Celebrating Her Authentic Self Dr. Stephanie Jennings

Dr. Stephanie Jennings is a fun, free-spirited, woman of faith and fortitude. She believes when life gives you lemons don’t just make lemonade, but rather make a lemon pound cake. Becoming a mother of two by the age of 19 showed her that your experiences are not the end of you, but the beginning of your story! It did not take her long to realize every LIFE EXPERIENCE has a GOD PURPOSE attached to it. Many years later with pure joy and a grateful heart she is still amazed of God’s love for her and her family!

Dr. Stephanie Jennings is a mother of five beautiful human beings, Travis, Briona, Daja, Destiny, and David Christopher; with one fur baby name “Zoe”. She is the wife of Apostle Travis Jennings, the man that captured her heart and connected her to destiny. Together they built ‘The Harvest Tabernacle Church’ located in Lithonia, Georgia. The two-building church sits on 7.5 acres of land and encompasses a 500-seat sanctuary. Dr. Stephanie believes she didn’t just marry a man, but she married a vision.

Dr. Stephanie is one of the Lead Pastors of The Harvest Tabernacle Church and loves developing creatives and visionaries. She believes we must embrace the essence of our existence and walk in the full version of who God created us to be. After years of battling with mental complexities, knowing that she was very creative, but failed to execute left her in shame. Finally, she embraced the fact that she was dyslexic and her mind was beautiful, but created differently. She said, “Even though my start was confusing, my story was clear!” She went on to explain that getting stuck in the experience and failing to excel in the lesson was not an option. However, owning her story was a must because within her story was her message and her message was connected to her money! This story is about discovering ‘Brown Girls Magic’ that gives a voice to the notion that regardless of our color, the melanin in our skin affords us the privilege to be “pridefully” black.

Dr. Stephanie points out that there is inspirational pride in knowing the history of our melanin. “When I think about ‘Brown Girls Magic,’ it really means that in my DNA is survivors, strategists, and successful women with the ability to overcome.” She realized that her roots were connected to melanin bosses that refused to be victims, but victors. “Brown Girls Magic is not a group of arrogant women, but a group of women that support one another. We are women who have a sense of pride in who God has created us to be. The pride influenced by our heritage offers knowledge that Brown Girls Magic is a catalyst t0 help teach us to understand who we are as African American women”.

Black Girls Magic is not defined by people but should be lived out by God’s promises. Dr. Stephanie begins to take a walk down memory lane. “I could remember over 20 years ago when I first gave my life to Christ it was a complete culture shock. Please understand I went from being a stripper in a nightclub to a sanctified church. I spent years trying to cover up my tattoos and piercings instead of just being who God called me to be. One morning the Lord began to speak to me and said, “Stephanie you have been so busy trying to keep up with man's rules that you’ve forgotten to practice my principles. He went on to say Stephanie ‘I never called you to be in a box.’ At that very moment I realized that I had been trying to fight

Goliath in Saul’s armor. I understand that it never mattered that my hair was colored or cut. I was so busy trying to do what people told me to do that I forgot who God had called me to be. It was time for me to definitely become my authentic self. I needed to focus on building my relationship with God and not religious practices. I discovered the audacity to be my authentic self.” Dr. Stephanie’s life now encompasses the call to become who she is meant to be.

What is your ministry calling? In what capacity do you serve your church? “I am a Prophetic Intercessor with an evangelistic call to gather God’s people. I’m also a missionary and we do missions work in Cape Town, South Africa. I love it there. My South African sisters and brothers have so much pride in their melanin skin tones. Our church has been serving over there for over 10 years. I've been serving for the last four years. The Lord gave me a genuine love for the South African community. My most recent trip to South Africa took place [at] the end of January 2020. I took my daughter for her birthday. I wanted her to see why I love it so much. We really got an opportunity to survey the land. One of our goals is to help educational centers for preschoolers from ages one to five years of age because most of them are not afforded the fundamental foundational learning skills needed to keep up in a publicschool setting. Even though the global pandemic slowed us down, it did not stop our mission”!

Do you ever see yourself bringing any of the children back here to the United States? “We watched the South African children play in the cold without jackets and shoes. They have learned how to make the best of what they have and enjoy the simple things in life. Yes, I do see myself taking on a couple of girls. One girl in particular, her dad passed, and her grandma takes care of her, and I remember her. The grandma asked me, ‘Can you help me with her?’ I really took a liking to the girl and would like to help, and I really want to bring her back over here if possible. I would like to allow her to experience something different. I would like to personally sponsor her if What is your position in the marketplace and what is your inspiration to follow that calling? “I believe there’s seven mountains of influence that rule this world: Media, Arts & Entertainment, Education, Government, Business, Family and the Church. I believe we are called to rule and reign on at least one. After all the Bible calls us kings and priest unto God. This simply means we are supposed to walk in a level of authority and influence in the earth realm. According to Matthew 5:16, ‘We should let our light so shine, before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven’. I am a published author with three books— “Small Steps to Sanity”, “Commanders” and my latest e-book “Audacity”! The common theme in my books is discovering your purpose, walking in peace, power and prosperity. It is my belief that God wants us to have outward prosperity and inward wealth. I love teaching people strategies for WEALTH & WINS! They call me the manifestation coach. I love helping women manifest their God given dreams and visions!

My job is to teach women and God's people that it’s important to know who you are. I often tell people to stop trying to seek success but start becoming a student and building value- this will make you a force to be reckoned with. When you become a person of value the world can no longer tell you who you are; but you present to the world who you are based on the value on the inside of you. Once you find your gift, the genius inside of you will become valuable—and people pay for valuable things. My husband calls it “Metron” just find your lane and take over”!

What three words define you? “Corky –Creative—Christ Centered”

Biography

DR. STEPHANIE JENNINGS

Dr. Stephanie Jennings is an International Conference Speaker, Author, and Life Coach. Her messages inspire, challenge and provoke dreamers to walk in their full potential. Dr. Stephanie loves cultivating creative people. One of her greatest passions is to equip the nation by teaching strategies for WEALTH & WINS. Dr. Stephanie believes that if you don’t like the life you’re living then, “Stop Complaining and Start Commanding”! Dr. Stephanie Jennings is the wife of Apostle Travis Jennings. Devoted to the vision, she assists her husband with a variety of duties to assure that his God-given mandate is carried out. She has the same emphasis in ministering as her husband and Pastor, which are the tenants of faith and family. She is one of the lead Pastors at The Harvest Tabernacle Church in Lithonia, GA, founder of Flight School, Sistarhood Gang and the Commanders Gathering Prayer Movement. She also serves on the board of directors for the THT Missions Ministry.

Dr. Stephanie is a prolific author who has written several books, including Small Steps To Sanity, Commanders, Audacity and Own It. Her love for fashion led her to launch two inspirational clothing lines: Light Apparel and her Pretty Chics Collection. Dr. Stephanie received her honorary doctorate from Refreshing Faith Bible College, in Woodbine, GA and she is currently pursuing her Bachelors of Arts in Religion at Luther Rice University.

Dr. Stephanie greatest inventions are her five children Travis, Briona, Daja, Destiny and David Christopher.