Your Joyful Order With Leslie Martinez

#88 BooK Club: “Unshackled-: A Teen Mom Finding Unstoppable Freedom” with Veronica Cornejo

• Leslie Martinez • Season 5 • Episode 88

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Imagine turning the trials of teenage motherhood into a beacon of hope and transformation.  I sit down with the remarkable Veronica Cornejo on a heartfelt episode of Your Joyful Order podcast. Veronica opens up about her inspiring journey from being a teenage mom to becoming an author and ministry leader. Her memoir, "Unshackled," is not just a book, but a testament to the power of faith and resilience. You'll hear how Veronica felt divinely called to share her story, and how an early vision of her book cover became a motivational force throughout her writing process.

Veronica's story is deeply rooted in breaking generational cycles and confronting past emotions, particularly from the perspective of a migrant family. She bravely shares personal experiences that many might find too painful to revisit, shedding light on the patterns from her mother's life and how she consciously worked to create a different future for her children. This episode explores the liberating act of writing about one's struggles, offering a powerful metaphor of a butterfly shedding its shackles. Veronica's journey demonstrates the significance of community support and the transformative power of vulnerability and connection.
Tune in to be inspired by Veronica's unwavering faith and determination, and learn how these qualities can guide us toward fulfilling our dreams.

Connect with Veronica:

Website: https://unshackled.weeknightwebsite.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/vero0408/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@veronicacornejo3226

Connect with Leslie:

Follow on IG: @yourjoyfulorderstyle

Website: https://www.yourjoyfulorder.com/

Email: lmartinez@yourjoyfulorder.com
to schedule- Speaking Events, Interviews or Life Coaching Sessions

Shop my SOAP the Gospels Journal on Shopify:
https://shopjoyfulorder.com/

Listen to this Episode on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsXoAYIM2mfclNtYiaOzIUw

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https://a.co/d/09Djvaw

Book a FREE 30 Minute Discovery Coaching Call: https://tidycal.com/joyfulordermedia/30-minute-meeting

Speaker 1:

Hey everyone, I'm Leslie Martinez and you're listening to your Joyful Order podcast. Each week I will bring you joyful stories that will motivate and inspire you and, at the same time, bring order to your everyday life. Let's just say the show will be a mixture of preaching and teaching, with a kick of motivation from your girl here. Welcome to your Joyful Order podcast. Hey friend, thanks for tuning in to another episode. I am so delighted for today's conversation as we dive into a beautiful and deeply personal story of strength and redemption. Joining us is Veronica Cornejo, an incredible new author who has written a memoir called Shackled that not only shares her own personal story but also brings hope and inspiration to others facing challenges. Her story touches on faith, family and finding freedom from the generational chains that so often hold us back. We'll be unpacking her new book, learning about the journey of becoming a new author and exploring how God's love can transform families. Veronica, welcome to the show.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for having me, oh Veronica thank you, as I stumbled through your intro there, I'm so sorry I'm going to leave this in there, but I see, look at, I'm like so tongue twisted today. I literally had to read her intro like three different times. And you know what I think is totally throwing me off, veronica, I was so stressed about mispronouncing your last name. Don't ask me why. I just got so caught up on that and I was really like I don't want to screw up her last name, and you know anyways, y'all just some behind the scenes of some fun things that happened on the episode here.

Speaker 1:

But, veronica, I am so honored that you said yes to being here, and Veronica is not just a new author, but she's a mom, a wife, she's a ministry leader that works for Elevation Church, and I had the privilege of meeting Veronica as a Propel alumni with the Propel Women's Co-Work Ministries and we connected. She shared that she's writing a book. I'm like I want you on the podcast. So thank you for being here. But, veronica, I want to get into your story. You've had quite the journey from being a teenage mom to, I mean, becoming an author, you know, and I just want you to kind of take us back. Our theme for this month is book club and I'm highlighting not just some of my favorite books, but some new and upcoming authors, and I want you to, first and foremost, tell us about your journey to writing the book, a little bit about yourself and what you're sharing in this memoir.

