The Queued4Christ Show with Nurse & Coach Ashanti Shanklin: "Press Pause And Grow"

Some seasons feel like a detour until you realize they’re actually your training ground. I sit down with Nurse and Coach Ashanti to talk about faith, personal growth, and what happens when you stop rushing and start listening for God’s timing. From the beginning, we keep it real about what it means to be a vessel for Christ and why that calling is a privilege, even when it stretches you. 

Ashanti shares her journey as a traveling nurse, new coach, and aspiring author, including the moment she chose to press pause on her book because she could feel herself rushing. That decision opens up a powerful conversation about discernment, patience, and building a writing system that honors the assignment. We also talk about spiritual growth that feels uncomfortable, contentment in unfamiliar places, and how God can use an “off” situation to protect you, position you, and bless you. 

We dig into the power of community and coaching, the value of reading and mindset education, and why growth environments matter when your language and character start changing. You’ll also hear practical tools around emotional intelligence, daily check-ins, determination when motivation is low, and celebrating small wins through the compound effect. If you care about Christian personal development, prayer, purpose, and learning to hear God through guided steps, this one will meet you right where you are. 

Subscribe, download, and share Q For Christ with someone who needs encouragement, then leave a review so more people can find the message. What’s one area of your life where you need to pause, pray, and keep going one page at a time?

Transcript

Welcome And Mission Statement

SPEAKER_01 0:46

It's a new bag with a new way.

SPEAKER_03 1:01

Welcome to Q for Christ. Thank you for tuning in. We are Q for Christ, meaning that we are quick, united, educated, understanding, excited, and determined for what Christ has for us. We are here celebrating that we have gotten a second chance at getting life right. All right, get ready for the message. Hey, hey, hey everyone. This is Kiana, your creator and the host of Q for Christ. And I want to say thank you to everyone that has liked, you shared, you commented, whatever you done. I'm super excited. And I'm and I tell you, I don't take this for granted at all, y'all. I tell you, being a vessel for Christ is something that I take very seriously. And it's something that we ought to always take very seriously in our journey. And um, and so I tell you, you want to make sure that you understand that being a vessel for Christ is not a um is not a punishment, it is a privilege. And so when God calls you, that means he sees something in you. And I don't know who that's for. I'm just going on and on and on about that. But, anyways, I'm super excited um that you are tuning in tonight. Y'all, I got a good one tonight. Like, like literally a good one tonight. So I want you all to make sure that you are going in, you are sharing it um with someone. You are going to the website at www.cubeforchrist.com.

Announcements And Community Events

SPEAKER_03 2:43

You are going to the podcast. Um, let me tell you, last last um, the other day, I looked at it, and like I said, I looked at it. I saw somebody in IREC has um downloaded my podcast. And if I got somebody in IREC downloading, I can have y'all download. Okay. So, anyways, um, I'm super excited about being a voice of hope for someone. So, make sure that you are um going and downloading the podcast. Um, and I want you all to make sure go ahead on and set your calendar. I am having a very, very, very special in-person podcast on April the 4th, and I want you all to see it. I have none other than Pastor Tolan Morgan. Okay, y'all, I'm super excited um about having Pastor Um Tolan Morgan that is going to um bless the podcast with his presence. And um, we are not just podcasting, but we are podcasting with a purpose, all right? So, this is a beneficial podcast for my brother's church, abundant word of grace, um, who was impacted by um a vehicle crashing into that church. And so we are we are committed to helping our community, and so um I want you all to be there, like literally be there. And um, like the flyer say the seats are limited, so you want to make sure that you are go ahead on and scanning that code where you can be able to get your seat. It's gonna be hosted by none other than Marcus J. Little. I'm super excited about what God is gonna do with this and how the community will be able to come together to be able to help um each other out. So I'm excited about that. Make sure that you are um setting your calendar, you are getting your your seat to be able to be in there because I tell you, once once this once it reaches a certain number, it ain't gonna be in space. All right. So, anyways, anyways, I um wanted to just kind of remind you of that. Make sure that you are here um for books of the Bible on Monday, right? We have Monday Books of the Bible with me and my co-hosts uh uh Elder Harper and Hillary. Man, we be we be diving deep into some stuff, y'all. You know, and um on tomorrow morning, I'll be here praying at 7 a.m. So y'all make sure y'all are here, and um, so anyways, anyways, said all of that to say that make sure you are tuning in, make sure you are you are doing that.

Beyond The Pages Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_03 5:28

So, anyways, as you know, we have started um the series, the Beyond the Pages series, where we are um just reaching out and speaking with the speakers that um that have you know that was there beyond the pages, and we just want to catch up with them, and because we are getting ready to get geared up to start another one, so we um just want to catch up with the ones and and to see how everything is going and and how they was impacted by the how beyond the pages, and so I have one of the special guests, like she she is not only she was a a speaker, but she is one of my friends, and I'm super excited to have none other than nurse and coach Ashanti. How are you? Hey, hey, Miss Kiana.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

How you doing, girl?

