Tenecia R. Sims of Inglewood, California, is a powerful, anointed, and compassionate wife, mother, grandmother, and breast cancer survivor. Her dynamic journey of balancing a life dedicated to God and family while serving and empowering others in many key roles makes her story a fitting tribute for Mother’s Day.
Sims is the first lady of Revelation Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, where she serves as Minister of Music, Women of Destiny president, and leader of the prayer ministry, to name a few of her roles there.
She earned her B.A. degree, majoring in Music with an emphasis in Voice from Loyola Marymount University. She began her role in praise and worship at the age of 14 and has served in the ministry of music for nearly 35 years.
Sims has appeared on the “Grammy Awards” and “American Idol” performing with both gospel and secular artists such as Yolanda Adams, The Clark Sisters, Bebe Winans, Judith McAllister, Eartha Moore, and Mariah Carey.
She also serves as the president of the Pastors Wives Circle for Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction’s Department of Women. She has worked for the City of Los Angeles for over 19 years and serves as an elected board member of the Los Angeles Women Police Officers & Associates.
Through all the roles that Sims leads in, her top priorities are God, family, and maintaining a healthy balance by prioritizing self-care. The Los Angeles Sentinel interviewed Sims to learn how she balances the many roles in her life.
L.A. Sentinel: What is the best advice you can give to mothers?
Tenecia R. Sims: When it comes to mothers, I would say, “Give yourself grace.” We often hear this, but it’s crucial to truly embrace it. As a mother, especially in the beginning, you will have countless questions, and no one can tell you exactly how to mother your own children.
I’ve learned that each of our five children are completely different, and each one needs your specific love based on their own love language.
As a mother, especially starting out, you will have so many questions, and nobody can really tell you how to be a mother to your own children.
People can guide you; they can give you advice, tell you what to expect, and they can even tell you what kind of tactics to choose from, but every child is unique.
I’ve learned with our five children are completely different and each one of them literally needs your “specific love” based on their own love language.
LAS: Raising children in these days and times is not easy? How do you deal with challenges?
TRS: You know, raising children is a blessing, but yes, it definitely also comes with challenges. And sometimes you just don’t know what to do. I’ve found out that prayer and fasting can turn challenges into triumphs.
For example, my husband and I had to do that with one of our children because there was a time when we just didn’t know what to do. We tried everything.
So, this year, we decided to dedicate the month of January to fasting and prayer, specifically putting our child on our hearts. We focused and dedicated the entire month to fasting and for our child, and we were amazed at the complete turnaround that happened. It was like we had a brand new child. With such a change, we wondered why we didn’t think of that before.
LAS: Would you advise others to try implementing prayer and fasting for their children too?
TRS: Our testimony is that fasting and prayer were so instrumental that it has now become the theme of our coping and has become a part of our lifestyle in regard to parenting.
LAS: What are some other tools that you can share with mothers?
TRS: Well, from the beginning I normalized prayer in the household. When the kids asked my husband, “Hey, what’s mom doing?” He would say, “Oh, she’s upstairs praying.”
It is also so important that we equip our children with the word of God, and to provide a structure of love for them. We as parents pray for our children, but we need to equip them to know who they are in God, and to have the word in their hearts, so that even at a young age, they will be prepared to handle challenges that can come up in school, or in life
Motherhood is more than just taking the kids to school, feeding them, making sure they have their bare necessities, but It’s also important that as mothers, we set the best example that we can.
LAS: In closing, what would you like to say to the moms who will be reading this article?
TRS: Until this day, I can say that everything that we prayed about and for, especially with regards to our children, God answered it. It did not happen overnight, but as we kept believing, it seemed as if we woke up one day, and said hey, God did it!
The word of God says in Mark 9: 23, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” So never stop believing that with God, all things are possible.
Learn more about Tenecia R. Sims on IG: @teneciasims https://www.instagram.com/teneciasims/?hl=en
Website: https://revelationcogicla.com/
