This is the final day of our week-long celebration of National Entrepreneurship Day and I am blown away by the awesome women in the Purpose 2 Platform program. You’ve heard so many amazing stories so far and today’s guest is one whose testimony will blow you away. Many purpose chasers have a story of triumph and challenge that brought them pain, but Dr. Vernell Deslonde is a woman who knew exactly how to take her pain and turn it into purpose.
Dr. Vernell is a passionate, purpose-driven woman of God who understands first-hand what it means to be a single mother after experiencing an unwanted and unexpected divorce and the added pressure of having more than 1.1 million dollars of debt with zero assets and negative net worth. Dr. Vernell is a published author of several academic journal publications, and a sought-after speaker, writer, and clarity coach. 
In her book, From Pain to Purpose, Dr. Vernell shares her story of transformation, self-discovery, self-realization, resiliency, and discovering her God-led purpose as she battled with emotional turmoil, limiting beliefs, financial difficulties, and in the end, an abundance of joy.  From Pain to Purpose is about revelation, reclamation, and how God used her painful divorce to propel her towards becoming her best version.
Key discussion points from this episode include:
Finding Courage & Confidence - 8:00
How To Stop Hiding Behind The Curtain - 10:03
How Vernell Took Her Pain From Purpose To Platform - 11:30
Why We Pretend & Hide - 16:00
A Daughter’s Perspective Of Overcoming Pain - 20:54
Managing Money & Financial Stewardship - 24:15
Vernell’s Results From The Purpose 2 Platform Program - 29:30
Advice To Turn Your Pain Into Purpose - 35:04
 
Connect With Dr. Vernell Deslonde:
Website: https://drvernell.com/
Instagram: @iamdrvernell
30-Day Prayer Challenge: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5fb7178dca48da9e8a5f97f1
Courses: https://drvernell.com/elementor-151/
 
This episode is brought to you by Created For Purpose. This 5-day challenge is designed to help you get unstuck and transform your gift into a purposeful resource in the marketplace. Join us on December 7th and learn how to prevail online and thrive in turbulent times. To sign up visit patricewashington.com/challenge.
 
From Pain to Purpose Takeaways
“I grew up in the church and I knew about God, but I didn’t really know God.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“When you literally or metaphorically live behind a curtain, others can’t experience the you that God has called you to be.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“The Lord knows everything.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“My very first prayer was, ‘God Help Me.’” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“When we hide the guilt, the shame, and the embarrassment we create a wedge between us and the very people we say we want to help.” - Patrice Washington
“I have an obligation, as a believer, to share my story because there are other people who are stuck in their pain.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“I don’t have to down someone else to work on myself.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“A lot of parents don’t tell our story because we don’t want the story to be weaponized.” - Patrice Washington
“P2P is where I rediscovered me.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“There’s no straight line to purpose.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“There’s clarity in the doing. The more that I felt like I was doing, the clearer I became on what God was calling me to do.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
“The foundation of it all is relationship with God.” - Dr. Vernell Deslonde
 
Redefining Wealth Rapid Wisdom Questions
And with that, let’s dig into Dr. Vernell’s responses to our Redefining Wealth Rapid Wisdom Questions.
Define Success:
“Success is knowing the thing that God has called you to do.”
Define Wealth in 3 Words or Less:
"Finding Godly Fulfillment"
One Book that Has Redefined How You See Wealth:
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness - Dave Ramsey
Fill-in the Blanks … “My name is ___ and the truth about wealth is ___”:
“My name is Dr. Vernell and to