Daughters Of Promise: Dr. Kimberly Ellison On Experiencing God’s Promise During A Pandemic
Dr. Kimberly Ellison is a sought international speaker, business owner, author, publisher, and visionary strategist. She is the owner and managing director of Sparkle Publishing Company, a boutique-style publishing company that helps men and women share their (SPARKLE) story with the world as published authors. Although we are in the midst of a global COVID-19 Pandemic, that hasn’t stopped Dr. Kimberly from fulfilling her purpose in this season. Through her publishing company, she released a powerful anthology called Promise, A Global Women’s Devotional, where 130 Daughters of Promise from four countries, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Korea bore witness to the manifestation of their inheritance through healing, deliverance, and transformation. The devotional serves as written documentation and substantiation of how God’s promise has come true through some of life’s most strenuous, obscure, questionable, and unexpected places in their lives.
This is my second time having the privilege of interviewing Dr. Kimberly. Since our last interview in early spring, Dr. Kimberly is clearly on a mission and is all about her Father’s Business. On the heels of “Promise”, Dr. Kimberly-Sparkle Publishing is currently helping 12 more women move forward in sharing their “BLING” in an upcoming anthology. Also, they are signing on new authors who are individual publishing authors. “It’s really a season where we’re working at Sparkle Publishing to really get those stories out there so women can share their stories with the world,” she says.
The vision for Dr. Kimberly’s latest book “Promise, A Global Women’s Devotional came as she was commanding her day. “Actually, I was getting ready that morning and getting dressed, and I just remember the Holy Spirit dropping one word, and the word at the time was, “EVIDENCE”. I didn’t know what that meant. I just continued to meditate and think about the meaning of that word. And I remember as I continued to prepare for my day, I would get other words, like “PROMISE”. Still not sure the meaning behind the words, Dr. Kimberly says she then heard the words “100 Women”. In less than 24 hours of hearing these words, Dr. Kimberly’s found out that both her sister and brother-in-law had tested positive for COVID-19. “My sister was in the hospital already for another preexisting condition, and she had tested positive, and her husband tested positive. The next day my nephew tested positive.
My brother in New York had tested positive, and there was no way that I knew I was able to publish 100 women in the middle of a world pandemic, a world crisis.” That was close to home for Dr. Kimberly, and about 48 hours later, her brother in law passed away from COVID. In the midst of this heartbreak, the Holy Spirit reminded Dr. Kimberly that this is the evidence. “When I accepted the mandate for the call of promise to do that assignment about two weeks, maybe within burying my brother-in-law and my sister being tested positive, my sister actually went into a coma. She was on a ventilator, and they were expecting her not to live. She had a stroke. She wasn’t able to talk. She was unresponsive. No one could visit her.” Dr. Kimberly continues, ‘ Our mom was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, and she was in the middle of chemo. And so, she wasn’t able to be there for my sister either. No one was able to visit her at the hospital.”
Dr. Kimberly’s life was going through a major battle. She was literally walking the promise out during the process of publishing Promise. “My promise, Jeremiah 30:17, “God will restore your health and heal your wounds, is what I had to hold onto because I refused to allow my sister to not have an advocate on earth and also to be able to intercede, on her behalf,” she says. “When you talk about holding on to God’s promise to heal and restore, in a place where it looked like no return, no restoration. I held on to God’s promise because I had to, I was able to go to another level of faith in God and in His word to see my sister who is now, talking, out of the hospital, out of rehab, walking without a cane and going through her process of healing. The doctor said, literally, she’s going to be in a vegetative state, but here she is. Now we call each other, talk to each other. She’s doing better.”
Even though it was a tough time for Dr. Kimberly, she decided not to give up but BELIEVE. So, I absolutely had to write down this more personal insight of the new Sparkle Publishing’s book. Besides, I asked her how she overcame this period, because I truly think her experience could be helpful. In fact, during such periods, Dr. Kimberly suggests to “fully get into a posture of prayer” and to fight not with your own ability but “to call on the Holy Spirit and learn”. She learned a lot about herself, her weaknesses but also about her sister. “That posture of prayer and having faith in spite of what we were looking at” she said, really helped her family and herself: they prayed, fasted and above all they believed.
