We recently connected with Lianna Alexander and have shared our conversation below.
Lianna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
My life is and has been an interesting one! I am unusual – in the sense that I have had to create my own lane to fit into. As a preacher/Bible teacher, I have an unusual ministry that is still being established. I don’t (currently) have a physical place where people can come and listen to my teaching, yet I am gaining followers everyday through social media. That’s a pretty broad audience – and the potential to become quite large! Yet, the only thing I can do is continue to teach the Word of God, which is causing me to evolve into what I like to call a Spiritual Influencer. My goal is to make disciples by teaching the commands of Christ, and so I am hoping to make a positive influence on the spiritual lives of people around the world.
My preaching life intersects with my teaching life! I not only preach and teach the Word of God, but I am also a teacher in the natural. I took a huge leap of faith and quit my teaching job to start a tutoring business. I believe that Building Bridges Tutoring and Remediation Services affords me the freedom to meet the needs of students that I couldn’t meet in the classroom due to various factors. Taking this leap of faith meant trading in a solid, stable income for many unknowns and uncertainties! As I am working to build the business, it has had it’s challenges, but it is also rewarding in that I am still able to impact the lives of students!
Lianna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
The call into ministry came about 8 years ago, as I was beginning to grow more and more in my faith. Over the 8 years I have had awesome examples before me of both men and women who are staying true to their calling, no matter how difficult it may be at times. They are part of the inspiration to keep going in ministry, even though this picture may not look like what I am used to seeing. I currently provide Bible teaching on Facebook and Youtube, with hopes to expand to Instagram this year. I also minister through my podcast, Broken Places and Broken Spaces: Being Healed Through God’s Word. It also can be found on most podcast platforms.
As a teacher, I was inspired by the awesome elementary school teachers that I had growing up in Davison Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan. As a young black girl with a somewhat challenging home life, my mostly Black teachers showed care and concern for me, all while providing me with a great educational experience! It truly made a mark on my life, and I never forgot it. This was my inspiration to become a classroom teacher – I wanted to provide everything those teachers had provided for me, to others. I truly believed that it would be my way of making a difference in the world.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
About 4 years ago, I went through a pretty hurtful time in my ilfe when my ex-husband and I divorced. Under the circumstances, it was by far the worst experiences of my life. It definitely could have destroyed me – but I give all glory to God that I was able to come out of it! I could have given in to depression, bitterness, resentment and anger, allowing those things to destroy me. Instead, I stood on my faith and what I knew that God could do in bringing me through healed and whole. As a testimony to other women that they, too, can overcome those things in life that come to destroy them, I wrote a book entitled My Exodus: Journey to Promise and Purpose.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
As a new business owner who still is passionate about educating children, it is my goal to help students get to where they need to be academically. This is also my goal in ministry – to help people grow in their spiritual journey. I am looking to build the bridges needed for children and people to get from where they are to where they need to be, We have become a society that is so wrapped up in ourselves that we don’t often stop to put aside everything else to help those around us who we see are struggling. Whether it’s the student’s academics affected by the pandemic, or the man or woman who is struggling in their faith after the pandemic, I believe that I am called to stop what I am doing and help them both.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.covergirlsforchrist.org
- Instagram: @covergirls_4_christ
- Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/deirra.brown
- Youtube: @liannaalexander9331
Image Credits
Ryan James Spencer Anthony Austin II