It’s so fascinating that Jesus was only about thirty-three years old when He died, by thirty-three years of age He lived out His purpose here on earth and left an amazing legacy behind as He did it. King Josiah became king at the age of eight. The bible illustrates a handful of young people that God used to accomplish His work here on earth; King David, Joshua, Daniel and Jeremiah just to name a few. When I was twenty-four years old my sister said to me, “I am very proud of you and all that you’ve accomplished but I want you to understand that all this means nothing if you don’t have God.” It took another two years for me to fully understand what she meant. Twenty-One Year old Jordan Mill’s simply put, “got it” and she has it at one of the most critical stages in our lives, our early twenties. When I was Jordan’s age, I just did not have “it”. What is it? That God thing. It’s hard to decipher the truthfulness of a person’s character that is displayed online, but when coming across Jordan on social media, I could discern that she was the real deal. I encounter so many young 20-somethings who don’t understand or maybe even desire this “God thing”. And I get it, in this generation it’s hard for an eighteen or twenty year old to walk intimately with the Lord. It’s just not the it thing to do. It’s hard to follow Christ in a generation where 80% of the United States population is not attending any church. You don’t see anybody doing it, you especially don’t see anybody your age doing it. Yet, Jordan still decided that she would defy the norm and follow God. Jordan is still discovering who she is as a woman and her purpose here on earth but I wanted to interview Jordan for that population of young 20-somethings, to show them it can be done. Even if it’s just one, this is for you.
D. Almaroof: First I want to get to know Jordan, then we will get more into the business side of what you do, any programs, ministries or projects you are working on.
Oprah once said that one of the hardest questions she had to answer was “Who is Oprah?” Who is Jordan today?
Jordan: That is a hard question because I am not sure if I even know. I guess Jordan is just like any regular girl. I know people may see my large social media following or that I am sold out for the Lord and create perceptions of who they think I am but I am just a girl who is simply trying to pursue her purpose. A girl that wants to be sold out for God. A girl who wants to put His will before mine. A girl that just wants to have the best life that God ever planned for me. I am learning about myself every day, you can never stop learning about yourself, it’s a lifelong process. I just want to be a voice of power, to help and inspire others. The people who may have been through something, I want to be able to say “I’ve been through that and I know that you’re going to be okay.” No special lights, cameras, platforms; take away all of that and I am just me. I just want to be who God created me to be. If social media didn’t exist I would still be who I am. One who has a burning desire to please God. Jordan is somebody who just wants to be used by God, I just want to be a vessel.
D. Almaroof: We all have a story, a story that most people wouldn’t believe from just looking at us. What is your story?
Jordan: I was born into a single parent home. I have three siblings. My father was never in my life, never present, honestly never really knew my dad. But the way God pursued and captured me, I feel like I never missed out on a father. Yes, physically I never got to go to father-daughter dances or had that bond with my dad to walk me through life but I’ve always felt like God was that Dad for me. We moved around a lot in my life because of different situations that my mom was going through or different guys. I was born into a Christian family, born and raised, so it was planted inside me at an early age. It has always been inside of me but I didn’t start walking into those seeds or the harvest that was planted inside of me until I got into college. I didn’t have too much of a bad life. Yes, my mom was a single parent but my siblings and I never lacked anything, we never went hungry, we never lived in a shabby place –so I don’t have one of those stories.
