The Birth of EmpowerHER: Turning Grief into Purpose

When my husband died, my whole world fell apart.

I felt completely lost—consumed by sadness and paralyzed by anxiety. Nights blurred together as my heart raced, pounding with fear and uncertainty.

I couldn’t imagine life without him.

Everything we had built over 22 years—our dreams, our plans, our future—was gone.

I remember my aunt Debby’s words:

“You’re stronger than you think.”

At the time, I couldn’t believe her.

I didn’t feel strong. I felt weak—getting weaker by the day as life unraveled around me. Bills, responsibilities, and everyday tasks piled up until I thought I would break.

But I didn’t.

Through therapy, through GriefShare, through nights spent alone with God’s Word… through journaling my pain—something began to shift.

I poured out my heart on paper. Hundreds of pages filled with raw grief, reflections, and prayers.

And then, unexpectedly… God began to use those very words to heal me.

One day, my therapist mentioned how grief can awaken creativity.

That in our surrender—when we finally release the weight of our pain—new life has room to grow.

For some, it may be painting, building, or creating something with their hands.

For me… it was writing.

As I continued to write, I realized God was planting something inside of me.

A seed of purpose.

A vision that would grow into books, journals, and eventually… EmpowerHER Widows Network.

I never set out to start a brand.

This was not my career field. Not my training. Not my plan.

But in the quiet hours, God kept giving me ideas.

As I slept… as I prayed… as I wrote… the pieces came together.

What was once only my pain began to transform into purpose.

EmpowerHER was born in the ashes of my grief.

A community.

A vision.

A reminder that even in the darkest seasons, God can still bring light.

I’m not where I want to be yet, but I see where I’m going.

And I’m committed to this calling—the one God placed within me.

What once felt like the end… has become the beginning of something new.

EmpowerHER is more than a brand.

It’s my testimony.

Proof that even in loss, God can plant seeds of hope, purpose, and healing.

– Janeece McCullough

Founder, EmpowerHER Widows Network

“Live with purpose, love without limits.”

Feeling encouraged?

Join the EmpowerHER Widows Network community for more hope, tools, and healing.