SPEAKER_03 6:22

I am blessed. Thank you for asking. How are you? Uh look, I can't complain. Look, like how do you phone it too? I can't call it. I can't look that girl done been traveling, y'all. Let me tell y'all. She's been traveling, and um, and I told her, I said, I'm gonna come down to Florida. She she's somewhere else. I can't even. I said, Lord, so so, anyways, anyways, I just want people to know who you are. Can you just tell everybody who Nurse and Coach Ashanti is?

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Nurse and Coach Ashanti is a young lady that was born in the Midwest. Um, I have a passion for helping others. Ever since I was a kid, I just love to help others. And as a kid, I developed a praying relationship with the Lord. And so I am a praying woman. I love to take care of people. I've been in healthcare for over 25 years. I've been a nurse for nine years, and I've been traveling for seven, and I'm also been a coach for how long have I been a coach, honey? Since 23.

SPEAKER_03 7:38

Yeah, since we tell y'all, she she got coached by the best, right? You know, our pastor our pastor and our mentor and our coach, Pastor Pastor Darius Daniels. Like, you know, we we look we shout out our pastor. We live, we we we love our pastor, Pastor Darius. He's he's out doing um incredible things, and like one of the things that I love what he what he often um say to us that he building trees in us, he's planting trees in us, meaning that we are being planted by him, and we are just branching off things, yeah. And that is one of the things that I love about him and how he he does things, man. He's just incredible, but um, yeah, she got coached by that. I'm super excited that you, you know, um, not only are you a nurse, you a coach too. And when we when I said when we met, I mean she we it's like we clicked really well, and I'm super excited that God brought you to my life, man. Like I'm I'm better, I'm better because of you. Let me tell you she wished me some. Hey to the man, glory be to God, right? So, so, anyways, I just want you know, she was one of the um incredible speakers that we had at um Beyond the Pages, and um, you know, we we just want to catch up. So, what I'm gonna do now, I'm gonna say a prayer and um and um before we move forward, and then and then we'll just jump right into it. We're just gonna really have a good conversation, a good conversation, that's all. So uh, so I say a quick prayer.

Opening Prayer And Covering

SPEAKER_03 9:23

So, dear Heavenly Father, God, I say thank you. I say thank you for waking us up and starting us on our way, allowing us to see a brand new day. God, we just thank you because we know that this day could have been different, God. God, we could have been on our cooling bed, but you allowed us to be here, God. You allowed us to be able to share your word with your people. And we we just thank you, God, for what you have done and what you're gonna do. God, we just thank you now for nursing culture shantee, God, God, everything that she is doing, God. We are we wanted to turn into gold, God, whatever her hand touched, God, and we thank you now, God, for strengthening her. We thank you now for giving her the peace that surpasses all understanding. We thank you now just for being with her, God. Anything that she is doing now, God, we just thank you for it, God, because we know that it's going to bless your people. And so we know that it's going to glorify you. And so we thank you for everything that you're doing. God, we ask you for on tonight the ones that are grieving to touch their heart, God, to go with the ones that are um mentally disabled. God, we just ask you to be um be the light that we need, God. And we thank you now because we know that you're able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. And God, we just thank you now, God, for being with us. God, go with the ones that are tuning in live tonight. God, give them strength and courage, God. Allow something that we say they must want to be saved, God, and we thank you for everything that you're doing. God, we just love you, we honor you, and we cherish you. It's in Jesus' name that I pray. Amen. Yes, and amen. Amen and amen. Amen. Look, I thought about you the other day. I was getting ready to go to juicy crab, and I said, I hate going to juicy crab without my friend. That's right. I'm glad you know. Right. I don't know. We were going to juicy crab at the choir rehearsal. Look. So I'm super excited.

Writing A Book Without Rushing

SPEAKER_03 11:21

I just want you um, you know, just to kind of tell people um since the since Beyond the Pages, what you've been doing, because I know you had started writing a book, and I know um you still you say, you know what, let me go back and and let me let me do something else to it. So how is that coming along?

SPEAKER_02 11:40

So since Beyond the Pages, it was going along really good. Um, I did a photo shoot. Um, I was getting my writing done. I got everything put together and turned in. However, I felt like it was I was rushing, and I didn't want to rush. Right. So I push pause, and I'm glad I did because since then I've been reading books. You know, we read a book a month, and I've gotten so much more insight. And even just last night, I was reading, uh, we're reading 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell. And he gave me a system for writing that, honey, listen. Right, listen, it's gonna it's changed the game, okay? So I'm glad I pushed pause. I just want to make sure that you know I'm adding everything that the Lord needs me to add, and I just want it to be what it's supposed to be. So hopefully, Lord willing. I ain't even gonna tell y'all.