D. Almaroof: Are you currently pursuing a degree in film and television or are you actively working in that arena?
Jordan: I am not currently in college. I’ve always had goals and dreams but never knew what I really wanted to do. I’ve always been multi-talented. First I explored graphic designing, then it turned into photography, then it turned into fashion, now it’s currently film and television. I was enrolled back in 2014-2015 because the working thing wasn’t really for me and I just had to do something with my life. I said to myself, at least see how school is. Honestly, I feel like the purpose of me going off to college was to develop my relationship with Christ. Point, blank, period. If I didn’t get anything else from school, that was my purpose for going. Leaving school, I said, okay Lord what am I supposed to be doing. Last summer, I was stressed out and depressed about my life and not knowing what I was going to be doing –I got before God and I went on a fast. Okay God, now that my relationship is right with you, I need to know what I am here to do. That’s my next step in my walk with you. My mom encouraged me to go out and apply for my dream school, Savannah College of Art and Design. It’s a school for people who are into the arts; fashion, graphic design, media, anybody that is into that. I applied and got in. I was so excited because everyone was telling me that everyone doesn’t get into this school. I honestly didn’t have the grades to get in. It was just really God. I remember sitting with my advisor and he said that it was solely because of the portfolio that I submitted that I was admitted. Based on my history with school, my grades and history of dropping classes, I shouldn’t have been admitted in. However the school is very expensive. When I found out I couldn’t go August of 2015 I told myself I am just going to just start stack. I began questioning God of why I couldn’t go, if I had been admitted in. I just had so much faith – God if you got me into this school, I know you’re going to make away financially. I was working two jobs, stacking all my money, got down to the last one thousand dollars for school and I still couldn’t go. I was really disappointed and taken back because I was really looking forward to starting my career and I could not go. However, I know God is not a traditional God. Sometimes you don’t have to go to school to do what He called you to do, and that’s where I am now.
Recently He’s been connecting me with various contacts. He also instructed me to invest into activities that would teach me the craft of what He graced me to do. My church is rather big and they offer various ministries you can volunteer in. So now I am working in the video ministry and I’ve been learning so much. It was like God was telling me you don’t have to go to school to learn certain things, I can teach you but you have to apply yourself. I am now behind the scenes of all services; working the cameras, lights and graphics. My mother also connected me with an individual she knows who works in the entertainment industry, she works for Tyler Perry and other studios. I actually connected with her last week and I am about to start working with her. You just never know where God is taking you.
D. Almaroof: I love that
Jordan: Yeah, so this was actually one of my dreams. I actually wanted to work for Tyler Perry. I know it sounds crazy but I want to be the next Tyler Perry. I want to be the female version. I want to make Christian films.
D. Almaroof: I don’t think that’s crazy. I believe that when you have certain desires it’s because God put them there.
Jordan: I know but it sounds so big. Like girl who do you think you are? I was so afraid because at first I didn’t know where to start. God said to me, “Why are you worried about all of that, just do what I told you to do. Just volunteer at your church right now.” That’s the thing about God, He works in steps. He won’t throw you into the lake of fire when you don’t even know what you’re doing. I believe He’s directing me to learn everything now. I want you to learn how to work a camera. I want to be that type of producer, even if I hire people to work various jobs, I still want to be educated on what you’re doing. I want to learn how to do a little bit of everything. Like Tyler Perry his hands are in everything. He’s not just a producer, he does script writing. I just want to do everything. It sounds so big but nothing is too big for God. That’s the thing about God, He does things on a large scale but He always equips us.
D. Almaroof: I don’t think it’s too big. Sometimes I even question my desires and I even ask Him, “God am I dreaming too big?” Sometimes I even get frustrated. The step by step lesson you just illustrated is a big indicator of God working in your life. It’s something He revealed to me. Which is so cool about God, one of the coolest things about Him. You’ll be doing something –and sometimes you can even not like what He has you doing. Then a year later you’ll realize, like ohhh that’s why You had me doing that because you wanted me to be prepared once I stepped into this. One of the scriptures I always think about when I think I’m dreaming too big is Ephesians 3:20, where it states, “He will do exceedingly abundantly above ALL that you can think or ask for.” So if my dreams are so grand, so big, I get excited when I think God you’re going out do even was I imagining for myself!
D. Almaroof: Okay let’s move on because we can talk about dreams and aspirations all night long. What’s the best life advice you’ve ever received.
