Essie Faye, International Best-Selling Author and Speaker, Releases Motivational New Book, Heal Yourself Sis
Essie is an international best-selling author, speaker, psalmist, lifestyle model, and interpreter. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rockford College. She is a veteran educator of Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, and Spanish Language Acquisition with National Board Teacher Certification. She is an advocate of lifelong learning, language learning, multiculturalism and diversity. Essie is the CEO of KenMar Press, an author agency. She is the self-published author of the Finding the Love You Deserve series for women and teen girls and the Empower Youth series for teens. She is a contributing writer of “The Kitchen Devotional: Readings and Recipes to Feed Your Soul, Nourish Your Faith, and Bring Joy to the Table.” Essie is also a guest devotional writer for the Devotionals For the Heart Blog and a featured devotional writer on the YouVersion Bible App. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path. Essie is a Chicago native and enjoys spending time with family, reading, writing, singing, and cycling in her free time.
She loves God, people, and helping others. Essie has been a Christian for nearly all of her life; She was born again at 15 years old. She has been a bilingual worship leader and interpreter for 10+ years and has by the grace of God helped to establish bilingual ministries at 5 churches in her young life.
You are an advocate of lifelong learning, multiculturalism and diversity. Share your journey.
I’ve loved learning ever since I could remember. Reading has long been a favorite of mine. My life experiences, and educational opportunities have taught me the value of continual learning, multiculturalism and diversity. When we are curious and open-minded, we can navigate life with joy and awe. This definitely enhances our encounters. Diversity also enriches our perspective, and nurtures empathy, sympathy, and compassion for others. My education background at Northwestern University, and career training and expertise have cultivated my passion for lifelong multiculturalism and diversity. I teach my students to pursue these things inside and outside of the classroom. I practice what I preach. I love doing a variety of things; I’m multi-talented and willing to try my hand at many different things. I love languages, culture, and travel: it fascinates me. I enjoy lifestyle modeling and improv acting because it allows me to use my creativity and role-play, if you will.
Tell us about KenMar Press.
KenMar Press is an author agency that was birthed 3 years ago in 2022. I offer editing services, translation/interpretation, one-on-one coaching, and workshops for women and children about healing, self-discovery, self-management, and life lessons from a Biblical lense. One day during the Pandemic, I decided that I would try my hand at writing a children’s book. I believed I had a story to share with the world. As an educator, I felt a duty and desire to add my voice to the crowd of storytellers. I took a children’s book masterclass and I sat down to write. And write, I did. I wrote and wrote and wrote. That’s when I realized, “Girl, this is NOT a children’s book!” It’s as if my Best selling book, ” Finding the Love You Deserve: 30 Lessons in Self-Love and Acceptance” just flowed out of me. Since then I’ve self-published several books of my own and in the coming years I hope to help other authors do the same.
You just released your new book, Heal Yourself Sis. What was your inspiration?
My inspiration, honestly, is more of a calling or drive than anything. In 2017, I attended a life-changing production for Christian creatives from all over the nation. It was an Art Conference hosted by Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ (AMTC). Until then, I had never conceived of the concept of using my God-given gifts, to impact the world for good and for God. After attending the training sessions, and gaining practical performance experience, my heart was set ablaze. Prior, as a church girl, practically born on the pew of the Pentecostal Apostolic reformation, my options for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ were severely limited within the four walls of the church. In many faith communities 25-30 years ago, women were relegated to service as praise and worship leaders, Sunday school teachers, nurses, etc. Many women were permitted to preach the Gospel as frequently as men–only recently in many reformations have women been ordained Bishops and elders in leadership. The internet was difficult to use, and many of the apps we use today didn’t exist. So, I grew in my relationship with God as a teenager. I studied and prayed and discovered my gift to serve, teach, and preach and I waited for an opportunity to do what I loved. I wanted to share in my faith community–and I did, to the extent that I could, as a young woman preacher/teacher in a space dominated by old men. I remember for years, I prayed to God for opportunities to share His Word and the gifts that He had given me. I felt that I would explore if I didn’t share what He had placed within me with the world. Until one day, in 2017 I decided that I would do all that God placed within me: writing, speaking, acting, teaching, modeling, singing, preaching, praying. I created my own opportunities online and in secular spaces. I decided to stop waiting on others to give me a chance in the pulpit and I took a chance on myself. I broke out of the four walls of the church and I evangelized the world for Christ through art. I believe this is the very message of Matthew 28:19. Twenty-thirty years ago, this was a revolutionary thought. Even now it is, although it’s more widely accepted.