SPEAKER_03 12:54

It's gonna be a surprise, right? And see, the thing about it, people people be scared that press and pause, like we, you know, press and pause is something powerful, yeah, right? Because a lot of people can say, you know what, I want it done now, yes, and I need it done now because um, you know, such and such got hers done, you know, so I want it done now, and being able to recognize when to say, you know what, I'm gonna I'm gonna pause right now. You know what I'm saying? Because I want this right, right? And I'm one of those ones, I don't never want it rushed, I want it right. Yes, don't, you know, don't don't, and and so I I value that in you where you was like, you know what, let me just let me just pause for a minute because here's the thing Beyond the Pages is not all about writing a book. I want y'all to understand that it's about being able to get strategies and get um strategize how God wants you to be the author of your vision and not just oh okay, I'm gonna write this book and I'm gonna be done. Yes, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 14:09

Yes, and thank God I did pause because I would have missed what God had for me.

unknown 14:16

Right.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

So it's okay to pause, right? It's okay to pause. Uh first lady teaches us to pause, pray, and delay your response. Right. And it works. So pausing is good. Pausing is good. Right.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

I'm so I'm so proud of you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, you know, because you know, I can see the growth, you know, and um and and and how you have allowed God to say, you know what, I'm going to grow me, like let him grow me. And so I just kind of want you to talk about how growing um can feel uneasy, but it's for your good. So can you just talk about how important that is?

SPEAKER_02 15:06

Hallelujah. So, yes, growing is so important to grow. I mean, when God is growing us, you talk, you speak better, you communicate better, you know, you show up better. What PD teaches us is about being all our authentic self and the best version of us that we can be. And he also teaches us we grow until we go. So growth just enhances everything, your opportunities, your blessings. I mean, it only it only makes sense to me, you know. Right. We have to grow until we go. And it has blessed me. I mean, I'm just a better version of me, and I just continue to grow and it's just getting better and better. Glory to glory.

SPEAKER_03 15:58

I'm I mean, really, really. Now, were there um, you know, times where you had to unite with someone? I and I know, I know you in the DM, but you know, um growing because we we often feel like we got to we got to grow alone. We got to go and sit somewhere and sit in the corner, but um, that's not how you know growth often often takes place. So talk about how um the people that you united with within these last just you know maybe a couple years, how they have helped impact you.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

Well, it's definitely all about community. And before I get into that, you said talk about also how growth is uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_03 16:44

Oh, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Girl, talk about that.

Growth Feels Uncomfortable On Purpose

SPEAKER_02 16:48

Listen, growth is definitely uncomfortable. You find yourself not wanting to do the very thing you need to do because your blessing is on the other side of the very thing you do not feel like doing. Um I have I have learned to what Paul said, be content. Be content in every situation, girl. In every situation. So for instance, when I went to Colorado for an assignment, the place that I had found before I even looked at it, was not a place that I wanted to be. It was not comfortable. Um it was not up to par. I had the nerve to say it wasn't what I'm used to, my type of living. However, yes, then I found a duplex, beautiful two-bedroom, upstairs, downstairs, entire unit for me. I had to sit with that. I said, okay, Lord, I trust you. And because I have grown, I had the discernment to know, even though it's not comfortable, even though I don't want to be here, I'm gonna sit here by the grace of God. And my assignment ended early. If I would have got that condo, I would have been stuck in a lease I was at, I didn't have a lease. And they went down on the rent because it wasn't, I I expressed my concerns. So they went down on the rent, the other place was like three times the amount. And so because of my growth, I was able to sit in it, be uncomfortable, let God use me. Right, and he had me there for a reason and a season. So when we what PD tells us, start being comfortable with being uncomfortable, uh-huh, you know, because growth is not comfortable because you're experiencing something that you've never experienced before. And he's putting us in those positions, in those rooms and situations where to grow us, right? And if we don't sit in it and see exactly what he has for us in it, we may miss that blessing. Right. We don't want to miss that blessing, okay, and growth also. I have grown in a way that I used to be the person that wanted to be by myself and do everything by myself, but because of my growth, I've learned that community is everything, right? We need community, we need partnerships. That's what the Lord created us for. He didn't He created Eve because Adam, he wants Adam to be alone. Okay, so he don't want us to be alone. I feel like we are all one big piece of the puzzle and we all fit together like a puzzle, and we love each other. Where you're strong, I might be weak. Where I'm weak, you may be strong. And then that's how we hold each other up, right? And get further faster, girl.