The crazy part of the story is that it was in the middle of the storm that God wanted her to realize a new ambitious project. As mentioned, “Promise, A Global Women’s Devotional” is a book of EVIDENCE that has a specific goal. “You know, if you look at the world right now, there’s so much doubt about who Jesus is and there’s so much rhetoric around religion. I think these authors serve as evidence to a world where everything is focused on who God is not and what He’s not doing”. Dr. Kimberly had a clear passionate vision of why publishing in these specific times, and while opening herself up about it, you can feel how much heart she put into the project. “I felt so honored that they would share their secret place with me. These women tell you that God is who He says and what He has done in their lives”.
One of the most important things to know about this publication is that it was not written with the aim to highlight how harsh life is, but how women experienced the POWER of God in their lives (“I wanted to make sure that the world heard their stories in a way that they didn’t seem dark and like a victim. So, we wrote it in a form of a devotional, to make sure that you, first of all, understood the power of God’s word” -Dr. Kimberly).
The most innovative and unique part of this project lies in the fact that it is not a traditional book, but a very guided fresh DEVOTIONAL: you will read stories of women that went through mental health, anxiety, depression, car accidents, divorce, cutting self-mutilation and so on… but each of them was set free from the past. As Dr. Kimberly specified, “These women have gone through challenges, things that would have killed most people. And they’re living, they’re thriving, they’re owning businesses, they’re married again, they’re leading companies, and leading ministries”.
Since it is a devotional book about promises, it cannot be published without a promise given by God himself to the people who worked on it. Dr. Kimberly, in fact, shared what God told her about the book: “The Lord has shared with me that this devotional had an anointing, where there would be freedom for those who were writing it and there would be BREAKTHROUGH for those who would read it. It brings hope. It brings oneness with God”.
While I was listening to her, I realized how this is a “book of evidence”: from the beginning to the end, there is not one single step taken without God, nothing done only with human strength. Since we were in the middle of a world pandemic, a world crisis, I was very curious to know how God operated from the business viewpoint, and she started telling how He really provided for everything. She was incited by the Holy spirit to create revenue streams, and by creating a commission base pay model, the authors get paid for the sale of the book through Sparkle. “We also increased our business model by adding distribution and fulfillment. We had never done this in the history of Sparkle”, Dr. Kimberly added.
In the middle of Covid-19, they were able to expand their business and give the opportunity to 130 women to become business owners, since they now have a revenue stream. The evidence lies in the fact that at a time when businesses were lacking or compromised, this project actually generated revenue. This shows us how God works even in the midst of hard times, and He also provides under a material, economic aspect. “It was tough, I cannot say it was easy” Dr. Kimberly admits, but “He gave us this divine, creative strategy. And everything just speaks about His sovereignty, like He is saying I’m all fathering. It doesn’t matter. It’s my name over a pandemic. I am the source”.
The word that Dr. Kimberly used the most during the interview was “honor”. She used it talking about the people she worked with but also towards God, for choosing her and appointing her. And now, after the publication, they are not going to stop. The women that were in the “Promise”, want to continue to tell their stories. So, at the moment, there are 8 promised authors that are writing their own book. In addition to Sparkle Publishing, Dr. Kimberly owns DKEG Professional Development and Training Consultancy which provides professional development and training solutions to small businesses, and corporate companies. Her company has plans to provide more certification programs in 2021, “for those who want to become trainers or have their own business as a trainer. We’ll also be offering some of the courses which help individuals and entrepreneurs to gain the discipline and the consistency to produce at the next level”.
And that’s not all! Another amazing book is coming December 2020: Mommy & McKinley’s “Stay-cation, The Boys Crash the Party” (Dr. Kimberly wrote a similar book in 2018 with her daughter, “Stay-cation! Girls Only”).
This book is devoted to families, whose bond has been tested and strengthened during Covid-19. Dr. Kimberly is actually a very busy woman: mother, wife, publisher and also involved in ministry. Furthermore, due to the Coronavirus, she also had to become an elementary teacher to her children and started to “handle business after 2:30 pm because from around 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, we are in school”. Although the pandemic changed her schedule, she really enjoys spending more time with the kids. This kind of life can be a challenge for a businesswoman, but the Lord told her “to shut that business down from that timeframe and do business differently”, and she was highly blessed.
