Marie Berbick: Still standing – Part II
AFTER SEVEN years of some of the biggest challenges of her life, which brought out her spiritual gifts, Marie Berbick has turned her most negative experiences into a collection of inspirational quotes and life lessons, which she has shared in her 2017 Motivational Journal.
“Before all of this turmoil, my entire focus was on career and family. Had I not gone through all that I went through, I probably would not have discovered my purpose. I am a PR-marketing communications professional, but out of this experience have come my motivational page on facebook, my 2017 motivational journal, as well as requests from various organisations to address and motivate their staff. I also have a T-shirt line called ‘Still Standing’, which I was inspired to do when I finally got legal custody of my children in 2015,” Berbick shared.
She said the idea for the journal came about because of the positive responses she received just from sharing the Godinspired quotes and life lessons on her Facebook page. “Persons would send me messages inbox or call me to express their appreciation and share with me how inspiring my daily thoughts were for them.”
Berbick said that she was surprised at the sentiments she received and was sure it was God who was using her to encourage and motivate people to help them emerge from the dark places they often found themselves in when they became overwhelmed with life’s problems.
The small purse-like journal, which contains a quote or life lesson for each month, speaks to many facets of life that we struggle to deal with on a daily basis, all born out of Berbick’s experiences over the last seven years. These include finding the good in the negative life experiences, spring cleaning our minds and lives of people and things that hold us back, allowing God to use tough times and experiences to process us, being comfortable with standing out, preparing for new growth after losing things we held dear, and walking by faith when everything around us seems dim.
UNYIELDING FAITH
Berbick has also started a support ministry for women, which she calls SUPHER. This, she said, was also born out of the dreadful experience she had, adding that she realised that there were many others like her who had been through the fire, but not everyone had the spiritual, mental, and emotional strength to come out victorious. “My aim with SUPHER was to provide for other women, the kind of support I received, and I expect that by next year this time, I will be solid in ministry under the guidance of my pastor,” she proclaimed. “The tumultuous experiences of the past nine years taught me resilience, courage, patience, wisdom, and unyielding faith. I saw life through different eyes I learnt to survive on les,s and most important, like Job, I watched the Lord restore and rebuild me. I am using this experience in The PR Girl’s Motivational Journal, to encourage you despite your current circumstances. Things can turn around if you hold fast, allow your mind to be transformed, and trust God to lead you. It is my hope that the quotes and life lessons will resonate with and re-energise you in 2017,” said Berbick.