Pressed Into Purpose
"Pressed Into Purpose" explores the transformative journeys of individuals who discovered their calling through life's challenges and triumphs. Each episode features intimate conversations with guests from diverse backgrounds who share how they identified their unique purpose, overcame obstacles in pursuing it, and experienced profound personal transformation as a result.
We dive deep into the pivotal moments, unexpected detours, and guiding principles that shaped our guests' paths. Whether through career shifts, personal crises, spiritual awakenings, or gradual realizations, these stories illuminate the various ways purpose reveals itself.
More than inspirational tales, these conversations offer practical insights for listeners questioning their own direction, feeling stuck, or seeking greater meaning. Join us as we uncover how being "pressed" by life's circumstances often reveals our most authentic purpose and highest potential.
Pressed Into Purpose
The Wounded Healer Speaks: Corene Gardner's Journey to Authenticity and Purpose
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We dive deep into a transformative conversation with Prophetess Pastor Corene Gardner about her journey from insecurity to confident purpose. Her powerful testimony reveals how God took her through seasons of refinement to become the woman of influence she is today.
• Struggling with self-esteem and identity issues despite being active in ministry
• Finding freedom by moving to Tennessee and breaking free from religious constraints
• Confronting trauma directly instead of suppressing painful memories
• Balancing multiple callings as pastor, prophet, entrepreneur, and content creator
• Learning that submission in marriage means flourishing together, not diminishing yourself
• Discovering authenticity in ministry rather than mimicking others
• Building a hair care line and brand while maintaining spiritual leadership
• Understanding that healing is essential for effective ministry to others
• Recognizing that confidence develops gradually through intentional growth
• Embracing your uniqueness while maintaining spiritual foundations
Trust that God has already placed everything you need for success inside you. He's waiting for you to discover it and step confidently into your purpose. You've already won.
Thanks for listening!
Until next time, continue to press into your purpose!
Meet Prophetess Pastor Corinne Gardner
Speaker 1Hello, my name is Valeria Wright and this is Pressed Into Purpose. Let's meet today's guest. Today's guest is Prophetess Pastor Corrine Gardner. Corrine Gardner is a passionate and visionary leader known for her unwavering confidence, boundless energy and deep devotion to God and His people. With over 20 years of ministry experience, she serves not only as a pastor, but also as an entrepreneur, coach, mentor, youtube content creator, social media influencer and community leader. Corrine is joyfully married to Apostle Gino Gardner, with whom she has shared 22 years of love and partnership. Together, they are proud parents of their two beautiful children, skye and Zion.
Speaker 1An Army veteran, corrine's life is a testament to resilience, dedication and service. She holds a bachelor's degree in human services with a concentration in addiction, and is currently pursuing her master's degree in clinical mental health counseling at Liberty University. Corrine is the founder of Pampered Pretty, where she recently launched her own hair care line. She is also a licensed realtor in Alabama and she demonstrates her commitment to empowering others in all aspects of life. Known as the Wounded Healer Prophet, pastor Corrine brings a fresh and relatable perspective to the gospel of Jesus Christ, bridging the gap between generations and inspiring healing and transformation for women worldwide. With a unique call to entrepreneurship in the marketplace. She challenges others to expand their thinking, embrace financial literacy and do the necessary work to heal and step into their God-ordained destiny. Prophetess Pastor Corrine Gardner is a true force for the kingdom, a voice of healing and an innovative leader committed to empowering others to thrive spiritually, emotionally and practically. Please help me welcome, pastor Prophetess Corrine Gardner.
Speaker 1Thank you, welcome to the podcast. Thank you, I am so honored that you have chosen to be my guest today. I'm happy to be here. Listen, listen, listen. We just got to let the people know we are on location in Birmingham, alabama, okay, in the Gardner residence. I appreciate your willingness to allow me and the podcast into your home Absolutely Because, listen, I'm excited. Podcast into your home, absolutely Because, um, listen, I'm. I'm excited about today's conversation. I'm excited about you know what God is, how God is going to show up. You know he will, you know. So let's jump right into this.
Speaker 1Um, I have the. I have the privilege of knowing you for over 20 years at this point, and I met you when you were a mere what? 18? Probably about 19 or 20. Okay, all right, and listen, I just knew you as Gino's wife and I said, oh, okay, gino got a wife. He went on to the military and got a wife, but listen, over the years, you are so much more than just Gino's wife. You are. You are a leader, a friend, a mother, a wife, a, an entrepreneur.
Speaker 1Listen, all the things that I've read, but I know, I know you to be a true, genuine woman of God and I appreciate, just I just want to tell people I appreciate your walk, I appreciate how you show up in the space. You know you meet a lot of people, but the first day I met you, I knew two things about you you were serious Listen, that's a hard fact, baby and you were genuine Listen, that's a hard fact, baby. And you were genuine. Thank you, and oh well, three, and that you love the Lord. And so I just want to start off our conversation by asking you this question as you look over your life, how would you sum it up to this point, my God? How would I sum my life up to this point, grace? Okay, dig into that for me, grace. Okay, dig into that for me, grace. And if I could have a second thing that I would say, I would definitely say healed, Come on, come on, that's a journey. You see, we're going to dig into that. Yeah, okay, okay, it's been a journey, yes, yes, a long journey. The woman that you see today, mm-hmm, it took a while to get here. It took a while, but I was dedicated and determined to get here by any means necessary. And it means that come on, come on, yeah, so, so, grace and what was the second word, sorry, grace. And he, that's the important one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, healed, healed.
Speaker 1So in order to be healed, there have to be some wounds, absolutely so. You have been called the wounded healer. Let's start, let's unpack that. How did that come about? God told me that he called me, he coined me that the wounded healer.
Speaker 1One day I was going through some challenges, like I normally do, coming through my healing phases, going through my healing journey, and I kept asking God, like, what is the purpose behind all of this that I'm going through, the things that I've seen, the things that I've experienced? And God said because I've anointed you to be the wounded healer, meaning you're going to be, you're going through so you can help somebody else. Come on, you have to journey through healing in order to help others heal. Yes, and how better way to do it through somebody that has experienced it, because it's one thing to talk about healing and talk about going through things, but when you have lived it, when you've been through the trenches, it's a whole nother testimony. When you live the testimony so you can see it in other people, you can hear it in conversations when you're dealing with someone that's broken or someone that has gone through situations that have broken. Or if they're in pieces, you can pick up on it because you've been there. Oh, yes, you know the language. You know the facial expressions. Yes, you know the heart posture. Yes, you know the looks on their faces. You know the words and the lingo that they speak. That is coming from a wounded place, yes, and so I'm very sensitive to those areas, not to judge, but just to push you to heal.
Speaker 1Come on, listen, listen. Don't you get me started too early now. Don't you get me started too early. I need my help earlier. Listen, listen, listen, look, because I talked to your husband a little while ago, okay, and listen. I ran about this show and I said we got to get your wife on the podcast. Yes, yes, and I said we got to get your wife on the podcast. And now here you are. You see what I'm saying he has that effect on me too. He has that effect on me too. He's a pusher. I'm glad to be here, listen.
