“I experienced for myself the transformative power of God’s love and so my prayer is that everyone I am associated with, experiences that as well.”
WG: Tell us about your upbringing.
Christy Bee: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and honestly I didn't understand how special that was until I began interacting with people who were born and raised elsewhere. Growing up in Brooklyn cultivated a sass, energy, and wittiness in me that is pertinent to who I am today and who I am becoming. It has also cultivated a hunger in me for more than what I know and see. That is part of what drives me.
As a child, I was your typical nerd. I always had my nose in a book or was spending my free time doing math and science work just for fun. I had a very strong imagination and wanted to create an entirely new reality than what I experienced at home, so math, the arts, and sciences captivated my attention. I loved anything that inspired creativity so I was also interested in poetry, music, storytelling, and even fashion.
WG: How do you support and encourage the women in your community?
Christy Bee: I'm a woman who does many different things. I'm a preacher, author, teacher, worship leader, mentor, and entrepreneur. I am also a daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. And while I am many different things to many different people, how I show up to the places and relationships God has called me to, is the same —with care, intention, honor, and encouragement.
When I was 11 years old, I suffered from depression, low self-esteem, and self-hate to the point where I did not see a reason to live. Although I grew up in a large family (I have five siblings) I felt completely alone and misunderstood. These things plagued my soul and by the time I was 12, I had already made several attempts to end my life. Thankfully they all were unsuccessful and believe me when I say, that was nothing but the love and mercy of God toward me. At such a young age, my life was void of hope and I believed the lies that I wasn't loved, would never be enough and that life would never get better.
The hardships of growing up in a large family parented by immigrants convinced me that life wasn't worth living, but all of that changed when I was met with the love of Jesus. He spoke a different narrative than that of my life experiences. He told me that He loved me, that He was there to be my friend, and that He had a better plan for my life than what I had already experienced. He didn't shame me for my mistakes or make me feel worse about myself. Instead, He drew me into His arms and just loved me. Experiencing the unconditional love of God at that moment transformed how I saw my life, myself, and those around me. It didn't make my life perfect, but it set me on a journey of healing, deliverance, and breakthrough with Him.
That initial encounter I had with Him completely changed the trajectory of my life. Knowing that He spared me from premature death and seeing the transformation I underwent walking with Him, I felt compelled at the tender age of 12, to give my life over to serving Him and snatching lives out of the fire like we're admonished to do in Jude 23. So when I think of how I show up to empower the community of women and men that God has gifted me influence with, it stems from the experience I had at 12 years old. I experienced for myself the transformative power of God's love and so my prayer is that everyone I am associated with, experiences that as well. I want people to know that there is more to life than the trauma, pain, loss and betrayals they have experienced--because of Jesus' life and sacrifice, we have access to a more abundant life and it's here for the taking!
WG: When did you start your career as a singer-songwriter?
Christy Bee: I honestly have been singing all my life--music and singing have always been an integral part of my church experience and family life growing up! I remember being a toddler running around my family home humming tunes and singing along to the worship music my parents would play. My journey singing in the public eye began when I sang in front of a crowd for the first time when I was four years old at my home church's annual Christmas show. From that point on I was always a part of my church's choirs and plays.
I attended a performing arts high school--Edward R. Murrow High school--and majored in Vocal Music which is where I sang with the ERMHS Gospel Chorus, led by Ms. Cheryl Johnson. My time at Murrow was amazing--I was trained and developed and even built up in my self-esteem and boldness. After spending years hating myself and having low self-worth, God used my time under Ms. Johnson's care in the Gospel Chorus to build me up and set me on a path of self-discovery, creativity and boldness. I am forever grateful for my years there! In terms of songwriting, I can't recall sitting down to write songs in my earlier years of life, but I always spent time making up songs on the fly about the things I saw around me, or the experiences I was having. 2014 marks when I officially sat down and intentionally wrote my first full song, and I haven't stopped since.
WG: Can you tell us a bit about who inspires you and why?
