Inner Serenity Coaching

"Unlock the 7 Hidden Powers Within You – Marva Collins' Legacy Revealed"

Deloris Marie Foster (Sista' Joy) Season 1 Episode 2

   Are you ready to become stronger, more confident, and unstoppable in pursuing your dreams?

   In this powerful episode, you'll discover 7 proven principles and techniques that will help you:
 🌟 Strengthen your inner perseverance when challenges arise
 🌟 Build powerful self-confidence and unshakable self-worth
 🌟 Overcome fear, doubt, and criticism with courage
 🌟 Develop mental discipline to stay focused on your goals
 🌟 Ignite your true passion and divine purpose
 🌟 Sharpen your mindset for lasting success
 🌟 Lead yourself and others with wisdom, love, and fearless faith

These timeless principles are inspired by the extraordinary story of Marva Collins—a visionary educator who refused to let limitations define her or the children she taught. Through faith, determination, and unconditional love, she transformed lives—and proved that greatness lives within all of us.

If you would like to dive even deeper into her inspiring journey, we recommend these books:

 "Marva Collins' Way" by Marva Collins and Civia Tamarkin, https://amzn.to/3RDbkT9

 "Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers" by Marva Collins. https://amzn.to/44KwS7Q
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post, at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us continue creating inspiring content. Thank you!)

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Inner Serenity Coaching Podcast – Inner Strength = Outer Power.

"Hello, my Dear Sistas, and welcome to another episode of Inner Serenity Coaching!

I’m your host, and Inner Serenity Coach, Sista' Joy — also known as Deloris Marie. My Beloved Sista, I am so honored and delighted that you are here with me today.

Before we begin, I’d like to take a moment to welcome you into this sacred space we call Inner Serenity Coaching. We are lovingly dedicated to African American women and Black women across the Diaspora — women of deep spirit, rich culture, and boundless strength —to help you grow your inner power, deepen your faith, and rise into your divine greatness.

Here, we live by the truth that Inner Strength = Outer Power.

And while this space is created especially with you, my Dear Sista, in mind, We also warmly welcome all women who are seekers of the Light, those who are ready to blossom into their highest, most radiant selves. I am deeply honored that you are here, and I invite you to walk this journey of growth, healing, and transformation with me."

 My Dear Sista, Before we step into today’s powerful story, I invite you to join me in a moment of prayer —to center ourselves, open our hearts, and ask for divine guidance on our path ahead.

 Beloved Father, Mother God, Great I AM, and Beloved Jesus the Christ, we come together today as sistas— determined to grow in strength, faith, and perseverance. We ask you to plant seeds of courage in our hearts. We ask for the determination to keep moving forward when the path is hard, and the faith to believe in the greatness you have placed within each of us grows a little weak. Help us to rise after every fall, to find joy even in small victories, and to remember that we are never alone. We thank you for walking this journey with us. Amen.

Today, my dear Sista, we journey into the life and spirit of a truly remarkable woman — Marva Delores Collins, born August 31, 1936, and who transitioned into glory on June 24, 2015. Her story is a living, breathing example of what determination and perseverance look like when fueled by faith and anchored in love.

I call this Story Segment: "The Little Schoolhouse That Could"

Imagine it...If you had been strolling through West Garfield Park in Chicago back in the 1970s, you might have caught the strong scent of fresh coffee drifting from an open window —the kind of coffee that says, 'Child, serious business is happening here!'

Inside a modest brownstone, mismatched desks stood proudly like soldiers ready for battle. You could almost taste the dust of old chalk swirling in the air, feel the creaky wooden floors under your feet, and hear the soft scratch of pencils as little hands worked diligently.

And there, at the front of the room, stood Marva Collins. Not tall, but mighty. When she spoke, her voice filled the room like a church bell ringing on Sunday Morning —beautiful, insistent, and full of life.

Her warm brown eyes caught everything — every drooping shoulder, every bright spark of understanding. If you sighed in frustration, she’d lift her eyebrows and tease: 'Baby, you better be smarter than that sigh!'

And somehow, you believed her.

Marva didn’t just teach reading and writing—she taught resurrection. She breathed life into futures others had buried. When a student cried, she didn’t offer pity —she offered power: a tissue in one hand, and a classic novel in the other. "Cry if you must, baby," she'd wink, "but cry on The Iliad. Then persevere."

Broken windows, broken desks, broken dreams —Marva took them all and built a kingdom of learning. Not because it was easy, but because she believed.

She believed that determination isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you choose. Every day. Especially when it’s hard. And with every choice she made, Marva Collins turned a dusty little room into a sacred temple of possibility. She said, "Determination and Perseverance move the world; thinking that someone else will do it for you is a sure way to fail. . .

My Dear Sista, Marva Collins taught us through her life that perseverance isn’t magic — it’s a series of daily, determined choices. It’s a willingness to keep believing, keep building, and keep becoming the woman God created you to be.

So, how do we grow this same unstoppable spirit within ourselves? Here are Seven Principles from our Inner Serenity Coaching that you can start using today.

 Seven Principles that will help you Build Determination and Perseverance if you immediately put them into action. 

1.       Set the Vision in Your Own Mind’s Eye Before You Begin 

Sista,’ Dreams are born twice — first in your mind, then in your reality. You must see your victory before you can walk into it. You must make it plain and make it clear. Here are some Techniques that will help you to do just that.

