Our Woman of the Week is Aimee Joshua, nominated because of the digital online ministry she runs through a podcast called "Chasing Dreams with AimeeJ." We asked her about herself:
"While I was born into an Orthodox family, raised in the Orthodox faith, I choose to be an Orthodox Christian because that is what I believe in. My family taught me the importance of not just understanding my faith but letting it be seen through me day in and day out from the very beginning. I remember how we used to--and still to this day--gather as a family every night to pray and thank God for the blessings he has bestowed upon us. My great-uncle, the late H.G. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios, a former Metropolitan of the Indian Orthodox Church, taught us all the importance of serving and helping others in need. These weren’t tenets that were forced upon me, but ideals that I value and hold close to my heart.
"During college and after graduation, I worked as a Computer Engineering at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. It was the ideal job and one that I was proud to have, but there was still a calling within me that was not being answered. I felt that I wasn’t doing enough for others, so I left my stable job for the unfamiliarity of law. Many people didn’t understand my change in direction. But I believed this was the path God was putting before me and it was by faith that I would walk it. I didn’t know what my future would hold, but I strongly felt that by becoming a lawyer, I would acquire the tools I needed to help others."
Axia!
#orthodoxchristian #orthodoxchristianity
Aimee Joshua is our Woman of the Week because of the ministry that she has undertaken to support young people in pursuing their callings. We asked her how she had discovered her own vocation:
"After becoming a lawyer, I took the advice of those around me and became a patent lawyer because of my background in Computer Science. I had a wonderful mentor and a job with a law firm, but I still felt there was something missing. I wasn’t giving back and helping others the way I was feeling called to do.
"The thing about a calling is that sometimes it isn’t clear as to what you should be doing. You have to listen, have faith in God, and be open to all possibilities, including those that are unfamiliar. For me that unfamiliarity came in the form of podcasting. I had heard about it and experimented with podcasting and really enjoyed it. I had started a podcast called Revisiting Haven with a friend and I saw the power and reach podcasting could have.
"At the time, someone close to me was letting go of a dream/talent due to the instability of that path and that broke my heart. I wanted to show them that there are people following their hearts and living fulfilling, happy lives even if it was not successful monetarily. So with my knowledge of podcasting, I called upon my friends and family in my community and we raised over $2K for podcasting equipment and services to start a professional podcast. It was because of the kind words of support and generous donations of many that the Chasing Dreams with Aimee J. Podcast was born. 217 episodes and 74K+ downloads later, I continue to inspire others to chase their dreams by spotlighting other dream chasers who are doing it themselves. Remind our listeners, you are not alone."
You can be inspired by Aimee's podcast at aimeej21.com/chasingdreams.
Follow her on Instagram @aimeej21.
We asked our Woman of the Week, Aimee Joshua, about her morning routine:
"I am more of an early bird than a night owl. I try to be in bed before 10pm and awake by 5:30AM. I start every day with a word of prayer, and statements of positivity. I write down 3 things I am grateful for and state a few affirmations for the day. Every year I have a theme for myself, and this year’s theme is, I am enough. So I start my morning by reminding myself that, "I am awesome. I am loved, I am needed, and that I am enough, as I am, just the way I am.” I even turned that my need for affirmations into its own podcast, Your Personal Hype Man with Aimee J. In the hopes others will also state their own affirmations. Identifying your gratitudes and saying affirmations go a long way in taking care of your mental health. That is why I’ve incorporated it into my routine. If I don’t have any early morning work meetings, I go for a quick swim, which relaxes me. Doing all of these things, gets me in the right frame of mind to face my day and to make the most of the day ahead of me."
Thank you, Aimee!