Christy Bee: My sister Jennifer is honestly a big inspiration to me. I have always been inspired by her tenacity, grit, and strength. She has sickle cell anemia and was always in and out of hospitals during our childhood and young adult years, but through all of the pain and hardships with her health, she still strives to live and enjoy life. She not only travels and likes to have a good time, but she is currently pursuing her dreams and passions as a licensed cosmetologist and multi-disciplinary creative. She inspires me to show up, pursue my passions and throw punches back at what tries to knock me out, all while having fun while doing it!
WG: What has been your biggest struggle as a creative?
Christy Bee: My biggest struggle as an artist and creative has been finding safe places to create that aren't competitive in nature or filled with evil intent. It's easy to find people to collaborate with, but it takes time to find the right people with the right hearts to create, build and dream with. I've had a few hiccups along the way and have encountered many counterfeits, but thankfully God has gifted me with people who have the same heart and mind to serve God with their gifts and talents. These individuals also create with no competition or envy. They aren't looking to take advantage or push their own agendas but are Kingdom-minded and want to make Jesus proud!
WG: How do you practically live out your faith?
Christy Bee: Faith is one of the driving forces of my life that impacts every aspect of who I am and what I do. Some of the ways that I live it out practically include caring for the poor, being intentional to encourage and pray for those around me, and choosing to love in a world full of fear, evil, and hate. It's not always easy to live out my faith because there are so many ideas, narratives, and voices that oppose anything relating to Jesus, but I see it as an honor to courageously be a light in a world full of darkness. And it brings me joy to live out my faith in a way that makes God proud.
WG: What has God shown you as you continue to grow?
Christy Bee: God has shown me how faithful He is to His promises and also how committed He is to complete the work He's started in me. He doesn't expect me to know all the answers or be today where I want to be next year, but He is patiently guiding me as I become and leading me along the best pathway for my life as He promises in Psalm 32:8. Through the years I've walked with Him, He has taught me that the journey is more important than the destination.
Often we can get so caught up in getting that job, reaching that goal, or hitting that milestone that we miss out on the beauty of the road that leads us there. So I've learned to enjoy the scenic route and press on even when it's uncomfortable and I don't know what's next. Overall, God has shown me that He can be trusted--with my life, my heart, my dreams, my concerns, heartaches, and fears--and because I can trust Him, I will follow Him anywhere for the rest of my days!
WG: What has brought you happiness while dealing with the pandemic?
Christy Bee: During the pandemic, I found a lot of happiness in (1) songwriting, (2) working out, (3) dreaming again and (4) shopping. Sadly we experienced a lot of loss and grief, but even amidst all of the suffering, we were given the opportunity to re-calibrate and dream a new dream for our lives, relationships, and future. For that, I will forever be grateful.
WG: Who's on your current music playlist?
Christy Bee: I have been listening to a lot of Miranda Curtis' songs recently-- I love how spirit-filled and passionate she is in her worship.
WG: Which of your songs is your favorite to perform? *
Christy Bee: "Secure (Psalm 91)" is one of my favorite songs to perform--I love how it pulls on different types of music that I like and has a good groove. But overall the words of that song mean so much to me, performing it live is always special!
WG: What do you do to rest?
Christy Bee: One of my favorite things to do to rest and pour into myself is to go on a prayer walk in my neighborhood or go hiking at my favorite scenic route/mountain. I find joy in seeing the beauty of God's creation and spending time honoring it that way. I also enjoy watching Nigerian movies and reality TV shows like “Married At First Sight.”
WG: As we close, what else do you want our readers to know about you?
Christy Bee: I'm the founder of the Decided Nation Movement™ which empowers men, women, boys, and girls to live out their God-given identity, authority, and purpose in Christ. Our vision is to empower people to decide to pursue Christ, transformation, and purpose with all that they have and with no apologies or fear. We're all about seeing people choose the promises of God for them and living out His purpose for them.
Christy’s debut EP "There Is More" is available on all digital music outlets, including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Prime Music, and Pandora. You can also find her books and merchandise on her website: www.thechristybee.com.
