Good Women Are Godly; Meet Amanda Marquez.

Amanda Marquez (@idalesethelight) from Baltimore, Maryland is the founder of FaithFarmCo; a religious organization that hand makes Christian jewelry. Also, she is the President of God Crowned Jewels; a ministry aiming to spread the gospel and help women all around world. When I think of Amanda I immediately think of God. She never seizes to amaze me; keep being you beautiful!

Q: What do you believe is the biggest challenge of being a woman?

A: Being a woman means you are resilient. I love that as a woman we have the ability to withstand and push through adversity. There was a time in my life where I had gone through a serious medical condition that resulted in me going through a lot of seemingly unbearable pain. When I was at the hospital the doctor told me, “I know how you are able to stand before me. God made woman strong! God made the woman to be able to withstand pain.” That gave me so much encouragement because that stuck with me through not only my medical issue, but through the trials of life.   The biggest challenge of being a woman is, yes, we are resilient and tough, but we are also very delicate and extremely passionate. I like to think of a woman as a velvet brick, we are tough but soft. 

Q: Who is a woman that you currently look up to and why?

A: I extremely inspired by my mom. She is a woman that took on the adversities of life and allowed them to push her, not break her. She is a single mother, who raised three girls, and even when she lost her home, husband, and career, she came out on top; going back to school, owns a home, and pushes all of her daughters to be successful. She embodies the definition of resilience, and in a world where women of color are the most oppressed and overlooked, that is a true testimony. 

Q: Do you value womanism as much as feminism?

A: I value womanism more. The womanist seem to be more accepting of male counterparts, and I am a strong believer in valuing and appreciating a man. Also, the feminist movement over the course of history was dominated more by white middle class women. Womanism was coined by a black woman who defined it as, “committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female.” 

Q: Where do you envision yourself being 10 years from now?

A: Ten years from now, I envision myself growing my non-profit organization that helps young woman all around the world. I envision publishing books, traveling, speaking to women, opening a scholarship fund for young girls, and essentially devoting my life to encouraging, inspiring, and helping young women all around the world.  

Q: What is something that you would tell to a younger version of yourself?

A: I would tell my younger self to learn to love herself, and trust God through it all. I would tell he that she is loved, she is beautiful, and she is smart. God has had his hands on you your whole life even when you did not realize it. There will be times where you feel insecure, not good enough, but because you have God nothing will be impossible. You will go through some things that will test your faith, but none of those things were meant to break you; instead build you. He had you when you were born a few months early at four pounds and about to die, he had you when your parents would fist fight in front of you, he had you when the guy you loved broke your heart, he had you when you lost it all, he had you when you tried to kill yourself, he had you when you left everything  and traveled over 2k miles for Him, and God will forever have you. Keep smiling, keep going, and if you make a mistake get up and keep moving. 

Q: What is a favorite scripture of yours?

A: Matthew 17:20. “Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, and nothing is impossible for you.”