DALLAS — November 5, 2010 will forever serve as a defining moment, of sorts, for Shenequwa Sampay.
For starters, not only was it the day in which she had given birth to her daughter but, most importantly, it was a day during which she had a encountered a thought-provoking, life-enhancing exchange with her Creator.
“I heard God speak so clearly as I looked at my daughter…that she will not have to go through what I did as a child,” Sampay, during an interview this week with Making Headline News, recalled while explaining in great detail the events that had ultimately led to her selling out completely to Almighty God. “Now I knew He was calling me, but I had no idea exactly what that meant and to the magnitude at that time. That’s when my life completely changed.”
Much to the delight of Sampay, the overall landscape of her life began to change miraculously, particularly over the next six years, considering God began to, as she described it, “prune and refine” her for His glory.
A 33-year-old native of Waverly, Texas, Sampay, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, officially accepted her divine call into ministry nearly a year ago. For what it’s worth, it’s safe to assume she hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down any time soon.
A Conroe, Texas-based businesswoman (Conroe is roughly 40 miles north of Houston), Sampay is the Visionary for “Women After His Will Ministries,” a notable religious-based organization that is geared largely toward helping women to maximize their potential with God, their Helper, leading the way.
“I planned my first conference,” said Sampay, explaining how she had grasped the vision for erecting her ministry. “God spoke to me last year that this year will be the year of discovery for His children, which is where ‘Discover You,’ the name of my conferences, came from…discovering your identity, meaning getting back to your true God ordained purpose and to be authentically you and taking off the mask.”
Speaking of taking off the mask, Sampay doesn’t shy away from the notion that long before she established her Christian-based ministry, she had to press and navigate her way through arguably the most chaotic seasons of her young life.
At the tender age of eight, for instance, she had what she described as her “identity stolen” amid the gruesome act of rape by her cousin. Consequently, such a stunning development had eventually given way to her being molested by other family members, one of whom was a female cousin.
For Sampay, such downtrodden occurrences prompted her to grow her, seeking others for a sense of validity to the life of a young girl who had no lofty idea that she was strategically being positioned to be set aside for God’s use.
“I grew up looking to the world to show and tell me who I am, which led to lots of heartaches and destruction in my life,” Sampay, a Sam Houston State University alumna, recalled. “I battled with self-hate and rejection and no one had a clue.”
Still, little did Sampay realize, God had other ideas, all of which would benefit her mightily, thus provide her with a new lease on life.
“It was not until I cried out to God myself that my life began to turn around,” Sampay said. “My testimony changed my life, because God called me to be the vessel to save my family. It’s not about me but about my children and grandchildren, etc…to know that God would use me to break generational curses and to save my loved ones is an overwhelming joy.”
Today, unlike never before, the lives of countless individuals across the country are steadily being impacted and transformed by Sampay’s seemingly unyielding transparency through her awe-inspiring testimonies.
After have hosted her first conference approximately seven months after starting her ministry, Sampay will raise the curtain on her third conference at Houston’s Harvest Time Church October 13-14, an event that will accompany the theme: “Discover You Part 3: Dismantling Generational Curses.”
According to Sampay — who comes from a family that is comprised of two deacons, one of whom is her father — this event will focus largely on the release of her program by helping women to discover their identity called, “Who Are You?”
“My testimony is for my family and anyone who can relate to it,” Sampay said. “I had been comfortable serving and being in the help ministry, but it’s something different when you walk in what God has chosen just for you to do.
“My family supports (my ministry) through prayer, which is more than I can ever ask,” Sampay added.
All of which practically sums up why November 5, 2010 will forever serve as a defining moment, of sorts, for this beloved woman of devout faith.
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Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.