Oh Wow! What a day! We continue with Danielle\’s interview. To get the full picture, Please read previous posts. Each time I read about her vision and what shaped her to the woman she is, I always marvel at the sheer determination to follow God\’s will. Please read along.
Were you interested in that because of lack of it in your life?
I grew up in a very happy home. Not a lot of unknown people would pass through our homes growing up, so it was basically because of the vision.
How do you think self-esteem and fear affect our ability to create results in our life? How did it affect you?
Self-esteem – If you are not complete in yourself, you cannot affect anybody. You have nothing to give.
Fear – if you do anything out of fear, you cannot achieve much. When you act out of fear, you are basically waiting for something to go wrong as opposed to when you act out in faith; you are waiting to go to the next level. I can’t say I experienced fear, never struggled with fear or self-esteem. The maximum I have experienced would be having butterflies in my tummy, like when you are faced with an exam or an event. But I never had the fear that paralyses.
How do you personally deal with your fears? Is there any one way?
I deal with my fears through God. Before it takes hold of me, I identify it and lay it before God and my husband. My husband is an immense support in my life. My years with him almost make my previous life pale into insignificance, the kind of strength I get from him.
Taking into consideration all you’ve done in life, what do you think your greatest accomplishment is?
My family. My relationship with my family and our relationship as a family. First is, knowing God, second is my relationship with my husband and third is my relationship with my children.
So what, if any, setbacks have you had to deal with along the way?
Growing up, the setback I experienced was failing my medical exams. It was a setback because I had never failed so it was very unusual for me. Apart from that, it was all good growing up for me. The other times, I cannot call them setbacks but challenges because challenges promote us. Challenge in business or career. We faced closure of our business. We stood on God’s word even when it seemed like nothing was happening. For me, my spiritual growth is due to my husband taking me from toddler to maturity. Together, we faced our challenges, prayed together, cried together and see God come through for us. I am very humbled by my life so far.
What is your current most important project?
At the moment, we have a clinic called Christchurch clinic. Promoting health and wellbeing in the community and helping people achieve a healthy life style, by taking control of their lives. Our church vision is “Transforming Community by nurture and healing through faith in Jesus.” We believe as part of that body of Christ that God has also called us to transform community with our career. We know God has called us to the market place. At the moment our clinic offers Health checks, weight management and facial aesthetic treatments. My husband runs an outstanding pharmacy in town. We run quarterly free health awareness fairs in the community We are stepping into the Care agency business, to employ domiciliary careers that can adequately meet the needs of the elderly and ‘not so able’ in the community and impact on the lives of the people they minister too. Both my husband and I are in the health profession as he is a Pharmacist and I am a Doctor.
What would be three things that you wish you had known earlier in life? And how does it impact on the people in your circle of influence?
That I had known God earlier, that way you don’t carry unnecessary baggage. Knowing God early is a safety net and for that reason I look forward to seeing how different our children’s lives will be.
Do you believe in people having a specific purpose for being in this world?
Absolutely. Being here without a purpose is absolutely pointless. Until you find your purpose, you haven’t lived a fulfilling life. It does not have to be a big thing. Some people are just born to smile and you meet them and think “what a breath of fresh air.”
What do you think or know yours to be?
Mine is tied to our vision. Being an example of a Godly family and impacting our community through health.
If you could give one piece of advice on how to live a fulfilled life to your only child, what would it be?
To know God. Once you know God, find out what you were born to do and just do it. You never find it out without knowing God and once you know it, just pursue it.
What would you say to somebody who thinks they have money problems?
Find out your priorities. What are you spending money on? Does your expenditure exceed your income? If so, then you need to readjust your life but it begins with readdressing your priorities.
Many of our values and outlooks are formed in childhood. How did your early role models affect your outlook on health, wealth, relationships and spirituality?
My mum was a huge and in fact my main role model.
Health – being in the health profession (she worked as a nurse); she encouraged us to live healthy lives, exercise and healthy living.
Wealth – I was brought up to be content. We were a middle classed and contented family. We were absolutely comfortable with what we had so I never had to go envying what someone else had. So, now I can enjoy wealth but not let it rule me.
Relationship – My Dad was typical of most African dads in not knowing how to show love. Not that he did not love, but did not know how to show it. My mum, however, filled the gap for both of them. My mum was my best friend. I was the only girl in a family of 4 and right until I got to university and left home for the first time, she was my confidant. I could tell her anything and everything. She taught me a lot of kindness and love. An unconditional love, even before I knew God personally. She had a Godlike nature.
Spirituality – We were a Christian family but largely church goers.
So what are the most important books you\’ve read?
- The Bible
- Dreams from my father by Barrack Obama
- The Audacity of Hope by Barrack Obama.
- The Five Love Languages
Do you have a favorite quote?
If you can perceive it, you can achieve it!
\’If you don\’t stand for something, you\’ll fall for anything’!
Has a lack of balance in your life ever harmed you or kept you from reaching your goals?
I would say I have a very balanced life
Do you ever find it challenging to live as you preach and what have you learned from those challenges?
The only thing I can find challenging is tolerating wrong and I might be a bit judgmental. I would love to be able to be Christ like especially in my job and the society we live, where immorality is very acceptable. I try not to judge.
Do you think there is an important connection between our everyday living and spiritual life? If so, why is this connection so important?
Yes, I think so. Our everyday life is a reflection of our spiritual life. For us, our main priority is to seek God’s face. Find out if there is anything we should be doing that day. Do our plans live up with God’s plan? So our day is focused around that.
What is your philosophy in life?
Whatever my hands find to do, I should do it to the best of my ability. Whatever I do,
I ask “If God were here, would I do it differently?” So basically my philosophy is
being open and living my life as such.
Has your philosophy developed over time, or are there aspects of it that are rooted in your childhood, through mentors and parents, or friends? And how has it developed, as you’ve grown older?
I would say my philosophy developed more as I grew older. It started in childhood as my parents were open and plain. But I never looked at it like that. But, those qualities formed in me from childhood but a lot more since I became a Christian.
Have you found your passions are changing, as you grow older?
I think it has peaked because I don’t think it can change much more. It has changed a lot in the last ten years, drastically since I got married. I now have………..
Join us again tomorrow for the final part of this amazing woman\’s interview.
(to be continued)
ThAT’s JuSt THe WaY It iS
Queen B