was, even though she hadalready overcome breast cancer
(27:50):
and had come back for her in themidst of us starting this Bible
study, it comes back for her in2021.
And we all prayed about it and,of course, we want ultimate
healing.
But she says, guys, I think I'mjust going to cut them off and
rock the flat.
She's actually, I said.
She says I'm going to come offand have nothing.
I said, no, you're going torock the flat.
(28:11):
I gave her that hash.
I just it just comes out.
I like that.
And so every time she wouldshare this I was only page about
not wanting prostheses.
They're painful.
She would talk about oh, I lovethe Athena.
When I'm healing from mysurgery, I love the second skin.
And then, when she rocked theflat, there were certain items,
such as the Athena, who didn'thave the blown cups like the
(28:35):
other styles, it's made forsmaller cups or the second skin.
She would wear those and shegoes I feel feminine.
I may not have the tissue, butI feel feminine and I know that
all of my other health issueslike she wore a pump, an insulin
pump, she had struggled withinflammation issues and so while
(28:55):
she was in that vulnerablespace, she's still sharing about
Ruby Riven and sharing aboutJesus, and she did that
unapologetically.
When I went viral, she came inand admin my group because she
said she's just you know what?
Are you going to do all this byyourself?
She paused her own businesswe're not on the same team and
(29:16):
said I'm going to come alongsideyou and help you with this
because I know that you don'twant to compromise your faith
while God is putting you on thisplatform.
Because that was my thing, shesaid.
I said, guys, I won't viral,but I don't want to become one
of those influencers where youthought they were Christian and
then you find out later that itwas just a show.
(29:38):
And so, as I was like gettingphone calls at 3am and people
just calling because they don'tknow, they think I made the
product, she says, shinora, I'mhearing in your voice that you
need to rest and I said I'mthinking about taking Sundays
off.
She says I'll take care of thegroup on Sundays, don't worry
(29:59):
about it, take it off.
I said, what if I've gottenthis far?
And I don't know?
And she's showing you've hadnothing before, you didn't even
make money before this God willprovide every single need.
And I said, ok, I'm going totake Sundays off.
(30:20):
And then I was tempted after shedid transition though I go back
to Sunday, no, I'm not goingback to Sundays.
And so she threw that time sothat she put off her best.
And then she was fine.
And then 2022, we both went tothe Gulf Shorts.
I came through Georgia and shewent to Florida to be with her
(30:43):
dad and when she came back shefound out round three and she
says, guys, this is the knockout, but I'm going out in victory,
I am going to preach the gospeland I'm going to share about the
goodness of Jesus to memorablehere and her whole life.
Pretty much was after she cameto Christ.
And she said, no, I'm goingeven harder.
(31:05):
And I thought don't you need torest?
And she goes out and rest inheaven.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Whoa, wow, wow.
This is such.
I just want to listen to youfor the next two hours.
I probably can't go.
I know that we have.
This just shows you, ladies,how God can use something so
(31:32):
small or something so seeminglydisconnected from ministry to
win people to heaven.
Look at this, look at this.
It is so amazing.
And your testimony, sonora, andwhat you're doing is so moving,
(31:57):
and I am so excited about whatGod's doing through you and in
you and going before you andbuilding what you cannot build
because you're just took thatstep.
You kept going, you keptpersevering.
You even saw things like Idon't know if I'm gonna do this
for 30 days and look how God'smultiplied that.
(32:20):
Look how God has multipliedthat.
And it's about you taking thatfirst step and doing something
that may be seeminglydisconnected and God is taking
the dots.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
I think it's also really cool to see that God will
use whatever portion we givehim.
You said something earlierabout we have this image that we
try to uphold we wanna lookperfect.
If we're successful, then wehave to look the part.
But you can be walking insomething that does not appear
(32:55):
to be success, walking in breastcancer, removing your breasts
and then realizing, okay, I'mprobably not gonna win on this
side of eternity.
God will use every portion wegive him, every portion, and I
love that you are continuing totell Christa's story and that is
(33:19):
continuing to bless women.
I know it's been a blessing tome today to hear you talk about
these details.
This show has been a littledifferent this week because we
just threw it out there anddecided let's just go wherever
it goes without really knowingfor sure.
We had an idea.
I just wanna take the timebefore we leave to just ask you
(33:39):
to pray over our women.
What I love about what God isdoing right now.
And as we were putting togetherthis book, every bit and piece,
we just kept saying, wow, ifsomebody really reads this,
they're gonna be so inspired.
They're gonna recognize I'm notalone.
There are other women like meout there and if God can use
(34:03):
them, he can use me, and I'm notfinished yet.
