Hola! I am Suge Imhoff, an ordinary woman who has learned to take leaps of faith that many may consider illogical. I have always been an entrepreneur with high energy. I'm always looking on the bright side of things, and I'm pretty strict with myself when it comes to getting things done. But I'm not afraid to take chances and have fun. I enjoy the little things, like brownies and chocolate cookies. And you better believe that when my favorite worship music comes on, I turn up the volume and blast it while driving. However, it was not always like this. One may say that I lived in "deserts" for most of my life.
Wikipedia defines a desert as:
A barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation.
There couldn't be more perfect descriptors for more than half of my life: Barren; little precipitation (nurturing), hostile living conditions; lack; unprotected.
You see, I am the product of an adulterous relationship. My father was already married when he began his affair with my mother. As a result, he was never a part of our home, or my life for that matter. This also meant that I was robbed of the opportunity to connect with my paternal relatives, including my dad's other children. Because of the nature of my conception, I was forbidden from being a part of their lives. I was labeled the "bastard daughter", born out of wedlock; rejected and denied by my father.
Being rejected and denied by your father can feel like wandering through a barren desert without any oasis in sight.
My second desert experience was when I was at the tender age of nine. My mother entered into a relationship with a man who moved in with us. It was not long before I had the earth-shattering revelation that he was not a loving, protective father figure, but instead, a pedophile who would steal my innocence. For almost two years, my daily "homework" was to perform oral sex on my 35-year-old stepdad. I was a slave with no one to save me.
This terrible experience left me with so much hurt, pain, and trauma in every fiber of my being. My identity had been hijacked from the moment I came into this world!
Both being in the desert & being abused and misused can leave you feeling isolated, vulnerable, and in desperate need of saving.
Over the following 29 years, I would find myself in a perpetual state of desert storms. You name it, and I most likely went through it:
Child molestation
Physical and emotional abuse
A suicide attempt while pregnant with my second baby in my womb after my husband committed adultery and abandoned me
Divorce
Raising two sons as a single mother for 12 years
Serial relationships due to the fear of being alone
Bankruptcy (twice)
Two major surgeries
The near death of both my sons; one at birth and the other at the age of four.
As a result of spending an extended time in a state of "desert despair," I developed a mindset that placed more value on performance rather than living authentically. I became hyper-focused on DOING and BECOMING MORE, rather than simply being myself. Seeking refuge in knowledge and intelligence, I had an intense desire to prove my worth to the world.
Just as prolonged exposure to the desert can lead to incoherence and the illusion of mirages, experiencing abuse and trauma can cause you to lose sight of your true self and create a distorted reality and a mistaken identity.
However, during a few days spent in the desert of Huachina, Peru, something divine happened. In an experience that can best be described as supernatural, I encountered Jesus face to face, and he revealed to me the beauty of my desert, even in moments when I felt dry, empty, and thirsty.
In 2014, I had a life-changing experience with God. On my 38th birthday, I desperately cried out to Him, questioning why so many terrible things had happened to me despite being a good person. His response was cryptic yet filled with urgency, "Hold on and be ready, even if you don't know why or what for." While it was clear that he wasn't going to immediately extract me from my current desert, He promised to rescue me by my 40th birthday. I eagerly began counting down the days, desperate for His salvation.
I will never forget His spectacular voice - YES!! God prophesied this to me while I was praying on my knees, and I admit, I did not understand what he meant. I cried a lot for having to endure longer. But I resolved, "Okay, my Lord, here I am, and I will be until You decide the right time for me". I spent my 39th year expectantly waiting to see if God would change His mind and maybe speed up his timeline, but He did not.
During the two-year wait for my promise, I faced numerous challenges. I was desperate to escape a season of loss after breaking up with my partner and losing both my house and car. We had bought assets together, but he kept and sold them without reimbursing my investment. Feeling defeated, I decided to surrender to God and let him guide me out of this situation.
In 2015, life started to look a little brighter. For starters, I became part of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, certified by leadership expert and best-selling author, John Maxwell. It wasn't long before I was receiving invitations to be the keynote speaker at conferences and to facilitate corporate leadership training. Moreover, I was serving in my local church and had started to help with its growth.
Remember the promise God had spoken to me on my 38th birthday?
Eleven months before my 40th birthday, in January 2016, I heard God instruct me to start selling all my belongings in preparation to move. I was hesitant and a bit reluctant because I had built a life in Colombia. My response to God was, "Where are you taking me?". At the time, I had been working hard to grow my company and did not want to abandon it.
Despite being broke, I also managed to start a foundation called "Mil Sonrisas Colombia" (Thousands of Smiles Colombia) to support low-income mothers & children through evangelism. With the help of one of my employees and a psychologist friend, we have assisted over 800 children to date.