SPEAKER_03 19:57

Girl, you're about to have me jumping over here, life for real. Let's jump. Let's jump. You know what I'm saying? Let's leave, you know. Because, you know, like you say, you know, um that being the growth uh is unit is uncomfortable. And um, you know, even in that situation where you said that you um, you know, would have gotten in at least, you probably would have gotten in at least, and still assignments, yeah, and now you still right, right. And and and I can I can tell it's been plenty of times where you know we'll we'll we'll accept things just because we don't know better or we you know we want better, you know. We'd be we'd be like, uh uh uh because because convenient, you know, people will pay so much money for convenience, people will pay so much for confidence. That's a fact that was the money, yes, you know, and we will sit up there and say, you know, um now I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that. But then God is like, you know, I need you to sit into this, I need you to learn how to um just develop this, you know, this feeling being content with with whatever situation you are in. And that is that is huge right there in this day and time because you know, when we are trying to do things in the realm, we have to understand that sometimes it's gonna be very uncomfortable, it's gonna be very uncomfortable to talk to people that you ain't talked to. It's gonna be very uncomfortable to reach out to people to ask them to be on. And I'm talking about me to ask them to be on your podcast, and you don't know whether they're gonna say yes or no, you don't know how that's gonna go. Yeah, it's gonna be uncomfortable when God tells you to do certain things, it's just like you really want me to do that? You want me to go, um, you know, like even for you know, you I know you you're in the DN. And just having to get back in the then after so being out so long for a year. I was out for a year, you know. And and so, you know, we have to understand that, and like you say, being um growth is knowing that you can be in a community um with someone, and um, so I just want you to kind of talk about that a little bit more about being in a community and how important that is um to just know that you know, we don't go as far as our dream, we go as far as our team.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Right.

SPEAKER_03 22:34

So um just talk about some of the people that have um surrounded you in this time um since Beyond the Pages.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

Well, definitely just being back in the den where the community is and iron shark sharpening iron because on your growth journey, the people that you usually be around or or your um your circle that you're comfortable and familiar with, they may not be on the same growth journey. Right. So it's important to be in a community with like-minded um people that are growing like you're growing. Right. You know what I mean? Because they understand your language, your language is going to change, your conversation is gonna change, your character is gonna change, and it's important to be around people who are changing with you. Right.

unknown 23:28

Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

You know, and like I said, iron sharpens iron and um helping us get, you know, through whatever we're going through. To you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 23:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:38

So that it's important to be around your community. Because like I said, we need each other, we're growing together, we understand each other's language, we can pick each other up, we can help each other get through different systems or problems or situations that we're going through. So that's why community is important with for me. Um, the people that have surrounded me have helped me because you know, I have to be accountable. You know, they push me into into my greatness, into my greater, you know, pushing me into rooms that I never thought I would be in. You know what I mean? And because of my growth, I'm able to sustain and and be in those areas and learn and grow from those areas as well. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:29

Yeah, I mean, that's that's that's how we that's that's what we need. You know, you said something very important about being with like-minded people because they understand like where you're going. You know, you know, you get with somebody and you trying to you trying to go to the left, and they say, nah, nah, the right is better, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Unequally yoke, you know, unequally yoked, don't only go for relationships, son. Platonic and uh non-platonic relationships, period.

SPEAKER_03 25:01

You know, people just think they don't understand, and see, I'm I'm reading uh relational intelligence. I'm actually I'm actually leading one of the the change group with uh relational intelligence, and you know that right there, that book that Pastor Darius wrote, I just put them people in the right seat on that person because your your your destiny requires for that, you know, because if not, you'll be you'll be you you'll you'll be walking um outside of the will of God, and that's not what we want, right?

SPEAKER_02 25:37

Uh what starts off as an associate may end up being a mentor.

SPEAKER_03 25:41

You also gotta know when to change when the shift, when is the shift, you know? Oh girl, I think I was reading. I think I'm on assignment. I think I'm on the chapter of assignment because I'm trying not to read beyond what what we're talking about, and um and don't mix up mix up that assignment with that musical. Come on, that assignment with that friend, you know, that or that assignment with associate. Some people some people be trying, my god, my god. So, anyways, anyways, um what um education that you know you have you had since um you know you have been cued to walk into this coaching and cued to be walking into writing your book and everything

Learning Through The Den Community

SPEAKER_03 26:32

else. What education have you um had since then? The den.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

The den we read a book a month. I don't think y'all understand. The den is the den is listen, the den is the education, okay? A book a month and and books that are um that grow our mind, mindset books, right? Intentional about personal growth, right? You know what I mean? And then um the um the Zooms, you know, the lunch and learns, we get together and now they play the uh lesson in lunch and learn and then we talk about it. Right, yes, right, it's real time again, iron sharpening iron, and just listening to um again with community. So, for instance, if we're on a Zoom call and I hear someone speak about the lesson or a life lesson, that blesses me because I could have had that question or situation, right? God speaks through other others to speak to us. So again, community is everything, right? Because I get more questions answered just listening than actually speaking, right?

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Right, and that and that, you know, oh that that has happened to me a couple times being in the DNs. Like I'll be sitting there thinking about something, somebody somebody that have their hand raised and then they ask the question, it's like oh thank you.