I'm not too old.
I haven't walked throughcircumstances that I'm ashamed
of, that God won't redeem and hewon't utilize to set others
free.
Ultimately, you are someone whois a part of this bigger vision
we saw when we were puttingtogether the pieces of this book
(34:25):
, and I just love theaffirmation that God gives us as
we walk on His path.
You are where you need to be.
So long as you submit and I'msaying that for me, so long as I
submit, I find that I can walkmore discernedly in the steps he
wants me to take, and one ofthose steps has been to just be
(34:48):
bold and meet you and say, hey,I like what I see, I feel a
kinship here with you and yeah,we may never meet in person ever
, although I think we should tryto make it a point to try to do
that.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
But yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
We may never meet in person, but God's kingdom is so
vast, so much bigger than justwhat happens face to face.
I want you to pray for thewomen that might be listening,
the women that might be goingthrough discouragement, the
women who might be saying youdon't understand my life, you
don't know where I'm stuck at,you don't understand, I don't
have those gifts, I can't dowhat you do.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
Pray for that woman, for us, before we close, I will
have any father thank you forthis time that we can come
together at the right time,especially in this month of
October.
I pray that for those women whoare suffering side of me right
now it may not be breast cancer,maybe it's a suffering of not
(35:47):
knowing what's next, not knowingif they are good enough or
worthy enough I pray that youwill remind them of their
identity in you, that what theyhave right in front of them,
what they have in their hands,is more than enough.
I pray that they will see this,hear this and they will
(36:12):
surrender to you, lay it all atyour feet.
We're not in control as much aswe want to be, especially as
women who have so much on ourplate already.
I pray that woman who'scarrying it around, not knowing
what to do, feeling like no oneis coming to help Father, be her
(36:32):
help right now and reminder ofwho you are.
Whether it be a strangeinteraction, lord, like you did
for me, you brought strangers tome to restore those things and
to remind me of who I am in you,and it's not for my glory, not
for my benefit, but for yourkingdom purposes.
(36:55):
So I pray that she makes thechoice, whether that's the
choice to make a doctor'sappointment for God and focus on
her health, focus on whether itbe physical or mental, or
emotional.
She knows that some thingsaren't right, but I pray that
she will come to your well andyou will feel her up like never
(37:15):
before, and that she will havethe courage to say I may not
have overcome, but I know who issustaining me and who's
allowing me to endure to thenext step.
And I won't keep this to myself, because someone else needs a
helping hand, a supportive hand,to say, hey, I got you, I got
you.
And so, god, I just pray thateven after she watches this and
(37:40):
it's still of the night, whenall of those voices tried to
come in that speak lies, thatshe would resist the enemy so
that he shall flee, that shewould not be her own worst enemy
because of the things of thepast.
It doesn't matter what she hasdone, it doesn't matter what has
been done to her.
You will turn it all around forher good, even though it
(38:02):
doesn't feel good, becausehealing hurts.
It hurts, but it's for our good.
And so, god, we trust you witheverything.
We trust you with the good, thebad, the ugly, the secret.
We trust you and we confess oursin of unbelief, thinking that
(38:23):
you are too busy to see aboutyour child.
God, we confess that and wethank you for redeeming us and
giving us a redeeming story that, even if we're not publishing a
book or on a TV or on a podcastor God, that we would be a
walking and living testimony,even to those in the grocery
(38:45):
store, in the restaurant, in thehair salon.
Beautiful, use us for yourglory and bring back the joy of
our salvation until we get tomeet you face to face.
In Jesus' name.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
I'm so grateful you said yes to this today and we
wanna just thank you for thistime and we're gonna be talking
to you again because I just knowGod is gonna continue to use
you and you can continue toshare that journey with us.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
You guys, thank you for being with us today.
I hope you all have a greatweek.
Thank you so much.
Take care and have a greatweekend.
God bless you.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
Bye, bye.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Hi
Good morning everybody and welcome to this
amazing special episode of Talkwith Amber and Lisa.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
As always, I'm Amber and Lisa is sitting up the live
stream making sure everything wegot to have our girls that make
sure everything's together,which I'm doing my best.
It is a perfect segment way tointroduce our shama girl Shinora
.
Thank you for joining us.
(00:31):
We've been wanting to have youon the podcast talking about
some uplifting things and I'mgoing to tell you about our
sisters who uplift us, and Itell you about this girl.
Not only does she uplift mewhen I have that down moment,
she's the one who has those brawsuggestions always braw
(00:54):
alternatives.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Let's get together straight.
This is going to be aninteresting segue.
Shinora is a lovely lady whorepresents, works for a company,
works with a company.
