Newsletter
Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeAlright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shunta Graham. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Shunta, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
So in 2019 I wanted to be finally free from my childhood traumas. I had prayed and told God that I am tired of going through the emotional and mental battles I face everyday because of childhood traumas. So as I usually did on days when I had free time, I was searching YouTube and watching videos about dreams. You see, I dreamed a lot when I was a teenager and had no one to help me understand my dreams. And in 2018 my dreams began to increase as the year went by. In 2018 I stumbled across a channel called, “KingdomLiving771” and the woman in the video was talking about a dream she recently had. What she was saying was agreeing with my spirit and I felt like she was talking directly to me. So as time went by we connected through Zoom and this connection was the beginning of what God orchestrated as a Divine encounter. During her Zoom meetings she would tell her testimony of how God healed her from her past traumas and what she was saying was what I needed. So I decided to consult God and asked him to help me to be free from my past traumas. And He did just that.
God allowed me to connect with another lady who is an author and entrepreneur. And by Divine alignment I ran across her ad on Facebook asking if you ever had a desire to write a book to come and join her all female writer’s community, so I joined. A few months after being a part of the community I saw her advertising about her next anthology. Me not understanding what she meant caused me to contact her to inquire about this anthology. Once we had the meeting she asked if the anthology, which is a book with a collection of stories, is something I wanted to do. I told her to give me a few days to think about it and I would get back with her. During those few days I prayed and asked God what I should do. He said, “Were you just singing, spirit lead me where my trust is without borders let me walk upon the waters wherever you will call me”? I said yes I was. Then He said, “Trust me and do it.” So I called her back and told her yes. See this is where I took a risk. Writing this chapter in this anthology would cause me to have to tell my truth about what happened to me in my childhood and I knew by doing this many family members would be upset. When I tell you it was a struggle, it was a struggle just to write this one chapter. After many months of praying, writing, crying, fasting and almost giving up, God began to break those things that were holding me back from being healed from my past traumas. So I risked it all by pushing the send button on the computer to submit my written chapter for the anthology. Y’all when I tell you that taking this risk was hard. It was extremely hard and stressful, but I began to get my freedom because I told my truth. Waiting for the book to be released was overwhelming, but the response once the book was released was life changing. So many people reached out to me and let me know that my story was their story. Many asked how I could be so strong. All I could say was,”It’s ALL God.” And everything that I thought I was risking did not turn out the way I played it out in my head. So I encourage you to take the risk even in fear and watch how God moves on your behalf.
Shunta, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Shunta Graham. I go by Shunnie Marie which is my brand. I am a wife, a chemist by day, an author, a singer, a praise dancer and a podcaster. I was born and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas with my husband. Writing, singing and praise dancing were things I discovered as a teen that I was good at. I grew up in a musical family. Both my mother, my aunts, my maternal and paternal grandmothers could all sing and my paternal grandmother could also play the piano. So growing up in a musical family you were taught to sing or to play an instrument. It literally runs in my blood.
I was always drawing, writing short stories and poems as a way of releasing what was going on in my head as a teen. I was about 14 or 15 when I discovered I had a talent for creating praise dances. My sister, my cousin, my best friend and I created a dance to showcase in the church’s talent show and we won first place. It was then that I knew that praise dancing was one of my callings.
Living life had many ups and down but I stayed the course and God allowed me to tell my story. And telling my story has opened up so many doors. For instance becoming a best selling author. Starting my podcast that encourages women to Show Up, to Manifest and to Grind for what they want in life by using affirmations and changing your thought process. I also created a daily inspiration post on my social media called, Affirmations with Shunnie Marie. I am currently working on merchandise that represents my brand Shunnie Marie ” The Affirmation Queen” And I am also working on my solo book, workbook and journal. I want potential clients/followers/ fans to know that you too can be whatever you want to be when you show up for you. My most joyful moments are when others inform me of how much of an impact the things that I do gives them encouragement to also do what they were called to do. I want everything that I do to encourage others to keep pushing and to also see themselves being freed from whatever is holding them back.
What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
The most rewarding aspect for me being a creative is seeing women being released from what was stopping them from pursuing their careers or business. When I see women who decide to show up for themselves and do what they have to do to achieve whatever goal they set out to do. It keeps me motivated to keep doing what I do which is to encourage and to inspire others to discover the gifts and talents they have. Also being able to create without being limited is also a rewarding aspect of me being creative. No one can tell me what I cannot do creatively, because I work for myself.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Grew up being sexually abuse from age 4 to 10 and then again from 12 to 14 and being bullied throughout my childhood and teen years caused many issues both mentally, physically, psychologically and emotionally. For years I did not love myself and hated what I looked like. I felt like no one cared and that I would forever be broken. But God used singing, dancing and writing to keep me from drowning from the mental and emotional rollercoaster I experienced daily. God allowed me to see that I was not alone and that what I went through was bigger than me. He showed me that I was called to bring others to their places of freedom. Many would think that someone who has gone through this much would not survive or would not be able to tell them. But I thank God for His protection and Him keeping my mind when I wanted to die. Life growing up was hard but what I went through made me the woman I am today. I’m stronger. I’m wiser. I’m determined. I’m blessed. The winds of life may cause you to bend, but when you have a strong foundation you will NOT break. When the wind stops blowing you will stand tall and strong as though nothing ever happened.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Vincent Jackson and Gregory Courtney
Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know
here.
