Blog: Dream Your Wildest Dream

Jiselle and Rae at Sterling Memorial Library - Yale University

 
This picture was taken at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut when Jiselle was only three years old.  The dreams and goals I had for her still endured, even though I was going through pure hell at the time.  But I lived by the motto, never let them see you sweat.  I was a single mom,  and me and Jiselle had a room in a two bedroom apartment. 

 

I had cashed in my Mary Kay loan to get to New Haven so Jiselle could see her father.  I decided to take
the advice of a friend and venture out on my own and start my own skincare business.  Setback, drama and all the ills that come with poverty stopped me dead in my tracks from starting up my own skincare line.  Four years later, my company Jiselle Lia was founded.  From Jiselle’s idea to sell her colored rocks in our driveway, we’ve created a company that sells men's and women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories.  You’ll be able to find all the hottest fashions with Jiselle Lia.  We will allow you to stay in style.

Around this same time, I had gotten confirmed in my Episcopalian faith.  Its a ceremony thats usually performed in your early teenage years, confirming your faith and your walk with Jesus Christ. I was never confirmed as a young adult, so I decided to get confirmed as an adult.  At my confirmation ceremony, Bishop Michael Curry, who performed the ceremony, told the congregation to have faith as small as a mustard seed.  And me - with my bad memory, never forgot those words - and I did just that, I prayed all day, everyday, and kept the faith.  God brought me out of my nightmares and scraped hells hold off of me.  Today, just like Jiselle, I can dream again.  Bishop Curry presided over another baptism and confirmation last Sunday and I thanked him for changing my life.  This time his message was to love and change the world; I think I will do just that.

 

God has turned my life around so I can shine my light on the world.  He’s lifted me from poverty and sickness so I can go forth and share my testimony.  As Marvin Sapp beautifully sings in his gospel song, “My testimony”: I am still alive today to talk about my life and I too, can declare I made it.  Through all my heartache, through all my pain,  I can dust myself off, pick myself up and I can make it - I can win.

 

My struggle is a span of fifteen years and I’d like to talk about it so others can learn from it.  I’ve come a long way and I still beat myself up at times and relive those sad days. But I’ve pulled myself up from my bootstraps and crawled out of poverty.  My life is beginning to shift.  If I can make it, then, I know anyone can because I thought my life was over.  My daughter has kept me alive.  She has been my motivation to turn my life around.

 

My dreams were shattered in 1997 when I dropped out of graduate school. It was then that I officially stopped dreaming and although my daughter still does not live with me,  I breathe her breath every second of the day.  She is my hope, she is my dream and I want to live to see her finish every last one of her dreams.  I ask you to take this journey with me and Dream your wildest Dream.

 

Love,

Rae