Speaker 1So let's go to the young Kareem. Let's start where it all started. So tell me about the young Kareem and what life was like for you. Young Kareem was fragile. Young Kareem had low self-esteem. Okay, young Kareem didn't like all of this melanin. Okay, because I have big eyes, big lips and a big nose, and then I'm dark-skinned. But then then that was a problem for me because I wasn't comfortable in the skin that I was in. Okay, okay, and I wasn't necessarily told you're beautiful, you're beautiful just the way you are. You're enough, you know. And so growing up, I had low self-esteem. I wasn't as confident as I am today. That's why I said it was a journey to get there. And so young Kareem was very unsure of herself. But young Kareem knew deep down on the inside that you're going to be somebody. Come on, and it is. You're going to be somebody Like I, low-key, low-key, high-key knew that I was going to be famous. Come on, come on.
Growing Up with Low Self-Esteem
Speaker 1It took me a while to come to the realization. It was like an out-of-body experience. You're experiencing life this way, but inside you're a beast, yeah, just waiting to come out, to be unleashed. Just waiting to come out, yeah, but you just need somebody to tell you that it's okay to be you, that that it's okay. It's okay to be different yes, it's okay that you're not like everybody else. It is it's okay that they don't like you. It is it's okay because they're going to love you later, listen, or either hate you even more because of where God is going to take you See, ok, so until I came to grips with that, uh huh. And it wasn't until I I intensified my relationship with God that I was able to really start the process. Ok, I still wasn't there, right, right, I mean, listen, that, that, that this process, it's something about the process, and I feel like in life we're always going through a process. It's not just you go through the process and you all good. Now it's time for the next process, right, and the next process the refining. Come on. The refiner's fire, come on, yes, listen, don't you do it Okay. Refiner's fire, come on, yes, listen, don't you do it Okay. So, listen, yes, the refiner.
Speaker 1So, young Kareem had low self-esteem. Young Kareem was not excited per se about the skin that she was in Now. When did that change for you? That changed for me probably about seven years ago. Shut up, yeah, are you serious? Yeah, yeah, wow About 2015 is when, when the turnaround happened for me.
Speaker 1Wow, the process it started when I got saved. Yeah, yeah, but that was years of process. Yes, years of process. That was me being saved, loving God, getting into the church, getting serious about my walk with God and then learning myself as a woman. But then I attached myself to another woman and I attached myself to her identity. So now I'm somebody that I'm not for 14 years.
Speaker 1Wow, because you are, you're like. Well, she seemed like she got it together, right, this is my example. Maybe I should look like her, maybe I should act like her, maybe I should act like her. Be like her, okay. And then I didn't have anyone to say no, be you right, and it's okay that you can be you and still be safe.
Speaker 1So it wasn't until about seven, eight years ago, wow, that I came in contact with a leader that almost like, gave me permission, yes, to be me, cause we need that. Yeah, it's. It's crazy that that, that we need the permission, because God has given us everything we need in the beginning. But if nobody ever tells you right, you, you're great, just the way you are. You just need some refinement. Yeah, like, don't change your personality, right, don't change. You know your uniqueness, just refine it, just refine it. Wow, okay, so we got to unpack this. Yeah, because I know that's hard, that was shocking for you. Yes, because you're like, wait a minute now I've known you 20 years Exactly and you mean to tell me, so that means that you were Okay. So, listen, I done messed you up. Yeah, so that means that you were a wife, a mother, a military woman struggling with identity. Wow, now, so I know parts of your story. So I want to, I want to ask a question about a part of your story and then we can. We can move forward, but I want to.
Speaker 1I know that you became a um, a chaplain in while in Iraq, correct, yes, well, not necessarily a chaplain. I was still a lower enlisted soldier, okay, and I asked God told me okay, to ask the chaplain, okay, I could hold, hold a service, and I was afraid at first. I said, no, he's not going to like, who am I? I'm a female, first of all female, lower enlisted soldier asking this major if I can start a service. And God said ask him. I've already prepared his heart. So when I asked him, the first thing he said to me is when would you like to start? No other questions. When would you like to start? No other questions. When would you like to start? Come on, okay.
Speaker 1So you were bold enough. Yes, you were sensitive enough to hear God. You were bold enough to do what he told you to do and ask what he told you to ask to whom he told you to ask it? Right, and then you went out and did it, had no idea the capacity of what I was doing. Like, looking at it years later I'm talking about 10, 15 years later it was almost like an out-of-body experience because I had just gotten really saved and dedicated my life to God during that time. So I was really zealous. I was really on fire for God Just had recently got married. I was married on fire for God, just had recently got married. I was married like six weeks and then deployed right, right, right, right, freshly married, over in the sandy desert of Iraq and I was bold enough and heard God. And God said do it. And I did it.
Speaker 1But coming back years later, I'm like, whoa, that was a lot, yes, like literally having someone build me a baptism pool, fill it up with water and I was baptizing people over in Iraq. Wow, I was 19 years old, go ahead. No, no, you go ahead. You had no idea of the capacity. Like it's now, 10 years later, 10 years ago, I'm like, wait, I was really over there, like I started a church in Iraq and I guess that's why, because I knew that story. I guess that's why I was so shocked a few moments ago when you said you, you know, you just got to this place of confidence and you know, you know, being okay with the skin you're in less than 10 years ago. So walk me through that.
Speaker 1I think, spiritually, I had an awakening. Okay, like when God called me, he called me into ministry in Iraq as well, okay, okay, told me that I was a preacher and that I was called to be a prophet. Didn't quite understand that layer of what he had called me to do, but I knew that I was supposed to preach the gospel over in Iraq and I did so. But behind the scenes of what that looked like me discovering myself as a woman, that was still a journey. Okay, that was still a journey for me, okay, but I was confident in what God had told me to do, yes, but being confident to wear my hair a certain way or to express myself a certain way, being okay with being a content creator, being okay with starting a bit, things like that, being okay with the way I look and being able to express how I feel through the way that I dress and not feel like if I wear something that I'm not saved Listen, we're going to talk about that. Because, listen, we're going to talk about that.
Speaker 1Because I was in my early 20s, looking 40. You and me both, that's right. I was just about to say that when I met you, we was kids with spirits Because, listen, I think I might have been 20, 20. If you was 19, then I was probably 20, 21, somewhere, somewhere in there. Yeah, and baby, listen, I.
Speaker 1I was suited and booted like long skirts, with the, with the split up, slit up the back, with my church scarf and my whole suit look lime green, you know, and I don't forget that. And the person and the purse, because, who, because, because, who, not going to be coordinated and holy, okay. And when I met you, I said, okay, listen, she's saved for real. Okay, she's saved for real, okay, because that's what it looked like back then. Yes, that's what it looked like. That was what they said you had to look like if you was going to be saved for real. It wasn't just how you were living, it was how you were looking. Right, because I could have been living in shambles, but as long as I had to look together, come on, I was in there. Come on, now, look, let's talk about that. Let's talk about looking the part, but not walking the part. Right, right? So, because I, I know not that you were perfect, because none of us are, but you were on fire for God, absolutely Young woman, on fire for God.
Speaker 1You entered the military, you have gotten married and now you are a young mother. Yes, what does that look like being a wife and young mother in the military, but then also now, because your first child is a daughter? Yes, what does that look like for you and what does that unlock in you when you have your daughter? When I had Sky, I had already gotten out of the military. I got out in 2004 when I returned back from Iraq and I had Sky in 2006.
