acknowledgments

I’m incredibly honored to do life with some beautiful people who often don’t get a lot of credit but deserve the very best available this side of Heaven.

I’m thankful for my husband, Jack, for being the one who encouraged me, for years, to write this book. To tell my story . . . not just share my strategies. And, for believing in me and our shared purpose day in and day out. As I said on our wedding day, you’re my playmate, my best friend, my perfect blend, the song I hope never ends.

Thank you to my mom, Mary, for being my first example of a prayer warrior and sacrificing so that I could soar. Thank you to my dad, Carter, for being a father in every way. For the conversations, the covering, and for making a life that gave my brother and me every opportunity to succeed.

And, to my not-so-baby brother, Corey. It’s always been you and me, kiddo. I’m proud of the man, husband, and father you’ve become but most appreciate how you are always my safe place. We have our own language and we live in our own world, but I’m clear that my faith is yours and yours is mine. To my older brother, Eric, I’m inspired by your journey and the bigger life you’ve created . . . big head!

Sisterhood and sister-sharpening is sweet to a woman’s soul—especially for a girl who grew up with brothers and male cousins. I honor with appreciation my big sisters, prayer partners, and best friends Karen and Nicola . . . my midwives ready to ride!

My sisters-in-love Tiffany Evans and Jovan, my TCU Horned Frogs Consuela, Nicole, Penny, and LaNasha, and my Hoyas Carla, Cloteen, Nicki, and Melanie. My soul sister for life, Tiffany Johnson, our next chapter will be the purest. Thank you Jenn Jett, Juanda Roberts, Kim Roxie, Gessie Thompson, and Joyce O’Brien for being dream defenders. Tremayne and Mama Mel for being family. You all know me as Marshie, Martian, Marshmallow, or just Sister. May every woman have good girlfriends that embody your selflessness, style, grace, and ride-or-die.

Anthony—thank you for being a brother from another and believer (from the beginning) in me and Godfidence.

Mama Jo and Papa John for welcoming me into the family . . . my picture made the family wall!

Thank you Auntie Jackie and Reverend Campbell Singleton III for being my mentors. To Pastor Bob Wright for seeing something within and trusting me at age twenty for the first time with a pulpit. Mrs. Carelynne for teaching me how to harness the Holy Spirit. To Fabienne Fredrickson for telling me that Godfidence is (and always has been) the game plan, and to be unashamed to live out my faith in the business world. To my first coach, Janice Jackson. May I always make you proud with how I perform on and off the stage. To the teachers who changed everything—Mr. Larry Eger (5th Grade), Ms. Yvonne Greenwood (Richardson High School), and Professor Don Jackson (TCU).

To my fellas—the boys who toughened me up by creating BAM (Boys Against Marshawn) when we were kids: Sean, Dimitri, Derek, Domenic, Glenn, and Shomari. And, to the girls that finally saved the day—Mollia and Ashley. To Auntie’s nephews, Cason and Gavin, who keep me on my toes and my heart young ’n pure. And my nieces Erieyunna and Shunteria. You are walking miracles—together we’re walking legacy.

Grandpa Robert—I didn’t know you, but I hope this work represents the Evans name well. Grandpa Charlie—you are the one who taught me how stillness enables us to hear God’s voice . . . even when we can’t see.

Thank you to my agent, Teresa, for showing up at the right time so could I step in to bigger. To Lisa Stilwell for believing right away that my story and my breed of bible teaching needed to be published. To the Howard/Simon & Schuster team, especially Beth Adams for keeping this alive.

Thank you to the graduates of our Godfidence Business School and ME University programs for allowing us to speak into your future. In the process, I found my voice.

To the early clients and those who said yes to a proposal: Brian Tippens (HPE), Theresa Harrison (EY), Nancy Minchillo (HP), Karmetria Burton (Delta Air Lines), Michelle Robinson (formerly Home Depot), Greg Williams (formerly Rolls-Royce), John Shumate (PepsiCo), NFLers Charles Grant and Thomas Davis, and my very first customer, Phyllis Jenkins. Your early trust changed my life in more ways than one.

To my dream team at ME Unlimited, She Profits, and The Godfidence Co. From the depths of my soul I say thank you to every single team member, graphic artist, web developer, stage designer, volunteer, and employee who has been with me on this journey over the years. I will always be grateful for your presence, your touch, time, and talent in helping this mission to go forth.

Future kiddos: Know that when you read this book one day, Mommy was thinking about you when she wrote every word.

And thank you to those who said that something like this couldn’t be done. You forced me to believe bigger—that a business girl could talk about God, too.