Aimee M.

Today, Aimee speaks to us about the accessibility of prayer and her upcoming book, Sassy & Saved.

Aimee M., Founder of Unqualified & Called

Tell us a bit about how you grew up and your childhood: I was born and partially raised in Miami, FL; we then relocated to St. Augustine, FL. Being born and raised in Florida, my siblings and I would spend our days going to the beach, rollerblading, vacationing and swimming in our pool. Weekend trips would be downtown St. Augustine and getting ice cream. My earlier childhood memories were good for the most part. When we moved to St. Augustine when I was ten, it was really hard. My step mother, who raised me from eleven months old, was Mom to me. She worked as a registered nurse, and dedicated her life to provide for my siblings and I.

My Father was around, but emotionally checked out. My parents had a toxic marriage that eventually she divorced him in my early twenties. It was tough; my mother was unhappy and took it out on us a lot. I was always in trouble for something.

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: “Now the Lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17. Scripture says God provides freedom from sin and condemnation. When we trust Christ to save us, He removes our heavy burden of trying to please Him and our guilt for failing to do so. By trusting Christ we are loves, accepted, forgiven and freed to live for Him. It reminds me as a woman, to confront your fears and limitations head on. Find your voice and remain rooted in the unfailing love God has for you. You have the power to be set free, fully and completely. There is purpose beyond the pain. I am a sassy and saved woman who found her path to freedom and purpose beyond the pain.

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: Focus. So many times, being a mother, a wife, a nurse, a business owner, upcoming author, and leading a women’s outreach, I get distracted, I am so tired at the end of the day, I don’t have time for the little things. My family and I shifted our focus on what’s important. I start each day doing a devotional. Making dinner most nights and praying over our children. Ending our day with a prayer. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but at the end of the day it’s my responsibility to get fed on the bread of life, and that’s Jesus. I had to focus, re-refresh and do a deep inventory of having less. Less of the stuff that doesn’t matter, and more of the stuff that does matter!

Profession: Speaker to women, writer, and up-coming author of Sassy & Saved, set to release summer, 2020, licensed practical nurse, business owner of a legal nurse consulting group- MLNCG, mother of four beautiful children, and a wife to my wonderful master of cooking meatloaf husband, Morgan.

If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be? Add to Cart- As a woman, wife and mother, I feel like I am always taking on responsibilities, tasks, projects and assignments. I love to click “add to card” but when do we truly check out? There were so many times I should have just clicked “Save for later”. Life doesn’t come with a set of instructions. Ok, so funny story: my boys love to play with Legos. Have you ever opened a new box of Legos or played with Legos? There are so many pieces and you have to follow the instructions to build the particular set you bought right? Ok, follow me. In life, we have so much we are trying to build and walk in, that we don’t have instructions, we are flying blind.

If we do not have Jesus to navigate we are going to be building something but it’s not what Jesus intended for us. If we are trying to build this image of life without God, it’s not going to emulate what God had for us. Add to Cart; I have tried to build what looks like God’s plan without His direction. I would have taken out my pain and “saved that for later” instead adding what God had planned so much earlier for my life: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation. These are life application tools He has given us. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. Prayer is essential for building what God has given you.

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? I was fifteen years old. I was invited to a young life church gathering, and it was the first time I truly heard about God. First time I ever heard of God, was a song when I was a little girl “What if God was one of us?” I loved that song, and no idea who He was.

The first time I was given a Bible was at young life church camp June 17, 2002. I encountered God for the first time; it was at a conference room carpet floor at some hotel, sitting criss-cross applesauce while a youth pastor played the acoustic guitar during a worship song. It was the first time I encountered God. The second time and most pivotal point in my life was during my divorce. I was face down in the shower begging God, I couldn’t take the pain anymore, I was in an emotion, physical and mental abuse, He said very distinctly “I am here with you, you are not alone. Get up.”

