Every one of us has incredible stories to tell, and MiMi Atkins is one of them. You may be one of over 18,000 following her on Twitter and if not then you are missing out. If you are connected with MiMi, then you are no stranger to her encouraging, Christ driven posts that touch many lives around the world daily.
I heard of MiMi last year, through another ministry that had shared a link to her blog Walls of Hope. Her fire for Christ left me in awe. This girl loves Jesus! But what I noticed early on about MiMi was her humble spirit. So many men and women around the world never hesitate to share how she has blessed their life, yet, not for one moment does she share in her Father's glory.
An ordinary woman called to do extraordinary things.
I am personally honored to have interviewed my amazing Jesus-sister and have her featured during this month. I know you will fall in love with her heart just like I did. Please take a moment to read this month's Spotlight feature story.
A HEART LIKE LEAH
I heard of MiMi last year, through another ministry that had shared a link to her blog Walls of Hope. Her fire for Christ left me in awe. This girl loves Jesus! But what I noticed early on about MiMi was her humble spirit. So many men and women around the world never hesitate to share how she has blessed their life, yet, not for one moment does she share in her Father's glory.
An ordinary woman called to do extraordinary things.
I am personally honored to have interviewed my amazing Jesus-sister and have her featured during this month. I know you will fall in love with her heart just like I did. Please take a moment to read this month's Spotlight feature story.
A HEART LIKE LEAH
W: Hey MiMi, could you start by telling us a little about your upbringing?
M: I was born and raised in the South. A tiny girl with a big heart. I was not raised in the church but I attended church occasionally as a child. Whenever I went, I felt a connection and I wanted to know who was “this Jesus.” I never stayed long enough to get to know who he was but I thought of him often even as I endured physical, verbal, and emotional abuse as a child.
W: Can you give us a glimpse as to how you were introduced to Jesus?
M: I was in the 11th grade when I had my first real encounter with Jesus. A friend invited me to church and I felt him that Wednesday night in February of the 1999. My life was never the same after that.
W:You wrote the children's book, “Adventures in Rainbow Valley: How Big is Your Faith?” What led you to write this book?
M: It was a season of brokenness. I was a single mother and struggling to make ends meet. I wrote to ease the pain. I wrote for healing. I wrote what I lacked. I needed faith, desperately.
W: Okay, now on to the good stuff. You are known for your fire and zeal for Jesus. What drives you to go so hard for God?
M: The fact that I know there is no true purpose for life if it is devoid of God. The fact that there are broken people in desperate need of a Savior. That’s what drives me.
W: Can you share with our reader's some of your seasons of brokenness and how God brought you out of them?
M: I have so many but I will recall the ones that drove me into the arms of God: Being abused as a child caused me to be so insecure and fearful. I was so lonely and confused and I could not imagine why I was not loved. As I matured and found Christ, I began to see that God loved me always and he had a plan for my life as Jeremiah 1:1-5 declares. The next season of brokenness entailed losing the love of my life and the father of my child, the man I was sure to marry in 2006. That crushed me. I was very angry at God. I felt He took away my one true love. I wished it was me on that plane that died instead of Daniel. As time passed, I grew so reliant on God because He was all I had. He became the driving force in my life.
W: What are some of your favorite scriptures?
M: Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart so I may not sin against you.” I say that daily. A lot. I hate hurting God, you know. And Galatians 1:10 “Obviously I am not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.” This scripture is a reminder my identity is in God – alone. I must focus on Him and not the ways of the world.
W: I am loving the new “study” you did on Leah and Rachel. Can you tell us about that? And what advice do you have for all the “Leah's” out there?
M: Leah, precious Leah. She is often overlooked because she was not as beautiful as Rachel. Which is an interesting commentary on how true beauty is depicted. Leah, birthed half of the tribes and she birthed Judah, whose lineage we know Jesus came from. While Rachel had Jacob’s heart, Leah had God’s favor. I just smile about that. The women who are overlooked and feel unloved are important in God’s eyes. We have so many women who struggle with identity and femininity because of society’s misconceptions and then we have a loving God who will elevate us because he sees our hearts. Leah was said to have weak eyes but her eyes (focus) never left God and he strengthened her in her weakness. Thus, proving his strength is manifested in our weaknesses as stated in 2 Corinthians 12:9. That amazes me. Really.
W: We have so many readers that are single moms just like you. How do you remain content in Christ while waiting?
M: Like Leah, I keep my eyes and heart focused on him. I also pour into others’ lives and ask God to work in me with patience as I trust in His timing. God is the author of time and also the perfect conductor of our lives. If we give Him time and trust in Him, He will write our love story and orchestrate it, too.