Actually, a company is workingfor her, if we're going to be
totally honest.
She works with a company calledRuby ribbon, and Ruby ribbon
(01:20):
supplies a bra alternative forwomen.
It's an amazing product.
We're not here to necessarilypitch products.
We are here to talk about whatGod has done with Shinora within
this company, not just withinthe company, but in her personal
life, as God has utilized hergifts and talents to lead women
(01:41):
through situations, lead inseasons of her life that may not
always have been constantly onthe up.
There been some downs, therewas some lows.
The wonderful part is thisproduct has produced an income
to help provide for her familyand enable to be this voice,
(02:02):
this personality that can speaklife into other women.
And what other way can youspeak life to a woman than to
say you never have to wear a braagain, right, why?
Let's go bra free, burn the bra.
It's true.
We're being truthful, ladies,and you can just move along if
(02:22):
you don't want to hear this.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I'm going to say Shinora, the Shimama underwire
slayer, for goodness sake, Ihate the underwire and, for
goodness sake, I've alwaysthought I need the uplift, the
extra uplift, and that's whatshe does in the physical realm
and in the spiritual realm.
(02:46):
I like how this kind of goestogether.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
It feels exactly what we're saying.
Shinora, just tell everybodyabout yourself.
I know you're married yourchildren Give us just a brief
little introduction here.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yes, I am coming to you from the beautiful but great
Georgia, my husband, george andour three children.
We recently moved here thisyear as a fulfillment of my
childhood dream, and RubyFreeman helped me do that.
We are a family of five thatwas told medically that we would
never have children, and thenwe had children.
(03:27):
I had C sections and then, onceI got all put together, my son
jumped on my back and that ishow my recruiting journey began.
I was a woman who was alreadyovercoming so much and the cammy
literally lifted me up assupport at me, better than any
(03:47):
other bra that, and I needed it,and a part of my mission has
always been to serve women whoneed this, regardless that they
know what or not, and it hasopened so many doors for me to
walk alongside women in theirintimate spaces where they say
you know what?
I think I can trust you withthis.
I trusted you with my broadsize, and so it's other part of
(04:10):
my life knowing that you careabout me, not just how I look on
the outside, but how I feel onthe inside.
It brings me great joy when awoman that I may never meet on
this side of heaven says I thinkI can trust you to pray about
this.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Woo, that's good stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
That is good stuff privilege and and the bonuses to
get paid for.
It's a dream.
It's a dream I am walking inthe fulfillment of answered
prayers.
Not women are walking in there.
So, as an honor and approach tobe here with you leading ladies
(04:54):
, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Absolutely.
I want to talk just a littlebit about how I met you, shinora
.
During COVID, of all things, afriend of mine had a Ruby ribbon
party and, honestly, we're notgoing to talk to you about all
this business stuff about.
It is key to understand, Ithink, how we met and how I
(05:21):
began to just watch your lifeand honestly, just really
appreciate who you were from adistance.
And then, during COVID, afriend of mine had a Ruby ribbon
online party and during COVID,so many things were not
available to us or we weren'tgoing out in public, we there
were shortages everywhere and ofall things, a friend had a Ruby
(05:42):
ribbon to the party and I foundout about the product.
I was like, yes, I hate my bra.
Before I knew it, in all honesty, I made the decision to go
ahead and buy into the company,start to sell the product myself
.
So one of my first concerns,just to be honest, upfront, was
(06:07):
and people who know meunderstand why this is a concern
but my first concern wasthere's this beautiful product
and there's this amazing companywith this product that I think
can really change lives.
But most of the women in thesepictures are Caucasian and most
of my friends.
If I'm going to be honest, theyare not represented in the
(06:27):
pages of these catalogs and Iwas just unsettled there
wouldn't be women that lookedlike them, women of color to
relate to, and before and afterpictures and things like that.
And behold, the company put ona conference and you could do it
online because, once again,covid and one of the main things
(06:50):
that they did was a paneldiscussion with women of color
within the company.
Basically, you all said if youdon't have women of color that
you know that you can share thiswith, and you want people who
look like women of color, you'vegot nothing to Caucasian in
your lifestyle.
Just let us know.
(07:13):
We'll give you pictures.
We'll give you real life women,examples and stories of lives
that have been changed by thiscompany.
You were one of the first people.
I reached out to you.
You made your contact.
You said do it, contact me.
And I did.
I contacted you.
You don't know me, but I heardyou say and yes, I want those
(07:33):
pictures.
So I made friends with you onsocial media and I started to
recognize very soon that youwere not just about a company
that was selling a product.
You love the Lord, you talkabout Jesus.
