Hidden, Held, and Handled by God

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." — Proverbs 18:22

A Heart Held in Trust

When I was just a young girl, I made a sacred promise. Before the world could tell me who to love or how to give myself away, I placed my heart fully into the hands of the Lord. I remember telling Him, "Take my heart and hold it close. Don’t let it go until You see the man You have chosen to walk this road with me."

I spent years pouring my soul into journals, whispering to God about the qualities of the man I hoped for a man who would cherish the Lord even more than he would cherish me. I asked God to hide me away, to protect my spirit until He found someone He truly trusted with my heart.

The Vision of What’s to Come

Even in my quietest seasons, God was showing me the beauty of the legacy I would one day build. I saw visions of myself with two children a precious girl and a little boy. In one vision, I was walking toward our future with them. In another, we were at the airport, ready to take flight into a new adventure. My daughter was there, my son was there, and beside me stood a man whose face was softly blurred.

God was keeping him veiled while I bloomed. I wasn't searching; I was growing. I poured my passion into the sports world, navigating that space with a heart to minister to every soul I met. When Forbes called in 2015 to tell me I was a 30 Under 30 Class of 2016 lister, in Sports, I was so humbled. "Who, me?" I wondered. But God was gently showing me that I was worthy of being seated in high places.

When Purpose Meets Partnership

I met my husband right where I was supposed to be: in the middle of my purpose. He didn't know my accolades; he was just trying to figure out who this woman was! We began as friends, and when he shared his business with me, I used my voice to speak life (and a little correction!) into it. I told him his marketing needed a new direction, and slowly, our business talk turned into a beautiful partnership of the heart.

But I guarded that heart with grace. When our time together began to feel like it was eclipsing my time with the Father, I had to be authentic. I looked at him and made it clear: "If you aren't putting God first, ahead of even me, then we cannot move forward." A woman of the Dynasty knows that a house is only as strong as its foundation in Christ.

The Refined Life

This August, we will celebrate 9 years of marriage. It hasn’t always been easy marriage is a daily choice to fight for one another and to keep God at the center. But it is a beautiful fight.

I have never tried to be the "Easter egg" version of myself that the world expects. I am a diamond in the rough, a daughter of the King, being molded through the Refiner’s Fire. I embrace the heat because I know it’s making me pure gold.

Today, I walk with my beautiful daughter, holding onto the vision of the son we have yet to meet. To every woman reading this: Don't be afraid to be hidden. Don't be afraid to be your authentic, vulnerable self. When you let God hold your heart, He ensures that when you are finally "found," it is for a purpose far greater than you ever imagined.

Stay Soft. Stay Strong. Stay in the Kingdom.