I am Forever Becoming....

I am the baby girl of six children born to Margret, who was a nurse and grade school teacher, and Freddie who was a state worker and pastor. All five of my siblings were intelligent, talented and hard working. Each of them also developed a relationship with God at a young age. As you could probably imagine, being born into a family like this came with it's own degree of pressure. There was pressure from my parents to meet the standards of respect, competence and independency they demanded from all of their children. Then there was the pressure of meeting the expectations set for me by my older siblings. Let's not forget the pressure placed on me by the "church" based solely on the fact that I was a preacher's kid. Lastly the pressure I placed on myself not to let them down. Sometimes I wonder if any of us took into consideration the fact that God had my path mapped out before I was ever even thought about!

Anyway, as you can probably already imagine I folded under all of this pressure. Every bar I'd reach for, instead of obtaining them, I seemed to push them further away. The more I'd attempt to please everyone and make them proud of me, the more miserably I'd fail. The more I failed, the more comfortable I'd become with the title of being a failure. At least in the eyes of my parents, siblings and the Church. Yet, the world seemed to embrace me exactly as I was. Bad decisions, mistakes, failures, I seemed to be accepted as the picture of imperfection that I was, with no pressure. So I stopped trying to please church and family and began pleasing the world and self. Still having yet to realize this was all part of God's ultimate plan for my life.

From the age of 18 until about 31 I intentionally rebelled. Every expectation set for me and boundary placed on me, I ignored. All of the pressure I'd lived under for 18 years of my life that kept me feeling inadequate and suppressed, in my mind I'd finally broken free from. I made it my business to go as far left as I possibly could. Everything they said don't do, I did. Everywhere they said don't go, I went. I pushed the envelope, went against the grain, ruffled feathers. THAT's what I was good at. I wasn't good at following the path already set by others; the one everyone thought I should. I wasn't like everyone else and I was comfortable with that. At this point I resolved in my mind that I had to blaze my own trail. Where their journey was straight, mine would be crooked. Where theirs seemed smooth, my process was going to be rocky and bumpy. I was fine with it.

When I finally gave my life to Christ at the age of 31, I was initially ashamed of my process, the path I'd taken in life. I didn't want to expose the things I'd been through or done. However, as I learned the power of grace and mercy, I became stronger and more confident in my skin. The fact that God was the One that kept me and He was the reason I was still alive gave my process power. I knew every part of my story was necessary, every detail intentional.  God would use my past faults, failures and flaws to assist me in becoming the virtuous woman that He created me to be.

Little did I know God would use me to do a new thing. All of my past experiences were just part of the process of creating Forever Becoming. A blueprint for imperfect vessels, like me, to follow. God knew that there would be an entire group of us, all across that world, that may fail under expectations of man. Yet, those human failures, in the eyes of God, translate into "Forever Becoming".

Forever Becoming is a mentoring movement inspired by God and created by me to assist the powerful, purposeful woman in the continual, evolution process of BECOMING! Forever Becoming means to choose every single day to be...
1. Brave
2. Exquisite
3. Confident
4. Optimistic
5. Motivated
6. Intentional
7. of Noble Character
8. a Goal Digger

This is not a process of perfection, nor is it about meeting the expectations and bars set for you by man. It is for the sole purpose of always striving towards and choosing to be the woman that God created and called you to be. A blue print to assist us in fulfilling His plan and purpose for our lives. With the ultimate goal of leaving this world completely empty.

It is my prayer that we all strive to be Forever Becoming.

All my Love,
LaShawn Spry
Your Purpose Pusher

Open Letter To My Future Self.....

Dear Future Self,

There are a few things that I need you to know....

First I need you to know that I believe in you!!! I believe in every dream you will ever dream and I know that you have the power and ability to make them all your reality. Know that you are smart and strong, witty and charismatic. You are beautiful both inside and out. You are graceful, poised, well spoken, intelligent and you possess a magnetic energy that fills any room you enter. Your smile exudes the joy and confidence you carry within and your laugh is infectious! You have worked so hard and overcome so much to become the woman that you always carried within; NEVER compromise her for anything or anyone!!!

I need you to know that the huge heart that God has given you is a blessing! And although it may leave you susceptible to immense hurt, it will also allow you to love people purely and deeply as God has charged you to.

I need you to know that you have been given a natural ability to encourage and empower those around you. God allows you to push to the surface all that a person carries within. Because of this gift, you will attract all kinds of people with a variety of intentions and agendas. Know that it is okay to protect yourself by creating personal boundaries. Realize to be close to you is a privilege that you can not afford to just anyone. And no matter how you feel, know that you are never alone. God is always with you and He is strategic about the people He has connected you to.