You shared oftentimes from yourpage just uplifting words of
(07:56):
encouragement and you made itvery clear where you stood.
I really liked that during atime when we were all having to
turn to social media to get thatinteraction.
I loved how God was using youand since then I've watched as
your business literally took offon some viral videos and all of
(08:18):
a sudden, god is utilizing thisbusiness to really take care of
your home, your family, dothings like be able to move and
pick up and go somewhere elseand start your life there.
So I just once again want to sayhow grateful I am that I found
a like-minded woman whom I neverknew before and how it just for
(08:42):
me.
I knew I like what you're doing, I like who you are, and yet I
realize it is still very much asurface relationship, for
because we just talk here onsocial every once in a while we
comment on things the other willsay.
I will say that there's a wholelot more to Shinora than raw
replacements and I'm findingthat out every time I speak with
(09:04):
her and she's going to talk tous about that today.
But I also want to take thetime that says to say that this
is the first guest we will behaving on our podcast that is
not one of the contributors toour book.
We've been waiting for the day,and I've been telling Amber for
months and months.
There's this lady out thereWhenever we start to interview
someone that is not one of thewomen we've interviewed and put
(09:27):
within the pages of our book.
I really want us to talk toShinora, and so here you are.
First of all, shinora, I justwant you to just get right into
it.
Can you tell me what God hasdone within your personal life
to make you want to put him atthe forefront of everything?
(09:48):
A lot of people haverelationships with God, but they
aren't putting it out thereunblast.
What has he done?
Who is he to you?
He's sovereign.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
He's provider, he's protector.
I am someone who has not alwaysbeen as transparent.
Grown up in Detroit.
What goes in the house stays inthe house.
However, I've come so close todeath and devastation and all
(10:20):
those things so many times thatit was like why would I keep
this to myself?
Why would I keep hissovereignty, his goodness to
myself when there are otherpeople who may not know him, who
are over church?
Let's be honest with that andsee, my story is a little bit
different.
Even though I grew up in church, in my individual life and in
(10:43):
my marriage we have gone throughchurch, heard on various levels
, just places where I didn'tfeel protected as a woman.
I didn't feel protected as aperson of color and even through
that, god said I still love you.
I know that my children got itwrong this time.
(11:04):
Sometimes you got it wrong, buthere's how I'm going to show
you how I love you.
And it all ties into who he hasbrought in different seasons.
When you reached out to meabout this opportunity, that was
one of those days where I didnot feel worthy of his love or
worthy of saying oh yes, I'm onthis platform, you just reading
(11:28):
your guys' books with theleading ladies.
We all have something in commonand I think that he allows
certain pain points in our livesso that we can be a testament
and encouragement to someoneelse.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe on a huge platform, but you
just never know what your painis going to give you the
(11:51):
opportunity to do.
He never, ever fails.
During this move.
Yes, ruby Ribbon gave us thecourage to move my husband.
He has been the sole providerfor our family.
As I said, I thought I wasgoing to fish out this miracle
baby and go to work and use mydegree and just be a normal
(12:13):
American family, and the Lordhas always allowed those places
where I couldn't physically beavailable in the ways that I
wanted to be.
He allowed me to minister tothose who were in different
situations, even while I'm in mypain.
See, we love to put on the facethat once we come over, once we
(12:34):
come out of it, then we'llshare.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, yep, yep, yep, yep.
I get it.
That's not even biblical.
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
He gave us these stories so that we could realize
that there's a testimony in themidst of it.
There's times when I felt likeElijah, like no one's listening
and you know, not just thegospel, but the beauty of these
products and what they can do.
There's freedom, right, there'sso many different ways Freedom
from the constraints of whatsociety says is beautiful, what
(13:04):
society says is necessary, yeah,and held up by wires.
And how many times have we beenheld up by the wires of what
society says is normal orhealthy, or what rose women
should be in, and what we just Ihave to tell of his goodness,
(13:24):
because I have a generationthat's coming after me, that's
right.
It's going to have a way worsethan I did.
Yeah, the external, but in theinside they will have the
preparation and the tools thatendure through my grandmother.
I went to church with her.
My dad was a pastor but I wentto church with my grandmother,
so all already out there.
(13:46):
It's just a I don't have ausual church story but she said
in the midst of people notalways understanding why she
gave the way she gave, why shehad more volunteer hours than
work hours and how she justsurvived, and I would watch
people say she thinks she allyou know, those little snare in
(14:06):
and I said come on, why don'tyou just defend yourself?
She said I'm not doing this toplease them, I'm doing this to
please the master.
And all that you say and do yougo?
