Author: Vanessa Moonkie

• What is a fun factor about you that most people don’t know?
🩷 A fun fact about me is that

I love to bake, primarily because I have a sweet tooth and find baking therapeutic

I get a massive dose of dopamine just seeing a cake or savoury treat come out perfectly.


• You are stuck in a place with 3 people, who would you rather be stuck with?
🩷 I would love to say my husband, my husband and my husband, but since he’s not here yet, I’ll list three amazing women: my sister Star and my two best friends, Thato and Njabulo. I think we’d have a very bearable experience. Star and Thato would cook for us, with Njabulo leading us in prayer, and I would be there for the vibes.

• Would you rather swim or ride a horse?
🩷 RIDE A HORSE! Another bonus fact about me is that I love horses, I almost did professional horse riding two years ago. 

• Create a short poem titled “The day l got saved.”
🩷 The day I got saved…

I was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by young voices crying, singing, and praising. I heard the call, “If you want to give your life to Christ, raise your hand and invite Him in,” and so my hand was raised. With a face full of tears, a running nose, and a racing heart, I invited Him in. Moments later, I was led to a riverbed; there I publicly professed my faith as a bold 12-year-old girl. I was at peace. But years later, things changed. No, I changed. No longer was I a child; I now reasoned differently. The reality of life and its struggles, passions, and desires roared loudly. My home was no longer the same; pain, blood, and anger were frequent visitors. But I tried to soldier on until I couldn’t. The joy of the world enticed me, and with no one to report back to, I answered that call. For twelve months, I found a lodging place in the heart of my desires. Never truly feeling convicted, because I’m not that bad, right? It’s just one occasional drink, accompanied by an occasional puff of flavoured air, as I lay in the arms of a lover I knew my God did not know. The only thing I couldn’t do was ignore the reality of my consequences, the wages of sin and my guaranteed destination. And so there I was, again. With a face full of tears, nose running, and a heart racing, this time alone in my room on a random afternoon. I wept because no longer did I know what peace felt like; I hadn’t felt conviction in months, so I wept, “Help me, please Lord, help me,” and He answered me…

The day I got saved, I was so broken; my heart was heavy, and my life had no direction. According to the flesh, I had no reason to leave the world, but God knew my destiny—the calling over my life was greater than any pleasure this world could offer. The day I gave my life to Christ, the love a good man gave me was no longer good, because how can something good lead you to a guaranteed death? The day I gave my life to God, I encountered Love, true love. A love so real it died on the cross for everything I had done; a blood so powerful it broke every stronghold the enemy had over my family; a Love so kind it removed every feeling of condemnation within me. God’s love changed my life and rewrote my story. The day I got saved, all of heaven rejoiced, and now I rejoice daily, because Love changed my life the day I got saved.

• Tell us a bit about your background and how you began ministry?
🩷 I grew up in a Christian home. My father was an elder at church, my mum was a Sunday school teacher, and when my sister got older, she also became a Sunday school teacher. I grew up surrounded by love and always had deep gratitude for my community, teachers at school and church, youth leaders, and friends. My father was the first to recognize the gift in me, and my parents encouraged me to pursue public speaking by trying classes like Toastmasters and general high school groups. At age 12, I gave my life to Christ at a youth camp. At age 17, I remember the Holy Spirit prompting me to share a message with my peers. Before I even knew what that message was, I spoke to my principal, and she said she’d consider my request. One Friday afternoon, she called me into her office, saying their motivational speaker for the grade 11s had canceled and asked if I was still interested in sharing a word. With much excitement and humility, I agreed. That Monday morning, with all the grade 11s gathered in the auditorium, I shared a word on forgiveness, and truly the rest was history. My principal would call on me to speak at parents’ evenings, different schools, and children’s homes. I began volunteer work as a camp counselor for children’s camps, leading their praise and worship. My journey into ministry felt very natural. I read many stories, even in the Bible, of people who didn’t initially want to preach, but honestly, I was happy from the beginning. I now think this is because of my purpose: I am called to introduce God’s love to people. God’s love changed my life. His word now molds and purifies me daily. His love transforms me, and with that knowledge, I share His word and my testimonies, knowing that it is Christ who now speaks through me. His love and Spirit are at work in the hearts of those receiving this message that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