W: Is there anything on your heart you would like to share with our readers?
M: Yes. God has lain on my heart the role of women in society today is not consistent with the Biblical role. Christian women are to be meek and mild. The world misconstrues meekness for weakness. We are not weak because we choose to remain quiet in the midst of derision and chaos. We are not to be independent women because that evokes pride and once pride creeps in, it creates a reliance on self and not God. Christian women need to desire to be like women of the Bible not women of the world. That’s my heartcry right now.
W: How can our readers connect with you?
M: I am @MiMiQAtkins on Twitter and Instagram. At facebook.com/mimi.atkins. My email address is matkins282@gmail.com and I have an online Christian apparel store at EcclesiasTees.org.
M: I was born and raised in the South. A tiny girl with a big heart. I was not raised in the church but I attended church occasionally as a child. Whenever I went, I felt a connection and I wanted to know who was “this Jesus.” I never stayed long enough to get to know who he was but I thought of him often even as I endured physical, verbal, and emotional abuse as a child.
W: Can you give us a glimpse as to how you were introduced to Jesus?
M: I was in the 11th grade when I had my first real encounter with Jesus. A friend invited me to church and I felt him that Wednesday night in February of the 1999. My life was never the same after that.
W:You wrote the children's book, “Adventures in Rainbow Valley: How Big is Your Faith?” What led you to write this book?
M: It was a season of brokenness. I was a single mother and struggling to make ends meet. I wrote to ease the pain. I wrote for healing. I wrote what I lacked. I needed faith, desperately.
W: Okay, now on to the good stuff. You are known for your fire and zeal for Jesus. What drives you to go so hard for God?
M: The fact that I know there is no true purpose for life if it is devoid of God. The fact that there are broken people in desperate need of a Savior. That’s what drives me.
W: Can you share with our reader's some of your seasons of brokenness and how God brought you out of them?
M: I have so many but I will recall the ones that drove me into the arms of God: Being abused as a child caused me to be so insecure and fearful. I was so lonely and confused and I could not imagine why I was not loved. As I matured and found Christ, I began to see that God loved me always and he had a plan for my life as Jeremiah 1:1-5 declares. The next season of brokenness entailed losing the love of my life and the father of my child, the man I was sure to marry in 2006. That crushed me. I was very angry at God. I felt He took away my one true love. I wished it was me on that plane that died instead of Daniel. As time passed, I grew so reliant on God because He was all I had. He became the driving force in my life.
W: What are some of your favorite scriptures?
M: Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart so I may not sin against you.” I say that daily. A lot. I hate hurting God, you know. And Galatians 1:10 “Obviously I am not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.” This scripture is a reminder my identity is in God – alone. I must focus on Him and not the ways of the world.
W: I am loving the new “study” you did on Leah and Rachel. Can you tell us about that? And what advice do you have for all the “Leah's” out there?
M: Leah, precious Leah. She is often overlooked because she was not as beautiful as Rachel. Which is an interesting commentary on how true beauty is depicted. Leah, birthed half of the tribes and she birthed Judah, whose lineage we know Jesus came from. While Rachel had Jacob’s heart, Leah had God’s favor. I just smile about that. The women who are overlooked and feel unloved are important in God’s eyes. We have so many women who struggle with identity and femininity because of society’s misconceptions and then we have a loving God who will elevate us because he sees our hearts. Leah was said to have weak eyes but her eyes (focus) never left God and he strengthened her in her weakness. Thus, proving his strength is manifested in our weaknesses as stated in 2 Corinthians 12:9. That amazes me. Really.
W: We have so many readers that are single moms just like you. How do you remain content in Christ while waiting?
M: Like Leah, I keep my eyes and heart focused on him. I also pour into others’ lives and ask God to work in me with patience as I trust in His timing. God is the author of time and also the perfect conductor of our lives. If we give Him time and trust in Him, He will write our love story and orchestrate it, too.
W: Is there anything on your heart you would like to share with our readers?
M: Yes. God has lain on my heart the role of women in society today is not consistent with the Biblical role. Christian women are to be meek and mild. The world misconstrues meekness for weakness. We are not weak because we choose to remain quiet in the midst of derision and chaos. We are not to be independent women because that evokes pride and once pride creeps in, it creates a reliance on self and not God. Christian women need to desire to be like women of the Bible not women of the world. That’s my heartcry right now.
W: How can our readers connect with you?
M: I am @MiMiQAtkins on Twitter and Instagram. At facebook.com/mimi.atkins. My email address is matkins282@gmail.com and I have an online Christian apparel store at EcclesiasTees.org.
Interview by Carmen Miller
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