Finding Freedom in Tennessee
Speaker 1So motherhood was, for me, was very important because I was determined to do it differently, to do it differently than how I was parented. So, going into motherhood, I was still broken. Even after being saved a good six, seven years doing everything that I did in Iraq, there was still some things in me that I had to learn as a new wife, because the first year of my marriage I was in Iraq, right, right. So, coming back now, my husband gets the brunt of my daddy issues. Yeah, okay so, because when I, my dad was addicted to drugs and alcohol for the majority of my life, okay, he did not get clean until maybe three years before he passed, and he passed in 2015. Wow so Gino had to endure those wounds early off in marriage because I was not healed from that place.
Speaker 1So a lot of the arguments were you're not my dad, stop trying to be my dad. And he wasn't trying to be my dad, he was trying to be my husband, but I didn't know the difference Because you didn't know what it looked like and I didn't know what it looked like. Okay so, parenting Sky. I was really hard on Sky in the very beginning and I regret that now, like I have lived through regret with that for many, many years, how hard I was on her in the very beginning, because I'm a new mom fresh off the sands of Iraq, ptsd, daddy issues, a lot of stuff going on. I don't know what that looks like and now I'm trying to love my child and not be my mom, gotcha. So it was a lot of brokenness, a lot of pain and a lot of internal, because where I was in life at that moment, I was almost in a tug of war with my identity.
Speaker 1Okay, because I wanted to be who I am, but I feel like I can't because people won't let me. Okay, dig into that for me, Ministry, ministry-wise. I felt trapped. I felt like I was in a box, like we were just talking about. If I don't look a certain way, then my leaders have got not gonna prove, they're gonna think I'm not saved. I might get set down. All of the above, all the things. I wouldn't dare put this red lipstick on, listen, because, and definitely wouldn't this outfit was no ma'am, no ma'am, no ma'am A red lip and some leather and some fishnet and the blood of Jesus. Okay, I've got to be Jezebel. Okay, I got Jezi. Come on, but see, there we are again. Won't let me be me, yeah, yeah, yeah, and me not being bold enough and confident enough to say I'm grown and I'm saved For real, like I really love God. I really love God. Yes, if these fishnetsets gonna send me to hell on a date night with my husband, then, hey, I don't know what. I don't know what to tell you, because there was no way I should have been in my early 20s, looking like I was 50.
Speaker 1Listen, I was talking to one of my girlfriends. This was later in life, probably about 10 years ago. We worked together and I was like girl listen, I used to be, I used to be shopped on the church. And she was like, for real, what would you? You know, where did you shop? And I told her about the store that I, no, no, it was, it was a, uh, cat dog. What was the name of the store? Because they Evans.
Speaker 1I said, oh, I shopped at Evans. Now see, evans was a place where, um, the, the older women shop, you see, but my mother would take me with her. You see what I'm saying. So I would go, we would go to Evans, and she would let me pick some stuff out, right? So I would, I would pick out what I thought was the young things. You know what I'm saying. And, um, I said I'd be like, oh, this is, I'm cute, I'm doing the thing right. And she and I said I used to get compliments and everything. And she said, valeria, how old were the people? She said, because my grandma shopped at Evans. I said, now, they had young stuff. She said, how old were the people that were complimenting you? And I sat and I thought about it and I said I guess there was about between 40 and 45. She said, I said, but I was, oh my God, I was 18. Wow, oh my God. And it was at that moment, just about 10 years ago, that I had a epiphany. Yeah, yeah, oh, you was like real old. I'm surprised my husband stayed with me.
Speaker 1Listen, I remember, I remember I had this lavender suit. Come on, come on, lavender. I don't know if you remember that lavender suit, babe, I had the shirt on the shirt. It was almost kind of see-through, but it was covered. Come on, it was covered. And the lapel shirt, yeah, come on.
Speaker 1And, babe, I had some lavender shoes. See, that's what I'm. Come on, listen, you had to have the shoes. That was matching the suit, baby, listen, hey, I remember one day he said them shoes is ugly. I said, oh, not ugly. I said, oh, let me go throw them away. Oh, that ain't it. Oh, okay, my bad, cause you was doing it, cause I thought I when I say I thought I was, I thought I was doing it he said, baby, them shoes is ugly. It didn't even know. Like stiletto heel, it was one of them, block low heels two inches. I don't even think it was two inches, but that's when I had to really come to grips with it. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, right.
Speaker 1And then what happened was it was such a butterfly moment because I can remember in my mind the moment I started to transition into myself Okay, okay, let's talk about it Because I went from one mindset and not that it was a rebel, like I'm just rebelling, or anything like that, but it was like it was almost like God shifted me into purpose, okay, right on time, okay, and he knew that I needed to go through that journey so that I can minister to a sister that's coming in, looking 85 and she's 20. So as I started to transition, I noticed that the ladies around me took note and were inspired by the journey Okay, and started doing things outside of the box too. So it was almost like God had me leading the charge of deliverance, because some stuff you just got to be delivered from to say that ain't got nothing to do with your salvation. Come on, your skirt is on the flow, but at the end of the day it hanged you up. Now, now, come on, now that thing, listen, because if you wearing a skirt but you the down to the floor, but, uh, when you ain't in here, it's, it's, it's everywhere else, but at the floor. Okay, listen, what are we even doing? Okay, what are we even doing? So I had to really come to grips with. That's not who you are, this is who you are, and be OK with that. Wow, wow, so, so I know that you so you're from Georgia met the husband in Texas. Yes, you, all you know, set up roots there and then, know, set up roots there.
Speaker 1And then you moved from Texas to Tennessee. Yes, walk me through what was going through your mind at that point, cause at this, at this point, you had not had the, the awakening. It was along the process. Okay, okay, so, talk, talk, talk me through that transition, going through the Underground Railroad to get to freedom. Wow, yeah, that's an analogy. I felt like Harriet Tubman. Wow, it was such a liberating experience. I don't it's hard to explain unless you, unless you've been there spiritually and physically, but Tennessee was freedom in every area of my life, every area of my life.
Speaker 1Tennessee is where I became the Kareem Gardner that you see now, yeah, now that you say that I can see it, wow, yeah, it was like my awakening, yes, yes, and I felt like all the shackles all the shackles of religion, because I'm not saying everything that happened in Texas was bad, right, of course not, because it absolutely was not. I wouldn't be who I am today spiritually, listen without that foundation and the discipline and the discipline of fasting and praying and knowing the word of God and being saved and living for God. I wouldn't be where I am today if it was not for my Texas experience, absolutely. But I would not be the Corrine Gardner that you know if it had not been for me I had to go through Tennessee. Listen, don't you stop. It had not been for me. I had to go through Tennessee. Listen, don't you, don't you stop preaching over now. Listen, because I know you Listen, as Jesus had to go through. Listen, come on, I had to go, I had to go and it was almost as if, as though that route it was necessary, it was needed and it was right on time for where I was in life. Yeah, because Minister Corrine was birthed in Texas, okay, okay, but Corrine Gardner was birthed in Tennessee. Gardner was birthed in Tennessee, so it was almost like the little girl that we talked about earlier came to herself in Tennessee, wow, wow. But the two experiences work together. Yes, because I needed that foundation of faith and to be as disciplined as I am. I had to do that. But people, people look, a lot of women look at me and they're like you're so confident. What? How are you so confident? How are you the way that you are? And I'm like. It has been a journey. Yes, I didn't just wake up and become Kareem Gardner. Yeah, it was a journey of self-love, discipline, learning myself, healing from the things that tried to break me, listen and being okay with facing the dragon, being okay with admitting that I'm wounded, being okay with admitting that that hurt me and that affected me. Yes, and not trying to sweep that under the rule. No, I'm okay. No, I was not Okay, I wasn't that. I'm still living. I still got scratches and bruises from some of that stuff. Just because I'm moving on and I'm okay Doesn't mean it, it did not affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have residue, and sometimes we just learn how to go on, keep going with trauma. But I was determined to face trauma head on. Okay. Okay, so was because your, your degree is in don't don't let me get it wrong Clinical mental health counseling, mental health counseling.
