SHREVEPORT, LA — The powerful story of a woman who has been through abandonment, violence, grief, and shame but has now become a mother, author, counselor, and spiritual lighthouse for others in the “darkness” is only one of the stories that lies under the surface of every poem Aishah Lee Kelsick writes. This was her journey to California, which she went through Louisiana to arrive at her destination of despair no longer.
Her journey, from California to Louisiana, from despair to delight, reads like a modern-day psalm. People who suffer the most are the ones who can write the best because the pain experienced is very often the only way to reach the spirit. Kelsick, the author of The Dedication to the Trail of My Life and I Am a Walking Testimony: To God Be the Glory, has transformed pain into prose, trauma into testimony, and silence into spiritual victory.
“I was the black sheep,” she said softly. “Always criticized, always different. But my grandma told me that God loves me. So when I couldn’t get acceptance from people, I searched for it in Him, and I found it.“
A Childhood Marked by Shadows and Strength
Having been born as the middle child of six, Aishah’s early years were significantly influenced by the troubled relations of a broken family. When her mother decided to leave San Fernando Valley and move to San Bernardino in Aishah’s earlier years, it caused a disruption in what little normalcy Aishah had.
“I was always the one left out,” she remembers. “Different things were not celebrated; they were punished. But I think not being accepted helped me find my own way, and that way led me to God. When no one else could give me answers to the questions in my heart, I went to Scripture.“
Her faith turned out to be both a refuge and a guide for her. As a child moving between disconnection and spiritual craving, she found support in the texts of ancient truth long before she started writing her own pages.
From San Bernardino to Jacksonville Florida: A New Battle Begins
Aishah, as an adult, relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, a switch that was, according to her, eventually going to be the subject of a future novel. It was during this phase of her life that the accumulation of her suffering reached the maximum load and the breaking point.
In the process of the custody dispute, Aishah was homeless, had nowhere to live, and was alone with her children; she ended up in a domestic violence shelter. “I had just finished bathing the kids and putting them to sleep. I, too, was awake. I had no paper, so I took an envelope and started to write. The words began to rhyme and I realized I was writing a poem.”
The night marked the resurrection of her voice. What started as a survival act of expressing pain through writing soon got her hooked.
“Every poem was a reflection of pain to some extent,” she admits. “But writing was my source of breath. It was how I stayed above water when I felt I was sinking.”
The Dedication to the Trial of My Life: Writing Through the Storm
Her debut book, The Dedication to the Trail of My Life, is an artistic uncovering of trauma and resilience. She composed it in a period when she was missing her kids and struggling in a two-year custody battle. The book is a candid and unmediated depiction of emotional liberation.
“I remember lying on my mother’s living room floor, crying, thinking of the court, the supervised visitations, the violence. It was almost over, and I wrote to the end.”
That incident became the foundation of her recovery. With each stanza, she took her voice back from those who had attempted to suppress it.
One of the most powerful poems in the collection, I Am a Woman Who Can Change, speaks directly to those who have been wrongly judged and labeled.
“I was judged by people who didn’t know me,” the author stated. “But while I was fixing what needed to be fixed, I still stayed true to myself. I was determined to keep their words from penetrating to my heart.”
The book did not just speak to women, mothers, and survivors because it was neat or perfect but because it was authentic. Her verses do not act. They declare.
I Am a Walking Testimony: A Divine Sequel
Her first book was a real showcase of her poetic talent and the second work, I Am a Walking Testimony: To God Be the Glory, is a dramatic encounter with God. This time she was not only present to express her pain but also to show the strength that was behind her.
“This book is the reality behind the poetry,” she shares. “I wanted to let the people know how God came to my rescue in the midst of my problems. His presence was there, even when I could not feel it. I wrote with tears on the page.”
There is wrath in her writing, but at the same time, there are also forgiveness, freedom, and faith. “Some days I just walked. I could not be still. The writing was heavy. But I was convinced there was a light in it.”
A chapter at a time Aishah sheds the burden of generational trauma and systemic injustice. The revelation becomes a means for not only healing but also helping others realize that their lives have worth.
“If I can spot light in the tunnel,” she says, “then you can do it too.”
Faith That Anchors and Elevates
Deep-seated unshakeable faith is the central point of Aishah’s entire work and her very being. She does not refer to God as an abstract notion but as an acquaintance, a mentor, and a source of comfort always present. “Faith was what kept me going when I had no strength left. It’s what allowed me to walk another day, even when I didn’t want to.”
A sermon and a story intermixed are her words. She combines Scripture with reflection, prayer with poetry, and pain with praise. Her readers very often let her know that her books are like personal letters because, in many respects, they are indeed the same.
“We all have an inner strength that is more powerful than us,” she says. “That is the light at the end of the tunnel. However, we have to trust that we are deserving of witnessing it.“
A Legacy of Hope
Recently, she gained a certification as a counselor and mental health specialist. Aishah is still on her way to being the most inspiring and uplifting person. Her social media activities include daily posts, encouragement, and even scriptures, but they go further and reach thousands of people. The transformation is her main goal, not the attention.
The new book she is preparing to write is about her experience as a full-time caregiver to her disabled son. “There are new battles now,” she confesses, “but also new blessings. I want to share them with honesty.“
Her dream in the long run is to guide women through abuse, jail, or the loss of a loved one. “I want to give them another angle to look at the situation. That a new beginning is possible for you. That your past cannot take away your future.“
Aishah’s immediate response to the question about the message she wants to convey through her writing is, “God.” But she has more to say. Aishah insists on the importance of perception. “You might be in a prison of your own making, yet you are the one who has the key to unlock and come out. You see yourself already beaten, then you are. One exception is if you are able to see a chance of winning, even when the pain is around, then you have taken the first step toward healing.”
A Feature Long Overdue
Aishah sees the feature in America Inspire Magazine as her career coming round full cycle.
“It is of utmost importance to me,” she declares. “The recognition of my voice, the sharing of my story, the support of my audience, it is not simply about me. It is about hope. It is about making someone else feel they are not isolated.”
She reiterates her reason for survival and to be a healing agent for others when she is told that her books are helping others. “My life is a story, a story of God’s grace that He turns our mourning into dancing. I show it.”
One Sentence That Says It All
When asked to describe her life in one sentence today, her answer echoes with conviction:
“I have, and will continue to, seize the day.”
Explore More
- The Dedication to the Trail of My Life – Available on Amazon
- I Am a Walking Testimony: To God Be the Glory – Available at Barnes & Noble
Quote to Remember
“It’s all about how you choose to perceive the situation you’re struggling with. The tunnel may be dark, but the light is there. And you are worthy of it.” -Aishah Lee Kelsick