As you can read, when God has a plan, no one and nothing can stop Him, not even a world pandemic. The traditional phrase “I’m having a hard time” cannot be used as an excuse not to do anything, but it’s right in the midst of the storm that you need to put your faith into action. That’s why Dr. Kimberly’s experience, the “Promise, A Global Women’s Devotional” story, as well as the Sparkle Publishing Company is a true example of how to hold on to God’s promise in every situation. As Dr. Kimberly said, “We need to understand that no matter what we go through, we serve a God who’s greater than any political unrest or a pandemic. He has not changed. It is time for us as believers, to turn our hearts in such a way for the things of God and be focused on carrying out the work of the kingdom”.
It was a great pleasure to have this edifying interview with Dr. Kimberly Ellison, a Today’s Purpose Woman filled with purpose, passion, wisdom and Truth. Before she left, she shared with us the names of the co-authors of Promise, A Global Women’s Devotional. We also had the opportunity to speak with a few of the Daughters of Promise.
Dr. Kimberly Ellison (Visionary), Amonie Faith Rucker, Dr. Kristen Guillory, Jean Barbee Dawkins, Leah Frazier, Robyn Gray, Vonetta Watson, A’Besa Hodge, Alexis Shabazz Riley, Alicia Forbes, Alicia White, Amelia Meadows, Angela McDougal, Ashanti Turner, Bridgette Pierre, Crystal Wells (Cooper) , Daisy Gilstrap, Della Parks, Dr. Catrina Pullum, Dr. Marcia Theadford, Dr. Patrice May, Dr. Regina Spellmon, Dr. Rose Dillon, Dr. Sharon Gavin Levy, Dr. Fredia Reynolds, Germaine Fields, Janice Jackson, Johnnie Ellison, Kadie D Conteh, Kamisha LaTrey, Keenya Madison, LaTrenia McDaniel, Onika Brisco, Pamela Alexander, Robin Smiley, Sandra Reed, Saveina Tanner-Morris, Shanta Quilette Carter, Sharon Scott, Sherelle Reed, Stacy Hester-Lockett, Sunne Perry Bailey, TaMeka Chopp Martin, Tanika Gray, Taryn Chambers Givan, Tasha Whitaker, Tedra Pierson Woods, Tina Nichols, Toni Roberts Sinegal, Tyisha Jenkins, Wylita D. Hooks, Cambel Cadien, Collette Conner, Tiah Lewis, Amber Shaw, Dr. Tonya Cunningham, Katrena Mayes, Pamela Washington Turner, Quiana McDaniel, Wanda Dixson, Amya Jade Mears, Aapri Clemons, Allison Lavender, Bianca-Sinead Sims, De’Angela Baker, Ebony D. James, Ebony Washington, L Shonny DeBouse-Young, LaDarica Harvey, Marsha L. Warner, Melani Pippins, Nicole Wilson, Dr. Rosa Terrance, Tawana Walter Cadien, Tonya Monroe, Trenisha Foreman, Veeda Beverly Smith, Yolanda Harper, Sharon Clinton, Patrice Victor, Debra Rockmore, Felicia Guimont, Jennifer Davis, Dr. Marguritte S. Johnson, Ingrid Pickett, Cashoyna Tillis, Dr. Edna Chism Nicholas, Felicia Jones, J. Javelle Credit, JaTaun Hawkins, Kathleen Smith, Kelsey Cadien, Marlys Harvey Diggles, Princess Millens, Lakeytha Clayton, Debra Henderson, Heather White, Melissa Austin, Tanya McDermott, Dwalunda Alexander, Evelyn Wilson, KC Fox, Sherilyn Reed, Tonya Jefferson, Phyllissia Allmond, Dr. Freda Phifer, Lataria Peterson, Ruby Jeanine Batiste, Bobbie Burkes, Brannigan Maxwell, Crystal Royal, DeNae Gatling, Elvi Wilds, Frantz-Michelle Alexandre, Latasha Washington, Lisa Cooley Thomas, Lolita Harris, Mattie Orr, Patricia Cardinal, Shawndre Blair, Sheryl Da Silva, Sophornia Davis, Stefani Morrow, Taleisha Taylor, Tanisha Fulcher, Tawana Mitchell, Virginia Webb, and Vicki Parks.
This story was co-written by FEDREICA LONGO