Speaker 2:

Well, the journey to writing has been a journey for sure. It started when I moved from Maryland about two years ago Now. God just kind of placed this book desire in my heart to write my story, my testimony, to share it in that kind of way. To write my story, my testimony, to share it in that kind of way, and it's been. He's really been aligning all the things to make it happen. I honestly thought did I hear you right? I'm not sure. Like write a book? Like I don't.

Speaker 2:

Even at that time I didn't know anyone else that had written a book or anyone that I could have a conversation with, to even ask all the questions too. So I just kind of went on this journey of figuring it out, kind of trying to see like okay, how am I going to lay this out? What is it going to look like? And my start with that it was very backwards. So I kind of started with the book cover instead of my layout of the book.

Speaker 2:

And I believe that that was also because God personally and just knew that I needed a visual for myself to keep me going and to really keep me encouraged, to just see it like just wow, like this is possible and this is what it's going to be and so, yeah, so that was really nice to kind of start backwards. That's really not the right way to do it, because you end up spending more money, you know, revising and needing to change titles, and so I did revise it once, after that the next year. So I wrote for a whole year when I moved here to North Carolina and then the next year I used to edit, revise and really finalize things. So right now it's in the hands of an editor, and also one of the ways that I honestly knew what to do was I got plugged into this author school through Bethel Church. So her name is Hamala Cunningham.

Speaker 1:

Hamala, I love Hamala. Yes, yes.

Speaker 2:

Okay, she's from Bethel Church and so she started this author school program and I. It came up on my Instagram and I was like this is exactly what I need. I just need this push of encouragement and really feel like confident in what I'm doing, like I know what I'm doing. It was amazing Met some amazing ladies through that very life group kind of feel we had like our small group of girls, that we connected with other women and I got to hear about the books that they're writing. They're also getting ready to publish their books. So that's pretty exciting to like champion.

Speaker 2:

Championing each other out, encouraging each other on this journey, asking each other questions, has been wonderful, so yeah. So I got all the things honestly out of that. I took that course the second year because that was a year of finalizing everything and I really I started to kind of feel like, is this going to happen? I'm feeling a little discouraged, I don't know what publishing looks like, I don't know where to start, and so that really did give me the push to do it. So yeah, so I would recommend all. I would recommend that for sure If you're thinking of writing a book cause.

Speaker 1:

That was extremely helpful. Now I want to get into your actual like story story of what you wrote on these pages. First off, I'm so glad that you shared that you are doing the author school Cause I think, just as a you know, soon to be author myself, it's so important for you to get support, especially when you don't know what you're doing. But for the listeners, um, so that you know that finding a guide in what you are aiming to do, like I think that's so pivotal, especially when it's something that God puts on your heart. You know God will align you with the right person. But in in the process of this, I want you to just kind of dive in a little bit and give us, you know, kind of a summary of your book and the message that God put on your heart and what are on these pages.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so the book is my testimony of being a teen mom and I kind of start from talking about, like, my youth and and yeah, so it kind of talks about that. And then I talk about my journey of just what it was like to be a teen mom and what the journey was like to go back to school and how you know how that was even possible for me and what I did. After high school. I went into the medical field and I didn't go straight to college because that wasn't very realistic for where I was, but I ended up doing medical assistant. I got that. It was like seven months certification, perfect.

Speaker 2:

I did that for several years and then got plugged into the church in my early 20s and got into full time ministry and that's kind of where my journey has been ever since. And so I talk about that, I talk about my ministry journey and where I'm at now. I also talk about that and yeah, and just all the things that I've learned and I have seen. I feel like I've had a full circle with my children now. So my daughter she is 20 years old, she's my baby, so she was my first born, my teen baby. She's 20 now, so just kind of watching her just have a full circle, you know, breaking all the generational chains and just having a better life has really, I think that was even like encouraging to be like okay, I've seen it, god did all of this. I need to share it, that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

Now, okay, in your book you do focus on breaking free from generational curses or generational bondage. I should say sorry, what? What did that look like for you? Can you give some practical examples from your book, from your personal life, that allowed you to break those generational cycles that you know, sometimes we as families, especially coming from a migrant family, you know there are things, there's a lot of traditional, like cultural things that sometimes you don't realize are not healthy cycles of relationships, living and all of that. So can you kind of dive into that a little bit and give us some insight?

