Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Back in the later part of February I attended a meeting with some very active members of the Eau Claire/City of Columbia area. Unlike these gentleman, I’m used to being behind the scenes. I love doing for others, helping others, and serving God but I prefer to lay low and not bring any attention to myself. Little did I know what was discussed in this meeting would lead to a press conference a couple months later.
My excitement about how God would allow the ministry He placed on my heart to go out into the community started to dissipate when I was asked to speak on behalf of Dolly’s House. If only they knew how I was shivering in my boots and my skin begin to crawl as I thought of me speaking in front of media cameras. I mean let’s call it a buck, I’ve gotten over my public fears of speaking in front of folks at church but folks with cameras?!! Yikes!!!
So the day finally came, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. I was headed into work and it began to rain, I was happy! I thought God knew I couldn’t handle it or wasn’t ready to face my fear so He allowed it to rain- in my mind cancelling the press conference. WRONG!!!!!
I got a text from Wesley and as I read the words, “plan B”, my heart began to race!
Moments later I heard a cow in very close proximity and I thought “maybe I’m off my rockers” but to my surprise, the cows were out! Working in Dispatch for several years we would get calls about the cows being out on the back of SCDC’s property but never in a million years did I experience first hand- our thought I would be the one calling Dispatch to say “hey y’all know all these cows are out!”
God knew I was nervous and scared and no matter how many times I recited, “God did not give us the spirit of fear,” it didn’t take away the fact I didn’t want to do it. I asked Rico, William, Emmanuel and Micah to speak on my behalf and their response was “no you have to do it.” I was furious! They wouldn’t listen to me nor would they “take one for the team!”
So back to the cows…..
I went outside and saw some of the most beautiful creatures. There were big cows, little cows, baby cows, brown cows, black cows with spots, brown cows with spots etc. They were just precious. They were so happy to be free. In those moments outside standing in the field, I was free! I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t worried, I wasn’t anxious, I wasn’t allowing fear to dwell in my heart. In turn I felt God’s presence, I felt His strength, I felt His peace, I felt His love, and like Dave says, “I knew every little thing was going to be alright!”
The rest of the day was a good blur as I counted down the time for City of Columbia’s press conference.
The time had finally arrived and it was time to “face the sounds of the music”, I went outside walking slowly but lacking the hesitation in my walk that I had earlier. I saw Fordham, greeted him. I saw Wesley, Mr. Richard, Pastor Steven and someone whose face looked familiar but I couldn’t call it at the moment. I sat quietly listening and observing, reading over the agenda for the press conference and I was at peace. That was until I saw Wach57 pull up. 😬 I didn’t know the media would be present, I just knew they would be somewhere else covering a story on a local hero or something. I was excited for them to hear about all the great things my church does in the community, but I surely wasn’t prepared to be on camera (I need to loose 75 pounds first 😉).
Dr. Trevon Fordham opened us up, Pastor Steven talked about ECBC, Mr. Richard provided historical data and support, and then it was my time. I got behind the podium and I just spoke from the heart. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I truly explained what Dolly’s House is, but I made sure to let everyone know that Willia Davis will live on through Dolly’s House of Clothing Ministry.
Do you remember earlier I said I saw someone in the audience who looked familiar?! This was a God moment.
The lady walked up to me and asked could she speak with me for a moment. With tears filling her eyes she said, “I know your mom!” I was intrigued, I wanted to know how she knew my mom and what made her come out…I wanted to hear everything!
By the grace of God she shared an encounter she had with my mom when she went through a bout of breast cancer. She told me my mom gave her a scripture, encouraged her as her hair began to shed, and she talked about my mom providing her clothing. Words cannot describe how I felt as she spoke on her times with Mrs. Willia. She went on to say she normally does not attend press conferences and although she didn’t know what this was about, something told her to come.
In my opinion, God sent her there to encourage me! He brought her to ECBC to encourage me to not give up when I am faced with my own struggles but to focus on doing God’s work and casting my anxieties on Him.
I invited her to come inside and see Dolly’s House. Along with her, City of Columbia personnel came and Wach57. I’m so grateful I got this moment with her and was able to talk about my mom and she knew exactly where I was coming from because she was on the receiving end of my mom’s kindness.
God showed up in the fields outside of my window, God showed up through the rain, God showed up through one of Hyatt Park’s finest hairdressers (she works in the white shop across from Hyatt Park and is in the salon with Mrs. Betty, my moms old hair dresser), and He is so faithful.
His word tells us in Isaiah 41:13, “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”
God I thank you right now Heavenly Father for keeping Your promises. Father God I thank you right now for being a loving and faithful God. God I thank You for helping me to overcome my fears and for You getting all the honor and the glory. Lord I thank you for Your tender mercy and for allowing me the privilege to cast my fears upon You. Father God I thank you Lord for delivering me from my own mind that was causing anxiety and fear and Father I’m so grateful that there is no fear in love. God I need Your help Father because I get weak, I get weary, I loose sight sometimes because I feel so unworthy to be loved by an awesome God like you. Father help me to always know You can use even a sinner like me to do Your will. I’m far from perfect Lord but You show me perfect love and I thank You right now Father. Thank you Lord for loving me Jesus, for keeping me Jesus, for forgiving me Jesus, and for setting me free. Lord help me to seek You in good times, bad time, in times of distress, in times of struggle, in times of confusion Lord help me to take it to you in prayer and in supplication. Lord decrease Whitnee’, and increase Your spirit within me. Create in me a clean heart Heavenly Father. Cleanse me Lord from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Use me Lord for Your will and for Your glory. God I trust You and I thank You right now Father. Continue to be with me while I’m on this journey Lord to serve you in thought, mind, and deed. Thank you again for the opportunity to be used to be a blessing to my brothers and sisters. For it is in the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. Amen. And Amen.
