Testimony | Why reedefined

The story of reedefined 

In November 2023, I was told I was being furloughed just a few weeks before Thanksgiving. I took the week of Thanksgiving off to spend time with family, and during that time I received a message from a woman who owned an embroidery business. After a previous conversation with her daughter, she reached out and offered me a part time role. This was my first experience learning embroidery, and I worked there full time for about a month. Shortly after starting that position, I also took a part time job at a local gym working the front desk and assisting with sales, while still working in embroidery at the same time.

By April 2024, I began doing independent work to supplement my income. I cleaned boats and houses, house sat, dog sat, and did whatever I could to make extra money.

Around July or August of 2024, I met with a friend from church and shared my desire for a more stable and financially secure position, ideally as an executive assistant. She told me she knew of an opportunity that would be a good fit. Following that conversation, I reached out to a local realtor and began working as an executive assistant. I worked in that role for exactly a year.

During this time, I was also working as an executive assistant for another business at the same time. Managing both roles often felt like full time work. After about six months, I decided to leave the real estate position and return to working at the gym.

In March 2025, I put my house on the market. It sold within ten days, which allowed me to pay off all of my debt shortly after. This placed me in a very stable financial position for a season.

In July 2025, during Jubilee, our church’s annual celebration, there was an altar call where everyone between the ages of twenty and thirty was invited to the front to be prayed over. I had never been prophesied over before, and that night I received two words.

The first word described me as rushing water, a force to be reckoned with. I was told that water does not go around obstacles but instead pushes through them. It reminded me to continue fighting, pushing forward, and trusting that Jesus was with me in every season and lesson. Shortly after service, I was given a second word that God had already provided the wardrobe I would need in life. Anytime I needed something, whether clothing or shoes, I simply needed to trust Him to provide.

About a week later, I began doing TikTok Live after being contacted by a Christian agency that spoke about financial freedom. For a short time, it provided some financial help. However, I quickly realized it was taking away from my real life relationships and pulling me into a digital lifestyle that left me unhappy. I found myself leaving events early and spending far too much time on my phone. One morning, I watched a video from someone in the same space who shared how negatively it had impacted their life and friendships. I felt convicted. I never want to hinder anyone. I only want to be a light and represent God in a positive way. I chose to step away and trust that if I needed provision, God would supply it in a better and more God honoring way. Letting go of something that was not necessarily bad made room for something far greater.

Seven weeks after Jubilee, a friend sent a message in a group chat suggesting the idea of starting a business. Another friend suggested opening a gym, but the space being discussed felt too small for that. Then the idea of athletic and athleisure wear was mentioned. I hesitated, unsure if there was a market locally. While working an afternoon shift at the gym, I asked members where they purchased their athletic wear and if they would support a local shop. Their responses encouraged me. I returned to the desk and immediately put together a business plan including financial projections, population data for the surrounding region, and the types of products I wanted to offer. I later shared the idea with my parents, and my dad encouraged me to speak with the Small Business Development Center at the local college.

I met with an advisor at the Small Business Development Center. During our first meeting, we reviewed my business plan, and he said it was very well written and that opening an athletic and athleisure retail store in the historic depot downtown was a strong idea. The following week, we focused on financials and expectations for the next steps.

The next Sunday at church, the words spoken over me months earlier came back to mind. At the end of service, my mom suggested going to the front to pray over the potential business. I initially resisted because I did not want to get emotional. As I walked toward the restroom, I felt strongly led to stop and ask a woman to pray with me about the business. Shortly after, I rejoined my mom and another friend, shared the idea, and we prayed together over funding, courage, peace, and confidence that whatever came my way would be from God and that He was guiding every step.

That following Wednesday, I met with the business advisor again and was told I was ready to begin seeking financial support. Over the next week and a half, I faced multiple obstacles and discouraging conversations about funding and collateral. I did not give up. The word about rushing water stayed with me. I refused to let discouragement stop what God had placed in front of me.

Eventually, I reached out to a former coworker in banking, who encouraged me to contact another bank. I made the call, shared my business plan, and about a week later I received approval. Shortly after, my mom and I met at the bank to discuss loan terms and next steps. That same week, I signed both the loan documents and the lease for the space.

The following week, I ordered my first inventory, fixtures, and everything needed to open. After having the space for a short time, friends from church came to pray over and bless the business alongside my parents and close friends. With the help of so many people, everything came together quickly.

I have now been open for about a month and have already exceeded my expectations. This journey has shown me that it is possible to follow your dreams, persevere through obstacles, and trust that God has been present from the very beginning. Even before I understood what He was doing, He was preparing a path for me to thrive.

If anything defines me, it is redefined. Faith, fitness, fashion, and purpose.