Today we’d like to introduce you to Belinda Y. Knox.
Belinda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey has been one of sheer tenacity, strength, humility, grace, and love. My heart is very tender towards people who face life-altering challenges. Because I was once the woman who struggled with a lot of insecurities in my own life, I was the crack cocaine addict, a former inmate. And the women who lost her children to the foster care system, not once, but twice. I fought through depression, weariness, homelessness and rejection by the ones that loved the most.
Whenever you face monumental challenges such as those, you have no easy choices to make or easy routes to take. Even though it’s been over 20 years I can still feel the sting and know that it was the grace of God that has bought me to where I am now. Jeremiah 29:11 states “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Those experiences in that juncture of my life have allowed me the opportunity to understand what it feels like to maneuver around the life and have uncertainty hanging over you like a torn wet blanket over a dirty window.
Once I started to believe that there was a better life that awaited me, I made a conscious decision that I needed and wanted to change. I worked on letting go of the shame and embarrassment that had plagued me for most of my life.
Once I entered into substance treatment program, moved away from a very toxic environment, and into a half-way house and then began working on myself with God’s guidance and lots of prayer, counseling and self-help groups, I was eventually able to regain custody of my three children and start a new journey of healing & forgiveness. As a result, my life eventually got a whole brighter, I even got married, went back to school, serve in a leadership capacity in my church. My career path is as a social service worker/counselor/helper. Additionally, I obtained my BA and I’m now enrolled for a Masters Program, for which has all of this beyond my wildest dreams.
So now, how do I play it forward? I started a Non-Profit “Woman 2 Woman, Inc.” in ‘2000. I went back to the same halfway house I lived as at years ago and I’m able to help those who feel that they can’t make it or don’t even know how to make changes in their life.
I do this by offering mentoring and coaching services and entrust leaders in our community to partner with us for such a monumental task. We also go to shelters, transitional care centers, and treatment facilities.
There are so many broken women and men who simply need a word of encouragement and often a hand to help them up. My group hosts a community “Soul Sister” meetings and quarterly events that are tailored to encourage, empower, encourage, support and strengthen our community.
And those three children are now adults and college graduates with children of their own.
I believe that God is constantly challenging us to Grow, Change and Trust him. I am convinced that if we are obedient and are willing to change we can do extraordinary things for God…
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has certainly not been easy.
Life has shown up with the day to day challenges.
Career changes lay-offs and lost jobs.
Misunderstanding with loved ones.
Definitely wondering how we were going to sustain the group with little to no funding and few volunteers.
But we always seemed to make it through and be a blessing and encouragement to others. We all have situations, but that is when God really shows up.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
As previously mentioned, our passion and helping women who those persons who need assistance rebuilding and reshaping their lives.
I want to be known for inspiring and encouraging others to live a better life.
My life’s work is to be a bridge, by having re-entry services and other valuable resources available to those in our local community.
Also, to remind myself of others how valuable they are and that we all bring something unique to the table.
“Every Woman has a story to Tell”…
We serve our gift to the world.
How do you define success?
That’s a hard one… I can only define Success by when I see someone’s life change in even the smallest. Most importantly, instilling HOPE & LOVE.
There’s no really no marker for that, but knowing that I did try to make a difference.
There’s a quote:
One man plants, one man waters, but it is God who gives the increase…
Contact Info:
- Address: Woman 2 Woman, Inc.
1033 NW 6th St. #200
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311 - Phone: 954.732.1071
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: Woman2Woman, Inc.
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