Jordan: I would say last summer –I was going through an isolation season. I needed to go through that season with God because during that time is when He revealed my purpose to me. Last summer it was literally just me and God, no friends, still no boo but no boo then, no job, no car, nothing. Everything I have now I didn’t have. It was just literally me and God. No purpose. One day I was really in my feelings and I’m like “God, for one you see me making a stand for you in front of my peers, in front of other people and I am really trying to live for You. I’m really trying to do right. I’m trying my best to live for you and I just want you to be pleased with my life and what I’m doing. I could be out here doing any and everything but I don’t want to. But I am just not understanding, any and everything that I am praying for, I am not getting. What’s the point of me continuing –and I am not saying I am living for you to give these things. I know when we get to heaven we receive our true treasure but God I kind of want to enjoy life here on earth too.” That’s just how I was feeling. I want to enjoy life here on earth too and I just don’t feel like I’m reaping the benefits of living for You. Last summer, I was just sitting at home. My sister would be out with her friends, my mom would be at work and my grandma would be downstairs. I would just be at home reading my bible. Lord I don’t like this, what is this. Then the enemy would be in my ear telling me, “Well at least if you’re not going have anybody you should be out here having some fun.” To make a long story short one of my guy friends that I met through Instagram, he’s like a little brother in Christ. He was just checking on me, asking me what was going on and he called me. I honestly feel like it was a God ordained phone call. So I answered and I was just honest, letting him know how I felt. I let my flesh and the enemy get in my ear and I began believing God had forgotten about me and forsaken me and didn’t care about me. I told him, I’m not even asking God for much, I’m not asking for a million dollar house or a Mercedes Benz. I just want friends, I just want a job, and I just want to be happy. I’m young! It’s summer time! I shouldn’t be in the house moping around being bored with my life, when everybody else is having fun. I didn’t think I was asking God for too much and if I am I’m sorry but I am human and I’m young.
My friend said to me, “If God was never to give you anything you asked for, would you still serve Him?” He also told me that even though we live on this earth and we desire to acquire families and all of these things, none of that is promised to us. Everything is also temporary. Even if you have these things, they are not going to satisfy you or complete you. You’ll have friends and you’ll have a job but you’re going to still have problems. That conversation really changed my perspective. My ultimate goal now is to really be content in God and God alone. I feel like when you’re content with just God and you don’t want anything else but Him, that’s when He’ll give you those things. I think I needed to hear that in that season and I am now reaping the benefits of my isolation season last summer. Everything I asked for then, I now have. My isolation season pushed me more into my purpose and my hunger for God.
D. Almaroof: Were there any other major lessons you learned during your isolation season?
Jordan: In the past I experienced friend hurt. Last summer I even made a video on YouTube about friendships; having seasonal friendships, having friendships that were temporary, friendships that just didn’t work out – you didn’t fall out with them, you’re just not cool with them anymore. I kept asking God, why do you keep allowing people to come into my life and you remove them or they fall off. I am then left with no friends and it’s hurtful. I just couldn’t go through it anymore. Some of these people were even Christian girls, people I was praying with and doing bible study with, they came in my house, they met my mom. These were people I really let into my life and I trusted it was God who sent them. Then out of nowhere, gone. Last summer, I really experienced deep hurt from one of my sisters in Christ . I was deeply hurt and I didn’t understand why it ended the way it ended. God knew my heart and I was really hurting but in the end He used that situation to rebuild me. I told God, I know I am not supposed to have unforgiveness in my heart, help me forgive these girls. I was literally crying telling Him, God I can’t go through another friendship hurt. I would respect it if you didn’t send me anymore friends. I kept my heart guarded and I didn’t want any more friends. It’s so funny how God works though. He really just wants to heal our hearts before He can give us these perfect gifts He has for us. I gave Him that part of my life and He healed all wounds. I eventually met my sisters in Christ at a Pinky Promise Conference. I finally have Godly friends. I met them for the first time two weeks ago when they came down for the conference and it was awesome. I now understand why God did what He did. He had to strip me of all my old friends –honestly I didn’t know how to be a friend. I was the type of friend where we could be cool or close but do something to hurt me or do something to make me feel some type of way and I am going to cut you off. No warning just girl bye. But God showed me in friendship you cannot be like that, it’s like any other relationship. If somebody does something that you don’t like you’re just going to throw them away? You’re going keep throwing all these people away because they’ve done something to offend you. God used that time to teach me how to be a good friend. He’s still teaching me to have grace for people. I didn’t know about grace. My attitude was what grace, no girl bye is, you did this on purpose, you said something I don’t appreciate and I rather just not talk to you. God said no, when someone does something to you, you communicate what they did or said and you make a mends with your brother or sister. I didn’t do that before. Even in my friendships now He’s been stretching me, teaching me. That’s the thing about God, even after He’s given you a gift, it doesn’t mean He’s going to stop teaching and testing you. I also think He’s preparing me for my husband. I can’t be in a relationship and I don’t know how to talk to people or communicate. Just Monday God pushed me. He told me, “Jordan if you truly want to me show myself faithful to you, I need you to go back and make things right with these people.” It was the grace of God that allowed me to reach out to every person, communicate how I felt and let them know that I forgave them. I asked them to forgive me if it was anything that I’ve done to them. After that I felt so much freedom. I’ve never felt so free. So that’s another blessing of my isolation season.