Speaker 1So is that what made you go into that field or did something else you know happen to make you head in that direction? I think it's a little bit of both. Okay, because I've always. People have always told me you're a great listener, you give great advice, but as a clinician, we don't give advice. We create a space, a safe place for people to have a conversation, a space, a safe place for people to have a conversation, and so I love talking to people and unpacking their stories, because I have one too, and it's easy for me to sit unbiasedly and listen to your story and help you connect the dots, because I had to connect my own dots and finally see. That's why you're like this, this is why you got a little control bone in you, because if you get that trauma disconnected. And so it's easy for me to help people unpack stuff, because I had to do the work, got it, and as a therapist, we have to do the work too, and so I'm very, very passionate about helping people unpack stuff that they try to sweep under the rug.
The Journey of Healing from Trauma
Speaker 1That underlining issues where we're having trouble connecting with people. We're having trouble with communicating effectively with our spouses, with our friends and family members, because we haven't dealt with stuff that we're trying to keep moving forward with. But the baggage and the bones are following us. Listen and loud, they're loud, they rattling, they, what they rattling, real loud. You're like I'm good, hush, clank, clank, clank, clank. I know I'm good, that don't bother me. Clank, clank, clank, clank. Listen. And at some point you have to, like you said, confront it head on, deal with it, admit that it bothered you and then make a decision that you're going to do something about it. Right, I feel like a lot of people finally get to the place where they admit that there's something wrong. Finally get to the place where they admit that there's something wrong, but not a lot of people take the next step to say now I need to do something about it and how do I do something about it?
Speaker 1It's painful. Well now, you're right about that, digging up that stuff, you're right Digging up those wounds. It is pain, it's a painful experience. Our heart captures those memories and it replays it, and it's it's, it's, it's easier to just push it to the back.
Speaker 1I've had people tell me that they don't remember their childhood Cause they blocked it out. They blocked it out. It was so painful, something so traumatic happened to the point where they blocked. They don't want to remember, so they suppress the memories. That's dangerous. It is that something so painful has happened to you that you block it out and you don't want to think about it. But it takes courage, it does. It takes um intentionality to be able to say let's talk. Let me talk about this pain point right here. Yeah, because I realized that this has affected my marriage. This pain point is sabotaging my marriage, the way that I handle my children. This pain points.
Speaker 1I gotta address this as painful as it is right, because if you touch a wound when you, when you talk about something that has wounded you or hurt you, it's almost like snatching the scab. You're trying to heal it and you snatch it right back off, so it's best to just leave it alone. People say I'm just not going to worry about that, I'm going to just leave that alone. But if you don't put no ointment on it, if you don't tend to it, then the scars are going to be much worse and everybody's going to be like what happened to you, whereas if you tend to it, if you properly take care of it and just take care of it, then it's not that it didn't happen, but now you can. How do I want to put it? Instead of informing your life in a negative way, now it can inform your life in a positive way. And you know, I've been through some things myself, traumatic things myself. And you're right, it is super duper painful to relive or unearth something that you didn't even realize was triggering you or was causing you pain.
Speaker 1Yeah, I had a experience. It was so funny. So I went to the chiropractor one time and and this was my first experience with a chiropractor and I went to the chiropractor because my knees were bothering me Okay, so he's doing the adjustment. And about my third visit, he said there is a new technique that I am practicing and I said, okay, he said it's homeopathic and I was like, okay, I don't know what that is, but no, okay. He said would you be okay with me trying this new technique on you? And I said, I suppose, because I'm nervous now. Right, right.
Speaker 1So he took some drops Listen, I don't know what these drops was, listen, okay. And he said he put them underneath my tongue, listen. And he said now take a deep. He stepped behind me. He said now take a deep breath. And he started counting and he started tapping. Listen, I don't even understand. He got, he started counting from one and as he tapped, tapped, tapped he.
Speaker 1By the time he got to six, something happened. And he said what happened to you when you were six? I said say what now? He said what happened to you when you were six? I said I don't, I don't know. He said just take a moment and think about it, corrine. Yeah, yeah, I had to think about that thing. Yeah, and what happened to me when I was six was my sister almost died and I was standing there looking at her in the hospital bed in the ICU on life support. Wow, saying God, don't take away my best friend, mm. Wow, wow, I was at the chiropractor. Wow, that's powerful. What that is powerful. I said I ran up out of that place, sir, I'm going to have to go. I got to go Listen. I ran up out of that place, sir, I'm gonna have to go. I got to go listen. I ran up out of that place. I called my sister. I said you ain't gonna believe what just happened to me, wow.
Speaker 1And because my sisters were just one of my sisters is a counselor and so she was going through the process. You know, because you know, if you're going to counsel others, then you have to walk through that process, as you mentioned. And then one of my other sisters had just started going to therapy. Because, you know, in our community come on, now, this is new. This is new that we, we go to therapy and that we, you know, uh, deal with trauma, because in our community, for the longest time, because of so much trauma, nobody had to. You just got to move on, you got to get over it, cause you know what I'm saying, what happens in this house stays in this house.
Speaker 1And so when I got, I ran up out that chiropractor and I had to call my sister and I said he just made me remember something that I hadn't even, I didn't even know it was there. And when I told them about it they were like, know, it was there. And when I told them about it they were like, wow, that's pretty deep, okay, so what you going to do about that? And I was like, well, I don't know. But at least I said I don't know. But but, yeah, dog, um, um, I'm gonna have to really think about this. And that was my first experience with therapy wow, through the chiropractor. And I was like, if I can sit with the chiropractor, because, think about it, it makes sense when we're housing trauma.
Speaker 1It affects our body, it does, it shows up in pain, acheses, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Come on and talk about it. My pastor says all the time, some of this dis-ease is unforgiveness. Okay, listen, period. Yes, indeed, and so it's unhealed trauma. It's the things that we don't want to talk about. It's the things that we don't want to allow God to uproot. Right, ask me how. I know, look, listen.
Speaker 1So when you first began to really make the shift, what were those beginning days, like? I mean, what were the conversations that you were having with yourself? It started out a little uncomfortable because it was different. I was operating outside of myself like it's okay, you can do it. I was like fly little bird.
