Today we’d like to introduce you to MaHogany Jackson.
MaHogany, before we jump into specific questions about your book, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story goes a little like this… God turned my mess into my message. I cannot share my story without unveiling the very fact that my story of transformation is nothing short of a product of God’s grace. Starting around the age of 12, spiraling to the age of 17, I struggled publicly and privately with insecurity, feelings of abandonment, emptiness, loneliness and the list goes on. As I aged these feelings intensified and I found myself trying to fill the voids in my heart with drugs, alcohol, toxic friendships and relationships. I subconsciously allowed what had happened to me, the people who turned their back on me, my hurt and my pain to be validation for my toxic behaviors.
By the time I reached my breaking point, I had mastered the art of looking whole on the outside yet being inwardly broken. Many people weren’t aware of the struggles I faced or the wars that raged on the inside. They didn’t know about how I still went from relationship to relationship, bed to bed, looking for love. They didn’t know how my battles with comparison caused me to be obsessed with pretending to be everyone except myself. They didn’t know that though I was the loudest in the room, I was the one who lacked the most confidence. I started to feel trapped and I honestly thought that there was no way out and that I would always live a life of toxicity. I thought I had missed my train to a better life because of the things I did in my past. I thought I would be forever labeled by my mistakes and a product of my bad decisions. Thankfully, I was wrong.
With God’s help, here I am today, in a completely different space. Helping women overcome the very things I used to struggle and battle with simply because I took the change I wanted to see in myself seriously. I worked at it each day, one day at a time. I didn’t let the opinions of people stop me. I didn’t let what they said about me pause my evolution. Whether they acknowledged the change God was making in me or not, I kept pushing. One foot in front of the other. One prayer after the other. One scripture after the other. I spoke over my life what God said about me as opposed to what I saw or felt about myself. I believed what God said about me instead of the lies the enemy tried to feed me.
I did these things repetitiously until what I spoke became my reality. At some point, it clicked that my journey wasn’t about me, but about the women depending on me to blaze this trail.
If you take anything away from my story, let it be this. There is nothing you can do or have done that can cause God to stop loving you. You can outlive your past and the statics people have placed upon you. You can live a life of wholeness, joy, peace, and deliverance. You don’t have to fake it, you can truly experience it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it has been a smooth road as we all face challenges. Over the years though, I’ve been committed to using the challenges I’ve faced as an opportunity to grow. Viewing my obstacles through these lenses has helped better shape my perspective of my challenges. Some of the struggles I’ve faced have been more inwardly than outwardly. Such as past battles with doubt and fear.
Please tell us about your book and profession.
I am a Mother, Mentor, Entrepreneur, and Author. I’m most known for my ability to bridge the gap between those feeling lost to them becoming who they’ve been destined to be. What I believe sets me apart from others is my transparency. I want other women to be healed, set free, and restored, therefore, I share the truth with them in a way that they can relate and use as a pillar to better themselves. I’m most proud of my newest book, I’m Not the Girl I Used to Be: A Guide to reinventing oneself. It transparently shares my story of transformation in an informative way to help other women transform into their best selves. It will debut February 2020 and is available now for pre-order at iammahoganyjackson.com.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel has been essential to your success?
I would say my ability to persevere has been a vital quality in achieving the success I have in my life. In life, we will face so many challenges, yet we must keep our goals at the forefront and persevere despite what we are faced with.
Contact Info:
- Website: iammahoganyjackson.com
- Email: info@justinandmahogany.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mahoganyj_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justinandmahogany/
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