Living in Victory

Feature Jayda Cabbell

You know your testimony is strong

when your roots are so deep that other peoples storms will never knock you over.
Shannon L. Alder

Author.Mother.Vision Coach.She-vivor

Visionary Nadia Mathews

hen most people hear the word storm, they go running to the nearest hiding place. They shut off their phones and crawl into the fetal position until the storm passes. That is not true of our She-Vivor Jayda Cabbell. Jayda is known for feeding the homeless, caring for the youth, and countless other charitable feats. Ive never met a woman so filled with love in my life. She is a servant to mankind in both her heart and in deeds. No matter the personal struggle, you will always find her fighting the good fight for others. A survivor of Katrina, divorce, and homelessness, she has a story of triumph so grand only she could tell it. She penned her story in Storm Chasers, her testimony of Katrina and her troubling marriage. Her transparency in the midst of her own storm is both refreshing and appreciated. Recently, she took to publishing her second book, ABCs Feeding the Body and Spirit. Jayda is no stranger to pain; her story will make you laugh, cry, and dance. You will not be disappointed. From the Editor I met Mrs. Jayda Cabbell in 2010. It was her laugh echoing down the stairs of her event facility, Licquid, that I remember. My husband raved about meeting her first. Babe, she is so sweet, and I know you will love her. You two will definitely hit it off, he said. I couldnt wait. From the first time I stood in the presence of this amazing spirit, I knew she would be a lifelong friend. She has to be my favorite storm chaser!! Her charm and love for life is infectious, in a good way. When I decided to launch She-Vivors: Living in Victory, I knew that she would be one of the first individuals I interviewed. I know that as you read this, you will be both inspired and blessed.

ell me about you. What are your interests, likes, and passion?

I am very interested and passionate about helping othersfeeding souls and stomachs. Whether its through feeding the hungry or empowering someone to follow their dreams, find their purpose, or simply encouraging them to get out of the bed, I feel its my mission. And Im very passionate about it.

No, theres nothing I wouldnt relive. The good and not-so-good all happened to create this beautiful being you see today. Theres a scripture in the Bible: All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I truly believe that, with every being in my body. I have seen the good of it all empowering others.

What inspires you? Or who

What has your past taught you about moving forward?

Ive learned through countless circumstances that God always has my back; He has always pulled me through. Knowing that, there is no need for me to get stuck in the moment.

My daily inspiration comes when I hear the alarm clock or the birds chirping outside of my windowwhichever comes first. Knowing that God allowed me to live another day, Im inspired to live on purpose with purpose. Ive been to enough funerals since my adolescence to know that life is not promised, and death has no age requirement. The fact that Im still breathing inspires me to live life to the fullest NOW!

What is one thing that you could share that shaped your ideals now?
The one thing that has a played a significant role in shaping my ideals now is me knowing that my life, my goals, my visions, my dreams, everything in meGod has planted them in me; they are not manmade. A boy, girl, woman, or man did not play a part in my predetermined destiny, so they do not have authority to tell me what I can or cannot do. They cannot put limits on me. They can have an opinion, but God has the final say. Hes the only one ordering my steps.

What is one key event in your life that changed you?

Hurricane Katrina I have always been a love bomb spreading this amazing energy around but prior to Katrina a lot of who I truly was in Christ was in hidden behind the noise of the music in the clubs, the bottles of alcohol and the men who didnt know my worth because I didnt bother to show it to them.

What advice would you give to someone going through a storm?

Is there anything in your life that you would relive if you could?

My advice would be to trust God. Storms dont last long. I know this sounds clich, but its true. Ive been through enough storms to testify to that. Secondly, I stand firm on helping others when going through it. Theres always someone in a deeper pit than yours. Focusing your energy on helping others helps to find the blessing in the lesson. Lastly, everyone is different. Some people dont have enough strength to do it alone. I urge him or her to muster the strength to reach out to someone who can help.

What was the best piece of advice you were given as you were overcoming your storm?
This question brings me to a funny moment of awareness that I will never forget. Out of all the many cases where my husband would do something crazy, he decided to have his friend intervene and call me. His friend called me and asked me to meet him at Lenox Mall for coffee and conversation. He stated he wanted to try and lift my spirits, to see if he could help us out in any way. I respected this guy because he carried himself differently than the other guys he brought around. Fast-forward to the two of us sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of the mall, I was bawling uncontrollably, and his friend looked at me with a very stern face and yelled, SHUT UP! STOP CRYING NOW! WIPE YOUR FACE! He handed me a tissue and said, You are beautiful. He should be the one crying; hes the fool. He really did not have to say anything after that. Instantly, I saw myself at full value. I knew from that moment, no one has authority over my emotions. All it took was for someone to say shut up.

McDowell, Big Daddy Weave, JaKalyn Carr, Matthew West, Rita Springer and Laura Story. See, it fluctuates with how Im feeling.

What one thing do you wish people knew about you?

Im pretty much an open book and very transparent; a lot of me is already out there. The only thing I can think of (because it was brought up last night) is that I have a slight case of OCD. So, Im guessing if people knew this, then when I pull into my subdivision, all the mailboxes would be closed. Im always tempted to get out and close every mailbox en route to my driveway. Also, I would want people to get less offended when I go behind them to fix something they thought they just fixed. Im always wanting to say its not you its me. Some call it OCD; I call it perfectionism. This slight problem is a story in itself, so Ill just stop here.

What legacy do you hope to leave on this earth?

The legacy I would like to leave is the fact that I lived! I lived a life on purpose with purpose; I saw the beauty in everything. It didnt matter if the glass was half full or half empty, having something in the glass was the blessing. I loved all, even in times when I didnt like the person or their actions; I still loved. I stood on every promise of God up until the final promise of seeing Him face-to-face.

What is your go to scripture in crisis?

Wow! Romans 8:28 is in my Top 5! But my ultimate go-to scripture for crisis is Philippians 4:8. When someone is going through a crisis or a bothering circumstance, I remind that person of this scripture. Its a reinforcement for positive thinking and living that actually goes back to Romans 8:28. You cant believe all things work together for good if your thoughts arent pure, noble, and just.

For more information on Jayda Cabbell please visit her website today!

What is your best meditation music?

www.jaydacabbell.com

This is actually the first tough question thus far. It varies; I love to switch up. Right now, my Pandora is set to David & Nicole Binion and Soothing Waters Radio. My iTunes has everything from Ruach City Ministries based in London to Brian Courtney Wilson. I listen to William

Jayda Cabbell is committed to being a

positive contributor in society by giving others the courage and self-confidence necessary to consciously walk daily with humility and follow lifes journey with perseverance, faith, and love by being transparent. Its through her past shortcomings, hurts, failures, and wrong turns that shes able to share the blessing from each lesson. Jayda aspires to motivate others through hope and faith by displaying her personal experiences with expectation and belief that her strength will be realized and mimicked. After losing everything and planting herself in Atlanta (by way of New Orleans via Hurricane Katrina), instead of feeling sorry for herself and her four children, Jayda decided to help others. She started feeding the homeless right outside of her hotel. She gained a clientele with the homeless and hungry before re-branding her catering company. In the short time following her relocation, Jayda rebuilt her culinary career, started a non-profit, met and married her husband, nurtured a blended family with a total of 11 children, and went through a divorceall without skipping a beat or losing her contagious spirit. That is the essence of who Jayda is. She has conquered so many obstacles in life that becoming a Life Guidance Counselor was an ordained calling. It is Jaydas divine mission to love, inspire others and live life on purpose.