SPEAKER_02 28:07

Answer your question, yeah you know, yes, because sometimes I'll be so so scared to say something like uh you know and the weekly zooms, the monthly zooms, the monthly prayers, like prayer is everything that's done without prayer, everything. You know me, I pray about Lord. We'll be eating today, okay? Like literally, prayers everything.

SPEAKER_03 28:32

Well, we have had time where we like God, we God, we we won't we want to go to uh what's what's the favorite restaurant we used to go to besides juicy crab? The fish place, yeah. God, we want to go to the fish place, and and God has dropped money, y'all don't understand. Make a way every time.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

He made a way every time for us to get that fish place and and speaking of making a way, if I would have if I would have not been obedient and and been still when I was in Colorado, I would have missed my blessing because I wasn't even there for the assignment. I was there for those ladies that rented me their room and to receive my blessing. Come on now. Oh, I got a brand new car. Come on, I would have missed my blessing. Do you hear it? So, yes.

SPEAKER_03 29:22

See, God, God don't play. God don't play. Y'all, I don't know what I you know. My thing is I tell people often is that you know, once I understand where God has me at, it's different, it makes my life different. So

Hearing God Through Guided Steps

SPEAKER_03 29:42

just talk about that, the understanding that you have now. Just I mean, just like how you said you, you know, if you would have missed your blessing, talk about how important that is, just to be able to understand where God got you instead of just being mad or sad or whatever. That's a fact because that was the old me.

SPEAKER_02 30:02

Even just coming back here, I was mad. So I was like, okay, I could have stayed where I was at until you know what I mean. I ain't gonna lie, boy, we stay in Florida. Already paid up, already paid. Wow, but I had to check myself. Well, I didn't, I didn't even check myself, I was just mad in it. And the very next morning, God showed up the way he do. But to get that understanding, we have to pray and ask for it, and then allow God to use us, put us in situations where we have to have the understanding, like, and also spend time with him. And it takes time, like growth is a journey, a journey that, like I said, we grow until we go. So it's a journey. And like PD said last Sunday, we uh let's not expect the person that we're speaking to to get what we what it took us five, 10 years, 20 years to get for this person that's uh a babe in Christ to get today, you know what I mean? Or even if they're two or three years in to get what we got over 10 years. So the understanding came from God taught me how to talk to him and pray between first grade and third grade. That was my introduction, and I've been praying ever since. So me and the Lord is locked in like a refrigerator, okay. And so I talked to I talk to him every do you hear me? So we talk every day. I spend time with him intentionally. I don't give a guy any leftover time. I start my day off with him, and so that's where the understanding, yes, and throughout the day, like I'm constantly. I told you, what we wearing a day, what we eating a day, what we going, and what Sharina says, routine my day, routine my way, Lord. Right, right, right. Well, that's where the understanding comes from. You gotta spend time with the Lord, you gotta have to talk to the Lord, you have to be in his word and let him do his thing, right? Like um, like Miss Tiffany said, because I'm keeping 100. Um, I don't always hear the Lord. Like people be saying, God said, the Lord said, Well, I ain't heard that. Okay. Right. So Miss Tiffany said, like the word says, He he guides our steps. Right. So even if I'm not sure or if I don't think I hear the Lord, I don't think I know. Like when I was in Colorado, I'm just like, okay, Lord, I trust you. And I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna make this step, and I pray it's your will. Right, right. And like Miss Tiffany said, just do it. Do it, pray about it, do it, and he's gonna direct our path. If it's not the path that he wants us on, he's gonna uh detour. Right, right. Like saying no or closing the door. That's our direction, right? Right, and if and if it's his will, we're gonna continue on, and you're gonna continue to make a way, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:00

Right. That's that's so good. I talked about that just last uh on Monday, about um how some people mishandle miracles because they feel like a miracle is supposed to happen in like loud or big big or whatever, and elevate them small wins, no, right, and so like like what you were saying is that you know his guidance is it sometimes is in the smallest things of okay, we make it, we're making a right turn instead of making a left turn because you probably it's a no for me.

SPEAKER_02 33:34

You know, okay. I ain't supposed to be there, right? Right, yeah. I'm not supposed to be there now. He can guide me to where I'm supposed to be, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:43

Right, yeah. And that's and that's so that's so important because you know, a lot of people don't know the voice of the Lord, and it's hard to hear him sometimes. Um, but the guidance of the Holy Spirit is what is important, you know, because you already prayed about it, and then we and the decision that you make. The decision I'm praying now, right? Right, look, look, like she said, don't gotta be no long prayer, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

The Lord straight up, look, that's what I want to do, right? I pray it's your will. Let's go. Don't take much.