Speaker 2:

Yes, one of the reasons that I start with my mom in my book is because I wanted to highlight some of the things that she went through as a young girl and just getting here, because I saw a lot of similarities in my life and some of the things that she was tempted with and some of the things that she walked through I also was tempted with and I also ended up walking through and there were also some that I got to break.

Speaker 2:

I would say I got to break those generational chains. I didn't repeat some of the things that I saw my mom doing, saw my mom doing, and so that's really like me going back and looking at my you know testimony with God's perspective in my life now really did help me see all of that. And I think, seeing that I was able to raise my kids in a way where I knew some of the things that they may be tempted with or some of the things that may come after them, I was prepared let's just say I was prepared and ready to fight back those kind of things. I was ready to have those conversations. I was ready to just yeah, just have those ministry moments with my children, and which I did, and I thank God that a lot of those conversations were very like warning. There were warnings, have these conversations and then that's how we we broke those generational chains.

Speaker 2:

I think just awareness really is what helped more than anything, god, helping me see those things in my life as I went back and really dig deep into my past. Right, it's not easy. I think this book really did help me look back differently. Like it was hard, um, to write some of these chapters honestly, uh, like I'm like, wow, I haven't thought of this for a long time.

Speaker 2:

I think, honestly, emotionally, I had really shut it off and kind of just thought well, I've moved on, I don't need to think about this ever again. But writing a book was so healing. So healing because I had to. I had to think about it. I had to really remember what it was like to be in that space and remember what it felt like, remember the shame that I felt and that I carried and, yeah, it was hard, but it it did so much healing in my heart it really did. If anything, it boosted my confidence to talk about it and to share with people and to be in a space to be comfortable with it. Because I'm like, well, now I've seen God, I know what God did. Like, wow, I can't believe I was there.

Speaker 1:

So what would you say? Veronica was the most challenging story that you had to share in your book that God just kind of put on your heart. It's time to unpack this. What was that story or what was that chapter in the book?

Speaker 2:

So that chapter was a chapter that I added very last minute. It was a part of my life that I had not shared with anybody else. The only people that knew were my mom, my sister and my husband. So not even my children or any extended family or friends know this part of my life. So that for me, was very hard to put in there, but I really felt like the Lord tugging on my heart, saying this book is not complete unless this goes in there. This is a part of your journey and I took you through it, so I need you to tell people about it. That was really hard to to even put into words, to put into the book, but he gave me the words and he gave me the way to say it and that's why it's in there. So, yeah, I'm excited to like share that part of my life that he brought me through.

Speaker 1:

Now you mentioned kind of just finding God also in your most difficult moments. So how did your relationship with God shape the way that you approach? Use all my broken pieces.

Speaker 2:

He could use all the ugliness in my life that he could use it for good. I think that's really the strength right. That's where the strength came from, that's where the courage came from. The community of people that God put in my path, the people that I've met throughout this journey, the conversations that I've had with so many different women. When I I go out for coffee with them has just been so encouraging. To hear that there are actually some similarities that we all struggle with, we, we walk through, we wonder about, we question, and, yeah, I think those were the things that really God helped me see that I think without him I wouldn't have been able to pinpoint the things that he wanted me to put in the book.

Speaker 1:

All right. So, veronica, I want to get now into the nitty gritty. You know your book as a soon to be reader. I know your book is going to be out soon. I am just intrigued by what the story about Veronica is Like. What are the challenges that you had as a teen mom? A big challenge that you shared and a generational bondage that you know. You were saying that you were sharing some of your mom's story, your mom's story and coming over here and you looking back and saying you know these are things that my parents did that I don't want to pass them on to my children. So what? What were some of the challenges that you had to write about in this book that allowed you to help to break some of those generational bondages?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's good. So I would start off with so my mom and I talk about this, and my mom knows that I talk about this. So she was a teen mom herself. She was actually 17 when she was a mom and I was a mom at 16. So that was one of our generational things that kind of passed on, and I didn't break that one. There was alcohol in our family too, so I talk about that as well, and because of that I, when I became a mom, I vowed to not drink, so I I have not drank since. I mean, I've never introduced that to my family. That's just not something that we do just because I know that that's a possible even weakness for me, or it could be for my, my family, my kids, because it was that that's a possible even weakness for me, or it could be for my family, my kids, because it was something that my mom struggled with.