Oh, my God, even when it's noteasy, even when people are not
telling you that it's a good job, if you're doing it to serve
him you've done your job Exactly.
Exactly so.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
I do that.
I love what you said about wedon't wait till we are pain free
and perfect to do what God'scalled us to do, because that's
what, literally, that's whatthis book is all about.
And sometimes I felt myselfbeing hypocritical, because
sometimes I say things and Iknow that this is where I need
(14:51):
to grow, but that's why I say it.
This is why I know, evenpositive, I know what to do.
I know what to do and I do thewrong thing and I don't know why
I'm doing it.
But it's a constant reset andpeople don't get it sometimes
that you're not a hypocritebecause you struggle with the
(15:14):
things you talk about.
You are human, you are a humanbeing and it's okay.
It's okay to be human, it'sokay to struggle.
It's okay also to be real andvulnerable.
And I just admire your giftingso much, sonora, because you
(15:36):
have a ministry that's unlikeothers, that can touch people
who are totally out of the realmof the church and the Father,
and you bring that intimacy inand that's what God wants,
that's what Jesus wants.
He wants the intimacy.
(15:56):
Going to church is not thepoint, it is intimacy.
It is getting into your broadspace, right, yeah, yes, and
unfortunately, god knows yourperfect size, he does.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
He does, my friends.
It leads me to the nextquestion, and that is okay.
So, sonora, you're in thiscompany.
You're successful.
At the same time, this companyis a secular company.
It is not a Christian per secompany.
There's nothing about how thiscompany is run, although I think
(16:34):
they do a really good job atbeing a company of integrity.
I really like the things I see.
But how do you, as a person offaith, how do you go into this
company knowing full well theymay not understand your faith?
What has it been like and whatopportunities has God given you
to shine His light within thiscompany that isn't built upon
(16:58):
His precepts, his rules fortreating people the right way?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Absolutely.
I feel spoiled sometimesbecause there are areas in the
actual church where I sharedtransparently that I was
censored.
A lot of people may not notice,but when COVID shut everything
down, we actually left thechurch that we loved so much.
(17:25):
We left and we knew that it wastime to leave way before then.
But COVID just gave us the exitplan and it was like okay, so
how do we with the body ofChrist?
How do we do this?
Let's be really clear here.
I didn't join this business onpurpose.
(17:45):
I thought I was helping out mysponsor.
I told her I would never sellthe product.
I said let me get a kit.
I don't know anything aboutdirect sales.
I'm gonna get a kit andhopefully it'll boost her July
and I'm gonna keep going, goingwith my life.
And she says anybody's at home,let's just do a live.
And I'm like oh, I said I had aparty and no one showed up.
(18:06):
I actually get a real aboutthat.
Nobody showed up.
I did a time hop with my posts.
And she says you just neverknow what may happen this time.
Now, this is when not onlyCOVID was going on, but we had
to deal with the things thatwere going on in society with
Amon Aubrey and George Floyd andme being this person.
(18:30):
No one had these diverseexperiences.
My timeline is just as diverseas my personal life and I'm
seeing all those people ondifferent sides and yet no one's
coming in the unity of Christ.
And so, way before the business, I'm posting like hey guys, I
can see it from both sidesExactly.
What about that unity in Christ?
(18:50):
What about that unity in Christ?
We have so many things we wantto flare off at the mouth, but
are we really pausing andlooking at the whole picture
here?
So she was coming to cater tomy soul with Chick-fil-A OK,
because that's how you cater tosomebody.
Knowing that our family was inthis space, we're all at home
(19:14):
trying to figure out what's next, because if I get a cigarette,
my husband, we didn't have anyfamily around, it was just just
outside.
I said I'm going to get it back.
Now she did.
I already made an agreementI'll never sell this, but I will
help you on a vendor event andI will pray for your business
Backs forward.
I said I'm going to quit after30 days, once I get the product
(19:37):
credit and I could help thebreast cancer warriors in my
life.
I'm out of here because I'mstill going to run a product and
no one came to the party in thefirst place and then, all of a
sudden, all these people who hadtold me no before started
saying yes, and it wasn't untilsix months later that someone
(19:58):
said hey, sian, how did you sellalmost $10,000 in less than 60
days?
I said when?
That's what I said.
That was my point.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
When did I?
Speaker 3 (20:07):
do that, because that wasn't my focus.
Yes, it was doing something formy family that I hadn't
realized, like when I did decideto leave the preschool, because
I was working with my kidsChristian preschool.
It was so hard for me to leave,but I knew I wouldn't be a good
employee.
I said, god, how am I going tomake money?