SPEAKER_03 34:26

I mean, and people think that it do, but it don't. So you know, I I and I think and that right there, that that honesty that you had as far as like you saying, you know, I don't hear him, like some people be like, I heard the Lord, you know, and it's like maybe one time in 42 years, right? And I think that you know, you know, sometimes when people be saying that, it's like okay, they they got a confirmation, you know what I'm saying? Like, but then the way that they say it, they just be like, Oh, I heard the Lord. He said, I don't play like that.

SPEAKER_02 35:01

He seemed I don't play like that. If I heard right, I ain't gonna be playing what the Lord said. I feel like that's dangerous, and that's playing with him. Exactly. He he got my footsteps. You hear me? Thank you, Father.

SPEAKER_03 35:19

Hallelujah. So, um, so, anyways, I just want to talk, I want you to just talk about how um excited you are about where God is taking you now. Like, you know, even being here, um, being back where you are now, is that how excited that you are just to be able to be back and and to do the things that God has called you

Returning Grateful To A Growth Place

SPEAKER_03 35:42

to do.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

Well, first, let me tell you how mad I was uh before I left being here, ever since I moved here. Three, I mean, ever since I've been here three years ago, you know, sis. I know I've been mad, I want to be here, the weather, why am I here, woods everywhere, I like the sunshine.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Right.

SPEAKER_02 36:03

However, it took reading this book. So Mr. Maxwell has 10 questions. He asks, he said he uses to see if he's in a growth environment. When he read out those 10 questions, all I thought about was here.

SPEAKER_03 36:20

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 36:20

All I thought about was here, and I was like, okay, God, um, I'm gonna be more grateful and thankful. I'm not gonna complain, I'm not gonna talk about where I'm at because this is my growth environment. Right. And I'm so excited to get back. I texted everybody yesterday and said, I'm back and I'm ready to reconnect, I'm ready to get work because I was doing everything that my true passion is photography and videography, which I have never pursued until what was that about six months ago? Yeah, well, well, six maybe eight. Yeah, because I did it for a little while right before I left, and I've been gone, what, about four months? Something like that. So I started pursuing what I really love, and then to be back, to get back to that, I mean, I just know the Lord has so much in store for me, and I'm excited about it. I'm just excited to be back. I'm excited to reconnect, right? You know, and so yes, we're gonna be. I'm excited for Aro. He's gonna see he's gonna show us everything he has for us. And yes, I I really am excited though. I'm really excited to be here. I'm grateful and thankful. Yes, honey.

SPEAKER_03 37:40

Yes, I'm excited for you because you know, when she finally said, told me that that was her passion. I was like, girl, you should be doing, you should be doing it. Yes, I do it, didn't I?

SPEAKER_02 37:52

Yes, and the connection was made immediately, and I've been doing it ever since. Like when I was all I took for all I took, y'all, was for me to speak it and say tell somebody, community, tell somebody because I was just we were just sitting in church, yeah, yeah. I I'm I'm I just listen and I just told you, and boom, you made the connection, and I'm I'm it today.

SPEAKER_03 38:17

Like I tell you, God, the way God do things is just amazing. He's just he's just so he's he's he's he's incredible if you allow him to be incredible in your life, you know. Um, and I and I I'm so grateful that that the way that Pastor Darius always put it down to us is like, you know, when we look at him as um a tyranny or a tyranny or whatever, then that's how he can be in your life. But you got to be able to look at God in the way that, you know, it's like God, I love you. You know what I'm saying? Like, thank you, Father. You know, and the excitement that he brought. I mean, he's so he's so God.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

I don't feel like it's a word for him, right? So he's so that, you know. So

Emotional Intelligence And Daily Determination

SPEAKER_02 39:03

he's so God to me, you know, and another thing on growth, like I've really been on my emotional intelligence. I've really been on my emotional intelligence, and it's helping me. That's good. And sometimes I'll be feeling tried, but it's really not me. That's the old me, feeling tried. It's really just being aware of my emotions, being aware of my triggers, why what I'm feeling, giving language to what I'm feeling, why I'm feeling it, and what it's telling me to do, and what does God want me to do? That's good. And I've been doing a check-in twice a day with that, writing it down, and I'm a better person because of it. That's good. I'm a better putting the work in. Yeah, doing the work. You listen to it.

SPEAKER_03 39:53

People don't understand that you got to be intentional about this. I don't care what no, I don't care what nobody um says. Um, you have to be intentional about what you want, you know. Yes, um, and because it ain't gonna just fall in your lap or nothing like that. You know, you have to put in the work, like you say, to do the work, you know. So talk about how determined you are to put it to do it, because that right there, that it that means determined that you're gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_02 40:31

That's keeping me going because like I posted uh one Monday for my Power Cush Mondays. I said, listen, today I don't feel like doing it. I'm not, you know, I don't, I'm not inspired to do it. However, I'm gonna do it. Right. And I'm I'm determined. I'm determined to do it every day. Show up every week, camera on, asking a question, um working out, you know what I mean doing the work. Come on now, and it it works. The determination comes when it works, when you see the work, when you see it, but the only way you're gonna see results is to do the work and um celebrating my wins. Like I completed the first month book, that's another goal, completing the books, right? Completed month two, and I celebrate it each time. All my wins I celebrate, it don't have to be a big celebration, just celebrate because it pushes you to want to do more and to complete more, right? So, yes, and it's working. I'm determined.

