I no longer carry the guilt or shame that used to haunt me. The confusion and torment that came from abuse and trauma no longer have a place in my life. I have been made whole. I have been set free. And I know without a doubt that what Jesus has done for me, He can and will do for anyone who truly surrenders to Him.

Without my business card to introduce me or my makeup brushes to define my worth, I had to sit with the uncomfortable silence of not knowing. The world had slowed down, and suddenly, all the busyness that had masked my identity crisis was gone.

I started asking myself hard questions. Who was the woman beneath all those impressive titles? What did I actually enjoy doing when there was no applause, no publication, no external validation waiting at the end?

The answers didn’t come easily. Some days I grieved the confident businesswoman who could command a room. Other days, I felt excited about the blank canvas in front of me.

Ministry as a woman hasn’t always been easy. I’ve walked into many rooms as the only woman at the table. I’ve faced rejection but through it all, I’ve learned to root my identity in Christ.

If you’re a woman wondering if leadership or ministry is for you, let me encourage you: You belong at the table. Not with arrogance, but with the confidence that comes only from Jesus. If He called you, He will equip you—just as He did for me.

When I fell hard, it was into a sea of self-doubt. When I rose again, it was because of the revelation that God was not only with me as a female leader but also with every woman who has walked this earth. Who am I to refrain from stepping into this cultural moment with my broken experiences, each visible yet healed by the golden thread of God’s supernatural purpose.

I am here for the now and the next generation of women in our nation and beyond. Broken, yes. Brave, a little. But I am determined that I will not be helpless, self-silenced, or diminished. I choose to be the daring woman, in a lineage of daring women.