Meet Jade Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jade Smith.

Jade, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, I grew up a military brat. Born in England and moved all over including Sacramento, CA- after that, we moved to Germany, which is home for sure. I’m the 3rd out of 4 kids in my family with two strict Parents that were in the Air Force for over 25 years. Growing up, all Over the world was the most incredible experience but still leaves you with a void. Somehow you don’t feel tied to anything so you begin looking for things to fill in the cracks, at least I did. So, of course, I was a bit boy crazy. I found myself looking for validation from boys very young and had very little self-worth (unknowingly) I had an abusive relationship in high school that I thank God I jumped out of and continued on with my teenage life. After graduating from a small town in Clovis New Mexico, my family moved to AZ.

Shortly after moving, of course, I found myself in a relationship and at 18 living with my parents, trying to finish beauty school I found myself pregnant. Yikes!

I was barely with my bf at the time for a few months and was mortified but knew I was going to figure out how to raise this baby. Shortly after graduating from beauty school, I had my son and I just knew I needed to do more. After all, I went from the golden child, having good grades, cheerleader, no kind of trouble (never skipped school a day in my life… I know, I know) I literally did a 360 and felt like I failed my family. Especially my parents. I became a recluse and jumped into college to study law – always had a knack for arguing my point and doing it well! So, I thought what the heck. Got my associates in paralegal, found myself pregnant again -with my daughter literally a year later- popped my daughter out in May and went back to school in June to get my bachelors because I felt like my associates wasn’t enough.. after all, I’ve failed my family right (the self sabotage me )- I have to prove to the world that I’m more than just a statistic, or at least to my parents that they didn’t suck at raising me.

I graduated two yrs later and found myself in a job hardly making $15 an hour raising two kids as a single mom. Here I was with two babies before my legal drinking age and have no idea what I’m doing but woke up every day trying to figure it out. I worked tirelessly to make nothing but enough to buy diapers, baby food, similac (that wasn’t covered on Wic) but I felt like I was getting somewhere so hey!

One day, there was an opportunity at my job to be on tv. I tried it and got picked. Fast forward to an amazing opportunity that got me a raise, some money to get on my feet and a free trip to Disney with my babies and parents. Just before this happened I went through a really bad breakup so I felt God was seriously right on time at that moment. I couldn’t believe it. I was able to move out of my parents but found myself battling new demons. I found it funny just before this breakthrough experience that my pastor said “with promotion comes crucifixion” and he couldn’t have been more right. I worked more than I spent time with my kids for a company who pushed “women empowerment” but didn’t value the people behind the screens running their business which was unfortunate. I had the worlds greatest boss (I say that with sarcasm) who hated me ( I lost weight off and on and my hair because of stress and depression) long story short- I had to quit. There were some amazing people I met there and I couldn’t be more grateful for those relationships (I have a few sisters who I still have lunches with occasionally to catch up). I dealt with depression very heavy and anxiety throughout my life when I became a mother and some days were not easy to get through. There were some dark days where I didn’t even want to be here… I would’ve preferred to just not wake up the next day rather than deal with everything I had on my shoulders. I had my faith through it wavered… the enemy might not make you sin but he’ll make you busy and keep you from being spiritually fed.

Fast forward to now – My Faith is so much stronger although I am no saint. My children are both incredible little humans that I adore more than anything in this world and the days that seemed endless I wish were longer now. I have learned that I do my best as a young mom and damn it if that ain’t enough idc what others think or feel. When my children call me every morning to pray before school or to pray for the homeless person they see on the street, I know I’m doing something right. Those who tend to have hearts of Gold I feel get tested often because the enemy wants that Gold to become dim and rusty. He doesn’t want me to share my story and help bring others to light. How many of us know the devil lies?! Lol, plus, I have a say in how I wish to move forward. Which is by faith and not by sight. Which is why I’ve come up with a motivational faith blog (& a new T-shirt line… ssshhh, stay tuned) for young moms, young women, older women, single Women, All Women and even the Fellas!! Where I wish to be the whisperer in their ear that tells them don’t you dare give up! Don’t you dare believe that voice that told you that you weren’t worth it.

Especially when our creator has already told us that we were fearfully and wonderfully made!! It’s so easy to doubt ourselves ( trust me I get it, it took me exactly two weeks to write this because when I initially began I had to stop because I literally began to self-sabotage and tell myself no one wants to read this? ) & then today I thought if it Oprah can be fired, If Michael Jordan can be kicked off the basketball team in HS and then be labeled as the Goat, If JK Rowling was a single mother who didn’t see her worth just yet and decided not to write those books -then yes life would have been able to go on HOWEVER little ol’ me wouldn’t have known that I could jump over every hurdle thrown at me in this lifetime too! So, even if I only help one person – so be it. I pray you to know you’re a bada**! I pray you’re your biggest fan and you need no one else to give you that validation in order to fulfill your dreams. & stop waiting, start now, even if it’s small. You lack absolutely nothing to be effin Amazing!!! ❤️

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely was not a smooth road. I didn’t have a rough childhood at all. My parents were incredible at all the things they instilled in us and I am forever grateful for my upbringing.
I think it was when I “thought” I was an adult was when I quickly learned that I wasn’t!
A lot of life lessons and wisdom gained after making tonnnns of mistakes along the way.

However, when I went through the hardest parts such as being a young single mother (a.k.a. a statistic), I found my faith in God helped me through all of that. There were a lot of moments that I literally just drove up to a church and cried in my car.

Sometimes, words are not always necessary sometimes you just need to cry to him and because he knows your heart he has all the words already. So with that, I will have to give him all of the glory for helping me through depression and anxiety and even now being a present help to keep those vicious thoughts away

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Slay & Pray story. Tell us more about the business.
I work in Corporate America by day with a background in legal and compliance/regulatory (yassss your girl is smart), lol!

I have a blog and IG page called slay & pray, I run that I hope to perfect more. I’m currently gaining more insight on blogging but it’s exciting! Anyway- with my blog, my intention is to uplift and help push women who have been through the very things that I have been through and I do that with wit, humor and of course Faith. Because those are the very things that got me through, – God and humor!! And I love hearing when God gives me a topic that it helped someone and was right on them!

I do motivational speaking! Where I love to speak life and uplift women! I’ve never been shy and my mouth is a force to be reckoned with! So, I’ve asked God to use me in a way where I can help others. My first one ever was this year at a Black Women of Arizona event and was so liberating!!! My heart was so full.

I also and model on the side! Definitely one of my passions. I am under A local agency in Scottsdale which I love! Go #SMAT.

Other things are in the works such as a t-shirt line. So, I’m excited to share those soon!

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Just having the courage to get started!!

I put a lot of things on my vision board this year to accomplish and the best part is actually doing them.

We tend to talk about our dreams often but we don’t actually put the effort or work into it to achieve them all the time.

His word says faith without works is dead so I can’t just believe those things will happen I have to work towards those!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: Blog- www.slaynpray.com
• IG: @slay.n.pray
• Facebook: slaynpraywithjade
• Email: info@slaynpray.com

Image Credit:
Lace Johnson Smith

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.