• Who are the spiritual mentors or voices that have influenced you most?
🩷 My dad is definitely the first. I thank God for growing up in a home where Bible study was frequent, and attending church was not optional. My dad’s gift of wisdom in how he reads and understands God’s word inspired me. He raised us to be bold and audacious young women who challenge what challenges our beliefs of truth. He held me and still holds me accountable. Second would be my youth leader, Brother Mashudu Mbedzi, an apostle at heart. It was under his leadership that I gave my life to God. He has a deep love for the youth, and his core mandate is to cultivate environments for young people to experience Jesus. Over the years, he has been the person I call with every idea, new venture, challenge, and future aspiration. Lastly, my mother has had a profound influence on my life, grounded in prayer. Her prophetic view of the gospel is one I have embraced from an early age. Her love and guidance have molded me into the confident young lady I am today.

• As a young woman in ministry, what challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
🩷 Respect. I am a black, single woman, and each of these aspects presents its own challenges. I thank God my father set the tone from a very young age that we should carry ourselves boldly and demand respect or simply walk away. I have encountered men who believe all women should submit to them as unto the Lord, but fortunately for me, that principle only applies to my husband. Therefore, I choose to love and respect men and women as the siblings we are, and nothing more. Submission plays a significant role in my life. I grew up with traditional parents under biblical doctrine, so I understand my place as a daughter, sister, friend, student, and servant under greater authority. Yes, I have faced many encounters where being a young, single black woman caused me to feel disrespected. However, I am not without help; God fights every battle for me. As 2 Timothy 1:7 says, I do not have a spirit of fear but one of power, love, and a sound mind. Every challenge faced is dealt with by the power within.

• How do you handle moments of burnout or discouragement?
🩷 l face these challenges often, but in those moments, I ask for help. I am not without help. I remind myself of this as a declaration when I feel alone, stuck, and demotivated. I call my friends and ask for prayer, then I pray. There have been many times when I wasn’t in the mood to go anywhere or be around anyone, but in those moments, I remember Jeremiah 33:3 and ask God to answer my cry and give me what I need to make it through. Sometimes I remind myself that being a slave may take away my comfort, so whether or not I’m discouraged, if God has called me to it, I have to see it through despite how my flesh feels. It’s not to say it’s easy, but that’s the reality of serving God, who is also Lord over my life. So yes, a bit of tough love and prayer always does the trick.

• What message do you hope young people take away from your ministry and content?
🩷 From my content, I hope people are freed from the shackles of pleasing anyone other than God. It’s okay to have a personality and love God, it’s okay to be happy, and it’s okay to enjoy this beautiful world God created. I can only hope and pray that through the ministry God calls me to, people see the tangible love of God at work in my life and testimonies and experience it for themselves. I also hope people laugh because even He who sits in heaven laughs.

• How do you stay spiritually grounded while navigating the demands of ministry and social media?
🩷 Discipline and discipleship. Ensuring that the life I present online is a true reflection of what happens offscreen. Being in God’s presence every day through prayer, Bible reading, cell groups, and any other way I can. It’s so easy to burn out, but it’s easier to keep the lamp burning when you do the work to maintain the oil for the lamp.

• Which woman in the Bible do you most identify with, and why?
🩷 The answer to this question changes for me due to the different seasons of my life, but for now, I would confidently say Deborah. I see the grace for counselling that she had within my own life, as well as my deep love for worship and song.

• List 3 gospel songs that you totally love!!
🩷 7 Hills worship – Found a love. Joyous choir x Shingisai Suluma Tidzidzisei kunamata. Phil Thompson x Victor Thompson Jesus, Lamb of God.