And I got my food and drink andI said, oh, ok, I'm still going
(20:27):
to quit though, because I'mgoing to go back to preschool
next year.
So I kept telling my customershey, get it while you can, and
then I'll move you on tosomebody else.
And God is like there was alwaysone other woman that said, hey,
I've been watching you for awhile.
I know that you are who you sayyou are because I had always
(20:48):
been encouraging people onlinethe best way that I could.
That's just who I am.
If I was stuck in the house, Istill wanted to be able to be
used to God.
I was stuck in the house waybefore COVID and I would always
be one woman that comes out.
And it happens every time whereI'm like God is this season up?
And a woman will say, hey, youdon't know me, but this is what
I struggle with, and I just knowthat this product is the
(21:11):
beginning to mine.
Next, you're the one.
I've seen others, but you'rethe one and Ruby ribbon has
never said hey, you're the onetoo much.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You're talking about Jesus.
Stop.
They've never said that to you.
Never said it.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
I've had.
My first runway conference wasonline.
It was right after I hadstarted the business and that's
when we had the CEO and he wastalking about everything was on
site.
He said we don't want to followthese quality rules where we're
just putting out productsbecause we think it's going to
sell to the woman of color.
And then nine months later hesaid hey, what do you think
(21:53):
about this?
And I said oh, you were serious.
I thought people in thecorporate just lied all the time
and they said hey, we want youto be the first one to wear our
espresso lace, this beautifulchocolate brown, and I cried
because someone who did notbelieve like I did, who had no
(22:15):
reason to have integrity in thisarea.
I said this and I'm going tofollow through and we're not
going to make it cringy orcommercial.
I see you, the total you and Iwant to make sure that other
people who look like you can seeyou too and that we're here.
And so I modeled it for thefirst time and I've been doing
(22:39):
TikToks.
I was at home, my kids and mykids are hilarious, so we have
those TikToks and reels andstuff.
My family's been getting thosesince my kids have been born.
It just wasn't on Facebook,that's just who I am.
That was no like marketing ployor anything.
And so then I said, okay,somebody's got to say something
to me when I go in person torunway.
(23:01):
And here's what happened I raninto the body of Christ.
I am not a member of a church,I am not this.
I don't have a title, but Istill women of faith.
I saw my best shebo, who I'venever seen before.
Her husband's name is David, soshe's on her knees and prayer
(23:25):
with another sister stylist thatshe had never met before.
And there were women who werecoming up to me and they said
I've been watching you and yourfaith and my faith, and I'm not
and I'm like, huh, that's abusiness conference.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
So you actually within this company.
It's not a Christian company.
See other Christian women whoare very out loud and on purpose
about their walk with God, tothe point where you see them
praying together and they startto approach you because they're
watching you.
They're watching you talk aboutyour relationship with your
(23:58):
creator.
Yes, and all of a sudden, wow.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
And it's okay.
God, this is the place where Ibelong.
Not everybody is going tobelieve you don't want to be in
those comfortable spaces anyways.
But getting back to breasthealth, I was connected with a
woman named Krista who I'venever met on this side of earth
and our hearts were knit likeDavid and Jonathan and never
(24:25):
been.
Had it had this company, thischoice to step into something
new, it would have never beenand we had been in some common
places.
But it was a need of a separategroup and our team group where
women kept asking for prayer andI'm like oh yeah.
(24:47):
And then someone said, hey, canyou guys like make it a
separate group?
They could have said, hey, justso you know we don't do that in
here.
They said, no, can you take aseparate group?
So those women who need prayer,can we just end?
So another leader and I calledat the grace place.
She said I want you to partnerwith me on this.
I'm like grace place because weall need it.
I want you to show it.
(25:07):
We're all in this common ground.
We want to help women, eventhough we're in our own
vulnerable spaces.
So today, just to put it intoperspective.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
To date, how many women?
How big is the grace place?
How big is that?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I'm going to be honest with you.
The grace place has now becomea little bit smaller.
It was about 100 women in thatgroup.
The team is no longer, butthere were certain women that
said, oh wow, the Bible studywith you.
And so we had a Bible study onZoom once a week and Krista was
(25:49):
a part of that.
Her name was Krista Daughertyand you can hear more of her
story on myshamamacom becauseshe recorded a video for me.
So any of you guys that want tolook on there and just see what
her full testimony is becausethat would be a whole other
podcast I actually did a podcastepisode with her as well.
We did Bible study and we stillgather, not for Bible study,
(26:13):
but we're trying to figure outwhat that new vision is, because
as a small group you have ahuge loss, and so now we're
trying to figure out where doesthat go?
And I'm the only one, I mean twoof us.
