Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaseña S’vani.
Jaseña, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up as an avid athlete, I aspired to be a physical therapist. I did gymnastics, ran track (just to stay in shape for cheerleading), and cheered competitively, recreationally, and on the collegiate level at Georgia State University. Sports was my entire life! After graduating from high school, I went to Georgia State and honestly, that’s where the real journey began. I was a young girl finding myself, discovering my worth and ultimately discovering God in my life.
Those first two years of college were a bit of a blur but the grounding factor was a Christian athlete group that I got the chance to be apart of– Athletes In Action. One of my best friends invited me to the weekly bible study and I was hooked. Summer 2016, I got to participate in one of their summer experiences called The Ultimate Training Camp where God wrecked my world. I surrendered my life to Him while I was competing in the 20-hour sports marathon and when I got back home, my faith led me to a better life and here I am today, stronger than ever.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not. The journey was ugly but the thing that kept me was my faith. It showed me the light at the end of the tunnel. After I got back from The Ultimate Training Camp, I discovered what it was like to follow God’s voice even when no one else understood. I went through a bad breakup, transferred not once but TWICE, then finally left college to pursue full-time ministry. I knew God had called me to something greater but I didn’t know what that looked like at the time.
At my father’s church, I learned a lot about leadership and teamwork. I had the opportunity to minister to youth for about a year before I transitioned more into the operational aspect of the business. This is where I discovered my love and passion for project management.
One of the major struggles I had during this time was understanding that God had called me to more than one thing. I had this idea in my head that I was only supposed to have one career and that there was only one path that I could take. God destroyed this unrealistic picture of the life that I had when He showed me how to use ALL of my gifts for the greater good. During my time at the church, I started my very own blog where I could share about my faith, and express my artistic abilities in one place.
Another major struggle that I had was wanting to please everyone except myself. I found myself making decisions out of fear of not doing what my family wanted me to do. Ministry was their thing, and that’s amazing, but I had to realize that it wouldn’t look the same for me. God made me in a unique way, just like you, so that He can reach different people through our unique gifts.
To the young women out there just starting your journey, the most important advice I have for you is to listen to that inner voice. Don’t ignore it and don’t second guess it. EMBRACE your inner compass and let it lead you to your God-given destiny.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I wear so many hats right now! I’m a blogger, author, visual artist, and student! On my blog, I share my personal experiences, faith, art, and even coffee! I live for a great coffee shop. As far as my art, I create a lot of abstract pieces but I also do some realistic drawing. On my “Art” Instagram highlight, I share all of my work! Most recently, I did some paintings with my church, Passion City, for our annual #LOVEATLANTA week. I’m also a full-time student finishing up the last year of my Bachelor’s in Project Management with a specialization in Information Technology Management. I also just published my first book, He Lifts My Head High! This devotional book is all about inspiring everyone to take life one day at a time so that God can give you the strength for the marathon. If you let Him, He will lift your head high and energize you to power through life’s obstacles. I also work full-time at a new FinTech startup where I can start my professional project management career when I graduate!
I think what I am most proud of is how I branded my name, Jaseña S’vani. For a while, I was looking for a creative blog name but I decided to use my name so that my story could be heard more effectively. I speak faith and positivity so that others can learn from my mistakes. I share the hard things because I feel like as a believer, people need to know the ugly truth instead of the polished truth. The social media world we live in sells a false reality and I wanted to do the exact opposite. I believe this is what sets me apart from others on top of the fact that I do a lot of different things as a career.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
I live for a great podcast because it fills my mind with hope and good vibes. My favorite right now is Sarah Jakes Robert’s Woman Evolve Podcast, the Your Move podcast with Andy Stanley, Elevation Church Podcast, Transformation Church Podcast, and The Mind Your Business Podcast with James Wedmore. These will BLESS you.
My favorite app is Breethe. This taught me how to meditate and it is my holy grail. It helps me to be more mindful and present. I think meditation is so underrated and if people learned how to practice this the world would be a better place.
One of my all-time favorite books is Crazy Love by Francis Chan and The Shack. Both of these books give you a great perspective on who God is and how good He is to us. I’m a firm believer that when you have the right perspective you have the key to a happy, powerful life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jasenasvani.com
- Email: jasenasvani@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasenasvani/
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641525010#auig
Image Credit:
Jason Towns (for the image of me with the pillars)
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