God Never Fails

Scripture Reference:

Job 42:2 (NIV)

“I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

So… I did a thing.

One of my closest friends launched a podcast-turned-virtual talk show a little over a year ago, and I have been so inspired watching her continue to show up with consistency, honesty, and courage. She does not care if an episode helps one person or 1 million, she’s consistent to her calling, and I love watching it.

Her show tackles some of the hardest conversations Black women carry:
grief after losing a child,
loving your son through incarceration,
mental health,
menopause,
identity shifts,
and what happens when life changes in ways you never prepared for.

So during Mental Health Awareness Month, she invited me to come share my own story. My mental health journey, diagnosis, and experiences navigating emotional wellness while still trying to lead, serve, mother, work, and believe God through it all, this was her vision for the May episode.

I was honored.
And honestly… excited.

But if I am honest, there was also a small part of me wrestling with the quiet fear that I would somehow not show up well enough. I will get to this part shortly…

Isn’t it interesting how quickly we can move from calling to self-criticism? Yet even in moments where we feel uncertain about ourselves, God never wavers in His faithfulness toward us.

Life started life-ing.

Leading up to the recording, I ended up hospitalized again for 5 days dealing with pain and complications from chronic back issues and a recent work injury. MY GOD TODAY!!!

We rescheduled more than once. Then life happened again. And again.

But Mental Health Awareness Month had arrived, and we both wanted to stay committed to the schedule, so I pushed through and showed up.

The day of the recording, everything was Black Friday at Wal-Mart – a hot mess!

I was running late.
I was overheated. Hypothyroidism, perimenopause….
I misunderstood the “casual comfy couch conversation” vibe entirely and showed up feeling extremely underdressed.
I was flustered, physically uncomfortable, and trying desperately to pull myself together before the cameras started rolling.

And honestly?
I never fully settled.

The entire time, I kept feeling like I was failing the moment somehow, failing the conversation, failing to present the strongest version of myself. But looking back now, I realize something important: even when I felt disconnected from myself, God was still fully present.

The entire conversation felt like I was there…
but not fully present.

Afterward, I didn’t feel excited to watch it.
I felt relieved that it was over.

And when I finally watched it back, my fears felt confirmed.

I saw a woman tugging at her clothes because she felt uncomfortable in her body.
A woman trying to discreetly stop sweat from rolling down her face.
A woman searching for composure in real time, and could not find it.

And then came the “ums.”

So many ums. Why so many ums, y’all.

That’s usually how I know I’m not fully grounded in myself.

Now, here’s the interesting part:

I’ve been speaking, teaching, facilitating, and training for over two decades. I genuinely love communicating with people about hard things, especially around early childhood, women’s experiences, faith, and mental health.

But this felt different.

Because this time, I wasn’t speaking from a polished stage version of myself.
I was speaking while actively uncomfortable.

And maybe that is the real challenge of authenticity and belonging, allowing ourselves to still show up when we do not feel polished, confident, prepared, or emotionally “put together.” Sometimes we mistake discomfort for failure, when really God is teaching us how to trust Him beyond performance.

So after watching it, I decided:
I’m not sharing this anywhere.

But then yesterday, I facilitated a conversation around many of the same themes we discussed during the recording.

And this time?
I felt like myself again.

Comfortable.
Present.
Grounded.
In my bag, as the young people say - lol.

And afterward, people kept coming up to me saying:
“Thank you for sharing.”
“I needed this.”
“This opened my eyes.”
“Can we continue this conversation?”

And it reminded me of something important:

The package may not always look polished…
but the message can still carry purpose.

Because God has never required perfection in order to use us. If He did, none of us would ever be qualified. His faithfulness is not dependent upon how composed we appear in the moment.

And honestly, some seasons will convince you that you are failing simply because you are tired, grieving, overwhelmed, emotionally stretched, or struggling to carry what life has placed on your shoulders.

But exhaustion is not failure.
Needing help is not failure.
Healing in real time is not failure.
And through all of it, God remains faithful.

So as uncomfortable as this is for me…
I’m going to share the episode.

Not because it’s perfect.
But because authenticity matters more to me than appearing polished.

I think many of us are walking around carrying private disappointment in ourselves, wondering if we missed the moment, mishandled the opportunity, or somehow fell short. But God’s ability to work through us has never depended on us performing perfectly.

Thank God for that.

One thing I say often in ReRise is that sometimes God asks us to show up authentically in ways that feel deeply uncomfortable.

And eventually, He will make us live the very things we encourage others to believe.

So…
support my girl, Dr. She Rich.
Watch the episode.
Extend grace.

And please…
don’t message me about how many times I said “um.”

I already know. 😂

I just pray something in the conversation blesses you.

And maybe even more than that, I pray it reminds someone that even when you feel like you failed… you are not disqualified. God does not fail us in our humanity. He meets us there.

Access the Surviving with SheRich Talk Show:
SWSR E11 Battles of the Mind: Winning the War on Peace

Prayer:

Father God,

You are my only hope in times of doubt, confusion and self-condemnation.

Your word reminds me that not only did you create me, but you created me with a purpose.

The creation is evidence that you care for us.

You created the ground we walk on, air we breath, and birds we are ion awe of before creating us.

You ensured humans, your greatest creation, had everything needed to win.

We are winners, You made sure of it.

In this moment that I may not feel as victorious, I am assured that I am.

Thank you for loving me in doubt and fear of failure, and showing up for me anyway,

In Jesus name,
Amen.