The Glamourous Life

An Interview of Jennifer Watley Maxell

When and where were you born?

June 27,1970, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Who was President of the United States when you were born?

Richard Nixon.

What was the most significant world event during your childhood?

The emergence of Hip Hop. Hip Hop narrated the struggle for freedom in South Africa during Apartheid, it narrated the fall of the Berlin Wall, it narrated the silenced global spread of AIDS, and it even narrated ways of relating to the Divine that were outside of my own Christian upbringing.

Which invention from your lifetime are you most amazed by?

The World Wide Web! The idea of being able to communicate with each other, shop, and research on the computer seemed crazy and improbable, like something out of “The Jetsons.”

What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the world in your lifetime?

While many people still claim to believe in some type of deity, many do not practice their faith in a way that shapes community. The Black Church was the hub of my community growing up. Even those who weren’t Christians respected our beliefs and participated in communal traditions held at the church. Now that hub has been lost.

What public figure/celebrity has influenced you the most in your lifetime?

My Father.

What was your favorite food or candy as a child?

My mother’s peach cobbler and Now and Later candy.

What was your favorite hobby/pastime as a child?

Spending summers with my grandparents.

What was your first job?

I worked for my grandfather selling t-shirts at a church convention when I was 12. He taught me that a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.

What was your first car?

An Oldsmobile Firenza that was wrecked the day I got it. Someone ran a red light as my mom was driving it home.

What was a popular/favorite song from when you were younger?

“The Glamorous Life” by Sheila E. and “The Pleasure Principle” by Janet Jackson.

What was your favorite movie as a child?

“The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh,” which introduced me to Dr. J.

What’s the weirdest fad you remember from your childhood?

Using Kool-Aid to color our hair. It worked until you either washed your hair or it rained.

What are you most proud of?

(i) My family: My husband and I have been married for over 30 years. We have three young adult kids and have navigated two houses, two dogs, caring for parents, and cofounding a church while holding multiple day jobs. We’re still here, and we’re better friends than we’ve ever been.

(ii) My ministry: I’ve founded/co-founded The Breakthrough Fellowship, The Ellipsis Experience, and The Flourish Conference, and I’ve written three books, all with the goal of helping people find spiritual healing, transformation, and liberation through an intimate relationship with Jesus.

(iii) Myself: I grew up as a very average Black girl. Never the smartest, coolest, most athletic, or prettiest. Painfully shy and insecure, I kept a lot of trauma bottled up inside of me until I just couldn’t anymore. That’s when I met Jesus, for real, for real. He showed me that the person I had become was not the person God created me to be, and I started becoming me that day.

What’s the best advice you’ve gotten about aging?

Beauty fades, but a person who is interesting and fun never gets old.

How would others say you are defying your age? What’s the secret to defying what it means to be your age?

I know so many people who unnecessarily limit themselves; they talk about what’s appropriate at a certain age, what they can or cannot wear at a certain age, etc. But I follow my heart and what gives me life. I am also clear about who God created me to be and my purpose in the world. Living into that identity and purpose is life-giving and keeps me constantly growing and excited about what’s ahead. Vitality, growth, joy, and excitement are all associated with youth in our culture, so I believe people who embody those qualities are seen as ageless.

What have you enjoyed most and least about aging?

Most: Increased confidence and decisiveness. I’m a recovering perfectionist, and I’ve learned that an authentic life is much more rewarding than one perceived by others as perfect. Least: My body ain’t loyal, lol! The physical consequences of aging are just cruel. We can do a lot to mitigate them, but at a point, learning to accept and work with them is sobering.

If you could go back to any age, what would it be and why?

I wouldn’t go back to any age. Nostalgia makes us think there was something magical in our past, but there isn’t. Each age and stage has given me something priceless.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self? What do you wish you’d known sooner?

When I went to seminary, my dad gave me a great piece of advice. He said, “You know more than you think you do. You’ll be fine.” He was right. Believing that we are enough to navigate and thrive through any situation really is a superpower.

What other life advice would you pass along to women of any age?

Black women matter, and we deserve love, happiness, and care; but we have to apply it first to ourselves, then to others. We have endured so much trauma individually and collectively that has damaged us; however, healing is real and powerful. So get to know Jesus, drink your water, take the medicine, fix your credit, get your sugar under control, have the conversation, go to therapy – do whatever you have to do to be healed, whole, and well. You deserve it, and those who love you need it.