Living a “Servant Driven” Life of Dignity
“If our thoughts, actions, policies, and practices do not align, then we are not following God’s commandment and we will not see the changes we say we want to see,” ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Unscripted
By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
Determined, Passionate, Purposeful. These are 3 words that come to mind when describing today’s guest on UNSCRIPTED. Chynna Presley is a woman that has overcome the pains of life’s adversities by having an unyielding desire to capture life’s “bouquets” and vase them into triumphs that can only be attributed to having a strong faith and belief system that serves as the “roots of her foundation” and frame her testimony to the world that she’s not a VICTIM but instead a VICTOR as she shares her story and new book with us today. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Chynna Presley.
UNSCRIPTED: Chynna, thank you for joining me today!
CP: “Thank you so much for having me!”
UNSCRIPTED: Tell us a little about your background and what brought you to Fort Wayne?
CP: “Wow, telling you a “little” about me will be tough because there’s so much (smile). I was born in Munster, Indiana. The first 5 years of my life were in Denver, Colorado and then we moved to New Philadelphia, Ohio (outside of Akron, home of LeBron James). I eventually migrated back to Indiana when I decided to attend Huntington University where I received my BA in Social Work. I found steady work in the Fort Wayne area so that’s what kept me here initially and where I call home.”
UNSCRIPTED: Why is it so important to you to be a champion and leader for young women here in Fort Wayne?
CP: “I don’t know if it’s just women, more so people in general. I love God’s people! People don’t really know this about me, but I grew up being very insecure, so much so that I didn’t even realize it until years later. I just believe that there is so much potential in people to become “your wildest dreams” and most people aren’t given the tools to do that. I believe that God has created me as a resource to help others heal from their past pains, and to encourage and empower them to find their passion and purpose in this life and live through it. If I’m not living out my purpose, then what am I doing to help others?”
UNSCRIPTED: You are active in so many areas in our community. How do you decide what projects to take on, and what to say NO to?
CP: “It really depends on the energy that I have at that particular time that I’m approached! (laugh) As you know, it’s taken some time for you and I to get together to do this! I try to add my time and resources to things that align with who I am and what I stand for. I also think about my daughter and if she will be proud of what I’m doing as well. I want to pave a way for her to be able to do the things that she’s empowered to do as well. I always want to make sure that I’m not taking valuable time away from her as I pursue my interests in helping others.”
UNSCRIPTED: How has your faith allowed you to move forward in your day-to-day walk being a servant in our community?
CP: “I grew up in a very conservative space (in terms of faith), so it took me a while to find what I stand for and really believe as opposed to being told what I must believe and stand for. A key moment in my life occurred back in high school when my faith became real was when as a young athlete, I injured BOTH of my knees, taking away my future (I thought) as an aspiring athlete. I went to a church camp where we were taught how to “make an impact” in your community and really be a changer for God. There was some in that speech that really resonated with me, and I prayed “God change me and use me as a vessel for change in those that I encounter. And he touched my heart in such a way that I felt him sharing with me that there is a purpose for why you got hurt, now find that purpose.”
UNSCRIPTED: So, let’s talk about the new book Manifest Quest. What was the vision behind this project?
CP: “So, this whole book is what I felt that God was telling me to do as my divorce was ending in 2019. I felt he impressed upon me to write out all the goals, dreams, and visions that you had prior to getting married and I kept saying NO WAY am I going to list all my failures for the world to see! But the promptings kept coming. I took out a sketchbook, sat down with some adult grape juice, (tongue in cheek) and wrote out my dreams and goals (as the prophet Habakkuk was instructed to do in the Bible) Initially, I wrote it for myself and wasn't sure why I called it that but as time went on, I understood that Manifest meant "to bring to fruition," and Quest meant "to seek or journey toward." In my heart I wrote it as a book for others because my friend's daughter asked me to create it. If she hadn’t requested it then it would have never come to fruition.”
UNSCRIPTED: “This last question is for our readers… Finish this statement:
What makes Chynna Pressley…
1) Laugh? So, I think that I’m a comedian. I have a very funny family with a brother and sister that always makes me laugh! Admittedly, if I see someone trip and fall… I lose it with laughter! I have a decent sense of humor and have a goal to one day turn one of my public speaking events into a comedic event!”
2) Think? “Everything! My brain is always on. I don’t think that I ever stop thinking. Whether it’s history, context, or just trying to figure out what’s the next best move for me that must be thought out. I think even when I’m sleeping, my brain is working hard!” lol.
3) Have her emotions moved to tears? So, I’m not a super emotional person but when the subject or aspect of love is discussed, it makes me emotional. When I see injustice or people being harmed, that moves me to tears also. I also love the element of team camaraderie and togetherness to accomplish a goal. Now that really moves me!”