“I know that God brought me this far so that I can be an inspiration to other women.” – Cindel Pluviose
For years, Cindel Pluviose prayed for the life she now lives. She is happily married, a recent doctoral graduate, and the woman God has entrusted with a growing ministry. But arriving here was a process.
“I don’t have it all together,” Cindel told The Weight She Carries. “But I do know this: I know that God has brought me a mighty, mighty, mighty long way.”
Her journey to marriage was long and included years of learning to love herself. There was a time when she questioned her own worth. A time when she struggled to see herself as beautiful or valuable. A time when relationships left wounds that needed healing.
“I’ve learned to love me because I know who God is in my life,” Cindel said. “That, in itself, sounds cliché, but I’m telling you, when people learn to love themselves through the lens of God, that changes your whole view on yourself and even the world around you.”
Today, Cindel is married to Pastor David Pluviose, whom she describes as the answer to her prayers and the love of her life. This November, they will celebrate 2 years of wedded bliss.
So far, this year has been major.
In May, Cindel walked across the stage to accept her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, an accomplishment 10 years in the making that tested her perseverance.
“I began the DNP program in 2016 and walked this year, 2026. That means I went through the rigor of family practice to become a provider for patients. So alongside a doctor, I can diagnose, I can treat, I can prescribe.”
And along the way, another calling began to take shape: JournHE to the AltHER, a mentorship program for women preparing for marriage.
What began with one young woman’s question eventually became a six-woman pilot cohort, a curriculum, one-on-one mentoring, group conversations, outings, prayer, vulnerability, and a culminating celebration this October.
But to understand JournHE to the AltHER, you first have to understand the woman behind it.
Learning to Love Herself
When Cindel looks back at the woman she once was, she doesn’t pretend confidence came naturally. At one point, her internal dialogue sounded very different.
“I am nothing good. I’m not beautiful. Nobody cares. Who cares if Cindel is alive or dead?”
Over time, however, her understanding of herself began to change as her understanding of God changed.
“I’ve come to realize that no, God designed me,” she says. “He is my Creator. He designed me for a purpose, for a time, for a season, for a time like this.”
That realization became foundational to her growth.
For Cindel, this was not about repeating positive affirmations until she felt better about herself. It was about seeing herself through what she believed God said about her.
She immersed herself in Scripture and held onto passages that reminded her that she was created intentionally, that she was chosen, and that she had value in God’s sight.
One Scripture that became particularly meaningful to her was John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you…”
That understanding changed more than the way she viewed herself. It changed the way she viewed relationships. And eventually, it changed the way she approached marriage.
That transformation eventually became part of what she wanted to offer other women. The confidence she gained was no longer something she wanted to keep for herself.
From Admiration to Understanding the Calling
As a teenager, Cindel had a particular picture of what it meant to be a pastor’s wife.
“I always admired pastors’ wives,” she said. “The image I had was them walking in with the big hats.”
But she eventually discovered that the role was far more complex than it appeared. After moving to Michigan in 2005 and becoming deeply connected to students preparing for pastoral ministry, she began seeing the realities of pastoral families up close.
“I got inside views and experiences as to the struggle of not only a pastor but a pastor’s wife,” she said. “I realized then that not all that glitters is gold, as they say. The struggle is real. Pastors’ wives are lonely.”
Slowly, her desire changed. It was no longer about the appearance of the role. By 2019, she had become convinced that God was calling her into ministry too.
“It wasn’t for the glitz and glamour,” Cindel said. “It was for me to be able to be in ministry and support my husband in the way that he needs.”
Eventually, she became the pastor’s wife she had once imagined becoming as a teenager, but with a much deeper understanding of what the role required.
Then a Young Woman Asked a Question
When Cindel and David moved to Cleveland, Ohio, USA, after he accepted a position as senior pastor, Cindel initially thought her ministry would focus primarily on young people.
She had a heart for teenagers and young women. But the connections weren’t developing quite as she expected. Then a young woman named Ayana asked her a question that changed the direction of her ministry.
“Have you ever thought about mentoring us young adults for marriage?”
