Faith

Meet Hanha Hobson! She is the founder and writer behind Transparency Blog, a faith-based blog providing resources and events to help women grow in their faith and uncover their identity in Christ. By sharing real stories and reminding others that they are not alone. Hanha is passionate about encouraging and loving people. She loves connecting with friends on Instagram while watching Grey’s Anatomy and eating Chick-fil-A. Read below as Hanha so kindly took part of our Mckellar’s View Interview series! She shares her journey, challenges, motivations and words of advice for young professionals, entrepreneurs and influencers. You can check out her blog at www.cleartransparency.com

Read below for our short interview session with Hanha!

MV- What motivates you?

Hanha - “I’m motivated by all the people who are in need of a Savior. I think about all the people who feel lost, hopeless, and broken, and I think about the people who are reading my blog and finding themselves uplifted because of it. Receiving emails from women who say that they needed to hear what I said or women who ask questions about how to mature in Christ – these moments help me understand how important my work is. It holds me accountable to keep going! Blogging serves a larger purpose than for myself and the time it takes to help others draw closer to Christ is worth the time, investment, and sacrifice.“

What are 5 pieces of advice you would give to your younger self?

1. Stop Caring. When you stop caring about what other people think, you won’t be limited to the titles they place on you. At the end of the day, the only person you truly have to live with is yourself. You cannot sacrifice your own dreams and desires at the expense of what other people think.
2. Stop Shaming. Beating yourself up or living in self-pity will rob you of your joy. You are enough. You are significant, and you are loved more than you could ever understand. The sooner you believe that, the more confident you will be in who God says you are.
3. Stop Comparing. Judging yourself based on what you see everyone else doing always leads to competition and this ultimately leads to the mindset that you’re never enough. What God has for you is for you! He's already put everything inside you to fulfill your purpose.
4. Stop Complaining. This will help you live a life of gratitude and contentment. Bite your tongue and rejoice in God’s goodness.
5. Lastly, stick close to God and spend consistent quality time with Him. You can't do anything outside of Him, and it's only with Him, that everything falls into place. He’s everything you need.

MV - As an influencer, what has been your biggest challenge?

“My biggest challenge has been honestly overcoming myself. God has taught me so much about my identity and what it means to root that identity in Christ! For example, I didn’t realize that shame or rejection was a huge part of my story. I really struggled with self-love and even accepting Christ’s love. I would compare myself to other people and their accomplishments and I would feel overwhelmed when I felt like I couldn’t live up to the expectations I set for myself. I was scared that I would never be good enough or significant. But as I began to spend more consistent and quality time with God, and when I took the time to meditate on His Word and get it on the inside of my heart, I’ve grown so much! It’s one of the main reasons why I started #TheConfessionsProejct because I want to help others declare God's promises over their lives!”

MV - Have you found your Purpose?

Hanha -”I think purpose is a process. I don’t think it is something to be found, but something to continuously develop. There isn’t a moment of arrival. For me, I believe God has me exactly where I am supposed to be and I am doing exactly what He wants me to be doing because the steps of a righteous man are ordered (Psalm 37:23). This doesn’t mean that I’m where I ultimately want to be, but I’m beginning to trust God more and more with the details. As it relates to the things I’m doing now to fulfill purpose, I’m blogging and ministering to the people that are in my life, whether that’s intimately in friendships or online. I also create content and plan events that help others encounter God and His love. Honestly, I have no idea where all of this is going to take me, but I’m finally okay with not knowing. I rest in the fact that God is in control and that whatever He has planned is better than I could come up with myself.”

Hanha- “For anyone looking to find their purpose, I would encourage you to start with what you have right now. Sometimes we think that we have to have it all figured out, but I have yet to meet someone who is living that way. Remain Curious. Ask good questions and seek good answers. You can do this by listening to podcasts, watching sermons, reading great books, or creating a thinking schedule. Or find someone who inspires you. I’m sure there are some influencers in your life that you look up to. You’re drawn to them, and you have no idea why. Maybe it’s one woman at your church, someone on your Instagram feed, or the entrepreneur who started his own business. Ask them for an informational interview or if you can shadow them. If you find that you’d like to learn more and get more involved in their industry, ask them if there are internships or job opportunities available. This is a great step towards a potential job because companies and organizations are more likely to hire people they know. But above all else, include God in your decisions! Ask Him for His guidance, and if you feel like He is leading you to do something, then do it. What God has for you is for you, and there is nothing that will get in the way of that! You weren’t designed to live in fear. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength! He is the master orchestra-tor and He makes ALL things work together for your good. Your failures and challenges will only help you achieve the better plan that He has for you. And if you are trying to pursue a dream, walk boldly in it. God’s got you!”