Two months after God instructed me to sell everything, I accepted an opportunity to join a mission trip with my Church to come to the USA and help plant a new church, evangelize on the streets, and preach for a couple of weeks. I packed up, left my boys and company in my sister's care, and started off to work for God. I was on fire for Jesus in the midst of facing many difficulties, and He gave me peace. He had healed me and miraculously restored my life. At the end of my mission trip, God divinely led me to cross paths with a gentleman named James Gregory Imhoff. James started messaging me on Facebook Messenger after seeing me in the John Maxwell Certification program's private Facebook group. He was an American man with three children who was in love with Jesus just as I was. I met him in person on May 15, 2016, and three months later, he asked me to move to America permanently because he wanted to marry me!
Guess what? I said "Yes"! He was the husband I had been praying for. We got married in October 2016, just five months after meeting each other. Now, almost seven years later, here we are. And here's something that's sure to make you laugh: Throughout our time communicating online and well into a year of marriage I COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH and my husband didn't speak my native language of Spanish! We had to communicate through Google Translate until I was able to learn English. Crazy right?!? When it's God's will, there is always a way!
God fulfilled His promise to me by getting me out of the desert and sending me to a new land where I could start afresh in all aspects of my life. He did so 50 days before my 40th birthday!
Now, my journey hasn't been all sunshine and roses. There has been pain and there WILL BE pain. I watched my mother endure much pain as well before she went home to heaven in 2021. And although my relationship with my biological father started out rough, it hurt nonetheless when he passed away in 2022.
Like Job who had everything taken from him by satan and the Israelites who wandered in the desert for forty years, I too know what it feels like to have to trust God even when everything around you says the odds are against you. However, I have also experienced periods of abundance similar to an oasis, where I accomplished great achievements in my academic, personal, and professional life. In university, I was top of my class and an all-star basketball player. I've obtained three degrees including an MBA. I've been a corporate leadership trainer and I've had the honor of running my own marketing agency. As the Apostle Paul puts it in Phillipians 4:12-13,
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Throughout the years, I have endured some fierce storms. I must confess that my reliance on logic often blinded me to the ways in which God was working everything out for my benefit. Seasons of pain didn't mean God was absent nor did seasons of success mean that I was content, whole, or free from pain. Honestly, many times when I was being celebrated for "worldly" success, I was the most empty, broken, and hurting. All too often, my emotions dictated my outlook & led me astray, and when coupled with my weak character, I was prone to falter.
Yet, I persevered. How? While I did not know exactly what lay ahead, I was keenly aware that God's supernatural power was always with me, and that He held the key to every obstacle. I sensed that He sent angels to assist me, and it was His voice that empowered me to remain mentally resilient amidst the chaos.
I came to understand that life isn't just about surviving. For 40 years, I was in survival mode, but now I know better. Life is about discovering your true identity and purpose in Christ and being brave enough to reach your God-given potential and destiny. Although I haven't quite figured it all out yet, I know there's always more to learn and hope to be had. Thanks to the grace of God, I can speak without resentment now. I forgave all those who hurt me in the past, and I've never felt more alive. I'm ready to fulfill my mission.
I must also mention how truly grateful I am for my sons. They have been my loyal supporters and motivators through all of our battles. And through the struggles, I reflect on the mindset I had as a child; knowing that God created me to be a victor and not a victim. With a strong mindset and encouragement from God, I have been able to push through and strive for more despite any obstacles in my path.
I am excited to share that I am now mentoring women globally through an online Christian ministry that I founded in 2015 to serve the Hispanic community. To date, we have reached over 15,000 women! This year, my team and I expanded our reach to become EWoman (Extraordinary Women) Global Ministries. We officially obtained non-profit status and started ministering to English-speaking communities as well (thanks to my ability to now speak and understand English😁)! We are currently in the process of re-branding our online presence and are thrilled about what the future holds as we continue to grow.
We'd love to have you partner with us! As a partner, you'll receive exclusive updates on our global initiatives, and more importantly, you'll have the incomparable joy of knowing that you're helping to impact women around the world for God's glory. You'll also have the opportunity to join a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about empowering women.
In conclusion, through the grace and power of God, daily renewal of the mind, and hard work, I overcame and became a resilient officer in the Army of God. ⚔️ 🛡
You too have the potential for greatness and to let the light of Jesus shine through you. Thank you for reading my testimony, and if you're interested in joining our mission, please stay connected with us. Remember: NEVER GIVE UP! Stay tuned for more miraculous details that will be shared in my upcoming book.!
I am cheering on you!