I need you to know that no matter how much Love and kindness you show to everyone around you, some people will become offended that they are not a part of your inner circle. Understand that this is THEIR issue, not yours!! Do not bend or allow guilt to take a seat in your heart or mind, ever!!! Your responsibility is to exercise wisdom and your innate ability to discern those around you. Recognize those that are God connections and weed out the rest!

I need you to know that every decision I make now and will make in the future, I do so with you in mind. I maintain my focus for you. I allow relationships to develop and/or dissolve with your best interest at heart. I study diligently and cultivate my potential in hopes of living out our God given Purpose. I pray fervently for you. I fight every moment of every day, so that you will become the woman you were created to be. I cry for you, hope for you, ache for you. I LOVE YOU and I will PUSH you to become Totally, Completely, Undeniably and Unapologetically GREAT!!!!!

LaShawn Spry
Your Purpose Pusher
Empower. Inspire. Encourage.

Your Purpose Pusher is Born!!!!!!!

I used to hear my mom use a phrase that goes something like this, "The blind leading the blind and they all gone fall in a ditch." As a child the quote was somewhat humorous to me. My thought of course was, "Why would a blind person even attempt to lead someone else around??" Well as I got older, I realized the statement was a metaphor used to accurately describe a common scenario that occurs in real life every single day. Everywhere, everyday someone is attempting to give advice or instruction on life situations and circumstances that they either haven't applied themselves or they have and it didn't work! Then on the other end there's some poor, unsuspecting soul listening to them, mainly out of desperation for some immediate relief or change!! Hence, the blind leading the blind...

TRANSPARENCY ALERT!!!! (that just means I'm about to share something painful about myself with hopes that it will help someone else) So about two years ago this blind person attempting to lead was, ME. I'd been a first lady for about a year and a half and I realized my purpose was tied to women. My desire to see women spiritually, mentally and emotionally whole had become my passion and I was ready to walk in that. I prayed about it and then I went to my husband (who is also my pastor), told him what I'd been talking to God about and asked him what he thought. As always he was behind me 100% with whatever vision God would give me. Yet, because he knows his wife (when my wheels get to turning ya'll I MOVE, no hesitation)he did urge me to stay before God to be sure I was well prepared for the task and for His perfect timing. Needless to say very soon after this conversation my first event was planned!!

The first event exceeded my expectations!! Almost 30 women showed up ready to be transparent with their stories and open to receive whatever nuggets of wisdom would be offered. These women were ready to be complete and made whole. The only one in the room who's story and feelings were still safely tucked away in her shell of safety...yeap, you guessed it.. ME!!! I had all my perfect little notes all together in my perfect little folder, highlighted just perfectly and my "must say" principles written in bold ink off to the side. I had the room all decorated in beautiful bright colors and the refreshments table was laid just beautifully. Without even realizing it, I'd placed my mask on just right before I entered the room, so that I could safely teach without being taught. So that I could publicly give without seeming as if I needed to receive anything. Surely these women wouldn't listen to me if I didn't have it all together. Surely I can't share my brokenness with the very women I'm suppose to be helping? Surely I'm not ready to tell the truth, my whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me...God really?? BUT, was that not the very thing I was encouraging and asking of these women???

Exactly one year later, almost to the day of the first event, this group of women had completely crumbled. I left these women not only questioning my Purpose, but questioning my relationship with God. What happened? Why would you put me in this position? Why would you tell me to do this just to watch me fail? I thought you said this was my purpose. Why didn't you help me? (sooooooooooooooo easy for us to immediately blame God instead of looking at self) I was so confused and hurt. Oh, the pity party was definitely in FULL AFFECT!!!! Yet, instead of dealing with the pain I did what I was used to doing, masked it by getting busy and throwing myself into a whole new project!!!

THIS TOO FELL APART!!! This time my heart was shattered. My faith was broken. I was literally jilted into a full blown bout with depression and I didn't think I was going to make it. I prayed like I never have before. Not so much talking, but LISTENING for God's voice. He finally said, "Shawn you're doing this all wrong. You're trying to help and heal everyone around you without revealing your own brokenness." I was encouraging women to be open, but wasn't practicing the same degree of vulnerability. I was attempting to lead blind women, while voluntarily remaining blind myself. I must have cried for a week straight. Not just for me, but for the women that depended on me, looked up to me. My God, in His infinite wisdom, was stripping me of the deception that pretending to be perfect brings and replaced it with the beauty and truth carried in pain and brokenness. Once again, I had safely become marred clay in the gentle hands of the Potter.