How has your relationship with Him changed you? My relationship with Jesus, and following Jesus, daily. I am no longer bound by my guilt, shame, depression, trauma and self-destructive behavior. In the gospel, through faith, I have a union with God in Christ. From start to finish the union is God’s gracious work toward me. This union leads to communion with God- a genuine, two-way relationship of give-and-take in which our involvement matters. My relationship with Jesus changed me when I started responding to my circumstances with faith, resisting the lies over my life, started making use of the grace that was given to me. That’s when I started to have the greatest joy of Jesus in my life. Which equaled my relationship with God stronger and more fierce than ever. Spiritually, I grounded my foundation in His Word, so no longer did the ebbs and flows of life irritate my spirit. I am now living a God-led life, have a women’s ministry helping inspire women to live with passion, purpose and to walk in boldness all because of our mighty God.

“My relationship with Jesus changed me when I started responding to my circumstances with faith, resisting the lies over my life, started making use of the grace that was given to me.”

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? What helped me grow spiritually was tuning out of the facts and circumstances in my life and choosing to believe the truth God had over my life. That was a season God was sowing into me. God made me fearlessly and wonderfully made. God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. We are not a product of our environment. When I found spiritual and emotional freedom, it transitioned me into the woman I am today and still growing.

Just read/currently reading (and what has it taught you?): Just read If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg. You have to live life in the driver side of Jesus. Say what? Yes, the control is His. Buckle up and be prepared for the most incredible journey, destination “not yet arrived”. We have all been Peter, scared, terrified but have faith !

Top three essentials: Bible, Mr. Coffee espresso maker, iPhone.

How did God speak to you recently? He recently spoke to me about my family. “Plant the seeds of eternity.” For me that meant our youth. To start planting in the younger generation the very same thing He taught me. There is purpose beyond the pain. Not every child grows up in a believer home.

“There is purpose beyond the pain.”

Hobby: Gardening, writing, and painting.

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong: Daily Bread- reading scripture, surrounding yourself with people who encourage growth and prayer; it is a spiritual tool you can access at any time without any qualifications or requirements.

Favorite person in scripture? Photine- She was the Good Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus. She was spiritually strong. Who went on to led, teach and minister fearlessly in her calling with the power and authority of God. She didn’t feel good enough and was shamed by her people. Jesus acknowledged her situation and what she had been through. In John 4, He gave her the water of everlasting life. She was a total spiritually strong woman in the Bible.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? You are stronger than your setback. There is purpose beyond your pain.

“You are stronger than your setback.”

How do you engage with your community? Speaking, education, outreaches, helping woman find salvation.

Favorite holiday? Christmas. I love celebrating the birth of our Savior. I love the music, lights, baking and the smell of a fresh Douglas fir pine tree.

A goal you have? Finish my bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry.

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: Winter tent camping. We unplug for a whole week.

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? Can I still get my highlights for hair here?

Thing you want to raise awareness about: Domestic violence.

What does your morning routine consist of? Drinking coffee in bed, reading scripture. Getting up making children breakfast, getting them off to school. Playing with my eight month old daughter, then going to work at my local hospital.

What is on your nightstand? iPhone charger, centerpiece of philodendrons arrangement’s my work gave me 1 ½ years ago when I lost my mother to stage four mets breast cancer, and my daughters pacifier.

Define Christianity in a sentence: Jesus saves, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Special news!

Releasing this summer, 2020: Sassy & Saved, by Aimee Miller

Meet Aimee: Founder and creator of Unqualified & Called. Aimee is a nurse by day and a writer, speaker, wife, mom, sister and upcoming local author of Sassy & Saved one woman’s journey to finding purpose beyond the pain.

“There is purpose beyond the pain. Your past doesn’t define who you are. Sassy & Saved was written for women who have been affected by emotional, physical and mental abuse. The mission of the book is to empower, inspire and encourage women to forgive and transform into the woman God called you to be.” Set to release summer, 2020.

Aimee believes a Godly woman who lives with passion, purpose and walks in boldness is free and no longer bound by the shame, guilt and doubt that once bound you. She challenges women to step up and step out and become all God called them to be– qualified and called.

For more Aimee:

Note from Aimee: If you want to know more about God, want to find salvation and spiritual freedom you can follow me, Aimee Miller at Unqualified and Called.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unqualified_called/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnqualifiedandCalled/
Website: http://www.unqualifiedandcalled.com

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XX