Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sandra Astacio. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Sandra, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I took a huge risk back in 2017 when I quit my corporate job to enter full time Ministry work & becoming an Author. I had already been deeply involved with the Church consistently for over 7 years and served in multiple capacities. I was writing/editing for the church for a couple of years, but I felt that there was a story within me that needed to be told. I also knew that I had a call on my life and the thought of working in the Ministry excited yet scared me! I knew there was little to no pay and at the time, I was a breadwinner for our family. The Lord kept prompting me to prioritize the vision He gave me and placing me in ‘rooms’ with people that encouraged the same- including my husband! A HUGE leap of faith is what I could certainly preach about, even inspire others to do, but taking my own advice was hard!
I finally finished a huge project with a peer that we were working on for over a year and unfortunately the environment was quite toxic aside from the fulfillment of my work. It became apparent that if there was ever a time to truly take that leap, the time was then. I knew, based on my environment at the time, that when I gave notice, they would walk me to the door. I asked the Lord what I should do. I felt strongly His asking me, “Daughter, do you trust me?” I shuddered to think of my mortgage, my car payments, my reputation….then, I felt it again- but stronger this time, “Do you TRUST me?” I said yes. Then, in only the way that He speaks LOUDLY into my spirit, I heard, “GO!” An overwhelming peace fell over me and I exited the building. I spoke with Human Resources and being a believer herself, she began to cry when I told her what I was doing. I’ll never forget how supported I felt and ironically, it was for the FIRST time since being employed by that company for over 4 years.
Since that day, my husband has been promoted multiple times, our debt is almost gone, and the ministry God has me stewarding (Daughters in Christ Ministry, Inc – a 501c3) is doing great! I have leaned into my Authorship, debuting a memoir/Christian devotional in 2018, entitled ‘In Pursuit of Becoming’. Then, becoming a contributing Author on two Christian fiction books and then just this year, releasing the same fiction story (in its entirety) in a new work, entitled ‘Amelia Unlikely’.
I took a risk. One that I could not calculate. One that literally took my breath away when I thought of it. But truly having confidence in what God had given me as a vision and carrying the assurance that what I could NOT see would come to pass (despite my fear and surrounding circumstances), created LIVING my faith boldly and LEAPING into whatever came next.
Sandra, 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?
As I stated before, taking this huge risk was the catalyst of my dedication to the Church as a vocation. As a ministry leader, I felt strongly that given my background in trauma, addictions, abuse, and neglect, I would be able to pour the lessons learned from those life experiences into women in my community that may need a sister in faith to walk alongside her. I knew that I was gifted to encourage, inspire, empower, and effectively equip women around me in a variety of ways from helping with their career goals, navigating through family growth, exploring their faith, to establishing vision for their personal goals. I have worked with multiple mentors in the past to help heal from deep inconsistencies in my life and the Lord has equipped me with a bold spirit to share my story. That was the reason I published ‘In Pursuit of Becoming- one woman’s journey to herself’ in 2018. I went further by creating online tutorials/sermons that aligned with the book’s sections. These are on our ministry’s YouTube channel (Daughters in Christ Ministries, Inc.) along with other prayer/sermon sessions designed to encourage women everywhere. Continuing with that same strategy, I have held empowerment sessions locally that have been topical in nature and many women leave feeling equipped to face life obstacles with a renewed strength and faith.
As part of our ministry, we offer Ministerial services, administrative services for (women-owned small businesses), Career Services (resume writing, interview skills) and have developed a community volunteer program that focus on equipping women of faith to serve in their areas more intentionally and with excellence. We partner with multiple non-profits in the area to aid in serving the less fortunate in our area, as well. Women engage with purpose and feel more connected to their communities and empowered to be stronger contributors within our business sectors.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The incorporation date of our ministry was May 2016, and it has been a steady & fruitful climb to get where we are today. Although still small in scale, our reach expands the globe with our podcast, “Daughters in Devotion’ and through our past online initiatives, such as LIVE sermons and teaching modules. We have been at the helm during the recent pandemic, SERVING in our communities as hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, and social unrest spiraled out of control. Many faith centers or churches closed. For those that didn’t close, they pivoted their approach. As a ministry that was known for a small impact, we leaned into the issues surrounding us instead of backing down. Being women-led and operated, we showed up as an anomaly among the few within our community. We kept focused and built relationships along the way. We learned how to serve the ‘underserved’ and navigate the world of community service. We packed boxes of food, worked with donated clothing and housewares for the poor, distributed food, ran food routes throughout our city, sorted clothing for adopted children and children overseas. We served as mentors to women in restoration programs and taught biblical principles to women in shelters. We gave of ourselves and our resources. Funding was always tight, so we had to get creative with the skills we had at our disposal.
We ventured to take on an initiative of receiving new and gently-loved clothing donations and remarketed them for only donations. We called it Daughter’s Treasures and even went LIVE online to try to offer these items at only a fraction of retail. In efforts to help women offset their clothing expense for only a few dollars worked for a while. We invested in racks, supplies, customized tagging and held monthly pop ups to gain exposure for our ministry and raise money at the same time. Although it was profitable for over a year, we did not have a location we could grow into. The financial aspect of the initiative was outweighed by the labor involved and the lack of space. We were too fragmented, and we had to close down the initiative.
We’ve offered all the inventory to a neighboring ministry and now that we know what it takes to create this again in the future, we cherish the invaluable experience we gained. When we obtain our own location, this aspect of our ministry will initiate again and will be even more impactful for the women & their families in our area.
There are no other stand-alone, non-profit, Faith-based, minority-owned WOMEN’S ministries in our areas, so we have FULL confidence that given our staying power and community involvement, we could make a marked difference among the women of our community and beyond.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
As a ministry leader, my overarching goal is that to further the Kingdom of God, build disciples and save the lost. It fuels my efforts and keeps me in alignment with God’s will for my life. However, outside of ministry, evidence of my faith has to be present in all areas of my life. So, as an author, I have chosen to remain consistent and intertwine my faith in my writing. From my first published memoirs, poetry and prophetic prayers to creating a fictional character that resembles my personal testimony in part, I am certain that God will use my stories to benefit someone who is struggling with any of the things I used to. I believe that He will leverage my scars for a greater purpose outside of me and my own desires. What the enemy has meant for harm is what God will use for good. (ref: Gen 50:20)
I keep this in mind all the time, so I do not get ahead of myself or think too highly of myself. I am a work in progress and stay reminded of this as I work closely with other women that need guidance. I refer them to my literary works, podcast, and online tutorials so they can see how one can come from barely surviving to thriving! It is only through His bidding that I can attest to my personal drive. This journey has been a great one so far and I look forward to how He will use the upcoming phases of life to mentor or inspire someone else.
Ideally, I pray to have a greater global forum one day that I can speak of how His grace has gifted me with a powerful testimony. I pray to speak to the stories outlined in my books and hope to inspire others to take bold risks in partnership with God, no matter what areas of their lives they surrender to Him. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sandraastacio.com ; www.daughtersinchrist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daughtersinchristministries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DICMInc ; https://www.facebook.com/SAstacioAuthor
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pastorsandraastacio/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@daughtersinchristministrie9081
Image Credits
Playalinda Photo, IQ Photography by Quinton DuBose, Jennie Ellis Photography, DHBonner Virtual Solutions