I am a published author, a qualified chef with over 27 years of experience, the founder and Managing Director of Jemz Cake Box. Alongside God, we are the inspiration behind GRG Spiritual Intimacy Retreats and Away Days. I am also a blogger, podcast host, and just recently I’ve taken to the radio, hosting a Saturday morning show, Inspiration with Jemz on UGNJamz
As a chef, I have cooked for the likes of Tony Blair, former UK Prime Minister, singer-songwriter, author and political activist Sir Bob Geldof, American Gospel music singer and songwriter Marvin Sapp. Multiple Grammy, Dove and Stella award-winning, performer, producer and songwriter Fred Hammond, to name a few. As a cake artist, my attention to detail and amazing cakes set me apart from the rest. This has led to opportunities to make cakes for various British actors, the interior designer Kelly Hoppen, as well as the BBC and 10 time Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin.
I love to help people and have been involved in numerous charity project which ranges from building houses in the Townships of South Africa and rural Kenya, to climbing Mount Toubkal to raise money for children in need. I used this area of my passion and drive to start ABCD – Alone Behind Closed Doors. What started off as an idea to provide a special luxury Christmas dinner for families and individuals affected by poor mental health, five years on has become a community project that schools, social services, and many other sectors have benefited from.
My goal in life is to be happy because I wasn’t always happy. To fulfill my calling. To be obedient and tell my story as instructed by God, so others can be inspired, encouraged, and motivated to apply change to their own lives when they see what God has done for me and through me.
I am a Christian and have been since the age of thirteen. I’ve always had a desire to know God intimately. As a child I would sit alone with Him talking to him, though at the time I recall it being more of a make-belief presence that I knew was there, I just couldn’t see it. Simply put, I’ve always had God on my mind.
Like many many l’ve face challenges in life, the hardest being losing my mother when I was 17. Her death triggered a heavy depression and a hunger to belong and be loved.
I spent years in church and carried my faith with me all through the depressive years, even when I was swallowing handfuls of pills and having my stomach pumped I was talking to God asking Him to show me a clear path away from depression. I was tired of searching. In the end, I had to realise Chruch could not save me, God could, but not the church.
In 2011, after 29 years as a Christain and 35 years of depressive thinking and 2 months alone with God, my life changed and it has never been the same. Finally, I found what I was looking for, the intimacy I had unknowingly shared with God as a child. What I thought was make-belief, something I had dreamt up, was real. He was real. His presence was real. Our time together was real.
Since 2011 I have sought to share my experiences of spiritual intimacy with God with other believers who are acquainted with God but lack intimacy with Him. I have also become very passionate about helping individuals combat mental adversity through mentoring and the implementation of my 4 step process that enabled me to come to a place of controlling my thoughts, managing my emotions and overcoming depression.
I have always been blessed but as a result of turning my life around, I am able to see God’s blessings in my life with clarity and appreciate them and Him even more. Because of this I can see there is so much more to come, which excites me, and to be excited in itself is a blessing, a blessing that was once masked by 35 years of depression.