SPEAKER_03 41:47

Come on, come on, we you know that celebrating your wins, um, even the small wins is definitely the small wins. Is something that um you know is very important in this life because you know, sometimes we feel like we supposed to just have this, you know, big, big, big results. And you know, we and and you ain't even paid attention that you went from this step to that step. You know what I'm saying? That's that take in that take courage sometimes. It takes courage sometimes for somebody just there, yeah. For somebody to just say, okay, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna make this step towards something, you know, um, that that I've been afraid to do or I've been fearful to do, you know, I've been fearful to, you know, you got some people that's fearful to even get in a pool and they they say, okay, you know what I'm gonna put one foot in, you know, or whatever. Yeah, yeah. You celebrate yourself, and I don't know who this is for. I don't want you all to think that you got to have like these big results. If you've made the decision and you made a step, you celebrate yourself. That's a win, okay. You know, right on a plan. That's a win. I'm telling I'm telling you. I mean, you know, you ain't got to you ain't got to go, and it gotta be like this big celebration, you gotta go, but just celebrate yourself, you know, and tell yourself how proud you are, you know.

SPEAKER_02 43:24

Like first lady said, eat the elephant one bite at a time. Even if you do one small thing, PD teaches it the compound effect. You do one small thing a day in 30 days, you'll be at that you'll be you'll you would have elevated to the next level. Exactly. In three months. Can't nobody tell you nothing. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 43:46

I'm telling you, that compound effect that that he is real is real.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

It's real. You look up like, whoa, right.

SPEAKER_03 43:55

I am further than I was in that we are right. Man, that's so good.

Advice To Your Younger Self

SPEAKER_03 44:02

Well, I just want to ask you one last question before we go. Um, if you had to, you know, just kind of leave something with your 18-year-old self, what would you tell your 18-year-old self?

SPEAKER_02 44:16

What would I tell my 18-year-old self? Yes. Oh, Jesus. What advice would you give your 18-year-old self? I would tell my 18-year-old self to stay focused. Your dreams are reachable. You got this. Everything you need is already inside of you. Stick with it. Finish everything you start. Yes. And no matter what, you're going to end up with where the Lord wants you to be. I feel like we can't mess up. Whatever we feel like is a mess up, God's gonna get us back on the path. So stay focused. I love you. You're okay, and you're gonna make it, and you're gonna get to where God has for you. Just stay focused and do it. Do the things you don't feel like doing. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 45:16

Who are you gonna have me cry? I'm so crazy. Y'all, y'all know I'm crazy, though. Don't don't don't pay me no attention. But I'm so excited that you um you were here, and you know, your your impact on my life has been great. And you know, um, you know, sometimes I I like even when you ain't here with me, I hear your voice. Come on, Jesus. Like one day I was I was going into the uh the store and I say, you better get a napkin and open that door. And every time I'll be like, I'll be like, well, I ain't got no napkin, let me just do it like y'all don't understand. Like um, so I'm super excited that you are here. Um, you know, and you are a part of Beyond the Pages, and you know, um, I hope you say yes to being a part of it next time because we get ready to get geared up already, already. Amen. So look like PD did with them, uh put you on the spot. You're gonna be over.

SPEAKER_02 46:25

Hey, you know how PD is, honey. Like, okay, so um so uh are you coming? But I want you to, before we leave, talk about how you uh did the one page a day.

unknown 46:39

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:42

Yes, like you said, it's it's not a rush. And especially like when I paused to for whatever reason, I don't even know why I paused. I just felt like I was rushing and I didn't want to put out a rush project. So for people who want to write, don't know how to write, don't know where to start, or just having some difficulties with putting it all together. Let them know about that one page a day because that blessed me.

SPEAKER_03 47:09

Oh, that blessed you. Okay, so you know, and um, I give you a little content of what she's talking about is that, you know, I got prophesied to write a book, and um, and God told me even when, and when I say God told me, He he sent through somebody, she told me to write a page a day. And and I was like, okay, a page a day. I didn't understand what he was talking about. I thought he meant a page literally a day, but um right after that I started a podcast, so I was speaking my page a day. Um, and and so that's what I talk about is you know, sometimes we have to we think that it's supposed to happen really quick, but God is always, always working whether we know it or not. And so when it's time, you'll look back and you'll say, Oh, I've been I've been living this life a page a day, or I've been speaking like with me, I've been speaking my page a day. Yeah, because everything that I was speaking about, God allowed me to write about and put in it in my book, and then once I started to write, I didn't have to even, it didn't take long because I had already spoken it, and so that is that is one of the things that she's talking about. Look, you put me on the spot there. That's important though.