We're actually doing thebusiness, but it's not that it's
exclusive or anything.
We always invited people, butit's just since her death this
(26:38):
past year we're trying to figureout.
Where do we want to take?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
it If it needs to.
So like.
Let's talk about that, becauseyou just said through her death,
krista.
Tell me about Krista and,ultimately, her death.
We are talking about breastcancer awareness month.
We're almost to end of thismonth and I just want you to
talk a little bit about Kristaand what she walked through and
(27:05):
how, even in the most difficultspace, this woman used every
moment she had and God utilizedevery bit of her in that moment.
Tell me about Krista in that.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
I think I'm open with my faith.
That woman is bold with herfaith.
She was this presence of yeah,god loves you.
And I'm going to tell you thetruth, too, in love, and the
truth was, even though she hadalready overcome breast cancer
(27:50):
and had come back for her in themidst of us starting this Bible
study, it comes back for her in2021.
And we all prayed about it and,of course, we want ultimate
healing.
But she says, guys, I think I'mjust going to cut them off and
rock the flat.
She's actually, I said.
She says I'm going to come offand have nothing.
I said, no, you're going torock the flat.
(28:11):
I gave her that hash.
I just it just comes out.
I like that.
And so every time she wouldshare this I was only page about
not wanting prostheses.
They're painful.
She would talk about oh, I lovethe Athena.
When I'm healing from mysurgery, I love the second skin.
And then, when she rocked theflat, there were certain items,
such as the Athena, who didn'thave the blown cups like the
(28:35):
other styles, it's made forsmaller cups or the second skin.
She would wear those and shegoes I feel feminine.
I may not have the tissue, butI feel feminine and I know that
all of my other health issueslike she wore a pump, an insulin
pump, she had struggled withinflammation issues and so while
(28:55):
she was in that vulnerablespace, she's still sharing about
Ruby Riven and sharing aboutJesus, and she did that
unapologetically.
When I went viral, she came inand admin my group because she
said she's just you know what?
Are you going to do all this byyourself?
She paused her own businesswe're not on the same team and
(29:16):
said I'm going to come alongsideyou and help you with this
because I know that you don'twant to compromise your faith
while God is putting you on thisplatform.
Because that was my thing, shesaid.
I said, guys, I won't viral,but I don't want to become one
of those influencers where youthought they were Christian and
then you find out later that itwas just a show.
(29:38):
And so, as I was like gettingphone calls at 3am and people
just calling because they don'tknow, they think I made the
product, she says, shinora, I'mhearing in your voice that you
need to rest and I said I'mthinking about taking Sundays
off.
She says I'll take care of thegroup on Sundays, don't worry
(29:59):
about it, take it off.
I said, what if I've gottenthis far?
And I don't know?
And she's showing you've hadnothing before, you didn't even
make money before this God willprovide every single need.
And I said, ok, I'm going totake Sundays off.
(30:20):
And then I was tempted after shedid transition though I go back
to Sunday, no, I'm not goingback to Sundays.
And so she threw that time sothat she put off her best.
And then she was fine.
And then 2022, we both went tothe Gulf Shorts.
I came through Georgia and shewent to Florida to be with her
(30:43):
dad and when she came back shefound out round three and she
says, guys, this is the knockout, but I'm going out in victory,
I am going to preach the gospeland I'm going to share about the
goodness of Jesus to memorablehere and her whole life.
Pretty much was after she cameto Christ.
And she said, no, I'm goingeven harder.
(31:05):
And I thought don't you need torest?
And she goes out and rest inheaven.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Whoa, wow, wow.
This is such.
I just want to listen to youfor the next two hours.
I probably can't go.
I know that we have.
This just shows you, ladies,how God can use something so
(31:32):
small or something so seeminglydisconnected from ministry to
win people to heaven.
Look at this, look at this.
It is so amazing.
And your testimony, sonora, andwhat you're doing is so moving,
(31:57):
and I am so excited about whatGod's doing through you and in
you and going before you andbuilding what you cannot build
because you're just took thatstep.
You kept going, you keptpersevering.
You even saw things like Idon't know if I'm gonna do this
for 30 days and look how God'smultiplied that.
(32:20):
Look how God has multipliedthat.
And it's about you taking thatfirst step and doing something
that may be seeminglydisconnected and God is taking
the dots.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
I think it's also really cool to see that God will
use whatever portion we givehim.
You said something earlierabout we have this image that we
try to uphold we wanna lookperfect.
If we're successful, then wehave to look the part.
But you can be walking insomething that does not appear
(32:55):
to be success, walking in breastcancer, removing your breasts
and then realizing, okay, I'mprobably not gonna win on this
side of eternity.