First, find some posterboard or cardboard, if that’s all you have, and create a Vision Board. Go through magazines and cut out pictures of what you want in your life or pictures of how you want to look, and paste them on your posterboard. Write positive, powerful statements beside the images as though it is already done for you. Put it up in a private place where only you can see it and no one else, and begin looking at it every morning when you first arise and every evening before you go to sleep. Feel it with your whole heart, and speak your words with great power and feeling. 

Speak your affirmations aloud every day about it and use I AM as you see your dreams and goals already done. Already realized in your life. Write affirmations that declare your success:

“I am walking boldly toward my destiny.”

“I am the woman God created me to be.”

Now, make up your own. 

 2.  Fall in Love with the Process. My Beloved Sista’s Success is built in small steps, not giant leaps. Celebrate every step as sacred. 

A Technique that will help you to do that is to keep a Daily Gratitude List or Journal for small victories. Write down your victory every day, no matter how small it seems, it is carrying you in the right direction, so celebrate it as your daily achievement. Be thankful for what you have received and it will be multiplied. 

3.  When something doesn’t go as planned, don’t dwell on it — redirect your focus immediately to what you can do next.

      Ask yourself, “What’s my next best step?”Then act on it — no matter how small, movement brings miracles.  Redirect Your Energy Toward Progress. We all fall  down when attempting to achieve something we want in our life.  You will fall down too, but don't dwell on obstacles;  Try not to even think about it or speak about it so that you don’t give it any energy.  Instead, immediately refocus your energy toward your next best step. Get busy, for as the old adage goes, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” 

4. Build Your Inner Cheerleader. You must be your first and greatest supporter because, my dear, if you don’t believe in yourself, who will? Here’s a great technique for you that will really help you a lot if you use it. 

Practice Mirror Work affirmations. When you are getting ready for work or school or whatever you do, look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I Love You, I Believe in You, I Am Born to Be Great, and this I AM. 

Carry Daily Affirmation Cards With You. Write out powerful Affirmations for yourself and put them in your wallet or purse. When you are out and about and feel discouraged, pull them out and speak them to yourself out loud if you are alone, but silently if you are not. Feel them in yourself.

 5. Equip Yourself Relentlessly. Use what you already have to build your dreams. I like to say, Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Need! Sit down and make a Resource Inventory of your skills, tools, and support in every area of your life. When you do this, you will find that you have far more than you thought you did. In fact, I bet you will be amazed. I know I was, when I saw everything I could do or be or have. 

My beloved Sista, once you uncover these precious jewels in your life. Put these resources to work immediately in making yourself and your dreams the best they can be. Build with what you have — just like Marva did with broken desks and old books.

 6. Surround Yourself with Belief.

Stay around people, books, and messages that lift your faith. If you have friends or family members who put you down or are what I call “nay-sayers,” you must cut them out of your life. Oh, I know this can be difficult to do because of the fear of being alone. However, some people are not meant to go all the way with you, and so you must let them go. Let them go to their higher good, while you go to yours. 

My dear Sista, Know this…God will send you new friends and new loved ones who will be just right for you on your journey, and they will cherish you and celebrate what you are seeking to achieve. Faith is contagious. Surround yourself with voices that lift you higher.

 Technique: Make a Circle of Light List:

Write down people, books, podcasts, and communities that strengthen your belief. Visit them daily when you need fuel for your spirit. Stay among kindred spirits who will understand your greatness and lift you up. Also, most importantly, learn how to be by yourself. This will enable you to learn about who you are and who you are. It will give you the inner strength that you need to attain outer power. The more you are by yourself, the more you can become strong and self-sufficient. As the Scripture tells us, one with God is a majority.

 

7. Anchor Yourself to a Higher Purpose

When your dreams are tied to something bigger than yourself, your determination becomes unstoppable.A powerful Technique that will help you is to create a Sacred Why Statement: Write out in depth why your dream matters:

“I am building my dreams to honor God and uplift others.”

“I am healing myself to bless generations to come.” 

Write out your own

 In closing "My Dear Sistas,

When you set your vision, fall in love with your process, redirect your focus, and build your inner cheerleader, use what’s in your hand, surround yourself with faith, and anchor yourself to your sacred calling —there is nothing you cannot achieve.

You are already stronger than you know. You are already equipped to persevere. You are already walking toward greatness.

 And now, I invite you to speak this sacred affirmation with me. Let’s seal today’s message deep within our hearts, and declare together the greatness that already lives inside us."

Each week I rise, with faith and devotion,

I grow through Inner Serenity Coaching.

Inner Strength = Outer Power,

I am growing stronger each moment, each hour,

Calling forth my own Divine Power.

My Dear Sistas,

Your dreams are worth the struggle.

Your vision is worth the perseverance.

And you are already equipped with everything you need inside of you.

 Just like Marva Collins believed in her students,

I believe in you.

God believes in you.

And you have every reason to believe in yourself.

 My Dear Sistas, if you’d like to dive even deeper into the life of Marva Collins,I’m recommending these beautiful book resources. You will find them listed in our show notes.

And as an Amazon Affiliate, if you use our links,

we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you —

which will help support the growth of our podcast. Thank you so much for your support!"


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please take a moment to:

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 Together, we are building something beautiful."

 This is your Inner Serenity Coach, Sista’ Joy— also known as Deloris Marie —

And I want you to know:

I love you,

I bless you,

And I see you achieving all your dreams and goals,

and becoming the magnificent woman that God created you to be.

Until next time,

keep growing your Inner Serenity and shining your beautiful Inner Light, because remember Inner Strength = Outer Power."

God Bless You