Her Story: Wendy Ogando
her |hər| pronoun used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a female person previously mentioned or easily identified: She had God-given passion and wisdom.
Name: Wendy Ogando
Occupation: Educator
Follow: @wenderella_
1. How are you pursuing your God-given purpose and destiny? And what is one thing you would say to encourage someone trying to pursue their God-given purpose today?
Every new year I get an impression on my heart to pick a word and hold it as a declarative banner over my life for 365 days. This year, the words have been "trust" and "obey." My prayer in 2019 is to dig deeper wells of undivided trust and reckless obedience to the Lord's leadership and provision. My encouragement for someone seeking their God-given purpose is to embrace the process of who you are becoming. Everything you are at it's fullest-state comes from Him. May you love yourself enough to seek growth with the Lord, daily sit still before Him, and listen to where He is leading you. Seek Him and you will find the areas of growth He wants you to pursue in this season. Don't rush, you are not running out of time.
As for me, I grew up in a large and passionate Latin family, on the beautiful island of Dominican Republic. From an early age, my grandma engraved in us, that it is better to give than to receive. That stuck with me. Today, aside from living a devoted life to Christ, I have a burning passion to help/serve others. The best way to do this is to collide one's passion with their God given-purpose (we are made by God and for God), He truly gives you the desires of your heart. My purpose is touching hearts and hitting metrics. On the daily, I will freely give of my time and talents to seek to understand other's needs and help connect them to relevant resources. This is specific enough for me to follow and general enough to apply to whatever task I have at hand. I have to constantly trust God's provision so I can exercise my God-given-purpose in every season (Genesis 22:13-14). In order to pursue this purpose well, I have to stay rooted in the Word of God and fellowship with Jesus. It is through His Word, prayer, worship, and community, that I can learn, give, and lead others ultimately to Him.
"For it is in giving that we receive" — Saint Francis of Assisi
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give" — Winston Churchill
2. What motivates or inspires you?
I start skipping like a little girl at the thought of people, companies, and communities thriving and living at their fullest God-given potential. I thoroughly LOVE IT when people turn their "can't" into "CAN," especially when they reach a goal, no matter how big or small. For instance, my father came to this country and worked 3+ jobs, while raising a family. Going to school in America, at an older age and with a language learning curve, seemed far-fetched. Fast forward, 15 years after setting foot on American soil, my dad, defeated all odds, not only did he get his degree, but also is licensed and certified in multiple trades that he is passionate about! WOW, now that's inspirational! He left no room for excuses and set an outstanding example for others to follow. Some of my favorite verses to help motivate success are: Joshua 1:8, Philippians 3:13-14, Proverbs 16:3, James 1:2-4, and 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. If you ever need someone to believe in you and push you to the end, I'm your girl! Trust me, my family and I have overcome many impossible hurdles. When you succeed, we succeed. ¡Si Se Puede! YES YOU CAN!
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” - Muhammad Ali
3. What books and podcasts are you currently reading and listening to that are helping you to continue growing and learning?
I consider myself a life-long learner am most definitely a book junkie. I am currently reading along with EBF's Bible Reading Plan (join us!). I am also in a book club at work where we are reading through Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Two books, I will re-read any day are, Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend and The Blessed Life by Robert Morris.
There are so many juicy podcasts out there to glean from. However, two I currently recommend are "Exploring my Strange Bible" by the makers of "The Bible Project," which takes a deep dive into scripture and Bible language. "How I Built This with Guy Raz," it's a creative narrative featuring various entrepreneurial successes and failures to buildup some of the best-known companies.
4. Tell us more about your work and how you are using this to make an impact in Market Place Ministry.
I currently work two jobs, one as an educator at a private high school and the other as a sales/marketing associate for an admissions consultant firm tailored towards higher education. These jobs allow me to serve by creating an inspiring learning atmosphere where students are determined to improve and become the best version of themselves.
My short-term goal is to continue onto graduate school for business and become a catalyst for positive shifts in company culture, which help bring diversity and inclusion into organizations in order to drive more innovative results and stay on top of their industry curve. Lastly, I believe our generation is a generous one and companies should use the measure given to them to improve and serve their community, exemplifying love for their neighbor. Regardless of where you are you can make a kingdom focused impact in your market place ministry.
5. What do you love about Equipped by Faith?
EBF truly embraces everyone with open arms, and that is a beautiful thing! There are no two women alike at EBF. Women across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex are united by embracing their diverse backgrounds and paths and creating room to share, learn, and challenge one another. If you are reading this and have yet to attend an EBF gathering, COME! The door is always open!
Thank you for sharing your heart with us, Wendy! Stay tuned for our next #wcw and email us at info@equippedbyfaith.com if you have someone special you would like to nominate for next month’s feature!
XO-
Equipped by Faith