Speaker 1I don't know if you remember the scene in what's Love Got to Do With it. That's one of my favorite movies. Ask Gina, I've watched it. I can quote the movie without even watching it. There's a scene in that movie where Anna Mae is getting ready to go and perform on stage with Ike for the first time, but she's nervous. Yes, that's me. Okay, right, okay, okay. So her sister Eileen says go on, anna Mae, you been practicing in the bathroom enough. Yes, yes, yes. And then she took the mic and killed it. Listen, that's how that was for me. Wow, like I coached myself, like you got it. Yeah, you've been practicing in the bathroom enough. Yes, you've been practicing behind the scenes enough. Go, you can really live this thing out. You can live, you can be you, yes, and be okay. You're still saved, still saved, you're still saved.
Speaker 1So now we have to talk about all the many things that have been birthed out of you really discovering and walking into Kareem Gardner, the pampered pretty, the influencer, the content creator, the um, the um, just the, the multiple entrepreneur like you you're. You have your hand in a lot of things and you don't just have your hands in a lot of things just to be doing a lot of things. You are successful in these different things that you've done. Now, I got to listen. You didn't ask me for no commercial, but I got to tell y'all done that. Now, I got to listen. You didn't ask me for no commercial, but I got to tell y'all listen.
Speaker 1This body butter from Pepper Pretty. If you don't have none, you better get some, because it'll keep you, it'll get you nice and soft, okay, you know, you know. And smelling good too. Okay, all right, amen, Uh, that's. That's. That was the unsolicited uh, uh, commercial. Okay, pepper Pretty, parfait you some. Okay, um, praise the lord, so you've got parfait. You have shampoo and conditioner. Tell me about these things. Tell the people about these things, because I know about these things. Tell the people about them. Yeah.
Speaker 1So I launched a hair care line because I've been natural since 2010. I want to, and so I wanted to create my own product line because of the strategies that I've created for myself that helped my hair grow and thrive. I was natural for seven years and then I locked my hair. Yes, you did. You were my inspiration. One of two great inspirations, thank you. So I was great inspirations. Uh-huh, thank you, listen.
Speaker 1So I was locked for seven years and I just recently last year, in January, it's been a year I coned out my locks. My heart was broken, people, my heart was broken. I was like, no, I mean, her locks was down here. I was heartbroken. Anyway, carry on.
Speaker 1No, you good, I probably broke a lot of people's heart, but my lock journey was purposely done, okay, and once I felt as though I had reached my journey of discovery and loving myself, because you know, when you go through that phase, listen, listen to me. Now you got to really love yourself. You do, because I used to be in the mirror like babe, I look okay, all right, babe, it's okay, because that hat do what it want to do. And I used to be in the mirror like man I look okay, all right, man, it's okay. Because that head do what it want to do, okay, and you'll be like it, don't go down, like it used to go down, and it's over here and I want it to be over here.
Speaker 1Them early locks yeah, I call it the beautiful phase, everybody call it the ugly phase, but looking back on it and where I was in life, I'm always evolving. I don't ever feel as though I have arrived. I always feel like I'm evolving into a deeper version of myself, and so my log journey was a part of that elevation, evolution, and so when I cut my logs, when I combed them out, I felt like I had reached a place in my journey, that what the locks were designed to do, I did it. Okay, as far as self-love, self-discovery, getting my confidence back, All of the things that people think are cliche when it comes to the lock journey, it really is a journey. It really is a journey to the self, love and appreciation, and I felt as though I met that journey. But along the way, I picked up a lot of tips to help people and women take care of their natural hair. So I created a natural hair care line and that was a that was a part of my journey as well. The pampered pretty parfait is a shea butter-based body butter and hair cream that is designed to, of course, moisturize the hair and skin, and so that was the beginning phases of me evolving.
Speaker 1That was like 2015. That's Tennessee version of me. Notice that that was not birthed in Texas, right? I want to share this because and this just fell in my spirit to share we, when we're trying to walk out our purpose and be who God called us to be and live out dreams, we have to be on the right soil. We have to be in the right place to do so. Yes, we have to be under the right leadership. Yes, to be able to do that. Yes, because it makes the difference absolutely. Had I tried to birth that in Texas, it would not have happened. It would not have happened. So I had to be in the right place, in the right region, at the right time, doing the right thing in order for it to hit the way that it is, yes, and then I went on from there to now.
Entrepreneurship and Content Creation
Speaker 1I'm content creating. Yes, you know what I'm saying. Yes, I get. I have over 8,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel. I remember when you had under a hundred Listen and you said I'm going to get to a thousand subscribers. That's what you said and I was like okay, then, sis, all right. And you was creating, and you was creating, and you was creating, and it was like every hundred people, you was like, yeah, I'm at 200, yeah, I bet, and I I ain't gonna lie to you I was like I know she gonna get there, but I don't know how long it's gonna take her. But, oh my goodness, I got excited every time you got to the next hundred. And now you at 8,000. Wow, well, some people may say that's not a, that's not a whole lot, but it is a lot. To me, that's a whole big deal. Listen, that's a whole big deal to be at 8,000 subscribers. Listen, and almost 9,000 followers on Instagram. Wow, wow.
Speaker 1So God is expanding my reach and my influence, but the only way that he was able to do that is I had to be me Authentically. You and I have watched you blossom and spread your wings and it has really been beautiful to see. I didn't realize that all those beginning years, but when you sit, now that you said it, I can see it and I can see Tennessee you coming out, breaking out the shell and then, by the time listen, by the time y'all left there, you was flying, yeah, yeah. And so you came here. It was just the Birmingham, it's just another part of the journey and I mean I feel like you've always walked strong in your ministry calling, but now you're walking strong in who God has created you to be Totally, and I love it. Thank you, I love that for you and I love that for me and I love that for us. Yes, because the more of us that begin to walk in our't salvation or being who you are in the marketplace.
Speaker 1God said you don't have to choose, you can do both. You can do both, and people will try to box you in yes, they will, and say, no, you need to concentrate on the ministry, don't worry about all that. But if we don't bring them together, how are the marketplace going to be influenced by the God I serve? Exactly, exactly. So God said you don't have to choose, you can do both and do them well and do them well. You are, thank you, listen. So you have.
Speaker 1So so you've got the pampered pretty and you are a YouTuber and an influencer. And you are a YouTuber and an influencer and recently I have seen your style videos, your style inspo videos, as well as these scents, honey, and listen, I ain't gonna lie to you, you're always smelling good. Okay, you're always smelling good and I'm like you just be mixing the things together and I just and I'll be like I ain't finna do all that, but oh, my God, she be smelling so good. Look, y'all believe the hype. She really do be smelling that good, thank you. When she came home the other day from a full day of work, I hugged on her. I hugged the neck because I hadn't seen her in a while and I was like, oh my goodness, she smells amazing. She really does smell amazing.
Speaker 1So listen when she tells you to do, when she tells you what you need to do to make sure that you layer in the scents and everything. Listen, listen to the woman of God. Listen because she's trying to help you. She's trying to help you. We're saying you ain't doing all that, I ain't doing it. Listen, I got on one fragrance right now, okay, and I only wear fragrance every day. You do Because I don't have time for all that. For me, that's like, as I'm in the shower, I'm thinking about the night before. Really, I'm thinking about what fragrance am I going to wear tomorrow? Really, wow, see, I don't be. It ain't that deep for me, but I bless God that it's, I know, but I bless God that he is giving it to you. You see what I'm saying? Because I love.