Speaker 2:

Another thing that was really a thing that was a part of our family was divorce, and so watching my parents go through a divorce, that was really hard for me. I testified what it felt like and to feel like my dad was not there for me. He wasn not there for me. He wasn't there for me for all my special moments right after the divorce. And so finding a heavenly father for sure was a need in my heart and a desire right Like it really did fill something so special in my heart that I didn't have for so long.

Speaker 2:

After their divorce, I got married and vowed to really have a good marriage and have a lasting marriage and really fought to figure that out Like we we really put in work. I didn't see that happening, you know, but when I entered the church in my early twenties, my husband and I we weren't married yet and we were convicted of that. I mean the minute that we gave our lives to Christ. We knew, okay, we need to get married. Like this is wrong and we need to do this right. And we got married. We didn't know, like we didn't know what it was going to look like. We didn't know what a Christian marriage looked like and what does it look like to have God in your marriage? Like what is that? Is that? So we got involved in church, started serving, took marriage courses that the church was offering and did all the things and I've seen God use that like now we're marriage counselors. We mentor other married couples that come through our church and we enjoy that. That is a part of our life and just watching God redeem that like I think that was a generational chain that I did get to break, and so I got to break that one for sure.

Speaker 2:

There was some sexual abuse in my family. My mom went through some of that and I experienced some of that myself and I and I talk about that. Those aren't things that I talk to a lot of people about. A lot of people don't even know it until now, maybe until they read my book. My husband knows about it. You know, my mom, my sister, just my immediate family, knew those kind of things that I went through. So I talk about overcoming those and what that looked like, to fight back and not let it go any further. So I feel like some of that I did also do a little better with the generations. I think those are the main things that we really do focus in the book.

Speaker 2:

One of the things maybe this is not a generational curse or bondage, but I think it's really cool that God did in our lives is he allowed us to welcome Matthew into our life, and so, matthew, we adopted him about three years ago.

Speaker 2:

He was 15 years old when we brought him into our home and I just like it's. It's kind of humorous in a way, because I'm like, wow, lord, like I was 16 when I was a mom and here you are entrusting us with a 15 year old to raise and that's just wild, like the things that God will redeem and use, and, if anything, it really felt like an opportunity to do something right for for him and to raise him in the church and to show him what that looked like and to give him an opportunity to get to know God for himself too has been so nice to watch him grow into that. I think. A lot of times it's hard to bring a teenager into your home that has been raised, you know, by someone else all their life. But yeah, god has really used every single part of my life. He's transformed it.

Speaker 1:

And.

Speaker 2:

I think that that's why so on the cover of my book there's a butterfly and on the butterfly there are some chains inside the butterfly, and the reason for that was one day I was just kind of thinking Lord, please give me a visual for this book so that I can be encouraged and just know that this is even possible.

Speaker 2:

Like just may I have this early in the process and I was just sitting at my dining table and just got an image, an image of a butterfly in chains, and I thought, okay, I mean, I don't know how that's going to look artistically on a cover, but it made so much sense Like I had a revelation with that image. Like, yes, all my life I've felt like I've wanted to fly and be free, but there were chains that were holding me down. Shame, just so much shame to keep me isolated away from people, community. Going to church there was always a desire to go, but I didn't, because I was just so ashamed to walk through the doors of the church and share where I was and the kids that I had with me, and I've watched the chains just kind of fall off and become freer and freer as the years have gone by, and so, yeah, that's that ended up being the cover of my book, and I think it represented transformation and resilience, right of just not giving up for a better future for my family.