SPEAKER_02 48:29

I'm telling you, that blessing it doesn't always have to uh be or look like whatever someone else has done or the norm, like like you said, you spoke your book a day, right when you said live that thing a day, a page a day, that blessed me as well, because everything we need is inside of us, he giving it to us. We just gotta pay attention and be aware and do it, right?

SPEAKER_03 48:57

And that's what Beyond the Pages is all about is you are beyond those pages, you are beyond just writing it, you know. You are living it, you are being the book, becoming the book, and um, you know, the theme may be something a little bit different this year, but you are be like last year, we became the book, and um, and um, and so I'm I'm excited about that.

How To Connect And Closing Call

SPEAKER_03 49:23

So, anyways, anyways, you tell it, tell everybody how they can reach you, and um, if you pray it, pray us out, then I'll come back and let us let us out.

SPEAKER_02 49:32

Come on, Jesus, you know I love me a good prayer. So my LinkedIn, I mean my link tree, that's what I go by, my link tree. Um okay, so it is HTTPS colon backslash backslash link tree slash coach and nurse. So everything is really either nurse or coach or coach and nurse. So my link tree, if you go to link tree, search me um coach and nurse. My Facebook page is nurse dash coach ashanti. My IG is glad one ready for that. Nurse, I was just oh, it's it's the same nurse coach ashanti all my word and uh everything, honey. Nurse and coach, but the link tree it'll give you a uh list of everything, and I'll give you the information so you can put it below so they can just click. Y'all can just click the link below. That's what I'm talking about. And thank you so much. I appreciate you and me this opportunity. Uh letting me share your platform with you. And you know I love you, girl. I love you too. You want me to pray us out? Yes, and then our coming, Heavenly Father. Please humble our hearts as we come to you as spirit and in truth. Lord, we love you and we thank you and we bless you. We thank you for this opportunity and this blessing, Lord. I pray that we stored it faithfully and fruitfully. Father God, go before us and behind us. We love you and we honor you, we bless you, forgive us of all of our sins, knowing and unknowingly, and Lord, have your way with this uh series, have your way with this um podcast, so that it reaches the person that the people that you uh ordained it to, Lord God, have your way, routine our day, routine our ways, Father God. We love you and we bless you in the mighty name of Christ, our Lord. Yes, and amen, amen, and amen.

SPEAKER_03 51:33

Amen, amen. And I tell y'all, we you know, um, it's just it's so incredible when you know we what we talk about, like how God is incredible and everything, and we want to make sure that we offer him to you. Um, it's one of the things that I always make sure I do is I offer him to you. And one of the things that you can do is you can you can ask, you can acknowledge that you are a sinner, you can confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, and then you can turn from your ways, turn from those ways that's not pleasing to him, and those ways that's not getting you the right results, and then you can seek after a Bible-based church, a church that is teaching the word of God and not changing the word of God. And I guarantee you that when you give your life to Christ, it'll be the best decision ever, ever to the man, okay.

SPEAKER_02 52:34

And I got a word on that. Listen, uh-huh. I don't mean to interrupt. When you spend time with the Lord, He's gonna change you, and it ain't like He gonna say, You just stop doing this. You are not gonna have an interest in the things you used to do. Telling you, you just not gonna do it, you're gonna wake up and be like, mm-mm, that's not yeah, yeah. So you're gonna turn from them ways.

SPEAKER_03 52:58

Oh, yeah. The closer you get to him, oh yes, the closer you get. Oh, yes. I believe he created you to be, yes, that's a fact, yes. So I I believe that 100%, and um, so I'm excited about what God is doing. I just want you all to make sure that you are um staying tuned, okay. Um, like I said before, you want to make sure that you are staying tuned. You are going to the website. You are don't forget about this. This isn't this is big, y'all. This is huge. Pastor Tolan Morgan is going to be in the house on April 15th. And um, and he he's gonna bless y'all. I I promise you, if y'all, if y'all had the opportunity to watch uh old school Sunday, he's gonna bless y'all. So I'm super excited about um about that. And um, and don't forget about books of the Bible on Monday and in the morning, I'll be here. So, anyways, anyways, I thank you. Thank you, nurse and coach Ashanti for being on here. I know that you know it's gonna bless someone. Trust me, trust me, and uh, and so I want you all to just please, please, please, just make sure that you are staying cued for Christ. All right, bye y'all. My god, wasn't that such a great message? You can always go to the YouTube channel to watch the full video of this message, all right. Thank you so much, and I look for you in the comments and make sure that you are staying tuned for Christ. All right, bye y'all.