Meet Amy Stewart

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Stewart a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amy, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I have overcome imposter syndrome by becoming overly confident in God’s plan for my life. I’ve come to understand that everyone has a special calling, but we have to make the choice to walk in the direction God is leading us.
For years, I tried to do things my way. I chased degrees, awards, and promotions, thinking they would bring me fulfillment—only to end up feeling empty and inadequate. Even when I achieved those things, I constantly looked over my shoulder, wondering if someone was creeping up behind me, ready to take my spot. I would look at other people’s successes and convince myself that their path was the one I needed to follow. But time and time again, I found that what worked for them wasn’t the right fit for me.
I’ve made business moves and pursued ventures that weren’t led by God—they were led by my desire to mimic what I saw working for others. But the reality is, I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. I shouldn’t do what everyone else is doing. My success is my own, and it became so much easier when I stopped trying to create a plan based on what I saw others doing and instead leaned fully into God’s plan for my life.
I used to think, They did it, I watched them do it, so I can do it too. And then I’d feel disappointed when the outcome wasn’t what I expected. Not because I wasn’t capable, or because I didn’t try hard enough—but because I wasn’t walking in my purpose. I wasn’t tapping into the God-sized success, abundance, and fulfillment that only He can provide.
I’ve learned that I can’t lean on my own understanding. I have to trust that He has plans for me—big plans. Plans where my business operates in abundance, where we serve families in our community with abundance, where everything we need is in place because I’m turning to Him for the next step—not looking at what everyone else is doing.
I don’t worry about imposter syndrome anymore, because it’s impossible to be an imposter when I’m walking in God’s perfect calling for my life. He has a unique plan just for me, just as He does for everyone else.
And when we stop relying on our own understanding—when we stop looking at other people, movies, TV shows, and biographies for a blueprint to success—we open ourselves up to real guidance. Those things can be inspirational, sure, but ultimately, we have to turn inward and ask God, What do YOU want me to do with my life? And if we’re willing to listen and seek His direction, He will drop that answer in our spirit.
And when that happens? Imposter syndrome disappears. Because I’m not trying to imitate anyone. I’m not competing with anyone. I’m simply growing, hitting my own milestones, and walking fully in the purpose God has set before me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I was a public school teacher for 14 years, and as time went on, I found myself seeking more professional growth. I was definitely trying to self-actualize in the workplace. I loved teaching. I loved doing fun things with my students. I loved the football games, the pep rallies, and even state testing. I enjoyed getting my kids ready for that big event and seeing them do really well.
But as time went on, I kept looking for ways to feel more fulfilled. I was getting passed over for promotions while also seeing all these gaps—what my kids needed versus where resources were being allocated. I watched so much money go to waste—literally seeing curriculum still in its packaging, collecting dust in an abandoned room—knowing there was nothing I could do about it. At the same time, I was trying to move up, but that wasn’t working either.
Then, in 2017, my dad passed away very suddenly. And for anyone who has lost a parent, especially when it’s unexpected and they’re young, you know it can impact you in one of two ways. Some people shut down, while others feel this push to do something amazing in their honor. I think that’s what happened to me.
Starting a business—starting Night Watch Childcare—was my way of taking action. Not only was I able to build something meaningful, but I also started bridging some of the gaps I had seen in public education. I knew this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. I knew I had to step outside the system, get around the decision-makers, make money, build a successful business, and start working with parents before their kids even entered school. And for those already in school, I wanted to support them, too.
With our business model, we can keep kids up until they’re 12, and some Night Watch families have been with us since the beginning. We’ve built relationships with them over six or seven years. That’s what Night Watch is about—once you’re Night Watch, you’re always Night Watch.
Now, with our sister nonprofit, Owl’s Nest Learning Hub, we’re expanding that support. Owl’s Nest is a space where parents can access learning resources—whether for homeschooling their children, career coaching for themselves, working on college courses, or earning their GED. We’re here to provide supplemental services that help parents build better lives for themselves—whether that means making more money, achieving financial stability, securing consistent housing, or building positive relationships and networks with mentors and new friends. Because ultimately, when parents thrive, our children thrive. And that’s what this is all about.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Number one is patience. When God drops something in your spirit, sometimes He shows you all of it, right? He gives you a glimpse of how great it could be, and naturally, we want it done in the next five business days. But the reality is, that vision God has given you might take ten years and a million dollars.
God doesn’t create things that are quick, cheap, and easy—He creates everything. And when we think about the things we want for our lives, the dreams God has placed in our spirit about our future, patience is key. Without patience, we rush the vision before we’re even ready for it. We may not have the infrastructure yet. We may not have the partnerships. There are people we haven’t even met yet who will play a part in getting us there. There are financial resources we don’t have right now.
Instead of feeling discouraged about not having the money, credit, business plan, or revenue yet, trust that it’s coming. It might take five years. It might take ten. But patience means trusting that vision and staying steady in the process.
That brings me to the next part—trust. Not just trust in God, but trust in yourself—in your ability to make it happen. You have to believe that what He’s given you is possible and keep taking steps forward, even when you don’t see immediate results.
And last, grace. If you mess up, it’s okay. Keep it moving. Be smart about your decisions, of course, but don’t beat yourself up when things don’t go perfectly. Mistakes are just lessons. Take the lesson, adjust, and keep going.
So, for me, the three most important qualities are patience, trust, and grace. If you have those, you can walk in your purpose without fear, knowing that everything will come together in its time.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

A book that has played an important role in my development is Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard.
Essentially, this book is about a little animal who longs to frolic in the high places with the Shepherd. But there’s a problem—her legs are deformed. When she asks the Shepherd if she can join him, he says, Yes, that’s exactly what I want for you. But then he tells her she has to climb the mountain to get there. She’s like, But look at my legs—I can’t climb. And the Shepherd responds, If I carry you, you won’t be able to frolic when you get there. You have to build the strength to do it on your own.
That lesson hit me hard. If I want the things I’m asking God for, I have to understand that I’ll have to work for them. It might take time, and I may have to struggle along the way, but that’s how I’ll build the strength to sustain the blessings I’m praying for. If God had just handed me a million dollars five or six years ago, I wouldn’t have been ready. I didn’t have the infrastructure, the wisdom, or the discipline to handle it. I had to go through my struggles—climbing my own mountain—to prepare myself for what was coming.
Another powerful lesson in the book is about the resistance we face when we choose to grow. When the little animal decides to take this journey, it’s her own family that tries to hold her back. They make her stumble, they follow her up the mountain to taunt and scare her, trying to get her to turn around and give up.
That was such a valuable reminder for me—when you decide to make a change in your life, the people around you might not be ready for it. Your growth makes them uncomfortable, and they’ll project their insecurities onto you. They’ll highlight your flaws, make you doubt yourself, and try to convince you that you don’t really want this. But it’s not about you—it’s about them not wanting to change.
What I took from that is that the people you once trusted or looked up to may no longer be part of your journey—and that’s okay. God will send new people, people you haven’t even met yet, who will walk beside you and help you reach where you need to go. And that’s exactly what happens in the book.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thenightwatchchildcare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramystewart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-amy-stewart-677bb879/