We are the BOLD story
/Years ago, I got the idea to create a space for ambitious Christian women – with in-person events, digital connections, and intentional conversations.
I was FRESH into my journey of learning how to have conversations with God, and when I asked Him about the name, all I heard was Bold. I knew there was more to it, but decided to wait and keep listening.
A few days later, I was telling my friend David about what I heard and he said, “I actually just got a notification that a domain I have is coming up for renewal. It’s called We are the Bold. Do you want it?” Just like that We are the BOLD was born.
Logos were created. Social media channels formed. Events planned. Emails sent.
A friend and I hosted the first We are the BOLD event in June 2021 and it actually exceeded my expectations. We hosted 30 women in a downtown OKC loft, served wine and cheese, and I gave a faith message I was proud of. And while it was so refreshing to be around like-minded women and give them a space to connect, something was off. I didn’t quite have the purpose or the message right.
It felt like We are the BOLD - and my definition of what it meant to be an ambitious Christian woman - had something to prove.
It had a lot of girl boss vibes with a little Jesus sprinkled in to call it Christian. It was heavy on striving and making things happen, grinding to push through and meet your goals no matter the cost. And honestly, it became a tool that would help me accomplish my dreams and something I was doing FOR God, not something I was doing with Him.
I got pregnant in the summer of 2021, and after only three meetings, WATB was officially on hold until I could figure out what God wanted me to do with it.
For almost 5 years, it sat in the parking lot of my mind, full of potential but lacking any clarity. Then, out of nowhere few months ago, I felt the flow and started getting downloads about what being an ambitious Christian woman really entails.
It’s not about chasing your potential. It’s not about overcoming imposter syndrome, acting on your ideas, and being brave enough to pursue your dreams. It’s actually not about you at all. It’s about Jesus, and surrendering everything you want for what He wants for you in the season you’re in.
In those five years since We are the BOLD went on hiatus, God has done a heavy work in me.
God saw something I didn’t all those years ago. My ambition was my identity. I didn’t know who I was outside of my drive, performance, and achievement. So, He used an almost 3-year-long professional hiatus to reset my foundation, build my identity in Christ, and strip off my fears.
Once my identity was back in its rightful place, He showed me what ambition looks like, regardless of whether someone is a woman or a man. It’s about being surrendered to Him.
If you’re a high achiever, it’s because God made you that way. But that doesn’t mean you can set your own goals, make your own plans, and chase your own desires. It doesn’t even mean you can pursue the dreams HE places on your heart without His leading.
Before you do anything, you have to surrender everything back to Him and ask for wisdom. And wisdom includes discernment (what to do), strategy (how to do it), and timing (when to do it).
For me, I know what the Lord has told me about my calling and my assignments. And in the past, I would’ve taken off running with that revelation and tried to make things happen on my own. And it resulted in a lot of wasted energy and time, and a lot of striving-induced frustration. Now I know better.
Once I get revelation – whether it’s a new idea, a big dream, or an invitation from someone else (a job, a volunteer opportunity, a lunch date, you name it) – I have to take it back to God and get His wisdom on how to move forward.
With all that understanding, a clarified vision, and wisdom (discernment, strategy, timing) from God, We are the BOLD is back!
We are the BOLD is a space for ambitious Christian women who are born to achieve, and bold enough to surrender.
The goal of WATB is still to create in-person events and connection opportunities for ambitious Christian women, but we’re starting slow this time. With a limited collection of merchandise - T-shirts, coffee mugs, and ball caps.
I created these products for myself, but I know they will resonate with so many women. Women who feel the tension of being high achievers who let God determine their steps. Women who are strong and fully surrendered to the will and timing of God.
My goal isn’t to build a clothing brand. It’s just to make women like me feel seen. To validate that you aren’t defined by what you produce, but by who you are in Christ. To prove that you can still be who God created you to be, a high-achieving leader, and be in a season that doesn’t showcase your leadership strengths for all the world to see (I’m looking at you, moms.). And to highlight that it doesn’t matter what the world thinks, so long as you’re pursuing God’s definition of success for you, you’re on the right path.
You don’t need a coffee mug or a t-shirt to do that, but if it helps, We are the BOLD is here to be that affirmation.
-Jantzen