I also fasted during my isolation season. I use to have a hard time recognizing God’s voice and told Him I wasn’t coming off my fast until I knew the difference from my voice, Gods voice and the enemy’s voice. I told Him I needed to know His voice if I was going to walk into my purpose because I need to be able to hear where He is leading me. It was during this time that God revealed to me my purpose and I learned to recognize His voice.
“If God was never to give you anything you ask for, would you still serve Him?”
D. Almaroof: With all the lessons you’ve learned, especially those learned during your isolation season. What’s one of your life codes that you follow that you would want to bestow onto other twenty-one year olds that may read this?
Jordan: I would have to say stay in your lane and keep your eyes on Jesus. It’s simple but it’s one of the hardest things to do.
D. Almaroof: I love that. It’s simple but loaded. Short, sweet and to the point.
D. Almaroof: Earlier you stated that due to your social media platforms and relationship with Christ people often have preconceived notions of the type of person you are. What is one of the greatest misconceptions about you and what would you like to say to that?
Jordan: I think one of the big misconceptions is not only related to social media but also my friends who knew me before I really started following Christ. I feel like a lot of people think, “oh my gosh, this girl always wants to talk about God, she never wants to be normal or have normal conversation. She’s so spiritual, don’t nobody want to be talking about demons and she’s so deep all the time. Can she ever have fun?” People who were my friends before know that I am really following after Christ but I feel like they put me in that category like I’m always like that but I’m not. I’m still funny, I’m still down to earth. I still like to have fun, I still like to laugh. I still like to do normal things that people my age like to do but I feel like people just think I’m like this Jesus freak 24/7. If you really get to know me you’ll see I am pretty much the best of both worlds. I do love talking about God but if that’s not something you want to do, I can still talk about normal things but people don’t even give me a chance to really get to know me. I think people think I’m just this serious girl all the time and I’m not. I’m just like God, yes He has structure but He still has personality. If people would really get to know God they will see He’s not just about rules; He’s funny, God himself has a personality and people would fall in love with His personality if they would get to know Him outside of the father figure He is. People don’t follow God because they think He’s demanding but if someone loves you they are going to have boundaries for you. But if you know Him outside of that, God is cool as crap. I love this personal relationship I have with Him because before I saw what everybody else saw, just God. That’s how I feel people view me, they just see Jordan, this girl that’s always going hard about God but I’m also still cool and crazy (laughs). I’m real life crazy.
D. Almaroof: I completely understand. One hundred percent. You’re still the same person but people can’t see beyond the new covering you have over your life.
Jordan: Exactly. It’s like get to know me. I’m such a cool person. Sometimes I found myself convincing myself that I am a cool person. The enemy (the devil) started that with me. I had to convince myself like Jordan no you are still a cool person. I shouldn’t have to do that. The enemy just be saying some crazy stuff in my ear and I just be like boy shut up (laughs).
D. Almaroof: Yes! That’s so funny. I find myself all the time telling the enemy, “SHUT UP!”
Jordan: Exactly. The enemy will be in your ear like, “you’re ugly, you’re stupid, and nobody will ever love you.” It’s like okay, are you bored? Go sit down!
D. Almaroof: But what’s so powerful is when you recognize that it’s him. Then you can really shut him down. I was just telling one of my girlfriends that you literally have to talk back to the devil. When he tries to tell you something about yourself, you have to tell him the truth you know about yourself or the truth God says about you directly or in His word. Quote a scripture to him out loud and tell him SHUT UP!