Walking in Prophetic Ministry
Speaker 1I love that you are, you're able to be authentically you, yeah, you're able to be authentically you in in the, not only in ministry, but authentically you in your in, in, in your appearance, and authentically you in your uh, in, in, in your um appearance, and authentically you in really, every, every aspect of your life. So let me, let me, let's let's switch over back to the ministry part of it. So you are a co-pastor, you are a um, you're a prophet, you're a preacher. Let's talk about that part and how you have been able to journey to get to a place where you were confident enough to walk in, walk out all those pieces of your calling. So my husband and I have always been in ministry together since we got married. We've always been in ministry.
Speaker 1But the beginning of it I was always referred to as Sister Gino Say, who now, oh, wow, I guess, I guess I did call you Gino's wife. Listen, sister Gino, sister Gino, sister Gino. And for a while I was okay with that. Okay, I was good, standing beside my husband, who was a preacher, a powerful preacher, come on, still is A powerful preacher, powerful teacher. Yes, I was okay with that. And to the Lord nudged me and said what about you? You got something. You ain't just a pretty face. Come on, said what about you? You got something. You ain't just a pretty face? You're not. You're not just arm candy. Come on, you got something in your head too, like the old people. You said, listen, you ain't in your belly, okay, okay. And so I started tapping into that thing.
Speaker 1And then, of course, you know, I went to Iraq preach, did my thing, came back, led praise and worship. I was a minister of music for about 12 years, did that passionately. I love that, that is my passion. I remember Listen. And then my pastor started allowing me to minister because she knew I had did it over in Iraq and so when I came back to the state, she started allowing me to minister. So that was a evolution as well going through learning how to preach the gospel, learning how to do it the way God gave it to me and not try to sound like valeria, come on, come. Not using learned behavior in the pulpit, but using authentic holy spirit, led word and power that God has given me, and not trying to sound like or mimic, cheryl Brady or Juanita Bynum and you know all the greats that we hear yes, being OK with being me, yes, and being OK with it, not sounding like everybody else.
Speaker 1And then, when he refined the prophet in me, that was a whole nother level, I'm sure. But see, the prophet was not birthed in Texas, it was really actually birthed in Alabama, really, I mean. But you were walking in the prophetic Well, okay, I guess you was dabbling in it in Tennessee, in Tennessee, yeah, but so you're saying that you were really. I was trying to come to grips with that. Okay, like I hear, I see, I dream, I have open visions, yeah, but I'm scared. I'm scared of what I see.
Speaker 1I'm not to the point where I can say, belia, the Lord is saying, or the Lord wanted me to tell you, I wasn't there yet. I had to have a coach. Yeah, shout out to my mentor, come on, the prophetess, kathy Robinson. All right, all right, come on, coached me, mentored me into who you see today. Wow, and through Holy Spirit, giving me boldness every time I declare the word and somebody come back and say you were spot on. How did you know that? Yeah, yeah, and I give God the glory, absolutely, absolutely. And so now I would say today I am the most confident in my gifts that I've ever been. Hallelujah, most confident, yes, and it almost brings tears to my eyes.
Speaker 1We had prayer this morning, intercessory prayer this morning, with our team and I just wept because God was just speaking to me so clearly and I just begin to reflect on God. I thank you that I'm confident in who I am and I'm not second guessing anymore. Now, do I have moments where I'm like, lord, was that you, my Lord, was that me or you? Right, right, right, right, right, right. Let me know when that's over. I see it, okay, okay, I'm always walking with caution with God. Yes, yes, because I love Him and I fear God and I don't want to get it wrong. You know what I'm saying. I'm not saying perfect, right, right, because I understand that people's lives are on the line. I was just about to say people's lives are at stake. They are at stake. See, I'm not doing this with you. I'm not doing this with you today, jesus, jesus. So okay, I guess I'm asking you are we talking about your life on the podcast? I got to talk about that too, father, so literally, as you're talking, right?
Speaker 1So it has made me reflect on a very recent conversation, a couple of recent conversations that I've had, wow One with my girlfriend that I've known for years, and one with my sister, girlfriend that we've known for years, and one with my sister. So I was cleaning out my office about two months ago and I was going through I'm not the person that cleans and just, you know, throws stuff out, I'm the one that let's look through this, let's look through that. So I came across some of my old journals Wow, from probably 15 years ago. Wow, I was just reading through some of those. I was like, okay, god, okay, wow, oh, wow, I've come a long way. Jesus, father, listen.
Speaker 1And I came across a passage that I wrote God has called you as a prophet, kareem. I was like, say who now? Because I don't remember that, you don't. But I wrote it down. Wow, I don't remember that, but I wrote it down fast forward. I, my eldest sister, but I wrote it down Fast forward.
Speaker 1I, my, my eldest sister is has been called to the office of a prophet, my and two, my two other sisters. They have the gift of prophecy. Now, the gift of prophecy is very different from the office of a prophet. So I knew, I, over the years, I knew that I had the gift of prophecy, but I don't remember writing down that God has called me as a prophet, right, don't, don't remember that until I'm reading it, a few months ago.
Speaker 1So I'm talking to my sister, the other a couple of weeks ago, and she said and we're just, we're talking and I'm telling her how God is stretching me in all these different areas. And I'm just like, and I said, in every area, in every circle that I'm in, you know, god is provoking all my, all the, all the people around me are provoking me to righteousness. And I was like I just, you know, I'm not mad, but I'm just like, really, god, you just go, you just go stretch me in every area to do everything and all at the same time. That's what we do. So you know, I'm an intercessor and I, you know, I'm a teacher of the word of God and I knew that God had given me the gift of prophecy, but I had never walked in it, like not for real, for real, like until I got to where the church that I'm at now and where you talk about, where you're planted, it, matters Right.
Speaker 1So I remember we've been at this particular ministry for probably, I guess, six, five, six years somewhere in there now and, to be honest with you, I didn't want to be there, I didn't want to go there, because I said, lord, I know too many people. We know too many people. I want to go somewhere where don't nobody know my name. They don't know what I can do because I've been in ministry. You know my whole life. Listen, church, stop. Listen. I was lying. Come on, tamela. I was like listen. I said God, I don't want, I want to go somewhere. I don't want to do nothing, I just want to sit. I don't need to be in nobody's leadership, I don't even want them to know that I know how to do nothing. Okay, and I sat there for a whole year.
Speaker 1But I can remember, even in that year, very early on. Now I'm like I'm I'm remembering this in real time as I'm talking to you. I remember sitting in the back of the church, cause that's why I like to be in the back. I don't. I don't say I'm like to be upfront, like so he could pay attention and and you know all the things, he, he want to be where the fire is. I would rather be sitting in the back somewhere.
Speaker 1So I remember sitting in the back and worship was, was going, and God spoke to me and said tell him that it's going to be okay. And I'm like tell who? And I look, I turn around and I see the man. I'm like I don't know this man, I'm not telling him that, tell him that. I said it's going to be okay. And I said I mean, but somebody else could tell him I don't, that's how we do. I don't know why you want me to tell him.
