Welcome to #RedefiningStrong

Welcome to the #RedefiningStrong Blog.

Let’s start with me introducing myself to you!

My name is Dola C. Williams and I’ve been on a quest to redefine my strong for a very long time, even before I realized I needed or wanted to and way before I understood the significance of what it could mean to my generation. At various points in my life, I’ve realized that being strong in my own strength wasn’t working out for me or my family.  It wasn’t until the last 10 years and especially since my cancer diagnosis that I began to hear about how stress related to being a strong black woman was the basis for our poor health outcomes as well as the detriment of many other areas in our lives.  I was graced with the term #RedefiningStrong in 2017. 

What I’m not is perfect, what I have is a past but because of Jesus I am redeemed!  And that’s what the Lord desires for all of us. Before I clearly understood that He gave me this acronym ALABTJS for All About Jesus as a personalized license plate, so I thought.  This acronym redefines itself in my life over, through and because of who Jesus is in my life.  ALABTJZS became a witness to what God expects from my life in the early 1990’s.

During a discipleship course for women, Purpose and Destiny, the holy spirit revealed the meaning of my name Favored Woman Full of Truth! inclusive of the derivative and origins of

parts of my name the holy spirit revealed this to me.  I’ve had to learn to use wisdom in telling the truth and subsequently the Lord has revealed truth to me that sometimes I wasn’t ready to hear or let along reveal.  But here we are.  My truth is shared with the ultimate goal to share Christ and encourage others, in particular my generation and especially with women. Along with the meaning of my name I developed a life statement and scripture.  I’ll share the statement in my coming post. The scripture is Mark 5:25-34. I'm at peace and free from suffering.

One of the common questions as I’m accepting the call of starting a nonprofit and building a faith-based business is, “what is your why”.  Well, the author of this quote captures both the reasoning towards #RedefiningStrong and probably unbeknownst to him  the significance of God’s grace and mercy as well as how the Lord is using what was meant to destroy me for His good. 

This is my why, except I’m a case study, but it is for what God can and will do despite our past and our decisions.  I am grateful he called me Sister, because nothing can change the fact that we are brothers and sister in Christ – our paths have taken us up and down various roads in life.  I pray his path leads him to a place in Christ that allows him to extend the same grace and mercy extended to him by our heavenly Father. Prayerfully, like Stephen, I’m saying what He said as an Author in His Kingdom until the day He returns.

I’m mom to 3 adult children, I’m Lovie to my grands who I call LoviesChile!  At the time of this writing, my 97 year old Mom is defying what the medical staff thought. I’m an Intercessor, Biblical Trauma Healing Facilitator and a Community Engaged Researcher. I’m the 8th of nine siblings! I am part of an extended family who has celebrated 50 years of an family reunion, and a generation where home, school and church were synonymous. In case you were wondering,  – my Dad’s, (1922-1970)  name is Calvin Williams.

#RedefiningStrong

I appreciate your presence and happy to have you join the #RedefiningStrong community. Don't forget to visit the blog.