We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mariesa Moore-Gentry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mariesa below.

Mariesa, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents introduced me to Jesus. I believe this was the very best thing they could’ve done for me. However, they didn’t just introduce me to Him, both of their lives were examples of Jesus’ love for me.

When I was four years old, my father became the pastor of the church I grew up in. We were in church Tuesday evening for Bible Study, Thursday evening for Evangelist service, and twice on Sundays. I watched and sometimes listened to my father preach countless sermons and teach on Tuesday nights throughout the years. My mother was a gentle, kind, and considerate First Lady. The pair of them poured out so much love on so many people. This is what everyone saw from the outside looking in. What impacted me the most were the lives they lived behind closed doors. They were consistent in public and in private. I would hear them pray in the middle of the night. Some nights, I’d randomly wake up to get water from the kitchen and see Dad studying his Bible at the dining room table. I saw their dedication as they helped many people get back on their feet, help pay their bills, pray with them, visit the sick, and the list continues.

Watching them throughout my life, especially now that I can only reflect on their lives, has impacted me to love and pour into others too.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

At my core, I’m an encourager and coach. I’m passionate about helping people live their best dashes (lives). For my (aspiring) writers, I’m passionate about assisting them in birthing their books. I like to say I’m a book doula.

You may have wondered why I used the word ‘dashes’ to say ‘lives,’ and it’s because I am the founder of the company, Your Best Dash. (The dash-the line between a person’s birth year and death year.) I founded this company while writing my first book, “Are You Living YOUR Best Dash?” in 2019. The death of my mother (2016) and its aftermath, left me in a not-so-pleasant head space. I questioned God’s existence and really struggled with my faith. To make a long story short, God met me in the most powerful ways, gave me the words ‘Live Your Dash’ (which I didn’t find out until a little later was to be a partial book title), and helped me crawl out of a deep and lonely hole I’d secretly lived in. I felt a nudge from God in 2018 to go to therapy, so I toyed with the idea. Some days, I convinced myself I didn’t need to go because there was nothing ‘wrong’ with me because God healed my heart. But other days, I thought ‘what would it hurt?’ God continued to press it in my heart to go; so I went, and it was nothing short of amazing. God knew what I needed, and I’ll forever be grateful for having gone.

Toward the end of my therapy sessions, God showed me that I was to be a life coach. He confirmed this calling through my faith-based therapist. God knows what He’s doing! I’d already been ‘coaching’ people but was unaware. It was natural for me. From there, I invested in myself in order to enhance my gift, and I became a certified Life Coach within a month. The curriculum seemed to fuel me and further ignite my passion to help others. I hadn’t been living to my fullest potential in that hole but because of God’s love and grace, I was able to escape in order to help others do so too. I’m not sure what your ‘hole’ is, but I believe there’s a way out. We weren’t created to live mediocre lives; we were created to thrive!

To switch gears a little, I’ve always had an enthusiasm for reading, writing, and teaching. I became a Language Arts teacher and taught for six years before my family relocated. Working with students actually helped me polish my writing skills and set me up for writing books, years later. I self-published (with much help) my first book (mentioned above) in 2019 and also self-published my second book, “Daddy’s Girl,” in 2023. With the exception of a special someone helping me edit, I went through the process alone. The experience showed me that I had the necessary skills to help others write and publish their books too.

I offer book writing coaching and publishing services for (aspiring) writers through my company. I know the process of writing can be isolating at times, and I also understand how accountability plays a crucial role in manuscript completion. I am there for my clients and provide the accountability piece as their coach. I ask questions that prompt expanded thinking and encourage them along the way. Once their manuscripts are complete or someone comes to me with a manuscript, we can move on to the publication process.

It’s one thing to do something because you’re good at it and it’s another to do it because you’re passionate about it. What sets me apart is not just my skills nor my passion. Many have those, but I have a gift and I recognize it. If you know me, you know I don’t say this arrogantly but rather humbly because I know it was downloaded into me by God.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

For sure! My mission is to reach as many people as I can for Christ. My goal is to do this through writing, coaching, publishing, teaching, creating a social media reel, wearing faith-based apparel, or even offering a compliment to a stranger. Many times, we think this is mostly done at church, over the pulpit. However, people watch your life over what you say. No matter the capacity I operate in as a creative, my desire is for my life to match my profession and for God’s light to shine through me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative is when someone (whether a reader or a client) says how they were affected by one of my books or by something I said. Whether it’s how they were touched, changed, rejuvenated or stretched/challenged, it’s all encouraging to me. It’s also super rewarding when a client holds their new book in their hands for the first time. In some instances, they are emotional and it fills me with joy when I feel their happiness.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yourbestdash.com
• Instagram: @yourbestdash
• Facebook: @yourbestdash
• Youtube: @yourbestdash