Speaker 1But even in that small thing, when I find about the fourth time he told me me, jesus, you know what I went ahead and you know, and at that point I was expecting something real fantastic and big to happen. You know what I'm saying. Okay, god, I'm going to tell the man that you said everything is going to be okay. I turned around, I tapped him on the shoulder and I said God said everything is going to be okay. And he said okay, okay, I was kind of deflated. You thought he was going to fall out, glitz, out of the Holy Spirit. That's what I thought was going to happen. Okay, that did not happen.
Speaker 1But God was working on my obedience and so I see that now you know what I'm saying Me and obedience. So I've learned you know that. You know obedience is better than sacrifice. Yeah, I've learned. You know that you know obedience is better than sacrifice. But also I've learned that when you're not obedient the first time, that is disobedience, absolutely. And so that was challenging for me. But to get back to the point that I was trying to make right, because you know I'd just be going off on tangents, no, you could. I didn't remember that until I read it about the prophet, and God called me to be a prophet.
Speaker 1And I'm sitting and I'm talking to my sister a couple weeks ago and she says, well, cause? I said, well, yeah, you know. Um, you, you know, god has stretched me in all these areas. And now they've asked me to, you know, pray at the altar and stuff, and I don't know what to pray. I'm not that I don't know how to pray for people, because I've I've been praying for people for years. Okay, I'm just more comfortable if I know exactly what it is that you need to be praying be prayed for, needs to be prayed for. So I can, in my mind, to be praying, be prayed for, needs to be prayed for. So I can, in my mind, hit the target Right. But God is showing me that has its place, right. But then there's also a time where I just need you to depend on me, right, and so I'm be.
Speaker 1As you were talking, I'm reminded of the stretch in this area that I am currently in, and it is very uncomfortable, absolutely. So that was my very long way of getting to the question of how did you deal with that uncomfortability and move past it? Or is there a moving past it? There's absolutely a moving past it. I think it's just leaning on Holy Spirit, recognizing that it's not by power nor by might, but by my spirit, says the Lord. So understanding that it's not about us. This walk that we walk is a selfless walk, and us being uncomfortable is all a part of the territory, because if we were comfortable, then we would think it's us Now, that's us. Now, that's true, we'll be confident in our own ability. But I always tell people when you're nervous, that's a good sign. Now you sound like my mama, when you feel like I don't know about that. Lord, now you're cooking.
Speaker 1But when you ever get up there like oh, I got this, I'm finna, kill them, I'm finna, kill them, I'm finna, kill this word. The people of God, finna, get this word. Now, you in the flush, like the old people say. Now you in the flush, sit on down. That ain't God, because a prophet told me many, many years ago. She said and this is a prophetic word that I got and it's going to connect. She didn't know me from Adam's Tom Camp, but she said God has called you to be a prophet, but your gift is not for the house that you're in. I was in Texas at the time and she said and when God begins to use you, if you have to think it's not prophecy, well, okay. Then. If you're spending time trying to think about what you're finna say or what you're getting ready to, that's not prophecy. Wow, I train our prophets at the church. Well, the people with the gift of prophecy at our church. What you're getting ready to, that's not prophecy. Wow, I train our prophets at the church. Well, people with the gift of prophecy at our church. If you're thinking God ain't speaking, yeah, yeah, that's you. That's your own understanding, that's you.
Speaker 1Yes, so for me, the uncomfortability was almost like comfort in knowing that God got it. Wow, I'm leaning on Holy Spirit because I don't know what to tell these people. I am clueless. Listen, maybe some Sundays I get up and I'll be saying, while I'm getting dressed for church, and I'm literally telling them I don't have anything to say today. I wish you could hear my inner dialogue some Sunday mornings. I'm not saying nothing, I'm not even. Am I going to work all day? Yeah, I'm going to get up there because I'm going to help the man of God. I'm going to help the man of God, but I don't have it. I just feel like I really don't have anything to say. Them be the days God used me the most.
Partnership in Marriage and Ministry
Speaker 1Yes, because I be feeling like I don't have nothing to say because I don't know what to tell people. And I get in that atmosphere and God start and I start seeing and hearing. I'm like whoa, whoa and people at the altar and they're standing there and Apostle G is praying for them and the Holy Spirit give me a word for that person in the moment. And I'm like, ok, and he's what I love about the way that we operate in ministry. We always hold space for each other. Ok, it's never been a competition with he and I, because we realized that we have separate giftings and we have separate callings, but we work so well together and it's not like, okay, I'm the dominant gift. It's not that it's never been jealous or he trying to squish my gift or I'm trying to squish. We work so well together and I'm always so grateful when he opens up space for me. There's never a moment in ministry where he's like, all right, I'm the only one that got the word. You know, I'm the pastor. It's never that and I'm so grateful that the men in our ministry get to see that in action and I'm so grateful that the men in our ministry get to see that in action. It's important Because in this region it is a very male dominated region where the women they just most of them sit and look pretty on Sunday morning and I can do that.
Speaker 1Listen, yes, you can, and do it very well. Yes, you can. But he understands the fire in my belly. Yes, he understands the anointing that's on my life. Yes, the fire in my belly, he understands the anointing that's on my life and he opens space in every situation, every altar call, every time we're in a ministry situation. You got anything. I mean, I've seen it, I've seen it in action and I love to see it, and it is a blessing to be able to witness, because not everybody has that same testimony.
Speaker 1There are some spaces where, whether it's the male, the man or the woman, I'm the one that God doesn't call and you just support. You ain't got nothing. I got it Right. And it's like, wait a minute. And what I love and what I see all the time is and I'm going to say this to the women a woman that is fulfilled is a happy woman. Come on, say that again for the people in the back when a woman is fulfilled, we can operate at our greatest capacity. When we are fulfilled Absolutely and I can't be, I wouldn't be fulfilled if I couldn't be everything that God has called me to be, if I had to choose, or if I had to come in church and be silent, right, right, right and listen. I'm going to tell you this Early in my marriage, I thought that that's what I had to do.
Speaker 1I thought that I had to come down, bring myself down so that I could push him up because he's the, he's the leader, he's the this, he's the that, and and although although he is the leader and he should, he is the head, because that's where God has called him to be, that does not mean that I'm supposed to push myself down. And he even would say to me where is the like? We, we had a frank conversation like early in our marriage, probably a year, two or three, cause we were just like this, this ain't what we thought it was going to be, like, this is kind of trash, like you know, like for real, like the marriage was not great. And we had a conversation one one day and it was like, and I was like, well, I'm, I'm not doing this, this and this, because you know I'm trying to help you do this, this, this. And he was like I didn't ask you to do that, that poet, I never asked you to do that.
Speaker 1In fact, I was looking for the person that I dated for them three years that disappeared when we got married and I was like, say what? Now? Say that again. But I, but I, I thought I had thought that submission meant I have to dumb myself down or I have to push myself down so that he can be great. That's not what that means. What that means, not what that means at all At all, and all that get and get understanding. And a real man will tell you that's not what that means. Come on, come on. A real man will push you to your fullest potential and allow you to evolve.
