Do you ever wonder if you’re limiting yourself? Do you feel as if you are getting in the way of what God is doing? Marshawn Evans Daniels is the kind of woman who can help you explore how to boldly go where God is leading you.
First off, let me tell you that I met Marshawn randomly at an event two years ago. We happened to be standing near each other and she warmly introduced herself to me. We laughed together as she shared with me how many times people have asked her if we are sisters (since her maiden name is the same as mine). In our short conversation, I was drawn to her radiance, kindness and passion and realized very quickly that yes, we are indeed sisters. Since then, I’ve admired the way she has navigated the varied demands of her ministry and her growing family (*psst . . . she recently gave birth to triplets)!
Marshawn Evans Daniels is a reinvention strategist and life coach mentoring women around the world to live bolder in the areas of faith and business. She is fiercely faithful in the face of adversity, rising above some of life’s most difficult challenges. She is passionate about purpose and helping others to fulfill theirs. Check her out at Marshawn.com/Start-Here and follow her on Instagram @marshawnevans, but before you go, please leave a comment here on the blog to encourage her as she keeps moving forward!
I celebrate you, Marshawn! Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us!
Blessings,
Priscilla
- If you could describe this season of your life in one word, what word would it be? Why?
Unpredictable. I’ve always been an adventurer and risk-taker. But, this season is unlike any other. As a new mom at age 40 who gave birth to triplets at the top of the pandemic, I’ve constantly been learning how much I really don’t know. When the pandemic hit in the United States and everything seemed to shut down overnight, a lot of my pregnancy and post-pregnancy plans changed quite a bit.
No family. No friends. No childcare help. It was just my husband and I 24/7 going back and forth to the NICU and figuring it all out while I was also healing from the C-Section complications, learning how to nurse and all the things!
Putting my business on hold wasn’t the difficult part. I was so ready to become a mom. But, once I decided to re-enter, that’s been the biggest stretch. All of the things I’m used to doing with a level of proficiency and long-time familiarity aren’t as easy to execute anymore. For example, I planned to complete this interview in May. It’s now August.
So – change really has been the only constant! It’s been very humbling for sure. It’s teaching me self-patience, being able to let go of scheduled plans, and supernatural surrender at a new level. And, I’m also learning the power and gift of presence. Babies will do that for us! Especially giving birth to three in a span of six minutes.
Whether it’s the diaper changes after you just changed the diapers. The middle of night cuddles. The tugs on your leg while you’re trying to get that last email out. It all slows us down in such a way that causes us to embrace the messy miracles. It’s exceedingly and abundantly wonderful. It’s also oh-so unpredictable.
- In terms of your career, before you knew you would be _______________, you almost . . .
Before I knew I’d be a lawyer, I also moved to New York to become a soap opera actress instead of going to law school! I don’t practice law anymore, and I don’t have any regrets, but I do always wonder what would have happened if I had decided to give acting a go!
- In what ways do you ensure that your career path serves the purposes of God and encourages His people?
I don’t believe we can ever ensure that.
Clarity has become an idol that is hijacking the purpose and destinies of an entire generation of women. We’re scared to mess up so instead we keep praying about what we’ve already prayed about. I write in my book Believe Bigger about how we’ve been taught to doubt ourselves, to never trust ourselves, and to be so afraid of stepping out of the will of God that we’ve forgotten how to live. How to dream, desire and do. The best we can do is ask God to order our footsteps. To keep our hearts pure. And, we can choose to operate from a place of desire around kingdom advancement. We can stay dressed and ready for service. But trying to force it becomes another to-do list item. An idol. Only the Holy Spirit – not our might – can do what only the Holy Spirit can do. Being available is our only job description. And, we don’t even have to be that good at that! If God could use a donkey to bring the message of the Messiah, then he can use anything regardless of whether we’re trying. Courage is what God is after. Not clarity.
- Fill in the blank. I am not a very _____________ person.
I am not a very bourgeois person.
Often people think that because I teach women how to turn their ideas, abilities, talents, and insights into income, that I splurge on luxury items all the time. There is nothing wrong with that and I like beautiful things, but I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl!
- Name your biggest strength and your biggest weakness? How has each served you as you’ve fulfilled your purpose?
My biggest strength is my ability to believe in others more than they believe in themselves. My biggest weakness is that because I believe at such a high level, I can take on too much! Knowing that helps me to own my no. Our purpose is tied to our natural wiring. I’m naturally wired to see destiny in others – both the destination but also the roadmap from entrance. That’s helped to keep me focused on my core mission of helping women to believe bigger and live bolder when it comes to stepping into a larger vision, business, or mission.
- When is the last time you laughed so hard that it hurt?
Probably when one of the triplets took off her diaper and peed on the kitchen floor. Nah – let’s go with when one decided to take off her diaper and pooped on the living room floor. No no no – let’s go with the diaper when one of my girls pooped in the tub and my husband almost passed out!
Girls. Go figure!
- What has been the most difficult season in your life? How did you get through it?
Calling my engagement off 6 days before my wedding for sure. I found out on Monday morning before a Saturday wedding that my, then fiancé, was cheating on me. Six days beforehand. My dresses were paid for . . . the cake, venue, the insane number of flowers. And, I had closed the professional sports agency managing the NBA and NFL that I founded so that I could become a wife and bonus mom. Now, I didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills. Several things helped me to shift out of depression and into a higher destiny.
Counseling. Asking for help and being really intentional. Spending time with God even when I was mad that he allowed me to end up in this circumstance. Learning to date myself and find new hobbies. Leaning into new dreams. Daring to believe that there was something greater and bigger than what I had just been through. And, commitment to become better and not bitter. That’s what I’m most proud of. I kept putting one foot in front of the other. I wasn’t going to let this situation define or destroy my life. For us as women, that choice is a courageous and rebellious act!
- If this were your last year on earth, what would you want to spend your time doing?
I don’t like answering these types of questions or giving them any energy. There is way too much power in our words to waste them on scenarios that we don’t want to become our reality. My desire is to speak life and extend life by speaking life. 🙂
- If you could make three wishes and there were no limitations on what you could request, what would you wish for?
I’d love to meet my father’s dad – my grandfather. He died when my dad was just 6 years old. I know my dad would love to have that father-son time as well. My grandfather would be so proud of my dad.
I’d give my mother’s dad – my maternal grandfather – his eyesight back so that he could have seen all his grandchildren and taught us how to fix cars, fish, and hunt.
Lastly – 250,000 acres of land that I could develop into businesses and leave to my children.
- If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
Have more fun! I was a super achiever.
*These blog interviews are designed only to be fun, informative and introductory. GB Ministries has varying levels of familiarity with each participant so their presence here does not equal our endorsement of or full alignment with theological doctrine or political perspective.