Heal Yourself Sis was birthed directly from my healing journey. It includes 15 research based and proven strategies to help women heal from trauma, loss, toxic relationships like abuse, and childhood wounds. I’ve used many of these strategies myself and I continue to use them. It is primarily a 90-day devotional for women of faith that gives practical ways to partner with God and do our soul work to heal ourselves. Many times we are waiting to receive a miraculous healing while we sit idly. Sometimes God performs an instantaneous healing, while other times, we have to roll up our sleeves and work to receive healing. This book encourages us to demonstrate our faith through work in order to receive our healing from God.
Can you share a few takeaways?
Here are my main 3 takeaways:
1. Create your own platform: If you don’t see it, create it. It may be hard, but anything worth having is also worth fighting for.
2. Partner with God to create the life you desire. When we exclude God from our lives, our efforts are futile at best; we are severely limited. When we leave God to do all of the work, we are bystanders and we become victims. But when we partner with God, we work with Him, to live our lives with purpose as He empowers us.
3. Life is hard: choose your hard and love life anyway. Hard places build character, compassion, empathy, and sympathy for humanity.
The holidays are coming, can you recommend your bestselling books to bring joy into people’s lives?
The number one bestselling book I can recommend is the Bible. It is the Word of God. It’s God-breathed and the most transformative text I know. Millions of lives have changed as a result of reading this bestseller. Try it and the results will be undeniable.
The book bundle, “Finding the Love You Deserve: 30 Lessons in Self-Love and Acceptance” and “A 60 Day Healing Journal For women of Faith,” brings joy into people’s lives because it helps women to navigate their lives in a way that encourages them to re-discover, heal, and accept themselves. As women we give so much of ourselves to others. Sometimes we neglect to truly see and value who God made us. The text and daily journal prompts help women reflect on their lives, choices, and patterns while helping them to get unstuck and move forward on their healing journey.
Empowered Girl: A 90-Day Journal For Teen Girls To Discover THeir God-Given Super Powers is an amazing read for teen girls 13-16. It guides girls on a journey to discover their gifts and build godly characteristics of love, peace, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, tolerance, self-control, and joy.
Tell us about your Heart to Heart Podcast.
My heart to heart podcast can be found on Spotify, I heart radio, and Apple podcasts and Youtube. Its focus is sharing stories that reach the heart. I’m currently rebranding and I plan to return soon with more episodes about healing and wellness in 2026. I am looking for guests; contact me via my website if you are interested.
You are a much sought-after speaker. Please share your upcoming events.
I’ve done a lot of work in the past three to eight years as an entrepreneur and I haven’t stopped to celebrate my successes in a big way since I started my journey. January 30th I will have an official Heal Yourself Sis Launch Event in Chicago, Illinois. I’m very excited about this and I hope that I can share my journey with my community of supporters, friends, and loved ones.
In February of 2026 I facilitate the Empowered Girl Writing Workshop for girls age 13-16
In March of 2026, I will be giving my signature talk “Grow Through It.”
Website: www.essiefaye.com
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/ on Instagram and at https://www.facebook.com/esther.tate.39 on FaceBook.
Essie Faye Taylor, MAT/NBCT, Author
KenMar Press, CEO
Youversion Devotion: http://bible.us/r/Abn
My Links: https://msha.ke/essiefaye
Follow Me on Social Media:
Instagram: @the_essie_faye
Facebook: Essie Faye