Speaker 1Yes, gino tells a story all the time. He said Kareem becomes a new woman every year. He told not one lie. Wow, I evolve every. It's feel like every six months I really do Wow, and it's not like a, it's not a bad thing, it's this God grows me in different areas and I start tapping into different passions that I have, and what I love about being married to Gino is he allows me to do that. Yes, he creates space for me to be and evolve and create and and try stuff. You know, because he's we're, we're adventurous. Yes, anybody that can pick up their family and move to another state more than once and don't know a soul in the state Listen, that's adventurous. And so the fact that I've done real estate. I'm in real estate, I'm in my master's program. Now I do content creating, I've worked at Sephora, all the things that I'm passionate about, and I'm a first grade teacher.
Speaker 1Now, right, him not trying to say now you're doing too much, now you need to pick one thing. You know what I'm saying. And Now you're doing too much. Now you need to pick one thing and sit down somewhere, be a good wife. You know what I'm saying. He does not. I'm so grateful that I have a man that says go get it. Yes, same, same.
Speaker 1I have to say my husband has always encouraged me. I love it. He's always pushed me to be the best that I can be. Anything I ever told him I wanted to do, he was like you should do it, come on and you can do it. And recently we've been through our ups and downs, but recently he said to me he was like, you know, even when I wasn't this is what he said to me, even when I wasn't. This is what. This is what he said to me, even when I wasn't trying to do anything myself. I always wanted you to be the best that you could be. He was like, even though I know I wasn't being the best man or the best husband, he was like I still wanted you to flourish and to win and to grow. And when I look back over our entire marriage, he ain't lied, okay, he ain't lied and so it's. I was like well dang, I mean, but I've been wanting you to be the best that you can be. And I mean, as as as of the last few years, he has grown into being, and flourished into being all that he can be. And now he's walking it out. Yes, and it's.
Speaker 1But I think about and I can't live in regret. But I think about what if I had shown up earlier as my authentic self and not pushed myself down? Where would we be? Wow, had I walked in my authenticity early on in the marriage? But you know, I didn't. It's OK, I made a different choice, but I'm doing it now, but you're doing it now, and I can see how God is moving in our marriage as I step into all that God has called me to be like for real, for real. The more I step into it, the more he steps into it, and I'm just like, well, wow, it's like a partnership.
Speaker 1Gina and I have been married. I was 19 and he was 21 when we got married. So we literally been together long. We've been together longer than we've been without each other. Yes, yes, and we literally grew up together. Yes, in the literal sense.
Speaker 1And it's so funny to think about because, thinking about those early years and who we were then and who we are now, yeah, I said Ooh Lord, ooh, baby, I'm so glad, listen, I'm so glad that God turned it. Listen, listen, I'm so glad that God turned it. Listen, I was a fool. Can I be honest? You can be honest, can I be honest? I was crazy. I was crazy, but thanks be unto God, oh God. And I think about both of our journey to who we are today and how we've matured, how we communicate now. You know what I'm saying and how we say okay, remember, I used to. Yeah, I remember that I ain't like that. Listen, that was whack. You know what I'm saying. I was almost out of here.
Speaker 1Glad you got delivered, glad you got that together, because you was about to be homeless. You know what I'm saying? Stuff like that. Yes, so I think we evolved together. Yes, as as couples. You know what I'm saying.
Speaking Life and Final Thoughts
Speaker 1When you got the right one, it doesn't matter if we weren't able to be our authentic self. It's okay, because the journey continued and they created space until we got ourselves together. Come on, and just like I created space for him to gather himself, he created space for me to gather myself, and I think that's all a part of love and grace with your partner and being able to see them at their worst, but being able to see them at their best. Yes, I'm looking at you at your worst, but I can see the best in you because it's listen, okay, now we, we need to. I was about to turn the corner so we could come on, turn it down. But, baby, listen, listen as we. We need to talk about. We need to talk about listen. We need to talk about this marriage piece and how it is our responsibility as the wife to speak life, listen, and I learned a piece of that from you.
Speaker 1Praise the Lord, listen, because you was speaking life out in these streets and I didn't see it. I'm going to tell you that right now Is this camera on. I didn't see it, but I spoke it until I saw it. Listen, you was out in these streets speaking life and I said, oh, I said I don't know what I said about mine, but you know, but I saw the potential Listen. No, don't get me wrong. I saw what you could be. I saw what he could be, but I was like but he ain't God, I don't see it. I mean, I see what he could be. Why he don't see it? Because I wasn't speaking it. I wasn't speaking what I saw. Come on now, look now you got me going back to the prophet. See, you got to start at home. Yeah, you got to start at home. Yeah, if I can't call out what I see in my house, how am I going to go outside the house that part and prophesy to somebody else Come on, oh God, help me. Holy Ghost, let me share this with you.
Speaker 1I can remember when Gino was a specialist in the United States Army, uh-huh. And I can remember saying you won't be that long. Hmm, see, that doesn't fit who you are, mm-hmm. So I saw the bigger picture. I saw him at his rank that he was when he retired Come on. Also, when Gino was cutting grass, come on, working at bills, uh-huh, like in his song, strapping Just to Make the Ends Lean, strapping Just to Make the Bills. Listen, I saw him as the wealthy man that he is today, come on. So I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before he stepped into that full potential, the job that he has now. I already saw that 15 years ago.
Speaker 1Wow, didn't know how it was coming. I said now, lord, I need you to hurry up. Listen, come on, jesus, bring it to manifest, manifest it right now. But God said no, I'm not going to manifest it yet because there's still some things in you that I need to do. Listen, we got to get up off here. Okay, listen, we got, because we about to go a whole other hour and we listen, I'm going to have to have you back, yes, ma'am, on the podcast. I'm going to have to have you and your husband together on the podcast Because, listen, we got some stuff to talk about that's going to help the people, because we have helped the people today. I'm telling you I'm not y'all, I'm sorry, but we got to cut this interview off because we're going to be here all night and we got some other things to do. So, but I listen, let's wrap this up and tie this in a bow. Let's wrap this up and tie this in a bow.
Speaker 1And if you had to give advice to a woman who was trying to understand or discover who she is and who she is in God, what would you speak to her? What would you say? I would say God has given you everything you need to be successful. It's already on the inside of you and he's waiting on you to discover it. He's not going to allow outside influences to tell you who you are. I know you're waiting on somebody to say hey, you're called, you're anointed, you're a prophet, you're an evangelist, you're a teacher. God is not going to allow, because you have to trust what he says about you. His word concerning you is true, yes, and he wants to know that you trust him and what he thinks and what he says about you. He wants to know that you trust him and what he thinks and what he says about you. Dig deep. Everything you need is already on the inside of you. Be confident that he that has begun a good work in you is able to perform it. Come on, you got this, girl we won. Come on, listen, listen and on that note, listen, girl we won. Come on, listen, listen and on that note, listen, girl we won.
Speaker 1We are going to wrap up this Prestige of Purpose podcast episode. I just want to say thank you, thank you. Thank you. Prophetess, pastor, entrepreneur, influencer, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend Corinne Gardner, thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you so much for your yes, thank you for being authentically you. Thank you for having the courage to step out and be all that God has called you to be, because, because you've done that, now other people can see that they can do it too. So, listen, we will see y'all next time on Preston to Purpose. Until then, continue to be blessed.