The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey Happy Hour #295: Gloria Umanah
My guest for The Happy Hour #295 is Gloria Umanah. Gloria Umanah is the Founder and Executive Director of The Ex-Nihilo Collective, a collective of creatives on a mission to illuminate Jesus through words, poetry, and storytelling. When Gloria isn't leading The Collective, she is known for her powerhouse stage presence as she travels the world to communicate the Gospel and lead in creative directing helping ministries, churches, and communities tell the story of Jesus in a way that the world has yet to hear.
Friends, Gloria is such a joy and I’m so happy to share our conversation with you today. In this episode, we talk about her journey with spoken word, her upbringing in a strict Nigerian home, and the ways those things have shaped the woman she is today. I loved hearing about Gloria’s heart for the kingdom and how passionately she believes in the power of surrender. Her reminder that “It’s true, [we are] not enough, and that is enough to be used by God” is so helpful for our current context. Gloria’s passion for the Church is so evident and I hope you feel encouraged by her charge to lean into diversity, not just the appearance of diversity, and seek out the ways you are playing into the story that God is writing. I’m so thankful for Gloria’s giftings and how she is sharing them with the world, and us, today!
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