Meet Brenda Palmer

We recently connected with Brenda Palmer and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brenda , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risks?
So happy to be here with you all today. Man, when I think about my ability to take risks and how I have developed that skill, the best explanation I can come up with is…it worked. Most people struggle with taking risks because they fear the outcome. The only way to truly learn how to take a risk is to take one. I know that fear is very real. We battle with valid and realistic questions. What if I fail? What if it doesn’t work out? What if I lose everything? Those are just the starter questions. I have learned to not ignore the fear that arises when facing a risk, but allow it to fuel the leap of faith towards a thing. I live by the idea that I will never know if I never try. The truth is I only miss when I don’t take the shot. In my life I have found that each risk has always resulted in a great reward.

Five years ago I took a risk and got on a plane to move to LA. I had no job, no plan, no place to stay…just decided that my faith was enough foundation to leap on! Within 8 months I found a job, got my own place, got to live out my dreams of being a producer in television as well as digital content and discovered more about myself on this journey than I would have if I never took the risk. Risking it all has become a theme in my life if I am honest. I am a person of faith and if I feel like God is asking me to walk away from it all and follow Him into the unknown, I am going for it every single time. Feb. 8, 2023 I walked away from my job and the security and the stability of it, into the unknown and ended up living a life full of opportunities I could have only dreamed of. All those things happened because I chose to follow my faith and not allow fear to play me small.

I’d love to say that I developed this ability to take risks overnight, but that’s far from the truth. The reality is what most people consider a risk I consider a leap of faith. It’s me stepping into something I can’t see but knowing I am not going into it alone. You see I am a believer in Jesus and one of the benefits of following Him is that I get to do life with Him. He leads, guides and protects so even a risk that doesn’t produce the desired outcome is never a loss but always a lesson. I grow from it and apply it to the next journey! If I could sum up my response in the simplest way, I would say…Keep Jumping in faith, because with Jesus you always land on your feet.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In short, I am a Pastor, Podcaster and Producer. Unintentional alliteration lol! I do all of those things full time. Growing up as a PK (preacher’s kid) I never ever ever wanted anything to do with ministry. I’ve seen a lot, and not only that I understand the weight and responsibility that comes with it. Have you ever heard the saying, “want to make God laugh, tell Him what you had planned?” Well I am sure God considered my life a comedy show. lol! I spent the majority of my career running from an inevitable call.

In 2020 I launched a podcast in the closet of my studio apartment in Long Beach, CA during the pandemic. As of today it has nearly 100,000 downloads and has reached 150 cities across 6 continents. The risk to just try something proved to be content that is impacting lives around the world. In 2021, I took a risk and moved to a new city and joined a church staff and unexpectedly preached my first sermon on Sept. 1st that year and it changed the trajectory of my life. I shared a sermon clip and in less than seven days, my tiktok following went from 9 to 13k. I then started going viral for my preaching clips…completely an unexpected turn of events. If we jump to now. I left that job in 2023 and risked myself right into unimaginable dreams. I’ve gotten to travel the world and preach the gospel in an authentic way, one of those places being the infamous Potter’s House and ending this year with signing my first book deal with a major publisher as a first time author.

All of the risk I took, led me into discovering a fulfilling life that inspires others to not allow fear to keep them stagnant. In addition to traveling as a Preacher, I curate safe spaces for people to grow and develop their faith. Kulture Shakers is a weekly virtual bible study hosted for people around the world every Monday at 5pm (PST) for you to GROW with Jesus. Come Alive Movement is an in person pop-up experience hosted around the world for you to ENCOUNTER Jesus. Currently hosting in-person Bible Study every Wednesday in LA. Life In Perspective is a podcast discussing everyday life through the lens of faith for you to JOURNEY with Jesus. Creating these spaces has been the most rewarding because I get to experience the growth of strangers who have so easily become family while watching God transform their hearts.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Adaptability: Risks create unforeseen challenges. Having the ability to adjust strategies or plans allows for resilience and increases the chances of success despite challenging circumstances.

Discipline: Risk can start impulsive but the journey doesn’t have to remain that way. Discipline helps you maintain focus and stick to well-thought-out plans. Making your risk more calculated.

Courage: In risk-taking courage empowers you to face uncertainty and potential failure with resilience. It enables you to step outside their comfort zone, pursue innovative ideas, and navigate challenges with determination.

I would say that the most impactful area of knowledge for me is my faith. Knowing God and having a relationship with Jesus has had a major impact on my life. Relationship with Jesus brings wisdom and insight to help me navigate my journey efficiently and with purpose it’s the SAUCE.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

I would say navigating imposter syndrome in my life is an area of challenge for me. Sometimes I feel undeserving of the opportunities I am afforded. All the things I’ve gotten to experience in life even in the past year I couldn’t have dreamed it would be afforded by me. Signing my first publishing deal to write my first book, preaching at the infamous Potter’s House when I never wanted to be a pastor. So many unimaginable opportunities! I consistently have inner dialogue that says, “where I am is exactly where I am supposed to be…I deserve this!” I have learned to shift my perspective to the dominant thought, if I am in any room it is because I belong there and the room needs something from me, it doesn’t validate me. Also, I have the most amazing friends that always hype me up and remind me I am That Girl! We do that for each other and they are God sent and help to make life a breeze.

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