Speaker 1:

Yes, oh, so good, Veronica is so good. Now you. I had to dig a little get that out of you, but I'm so glad that we did, because one of the things that you touched upon that I kind of want to sit here for for just a little bit, and I think sharing your story oftentimes our past. Like you said, we carry shame with it, right, we think here I'm a teen mom, you know, I come from an immigrant family who struggled with addiction, with sexual abuse, like all of that. Like you carry this shame where you think that God can't use you, you know, like why is God going to use me and my story for something good? And we carry that shame and it puts us in shackles, like it keeps us in bondage, right, and I, that image that you're talking about of the butterfly in, like you know, shackles speaks so vividly, I think, and how God took you through that process of letting you see that visual before, because he's wanting to take you, not just set you free, but transform you into this beautiful creature that is free now with you know God, and it's like take off the chains of shame, take off the chains of abuse, take off the chains of addiction, like all of that and that's like take off the chains of shame, take off the chains of abuse, take off the chains of addiction, like all of that, and that's what God does, I think, to each and every one of us.

Speaker 1:

Right, it's multiliners and we think, you know there's a reference of the butterfly so often that we use the transfiguration that we have to go through. Jesus had to go through a transfiguration also. You know, and we see that they talk about his transfiguration that we have to go through. Jesus had to go through a transfiguration also. You know and we see that they talk about his transfiguration in the Bible and there are very few creatures that go through a transfiguration like a butterfly does. So I think the image is so spot on that you're using not just for your book, but that people can relate to. We all have these shackles that we hold on to, but it's figuring out what they are for you know for you.

Speaker 1:

What are they for Veronica? What are they for Leslie? What are they for Mary or Jennifer or Lori or Marissa that are listening to the podcast right now and taking what God put in your heart and saying you know what, I'm going to break free of those bondages and I'm going to break free of the shame and I'm going to share my story. You know, and just like you had said, like something that was so deep and dark of you know, abuse that went on in your family that only your immediate family knew about, and it's scary to share those things with other people, right, but when God put it, when God puts it in your heart, you were talking about how it was such a healing process for you. So can you just go a little bit deeper with that? You touched upon how the writing process was such healing for you and can you just kind of take us through a little bit of how that transpired to you know to write these sometimes painful memories and how God kind of guided you through that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, when the desire of writing, when God placed the desire to write a book, I immediately knew that it would be, that I would be writing about not every single detail of my life, but that I would write about writing about not every single detail of my life, but that I would write about the most impactful and transformative parts of my life. And for me, those were the darkest moments that I went through as a young girl, as a mom, and I knew that those were going to need to be in there. And, for example, one of the chapters the teen mom chapter, which I think is in part two that chapter was the hardest one for me. I couldn't write that chapter at home. Honestly, a friend of mine, I was having coffee with her one day and I was telling her yeah, I'm stuck in this one chapter that I need to go back and edit, but I just can't do it at home because every time I try to, I'm stuck in this one chapter that I need to go back and edit, but I just can't do it at home because every time I try to, I break down and cry. I just need, like you know, privacy, and she graciously offered her home to me. She was going to be out on vacation and I wrote so much.

Speaker 2:

I was there maybe only for like three hours in her home, but that was just such a gift, even for God to put that in her heart and to even provide like that safe, quiet space away from everyone and just.

Speaker 2:

It was just me and God, honestly, and worship music and just writing, and he was just pouring in all the things that being bringing back to remembrance all the things that needed to be in there and how to say them and how to write them and how to and also how to shine light on what he did in my life. And although I like I walked through some hard things, I feel like God. There was always like a protection there. It wasn't that I didn't believe in God, I just I didn't have a relationship with him, like I knew of him and I seeked him in hard moments only and that was enough to get me through, but it didn't. It never sustained my joy or my peace Like he would come, god would rescue me from the moments, but it wasn't sustainable because I didn't have a relationship with him. And so I realized that in my early twenties, when I went back to church with my family.

Speaker 1:

So good, so good, Veronica, and I think it's amazing, you know, I, I've shared with my audience too God, God put a book in my heart that hopefully in the next year or something will come, will transpire. And I'm so encouraged by you because I know, just I, I am a huge advocate for journaling and that's where I've I've never saw myself as like an author as a book I've had. I've always had like a desire of children's books. I'm, I was a teacher while back and just being around children's books I was a teacher a while back and just being around children's books, like children's books, always brought me joy. And as a little girl I can remember like all these children's books Right, and I never imagined that I would write a book about, like my story, because you think no one wants to read about my life.