Now, only a few months later, I sit and write this part of my story to you as an imperfect vessel. I stand before you a Humbled, Wounded, Grateful, Vulnerable, Purposeful woman. A woman that is still and Forever will be.. Becoming! Becoming all that God purposed for her to be and helping other women to do the very same. Born out of pain, transparency and necessity, I am La Shawn Spry and I AM Your Purpose Pusher!!!!

La Shawn Spry
Your Purpose Pusher

Being a "Lady" is DOPE!!!!!!

So, yesterday was mommy/daughter day for me and my 19 year old. Between work, school and her social life our one on one time is rare, yet still important, so we make it happen whenever we can! Anyway, as we sat there chatting and my baby is catching me up on everything that's been going on in her life, the strangest thing started to happen. I started to "see" her. (stay with me I'm going somewhere, lol) Okay, you remember the movie Avatar right? (I know good and well ALL of ya'll said YES!!) Well, remember the part where Zoe Saldana's character, Neytiri, told her love interest, Jake, "I see you"?? Well, THAT's what I'm talking about. Like I wasn't just listening to her words or looking at her face. For the first time, I was really "seeing" her. I noticed the fact that she speaks with her eyes, just like me and her smile lights up a room. I paid attention to how clearly she articulates her thoughts and feelings, with sincerity, honesty and conviction. I realized her body language exuded the confidence that she fought all of her life to obtain and the strength she'd gained in the process. Her voice inflection and words breathed both kindness and passion. I also saw the potential of the BEAST she'd involuntarily inherited from both her father and I. Although tamed by the power of awareness, still ever so present. I could go on and on, but my point is, yesterday I could see the strong foundation of a beautifully intelligent young lady. Not a hoe or a trick, not a b*^ch, video vixen, hot girl or a THOT. On the contrary, my baby girl has become an exquisitely DOPE young WOMAN!!!!!!

I can already hear the voices out there, "Well why does she seem surprised???" To be honest, I am sincerely grateful!! Just in case you haven't been paying attention for the last 20 years, allow me to catch you up. In our current society, being a "Lady" has seemingly become obsolete!!! It seems to be some type of farce to this generation to carry yourself in a manner deserving of the respect and honor. When I was growing up the caliber of women that I had to look up to was so very different from the examples our babies have now. Now let me clarify MY perception of what a Lady is, so there's no confusion on what I mean. To me a Lady is graceful and poised, elegant and classy. She is both compassionate and kind, yet strong and no nonsense. She carries herself with dignity and gives others the respect she expects to receive. She fears God and Loves His people. She prays and she serves Church and community. She Loves her family unconditionally and she protects them by any means necessary. She is quiet and observant. When she enters the room, her very presence commands the attention of all.

This description may sound like a fairy tale to some, but for me I see this woman vividly! I call THIS woman Mommy, Auntie, Sister, Cousin, Teacher, First Lady. From the women in my family, to the teachers in my elementary school (who by the way were all over the age of 40 back then), even to the women I admired on television and in music and the movies (Phylicia Rashad, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Caroll, Lena Horne, etc.). When I was growing up, there were examples of women all around me as a reminder that "Being a Lady" is DOPE!!! They were a constant reminder that you can be sexy, without being naked. You speak, before you've said a word. You can be flirty, without being trashy. You can be soft and not be a doormat. You can be sassy and stand on what you believe, without being rude and condescending. They taught me to know my worth, know who I am, to never compromise my values and morals. They taught me to stand for something or I'll fall for anything. They taught me to be a forever student and continue learning life's lessons and teaching what I learn. They taught me to own my past with pride because every experience creates the woman I am to Become. They taught me Self Love, Self Care, Self Acceptance and Self Confidence. They taught me that the truth will always out live a lie and to hold my head up high, NO MATTER WHAT!!

So to mommy, auntie, sisters, cousins, teachers and even actresses I want to say THANK YOU!! Thank you for carrying yourselves in a manner that constantly and consistently exuded characteristics of the woman within. Thank you for giving me the qualities and teaching me the lessons that I can now pass on to my daughters and granddaughters and great granddaughters. Thank you for cultivating all the potential I carry within. And most importantly, thank you for showing me that "Being a Lady" is STILL absolutely, positively, unquestionably and undeniably.... DOPE!!!!!!!

Befriend DOPE Ladies, Raise DOPE Ladies, BECOME DOPE LADIES,

LaShawn Spry
Your Purpose Pusher