• Have you always known you were/are
funny or did you discover it through people?
🩷 l think I’ve known from birth. I’ve always had a goofy personality, with my parents reminding me of all the silly jokes and pranks I would play on them. Later, during my school years, my love for laughter and not taking myself too seriously shone through because of the amazing friends I had.

• What’s one Bible character you think would make a great comedian?
🩷 Peter. I just imagine he had a witty sense of humor that isn’t intentional. He appears to be impulsive, much like I am, so I understand that with this personality trait, we’re quick to speak first and think later.


• If you weren’t doing ministry or comedy, what would you be doing?
🩷 Theatre for sure! I love acting, both on screen and on stage. I did theatre in high school, and I loved it. Being on stage, speaking loudly, and singing in between are my favorite things to do. It’s a dream I won’t let go of.

• What inspires your skits and comedic content?
🩷 I usually find funny sounds and think about how I want to act them out. Other times, it’s pure impulse; I act first and process later.

• Who are some international and local
creators you’d love to collaborate with?
🩷 Internationally, Megan Ashley is at the top of my list. Jackie Hill Perry and Pastor Stephanie Ike Okafor are also notable, and I would have loved to work with Dr. Myles Munroe. Locally, Oboitshepo Tladi  (my mum, sister, and I are major beneficiaries of her ministry; we have enough testimonies to write a book). Casper Nyovest has been on my heart for many months now, and I would be honored to have a podcast interview with him. There are many others, but I thank God that last year I had the honour of doing Instagram Lives with most of the people I once aspired to work with.

• Do you have a role model? How do they inspire you?

l don’t have a role model other than Jesus.

The life of Christ is my reference point for everything I face. I admire many people and find their lives beautiful, but my only true role model has always been Jesus Christ.

• What do you think is very important for Christian Content Creators to know?
🩷 Social media is a part of a ministry platform, so we’re accountable for what we share, say, engage in, and do in the public eye. People are always watching. That’s not to say we should be fake or put on a persona and only engage in spiritual content, but being yourself allows people to see the light of God at work in you. I love what the Christian community is today; we’re not perfect, but we love God and each other. It melts my heart to see how close most of us really are because the love we share will inevitably be seen by others, and their curiosity about that light will lead them to the cross.

• Would you do a soccer or a painting competition?
🩷 Soccer. I love sports, I love being active so I would much rather do something physical.  I’m not good at soccer—I don’t even think I know how to kick straight—I’m a netball girl, but I love participating.


• What is your home language?
🩷 Shona. I am Shona, with Ndebele heritage.


• Complete this sentence, “If you could see through my tummy, you’d probably find…”
🩷  If you could see through my tummy you’d probably find  rivers of living water! Just kidding, if you could see through my tummy you’d probably find it empty because I’m always hungry.


• What piece of advice would you like to leave with our readers today?
🩷 God loves you; He never stopped loving you. I went through a season where I almost forgot that truth. Pain tried to push me away from God, but because of His love, He rescued me again and held me in His warm embrace. It’s okay to hurt as long as you remain in Him. Cry in His arms. God’s love brings so much joy. Regardless of what we seek to gain from God, the greatest gift will always be Him—just Jesus. We are not without help; we have a Comforter, Healer, Father, Lord, and Friend. How exciting is it that the King of Kings, there before the beginning of time, would love us so much that He died to save us? What manner of love is it that the Lord of Lords knows your name and solely wants you—your yes, your heart, and your life? Just you and the Savior for all eternity 

Please feel free to connect with me on my social media pages:

Instagram- @lilly_nashe._

Tiktok: @lillynashe 

Or send an email to:

Lillynashe16@gmail.com

A lot of what I want to do is still under construction and prayer, but I urge you to stay connected. My first book, podcast and Youtube channel relaunch are just some exciting things I hope to share with you all very very soon. I love you!