Speaker 1:

I'm just another ordinary person and but God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things and, looking back, as something as we may take it look as simple as a butterfly like look how extraordinary a butterfly is. You know, butterfly goes from a caterpillar, goes through this transfiguration into something beautiful that flies and lives for a very short time and we just learn of the cycle and as a teacher I have taught about, like the little kindergartners We've, you know, we bought caterpillars and watched them. There's such a huge message in the life of a butterfly and what it takes you through, you know. But, yeah, the shame that we break off the abuse, that we're breaking loose from those bondages and writing your story, it's, it's therapy, right, it's therapy. Like you were saying you, you have this nice quiet place and you just need it somewhere where you couldn't be distracted and you needed to write what God has put in on your heart.

Speaker 1:

And it's like, once you unpack it and you give it on paper to God, it's like it's no longer carrying you down, right, it's, it's you feel those bondages that are breaking loose and and whether it's God telling you to write a book, you know, or even just journal it in paper, there is so much freedom into writing your story out and giving it to you know, a piece of paper, and then saying God, I'm giving it to you and wherever that story is meant to go, if it's meant to be shared with others, like you know, you're writing a story.

Speaker 1:

If it's meant for, maybe, just an immediate family member to read it, maybe after you've passed or something, there is a rhyme and reason for that. Now you're like an official author, kind of right. Your your book, although it hasn't been officially released. You are getting ready to roll this book out. What, will you say, was the hardest part about? About not so much your story, but what has been some like obstacles as a new author that you just didn't know that you are trying to, you know, kind of overcome right now.

Speaker 2:

I think the logistical side of things for the book, like the practical things that you, you don't really know unless someone tells you like there is a cost. You know there's a cost to invest, whether you are investing in an editor or you're going to invest money into you know, if you're not the artist, if you're not able to create, you got to pay someone right to do it for you. So, like the all those little costs I think I didn't really prepare for, but I knew of it because I seeked to learn about it and that's what really helped me. There was like a lot of like little editorial things that you don't really think about either.

Speaker 2:

The minute that God kind of put it in my heart to do this, I I thought of it as a way of okay, this is like something that God is giving me, it's a responsibility, something that God is giving me to share with other people. This is his story, this he's orchestrated this story, my life and the way it turned out, and the things that he used and didn't use. Like this is his and I want to steward it well. And what does that look like? That looks like for me.

Speaker 2:

I've always like, if there's something in my hands. I know I want to invest something in it, whether that's learning all about it or trying to figure it out, and I think that's why I kind of went on the journey of wanting to learn how to do it myself. Also, it saved me some money. So, if you can do it yourself, as much as possible. If not, don't be afraid to ask people either. I think God really did also align those things for me, like he put the right people in my path friends that I've gotten to know, that had talents that were able to add value to the book and have helped me outline it, design for it. They helped me build a website Like I didn't. I didn't know any of that. So if this is for you, god is going to align and provide all the things for you to make it happen.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, oh yes, that's so good. Oh yes, that's so good, I would say, just like here on the podcast, forgetting to come on here. We met through Propel and here God made that connection for us. And now here you are, sharing your story to listeners that are hopefully going to go out and get your book and support once it's released.

Speaker 1:

Seeing the story of just redemption, of what God can do in a teen mom and someone that just struggled and had some challenges, and getting your story out there is just. I'm so happy for you, veronica, because it's one just the accomplishment of writing a book that's that's a huge accomplishment in itself. But then also being so vulnerable to share your story, like you said, you had to dig deep with some stuff that God was like you need to put this in and wait a minute, people don't even know about that. So, being transparent, and I am certain that there is a sense of freedom that comes with that also, and I think that's why you that, yes, we once were broken, yes, we carried shame, but look how God has redeemed that, you know and that redemption. So tell us really quick, as we start to wrap up, just a little bit. You shared briefly about um, you and your husband lead a marriage group. Um, and just tell us where you're at now with ministry and just tell us where you're at now with ministry.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so I currently work at Elevation Church. I'm a project manager there with our website team there, and my husband and I I mean we're pretty involved in the church too, like we serve and we do. We have a e-group marriage e-group that we lead. We were also kind of mentors. That's kind of like a new thing that we've started here. It was something that we did in Maryland, but now it's kind of a gift to be able to do it here in our new home that we have now that we moved into. And, yeah, we're part of the youth. You know, still putting back into the youth, I'm we've always kind of had a heart for that as well, like we were, you know. So I don't know, I didn't really share this, but this is in the book. But my husband and I so we're high school sweethearts we met our senior year in high school. When we met the both of us we were actually both going back to school a late. Like we stayed back a year me because I was a mom and he was actually a dad himself.

Speaker 2:

So we were kind of a pair, like I would just say God somehow like really did use that. I didn't have anyone else to talk to and so here he was, you know, someone that understood what I was walking through, and yeah, so that's kind of like our unique little thing that God did, I think, with us, that we both really did understand where we were in that time of our life.

Speaker 1:

Wow, okay. So when you said that you guys were high school sweethearts, I actually just assumed that you married the or that you were with the father for the first time. Okay, okay, so got you. So I'm glad you clarify that, cause I'm thinking, look how God just like kind of worked that out for you too, like both young teen parents that came together, both having the similar, you know, challenges and stuff and navigating that from so long ago. So, and look what you guys are doing now. God is just so good when you see that two young single parents in high school come together and years later they're together at a huge church making an impact, leading youth and being mentors to other young married couples and stuff. So praise God, that is just so amazing. Well, veronica, thank you so much. I have a couple of fun wrap-up questions before we end. So what is something that brings Veronica joy?

Speaker 2:

what is something I bring Veronica joy? Um, I love going out for walks, going out for coffee dates with other ladies. Uh, just for fun. I enjoy deep conversations. I think so. I'm more of an introvert, so introverts enjoy deep conversations, and yeah, and then one of the things I'm trying to get back into that I know brings me joy is drawing, so I'm trying to make my way back to that.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I love it. Love it. Now. What is a book recommendation that you would give to the listeners of a book that really transformed you?

Speaker 2:

Yes, the book is called See Through Marriage. It is by Ryan Frederick, so it's Selena and Ryan Frederick, so husband and wife, they wrote this book. We actually did this book with our, our life group and it was amazing. This book yeah, it was incredible it's just about like being transparent with each other and from the beginning, and just the freedom that it brings to be transparent with one another in marriage and, yeah, the fruit that comes out of that yeah, the fruit that comes out of that Awesome.

Speaker 1:

I, I see through marriage from Selena and Ryan Frederick. Did I get that right? Okay, yeah, I'm going to put that in the show notes for people to look that up also. And then, lastly, where can our listeners follow you and get the release date of your book?

Speaker 2:

So one of the best ways are going to be on my website. On my website, you have the opportunity to sign up for the email list, and that is unshackledweeknightwebsitecom. And also you can follow me on Instagram at Vero0408. I'm also on LinkedIn as Veronica Cornejo and I am on Facebook and have a YouTube channel.

Speaker 1:

We will have those links in the website. But look up Veronica Cornejo on YouTube and then she has been dropping like little sneak peeks on her YouTube channel for her book and I'm sure you'll be dropping your release date there too, right, correct? Yes, awesome. Well, veronica, thank you so much for sharing your heart and just your incredible story with us today. Your journey is just such a beautiful reminder that, no matter where we come from or what we've been through, that God is just always present and ready to rise us above and beyond what we can imagine.

Speaker 1:

Now, be sure to check out her book. I can't wait to get my hands on it myself, and you guys got to go check out. Now, be sure to check out her book. I can't wait to, you know, get my hands on it myself, and you guys got to go check out. You really have to go look at her website, because her website is just so beautiful and there is a sneak peek to the cover of her book on there and it's absolutely beautiful. But if this episode, just you know, touched you, if it encouraged you, will you do me a favor and go share it with somebody that you love. And until next time, friends, go chase joy.