Cindel hadn’t, but she agreed to pray about it. Soon, Ayana brought four friends. Another woman joined through one of the women already involved. Now, there were six, and JournHE to the AltHER began.
The program needed to be designed from scratch. She had an idea, but now Cindel needed a curriculum. One that would appeal to six women whose backgrounds, experiences, ages, perspectives, and relationships with marriage were all different.
How could she create something that would speak to all of them?
Cindel prayed and fasted, and eventually realized that she had something more valuable than a polished curriculum.
She had her own journey. The mistakes. The healing. The questions. The lessons. The things she had learned about herself, relationships, marriage, and God.
She began building from there and also listened to the women themselves. The curriculum was not simply imposed on them. It developed through conversation and the questions they were bringing into the room.
That distinction became important.
JournHE to the AltHER wasn’t designed simply to tell women how to find husbands. It was designed to help women examine who they are and to walk boldly in their identity as God’s daughters.
Creating a Place Where Women Could Be Vulnerable
The group was intentionally small. There was a reason for that. Cindel wanted the women to feel safe enough to be honest. Meetings were not recorded, and the women were never pressured to answer questions they weren’t ready to answer.
Cindel herself modelled vulnerability by not presenting herself as someone who had mastered every area of life.
“I don’t have it all together, you guys,” she told them. “If I tell you I have it all together, I’m going to be lying to you.”
That honesty set the tone. The women could talk about difficult relationships. They could talk about their choices. They could talk about their insecurities and ask uncomfortable questions about marriage.
They also heard from people with different perspectives—including a divorced man who spoke to them about marriage and relationships from a male perspective.
JournHE to the AltHER has not only changed the participants. It has changed Cindel.
As she began developing the curriculum, she found herself revisiting areas of her own life and thinking about communication in marriage, finances, her relationship with Christ, prayer, accountability.
Some of the very things she was encouraging the women to examine were areas where she was still growing.
“I felt like I was closest to God when I went through this journey myself back in 2018, 2019,” she said. “However, since being married and having other positions and responsibilities, I kind of felt like my relationship with Him dwindled.”
Working on the curriculum brought her back.
The Pageant Became a Celebration of Growth
As the pilot cohort approached its conclusion, Cindel wanted to create something to mark the women’s progress.
The result was a pageant. Not one that determined who was the prettiest or most accomplished, but one that would give the women an opportunity to demonstrate what they had learned and celebrate their progress.
Having participated in a Christian pageant herself, Cindel understood how such experiences can build skills that extend beyond a stage.
Confidence. Communication. Poise. Eye contact. And the ability to stand in front of people and answer difficult questions.
The JournHE to the AltHER pageant would give the women an opportunity to put those things into practice and allow the community to witness their growth.
The pageant is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio, at Grace Community Auditorium.
“It is only $25,” Cindel said. “I know you got $25. Put KFC aside for the week, put DoorDash aside, and go grab your ticket on Eventbrite.”
Full Circle
That may be the most endearing description of JournHE to the AltHER.
“It’s something I didn’t have when I prepared for my journey before marriage,” Cindel said. “I would have loved to have had a network of sisters with me as I prepared.”
Now she is building that network for others. But the work doesn’t stop at the altar. That may be one of the most important messages emerging from the program.
Marriage is not the finish line. The wedding isn’t the end. The blessing still has to be stewarded well. The relationship still has to be nurtured, and people entering marriage are still growing.
The mentorship continues, and so does the work.
For Cindel, this isn’t simply a program she created. It is an extension of the road she herself has traveled. A road marked by insecurity and healing. Process, prayer, and perseverance.
Sometimes the thing you once needed becomes the very thing you are eventually called to provide for someone else.
And sometimes, the journey that seemed to be preparing you only for your own future was actually preparing you to walk someone else toward hers.
Find out more about the upcoming JournHE to the AltHER pageant by visiting:
Website: www.journhe2.org
IG: JournHe2_Cindel
Text: (440) 554-9640
Vimbai E. is a content marketer, ghostwriter, and the founder of The Weight She Carries. With hundreds of articles and stories publishing online, in print and for broadcast, her love of language and storytelling shines through every piece of writing that bears her name.