Jordan: That’s the truth because he tries to control our minds and when you listen to those lies that’s how he knows he can continue to mess with you. I’ll give you an example. Recently I had a job interview and I knew I did so well. Long story short, I haven’t heard back from this lady. So the enemy, of course is like, “let me mess with Jordan real quick because she’s already thinking about it. So now you don’t have a job, how you going to do this, how you going to do that, they’re going to take your car away from you”, and so forth. So I go back and I say, excuse me Satan, first of all I didn’t get the job even though I really wanted the job but you know what the job was only for two weeks, why would God only give me at a job for two weeks. I would have to turn around and find a new placement. When God gives you something, it’s perfect. So right now He’s probably working behind the scenes for the perfect situation and the perfect opportunity. So I don’t have to keep moving around. So why you trying to tell me I didn’t get the job, I didn’t want the job because it’ll be over soon and I’ll be stuck trying to find something else”
“Don’t let time make you doubt what God has already promised you”
D. Almaroof: Amen! I love your perspective.
I want to switch gears and focus more on your business endeavors. You stated earlier that God led you to a purpose in film and television. What are your goals for that arena?
Jordan: My goals for anything that I do is to inspire, I want to uplift and I want to bring people closer to God. In the film industry, I want to develop movies that draw people closer to Christ.
D. Almaroof: My pastor was recently speaking to that; that our ministries don’t have to be church related, you don’t have to be a preacher to preach. Your ministry is basically your avenue in which you bring people to Christ.
Beyond your desire to uplift and inspire, what is your biggest motivation in life?
Jordan: My biggest motivation in life, as Cornelius Lindsay said at the conference (Pink Promise), I don’t want to go to the grave with any talents still left in me.
D. Almaroof: You sound like a dreamer and I’ve noticed that with most dreamers, it’s interesting that we don’t get much sleep at night because we are up dreaming. What keeps you up at night?
Jordan: Thank God my problems don’t keep me up at night anymore! What keeps me up at night are all of my goals and aspirations for my life and wondering how God is going to bring it all together. Sometimes I get so excited, like God I can’t believe what you even put in my heart, like who thinks of stuff like this but I’m excited to see how He’s going bring it all together.
D. Almaroof: With all the dreams and goals you have set for your life, ultimately, what do you want your legacy to be?
Jordan: I want my legacy to be –dang these are some good questions, I should really just frequently ask myself these questions because I don’t really know. Umm, I love Chikfila’s legacy! Honestly what I want to leave behind whenever God decides to call me home, I just want people to see the fullness of a life when you give God your whole life. I want people to experience the full blessing one receives when you really let God just lead your life. I want that to show through my life. It doesn’t matter how old you are now, just give God your life now and you will see everything He always called you to do unfold. Even at my age now, that’s my desire.
D. Almaroof: So where can people stay connected with you and reach out to support you?
Jordan: I’m still praying over a big project I am working on but my goal for the end of this year or early next year is to put out a huge documentary. It’s a documentary about people who are young but are out here pursuing their purpose. Everyone has to be a Christian who is involved because I want it to be all individuals who believe in God. I want to air it on a large scale but my goal is for masses and masses of young people to see it and see that you can be young and live out your purpose. I’m still praying over all the details.
D. Almaroof: Wow that sounds amazing. I’m excited to see that come into fruition.
D. Almaroof: So I like to end each interview with Deborah’s Seven, they are just very short questions that require one word responses and you just spit out the first answer that comes to your mind.
Deborah’s 7
Nickname?
Jordy or J.Mills
Top beauty regiment?
Sleep
Beyoncé or Rihanna
Rihanna, I don’t like Beyoncé
Coke or Pepsi
Coke
Introvert and extrovert?
Introvert
Who’s locked in your music player right now? Your current music obsession?
Worship
Your favorite book?
The Christian Atheist
What makes you laugh?
Awkward Situations
Well there you have it. A great interview with one of the stars of the next generation.
Until next time, I wish you..
Love & Happiness