God will use every portion wegive him, every portion, and I
love that you are continuing totell Christa's story and that is
(33:19):
continuing to bless women.
I know it's been a blessing tome today to hear you talk about
these details.
This show has been a littledifferent this week because we
just threw it out there anddecided let's just go wherever
it goes without really knowingfor sure.
We had an idea.
I just wanna take the timebefore we leave to just ask you
(33:39):
to pray over our women.
What I love about what God isdoing right now.
And as we were putting togetherthis book, every bit and piece,
we just kept saying, wow, ifsomebody really reads this,
they're gonna be so inspired.
They're gonna recognize I'm notalone.
There are other women like meout there and if God can use
(34:03):
them, he can use me, and I'm notfinished yet.
I'm not too old.
I haven't walked throughcircumstances that I'm ashamed
of, that God won't redeem and hewon't utilize to set others
free.
Ultimately, you are someone whois a part of this bigger vision
we saw when we were puttingtogether the pieces of this book
(34:25):
, and I just love theaffirmation that God gives us as
we walk on His path.
You are where you need to be.
So long as you submit and I'msaying that for me, so long as I
submit, I find that I can walkmore discernedly in the steps he
wants me to take, and one ofthose steps has been to just be
(34:48):
bold and meet you and say, hey,I like what I see, I feel a
kinship here with you and yeah,we may never meet in person ever
, although I think we should tryto make it a point to try to do
that.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
But yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
We may never meet in person, but God's kingdom is so
vast, so much bigger than justwhat happens face to face.
I want you to pray for thewomen that might be listening,
the women that might be goingthrough discouragement, the
women who might be saying youdon't understand my life, you
don't know where I'm stuck at,you don't understand, I don't
have those gifts, I can't dowhat you do.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
Pray for that woman, for us, before we close, I will
have any father thank you forthis time that we can come
together at the right time,especially in this month of
October.
I pray that for those women whoare suffering side of me right
now it may not be breast cancer,maybe it's a suffering of not
(35:47):
knowing what's next, not knowingif they are good enough or
worthy enough I pray that youwill remind them of their
identity in you, that what theyhave right in front of them,
what they have in their hands,is more than enough.
I pray that they will see this,hear this and they will
(36:12):
surrender to you, lay it all atyour feet.
We're not in control as much aswe want to be, especially as
women who have so much on ourplate already.
I pray that woman who'scarrying it around, not knowing
what to do, feeling like no oneis coming to help Father, be her
(36:32):
help right now and reminder ofwho you are.
Whether it be a strangeinteraction, lord, like you did
for me, you brought strangers tome to restore those things and
to remind me of who I am in you,and it's not for my glory, not
for my benefit, but for yourkingdom purposes.
(36:55):
So I pray that she makes thechoice, whether that's the
choice to make a doctor'sappointment for God and focus on
her health, focus on whether itbe physical or mental, or
emotional.
She knows that some thingsaren't right, but I pray that
she will come to your well andyou will feel her up like never
(37:15):
before, and that she will havethe courage to say I may not
have overcome, but I know who issustaining me and who's
allowing me to endure to thenext step.
And I won't keep this to myself, because someone else needs a
helping hand, a supportive hand,to say, hey, I got you, I got
you.
And so, god, I just pray thateven after she watches this and
(37:40):
it's still of the night, whenall of those voices tried to
come in that speak lies, thatshe would resist the enemy so
that he shall flee, that shewould not be her own worst enemy
because of the things of thepast.
It doesn't matter what she hasdone, it doesn't matter what has
been done to her.
You will turn it all around forher good, even though it
(38:02):
doesn't feel good, becausehealing hurts.
It hurts, but it's for our good.
And so, god, we trust you witheverything.
We trust you with the good, thebad, the ugly, the secret.
We trust you and we confess oursin of unbelief, thinking that
(38:23):
you are too busy to see aboutyour child.
God, we confess that and wethank you for redeeming us and
giving us a redeeming story that, even if we're not publishing a
book or on a TV or on a podcastor God, that we would be a
walking and living testimony,even to those in the grocery
(38:45):
store, in the restaurant, in thehair salon.
Beautiful, use us for yourglory and bring back the joy of
our salvation until we get tomeet you face to face.
In Jesus' name.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
I'm so grateful you said yes to this today and we
wanna just thank you for thistime and we're gonna be talking
to you again because I just knowGod is gonna continue to use
you and you can continue toshare that journey with us.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
You guys, thank you for being with us today.
I hope you all have a greatweek.
Thank you so much.
Take care and have a greatweekend.
God bless you.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
Bye, bye.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Hi
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